Another Christmas Quiz

  Anne here, and after the last quiz (about first lines) I thought I’d offer you a proper Christmas quiz.

Some of these questions have been asked before, but since I posted the first Regency Christmas quiz back in 2014, it wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve forgotten the answers, or maybe you started following the wenches after that. At any rate, as always, I’ll be doing my best to lead you astray with plausible alternatives.

As usual, make a note of your answers and then click on the link at the end, where you will find the correct ones.

1) The first member of the English royal family to display a Christmas tree was
a) Queen Adelaide in 1820.
b) Queen Charlotte in 1800.
c) Queen Victoria in 1848.
d) Queen Caroline in 1825.

2) A roasted capon was a dish commonly served at Christmas. A capon is:
a) a stuffed, rolled slice of belly pork.
b) a kind of duck.
c) a castrated cockerel.
d) a pudding made of fruit and nuts.

3) Marchpane is:—
a) a game using a walnut, played by six or more people.
b) a hard Christmas fruit bread that is saved until March.
c) another name for almond paste.
d) toffee that comes in glass-like sheets, later broken up.
e) what you feel after too much marching. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

4) The dish we now know as turducken was first eaten:—
a) In the Regency era.
b) in the Victorian era.
c) by highland Scots.
d) in the Tudor era.

5) What did the robin, so popular on Victorian-era Christmas cards, symbolize?
a) The coming of spring.
b) Nothing, it was just a pretty bird.
c) The heart of Christ.
d) Good tidings, as they were regarded as lucky.

6) Which of these plants are not traditionally a part of Christmas greenery
a) bay.
b) laurel.
c) rosemary.
d) willow.

7) Under Oliver Cromwell’s brief rule (1649-53)
a) Attendance at church was compulsory.
b) Christmas carols were first sung in the street.
c) Alcohol was banned for the twelve days of Christmas.
d) Christmas celebrations were outlawed.

8) Which Christmas carol might have been sung by Regency people?
a) Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
b) The First Noel.
c) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
d) We Three Kings of Orient Are.

9) What was a traditional aristocratic activity for Boxing Day (26th December)
a) fox-hunting
b) playing charades
c) making a bonfire of the Christmas greenery
d) playing cricket on the village green

10) In the Regency era, the Christmas turkey:
a) wasn’t eaten at this time — everyone ate Christmas goose or swan.
b) was shipped to London by boat, to keep them calm.
c) was brought to London by wagon, in specially constructed willow cages .
d) walked to London wearing special shoes.

11) Syllabub is
a) a game involving bobbing for plums floating in a tub of water.
b) a non-alcoholic drink popular at Christmas containing cream and cinnamon.
c) a dish made of sweetened cream curdled in wine or cider.
d) a savory Christmas tart containing cream and eggs but no meat or salt.

12) The Christmas game “Hot Cockles”
a) involves snatching shells tossed in a bowl of burning wood shavings.
b)  involves putting your head in someone’s lap and guessing who is smacking your bottom.
c) involves standing on one foot as long as you can while ducking balls (usually of wool) thrown at you.
d) involves hiding a golden shell (or nut) somewhere in a room and setting others to find it, giving clues like “warm” or “cold”, “freezing” or “roasting hot”.

Now you have made your choices, click here and find out the answers . Then come back and tell us how you went.