It's Christmas Everywhere Trivia Quiz

Answer: Japan

Despite the tiny minority of Christians in Japan, Christmas is happily anticipated by many Japanese. Santas abound in shopping centres and the Christmas cakes are baked and eaten with relish. Eaten with loved ones on Christmas Eve, the cake is the star attraction at gatherings in Japan. The tradition evolved from post-WWII suffering and deprivation.

The Japanese had lost the war, food shortages were common and the country was facing a grim time. American soldiers had access to and distributed sweet treats such as chocolates. These treats came to represent the prosperity of America and the Japanese ambitions for the future. Whilst missionaries had tried to introduce the Japanese to Christmas since the 17th century, it was the idealised, commercialised, modern and prosperous American-style Christmases the Japanese aspired to.

Sponge cake was once seen as a food for the elites of society as the ingredients were expensive. After the war and with Japan's economy on the mend, the ingredients became accessible to more people and the middle class embraced the once elusive sponge cake as a symbol of success. The cake's traditional round shape, the white whipped cream and the reddest of all strawberries are seen as representing the Japanese flag.

Merii Kurisumasu!

Answer: For deceased loved ones

Consoada is the traditional Portuguese Christmas meal. Eaten on Christmas Eve, there will often be a course of codfish, potatoes and green vegetables. This is followed by a more lavish dishes with shellfish, venison or other more costly meats saved for special occasions. Desserts are typical Portuguese fare such as filhós, rabanadas, or aletria.

In the northern regions of Portugal, loved ones who have recently passed away are remembered at the Consoada table by an empty chair. Not always practical, especially with large gatherings, a candle or lamp may be lit to comfort the souls of those who have recently died.

Feliz Natal!

Answer: Krampus

Unlike the kindly St Nicholas, Krampus takes away the presents of naughty children or punishes them in another way. He is the anti-Santa! Other names for Krampus include Knecht, Ruprecht, Schmutzli and Black Peter. He rises from the depths of the Earth on the eve of St Nicholas' Day which is December 6th.

Despite having possibly been a figure of legend for thousands of years, Krampus is now becoming a becoming a figure in pop culture with Krampusnacht celebrations and Krampus parades occurring in places such as Finland, France and San Francisco. Early Krampus greeting cards have become collector's items. The greeting card in the photo is of an early 1900s Krampus greeting card. I'm not sure what sort of greeting is intended by the card though.

Joulupulki, Père Noël and Sinterklaas are the names for Santa Claus in Finland, France and the Netherlands respectively.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Answer: Ethiopia

Christmas is known as Ganna (or Genna) in Ethiopia and is celebrated on January 7th. Ganna mass begins at 4 am and sees parishioners wearing a mostly white, cotton garment known as a shamma. The Christmas feast occurs after the mass. Unlike other countries which celebrate Christmas, gift-giving is not a key feature of an Ethiopian Christmas. Small children may receive a practical gift such as clothing, but the festive season is a time for games rather than gifts.

Ganna sees the males of a town play a game that is also called ganna. Played with a curved stick and a round, wooden ball, it has features similar to hockey. During the game of yeferas guks, ceremonial spears or lances are thrown at other players while on horseback. That sounds like fun until someone loses an eye!

Lalibela is in the hills of Ethiopia about 200 miles north of the capital, Addis Ababa. Eleven churches, all carved from the volcanic rock from which the hills are made, make up the complex at Lalibela. Now a World Heritage Site, these buildings were made in the 12th century. The town of Lalibela has a population of around 20,000 people. Christmas sees 50,000 people arrive to worship at these remarkable buildings.

Melkm Ganna!

Answer: Cemeteries

Finnish cemeteries can be quite a magical and serene place on Christmas Eve, aglow with the gentle light from hundreds of candles. Up to 75% of Finnish families will visit a cemetery to light a candle around Christmas time, many on Christmas Eve. Depending on a family's custom, they may attend the cemetery before or after Christmas dinner which is enjoyed in the evening of Christmas Eve.

Other special occasions such as a loved one's birthday, Independence Day (December 6th) or All Saints' Day are also popular days for lighting candles for loved ones in their final resting place.

Hyvää Joulua!

Answer: Yes

The unmarried woman faces away from the house and hurls the shoe over her shoulder and towards her residence. The direction it faces will tell her of her marriage prospects. A toe facing away from the house means another year of the single life while a toe facing towards the house suggests a wedding before the next Christmas. One hopes there is a prospective groom in the picture, somewhere.

Another method of marriage divination in the Czech Republic is a woman cutting a twig from a cherry tree on December 4th (St Barbara's Day). She places it in water and if it blooms by December 24th, a wedding is on the cards.

