"R" You Ready To Rejoice? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Red

One of the definitions for the word "read" as a verb is "to discover information by reading it in a written source". Of course the festive word we are looking for is "red". Why is red such an important color during the holidays? Well, it probably goes back to Roman times when their seasonal holiday was the Saturnalia.

It honored the god Saturn and was celebrated during the month of December. It was a time of role-reversal, and slaves were allowed to wear the red hat, called the pilleus, which normally signified that a person was free.

When Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, red became the symbol of Christ's blood. Religious plays featured the paradise tree, which was decorated with apples to signify Adam and Eve's fall from grace. Red was also the color of bishop robes, so that is why St. Nicholas, who was the Bishop of Myra, was dressed in red.

Answer: Reindeer

Also called caribou in North America, the reindeer is the only deer species where both males and females have antlers. The male's, however, are typically longer than the female's. Found on northern continents, they live in Arctic, sub-Arctic, tundra, mountains, and woodland areas.

While their favorite food is lichens, they will also eat leaves and grasses. They have provided food for indigenous people like the Alaska Natives for centuries, however, reindeer are also the only domesticated deer in the world. And their connection to Santa? Well, they live up North like he does! The first reference to them together was the 1821 poem "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight"; there was only one reindeer in the story, though. Two years later Clement Moore published "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which named all eight - excluding Rudolph who joined the group much later in 1949.

Answer: Relative

The word "relative", derived from the Late Latin "relativus", which meant "compared to each other", was first used in the 1590s. While many philosophers in ancient Greece, such as Socrates, searched for universal truths, the Sophists, a rival school, taught that truth is relative; in other words, what is beautiful or truth to some, might not be to others.

Unsurprisingly, the noun "relative" comes from the same Late Latin term, but was not used to refer to people in the same family until the 1650s. People enjoy seeing their relatives - kinfolk, family - during the holidays.

Answer: Ribbon

A ribbon lake is one that was initially formed by a glacier. As the glacier moved across the land, it caused abrasion that carved out a trough. At the end of the Ice Age, the trough became filled in with water, creating a lake. Lake Washington, which is located near Seattle, is a ribbon lake; it is 21.75 miles long and has a maximum depth of 214 feet.

During the ancient Roman Saturnalia, the statue of Saturn had its feet unbound from the wool strips that were usually there. It was a symbol of freedom and liberation. Live trees were decorated with red and purple ribbons, as well as images of the sun. The Wise Men brought Baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, thus beginning the tradition of gift giving at Christmas. Gifts are fastened with ribbons, and the bow symbolizes goodwill and unity.

Answer: Rings

Some believe that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" refers to golden ring-necked pheasants, a bird that was so expensive that only royalty could eat them. They were a subspecies of the Golden Fleece, birds sought by the mythological Jason. Another source, however, states that it is a reference to the Torah, the first five books in the Bible, and still another mentions gold finches.

Of course, a bell also rings during the holidays. Check out the story of "The Polar Express" (2004). Only those who believe will hear it!

Answer: Roast

During the Saturnalia, the winter festival in ancient Rome, there was a lot of silliness taking place, such as role reversal. It might be expected that there would be a banquet roast where the master might be the subject of some jokes and teasing. Care was needed, however, because the next days the roles were once again reversed, and they stayed that way until the next Saturnalia.

In holiday celebrations today, the other form of the word may be expect. A roast is a piece of meat that has been, well, roasted! That means that it was heated in an oven or over a fire. Some type of roast - be it beef, lamb, chicken, duck, goose, or pork - is a popular entrée to serve for a holiday meal.

Answer: No

According to the etymology of the word "ritual", it is derived from the Latin word "ritus". In Roman culture ritus applied to both government and religious rituals that were considered to be the correct way of doing something. As a noun, the word ritual can either be associated with religious ceremonies or habitual behavior. During the Christmas season, many rituals are observed; some are religious and some are not.

Some people adorn their homes with decorations, such as trees and wreaths. Although the practice may have originated with religious beliefs, most people do not view it that way today. On the other hand, many enjoy going to church or setting up nativity scenes during Christmas.

They would be examples of rituals that are religious.

Answer: Richard

When Robert L. May was writing "Rudolph" in 1939, he first thought of naming the now-famous reindeer Rollo or Reginald. He had been inspired by a thick fog over Lake Michigan, and decided that his reindeer would have an alliterative name and a red nose that was bright enough to lead Santa's sleigh. In the end, the name, however, had to be Rudolph; it was his favorite!

Answer: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Originally written in Latin, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was a seven verse poem that was sung in monasteries in the 8th or 9th century. It was part of the "O Antiphons", chants sung during vespers, or sunset evening prayers, during the last seven days of Advent in preparation for Christmas. Each verse mentioned names from the Old Testament that were associated with Christ, such as "O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse", who was one of Christ's ancestors.

In 1861 John Neale translated the song into English - it had also been translated into other languages - and used the tune, "Veni Emmanuel" that had been recorded in "Hymnal Noted" in 1851.

Answer: Rum

Eggnog is a holiday milk punch that is made with egg yolks and whites, cream, sugar, and milk. It tastes great with a bit of cinnamon and vanilla added. But if you really want to make it interesting, add some rum, whiskey, or brandy - just for a bit of flavor. It is apparently very easy to overdo it with the alcohol in eggnog. There is a story that in Baltimore in the 1800s, young men would go from home to home toasting with eggnog on New Year's Day. At the end of the day, the challenge was to see who was left standing!

Raicilla, made from the agave plant, is a type of tequila that was made even before the Spanish came to the New World. Rosé is a type of wine, and root juice is a ginger beer made in Botswana. Did you know that there are not many alcoholic beverages that begin with "R"?