Children's Lit Titles in Latin (Pt 13) Christmas Quiz

Answer: Ursus Pervigilat ad Nocte Sacra

"Ursus" is the classical Latin word for bear. "Pervigilat" comes from the Latin verb pervigilō, pervigilāre, meaning "to stay awake all night." Since the plot involves the bear's friends wanting him to stay awake for all the Christmas Eve preparations like decorating a tree, baking treats, hanging stockings, and singing Christmas songs together, it feels like "Nocte Sacra" meaning "Holy Night" is a more appropriate fit than "Nativitatem" which is more closely related to the actual birth or Nativity.

This 2004 rhyming picture book by Karma Wilson, finds Bear wide awake after his friends fall asleep tired from the celebrating, so he stays up making gifts for each of them. He's so busy he doesn't even notice Santa Claus arriving and filling their stockings.

Answer: Ludi de Christi Natali Omnium Optimi

"Ludi" conveys the public, communal, and slightly chaotic spirit of a school pageant, which is appropriate for this 1972 "Pageant" as described by author Barbara Robinson; the six prankster siblings in the Herdman family all have big roles in the Christmas Pageant, and everyone suspects the pageant will be chaotic. "De Christi Natali" means "concerning Christ's Birth", which is to say "Christmas", and "Omnium Optimi" is the classic Latin idiom for "the best ever." As the Herdman kids learn more about the story of Christ, their attitudes soften, becoming more heartfelt.

Answer: Nātālia Caroli Braun

"Nātālia" is Latin for "Christmas", and "Caroli Braun" will mean "of Charlie Brown," treating "Charlie" as Carolus and "Brown" as the borrowed surname Braun, both in the genitive case for "of Charlie Brown".

This book adaptation by the "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz in 1965, is based on the beloved TV special we all watch every year. It's the story of Charlie Brown searching for the true meaning of Christmas, and is very close to the TV show in that it also depicts the students mocking Charlie Brown's choice of a Christmas tree, Linus reading the Biblical passage from Luke 2:8-14 about the birth of Jesus, and all the Peanuts gang realizing the true meaning of Christmas.

Answer: Quomodo Grinchus Nativitatem Riperet

"Quomodo" is the standard interrogative for "how" or "in what manner." "Grinchus" is a direct phonetic adaptation, treating "Grinch" as a proper noun and giving it the standard Latin masculine declension endings (Grinchus, Grinchi, Grincho, etc.), showing how Latin would traditionally absorb a foreign name. "Riperet" is the imperfect subjunctive of rapere (to seize), creating the sense of "how he went about stealing". "Nativitas" is the standard Ecclesiastical Latin term for Christmas, and "Nativitatem" would then be the accusative object of the verb "stole".

A children's classic by Dr. Seuss, aka Theodore Geisel, this 1957 book tells the by now familiar tale of a green grumpy creature called The Grinch and his plot to ruin Christmas for the denizens of Whoville. The story became a TV classic in 1966, watched ritually every Christmas for the experience of seeing this Scrooge's heart grows three sizes, as he learns the meaning of Christmas.

Answer: Arbor Natalicia Minima

"Arbor" is Latin for tree, and "Natalicia" relates to birth, and in Ecclesiastical Latin, it is the standard adjective for "Christmas." "Minima" means the smallest, littlest.

Written and illustrated by Jane Chapman in 2024, "The Littlest Christmas Tree" finds a young bear cub named Cubby accompanying his father bear one day to find a Christmas tree for their home. When they find a suitable one, they dig it up, bring it home, and place it in the perfect spot in the living room and decorate it. But when Christmas is over, and it's time to take everything down, Cubby is saddened at the prospect of losing what he considered a friend. The father comes up with the perfect idea to make Cubby happy.

Answer: Natalicia Magdalenae

Magdalena is the classical Latin form of "Magdalene," from which "Madeline" is etymologically and historically derived. "Magdalenae" is a specific grammatical case used to show possession or connection. "Natalicia" means "Christmas festivities" or "Christmastide", capturing the holiday celebration in the title.

The book by Ludwig Bemelmans was written in 1956, and is part of a series of Madeline books. The little French girl this time around takes care of her classmates and Miss Clavel when they all catch a cold the day before Christmas. A mysterious carpet merchant enters the scene as well providing a magic touch that helps solve the problem.

Answer: Felix Nātālicia Agricola Curiose

"Felix" means happy, fortunate as an adjective in the case, and "Nātālicia" is "of (the) Nativity" or "Christmas," plural neuter adjective; together it's a neutral or classical way to say "Happy Christmas" when used as a title or greeting. I've taken some liberty here with the name "George" which etymologically meant "farmer" in Greek, a combination of the Greek words for "soil" and "work". "Agricola" is the Latin word for farmer, and "Cuiose" is Latin for "Curious".

This is another book that is part of a series of books about "Curious George" originally created by Margaret and H.A. Rey. The brand was extended and this book, "Merry Christmas, Curious George" was first written and published in 2008 by Cathy Hapka. The mischievous monkey here prepares for the holidays, first by helping The Man with the Yellow Hat, pick out their Christmas tree. At the tree farm, however, George has taken to hiding in the tree's branches. George later cheers the young patients at a local children's hospital, and then gets to meet Santa Claus. Well, not THE Santa Claus of course.

Answer: Nivihomines ad Natalicia

For "Snowmen" we use a compound noun: For "Snow" we draw from nix (if nominative), nivis (if genitive, which in this case it is: men of snow), and combine it with "homo" (man), "hominis" (men). This is a creative way to form "snowmen" in Latin. "At" (in the sense of being present for or participating in the event) is "ad". "Natalicia" captures the celebratory sense of "the Christmas festivities" or "Christmastide."

This book from 2005, by Caralyn Buehner was a sequel to "Snowmen at Night." This book imagines what snowmen do to celebrate Christmas after us flesh folk go to sleep. Turns out that snowmen families steal away from their lawns to congregate in the town square, and pretty much do what humans do, singing, decorating, etc. Surprisingly though there's a snowman Santa Claus too! Who knew?

Answer: Erat Nox Ante Natalem

"Erat" mean "It was" which is what the contraction "T'was" means. "Nox" is "Nigght" in latin, and "Ante" is "Before". "Natalem" "Natalem" is the accusative of natalis (pertaining to the birth), we use for "Christmas".

Also called "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore, this iconic 1823 poem describing Santa's arrival, has countless editions of picture books published for children. You all know the story. Santa Claus comes to the house, and the Papa of the family hears the sound of his arrival and gets out of bed to witness it as his children sleep snugly and soundly with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.

Answer: Annus Arboris Nataliciae Perfectae

"Annus" (pronounced with a short "a", not a long "a" vowel sound) is the standard Latin word for "Year". "Arboris" is the genitive use linking tree to year so, "Of the tree." "Natalicia" is the genitive feminine adjective for describing the kind of tree-a Christmas Tree. (Christmas festivities). "Perfectae" for "Perfect" agrees with Arboris in case, gender, and number.

"The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree" by Gloria Houston, illustrated by Barbara Cooney, is a heart-warming children's book about a poor family in an Appalachian mountain town during World War I, in 1918. The little girl Ruthie, and her mother wait for the father to come home from the war, and Ruthies is cast in the school play as an angel. How will Ruthie's mother make a costume for Ruthie?