If that fails to give the desired result, the young lady can shake an elder tree. While she's shaking a tree, it's a good omen if a dog barks. The girl and/or her family should head in the direction of the dog bark as the man who'll walk down the aisle with her lives in the general vicinity.

I should note that none of these methods come with a guarantee. Practice these at your own risk!

Veselé Vánoce!

Answer: Animal masks or headdress

The tradition of mummers goes back several centuries and occurred, in various forms, throughout much of Europe. It spread to the Americas (particularly in Newfoundland and Philadelphia) where the tradition is kept alive. Plays are often performed seasonally such as around ploughing time, Guy Fawkes Night or Christmas.

Mummers plays in Latvia can occur at any time, but on Christmas Eve mummers actors will travel from house to house and sing and/or dance for the residents. After the show, they might be invited in to partake of some Christmas cheer as the mummers are said to repel evil spirits. The most common headdress for Christmas Eve in Latvia is that of an animal. e.g. a bear.

Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus!

Answer: Play tricks and wreak havoc

Instead of bringing joy and happiness, these goblin-like spirits were said to create havoc and destruction in their two weeks on the surface of the Earth. Arising from the bowels of the Earth, they appear on Christmas Day and stay, like unwelcome guests who have worn out their welcome, until Epiphany on January 6th. Descriptions of the appearance of the Kallikantzaroi vary. Some features that have been attributed to the Kallikantzaroi include dark, tall, short, red eyes, cleft hoofs, iron clogs on their feet, very hirsute, lame and stupid. All rather confusing in a police line-up should one ever be captured.

The Kallikantzaroi's mischief-making activities in urinating in flower beds, ruining food, intimidation, breaking furniture and hitching a ride on people's backs as they walk. The Kallikantzaroi have been relegated to a myth in these modern times but should you want to deter them, here are a few methods; Burn a shoe in the fireplace; hang the lower jaw of a pig at the front door or in the chimney; a tangled flax rope hung over the door will deter them as they pause to count the strands; throw a large log in the fire to maintain smoke in the chimney; or throw salt in the fire.

On the 5th of January, pancakes can be placed on the roof to feed the Kallikantzaroi on their return journey to the bowels of the Earth. On Epiphany, having your home blessed by a priest will keep evil spirits away for a year.

καλά Χριστούγεννα!

Answer: KFC

The Osaka World Expo was held in 1970 and helped introduce some large fast-food chains to Japan. Four years later KFC launched a very successful advertising campaign to inculcate the Japanese into buying chicken for Christmas. The campaign said 'Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!' or 'Kentucky for Christmas!' It all began in the early 1970s when an ex-pat American in Japan was looking for a turkey for Christmas. On hearing the story, a KFC employee talked to his boss who talked to his boss who talked to his boss, and from that germ of an idea came the idea of 'Kentucky for Christmas!'

So successful has the campaign been that KFC sells more chicken on December 23rd, 24th and 25th than it does in a normal month. Normally office-bound executives of KFC help out in the stores to serve chicken to people as the lines of customers stretch outside the door. Orders for barrels of chicken are sometimes placed in October to ensure the chicken is on the table for Christmas! Other fast-food chains have tried to work their way onto Christmas tables in Japan, but the idea of Christmas equating to KFC is now ingrained, so little progress has been made. I hope the notion of a KFC barrel came to you from the picture clue!

Merii Kurisumasu!

Answer: Italy

Italian children look forward to Santa Claus' visit on Christmas Eve: in Italy, he's called Babbo Natale. Once all the excitement of Christmas is over, they can look forward to the visit from Befana who flies in on her broomstick to deliver sweets and toys to the good children and a lump of coal to the bad children. Many children will also receive a lolly (candy) that looks like a lump of coal because even the best-behaved children must have been naughty at least once in the preceding year.

Arriving on January 5th, the night before Epiphany, Befana's name was possibly derived from the Italian for the Feast of Epiphany (La Festa dell'Epifania). Despite being a witch in many legends, she's often portrayed smiling as she flies around the country. Perhaps that's because families leave a glass of wine and some food for her on the table. One story suggests that children will get a smack from her broom if they see her, but this may have been told to children to ensure they are tucked up in bed. Entering through the chimney of a house, her cape is black from the soot.

Like many legends, the story of Befana varies according to local tradition, but the baby Jesus appears in the stories in one form or other. The roots of Befana's tale may include pre-Christian practices that have been intertwined with the story of Christ to create this kindly witch. Another part of the legend is that Befana will sweep the floors and tidy the houses she visits, so perhaps we should all put a glass of wine and a little bit of food on the table on January 5th. ;-)

Buon Natale!