Tidings of Great Joy

Every year at Christmas I worry that my children will hear the racket of the world screaming of consumerism more than they'll hear the subtle stirrings of the spirit. I worry that they won't get it, what Christmas is really about.

But I have some reasons to hope:

1) In her yearly attempt to make sense of Santa #1 deduced, "There really is only one person who loves everyone in the world and who is really watching what we are all saying and doing. There is only one person who wants to give everyone a gift. Heavenly Father must be Santa!"

2) After I became impatient and expressed a few graceless and less than loving expressions, #2 approached me, and without a trace of self-righteousness, sincerely pleaded with me, "But mom, now is the time for good cheer and happiness and love!"

3) #3 asks to read "The Nativity Story" almost every night and is often re-enacting the narrative with toys or drawings she's made. Yesterday I asked her to do it one more time so I could capture it as she tells the story in her own words.




Merry Christmas!

We've got spirit! Yes, we do! The Christmas kind. Do you?

'Tis the season to be jolly because Baby, it's cold outside and I'm seriously dreaming of a white Christmas.

How Christmassy are you? Take my Christmas quiz to see if you are more of an Ebenezer Scrooge or a Clark Griswold.

Check your answers after each section then leave your final score in the comments. And no Googling, cheaters!


Christmas in the Movies

1. In “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” what does Lucy want for Christmas?

2. Where does “It’s a Wonderful Life,” take place?

3. What is the little boy’s name who stayed home in the movie Home Alone?

4. What was the most likely reason that the Grinch hated Christmas?

5. At the beginning of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” what book is Clarence reading?


1. real estate 2. Bedford Falls 3. Kevin 4. his heart was 2 sizes too small 5. Tom Sawyer


Christmas according to the Bible

1. After Joseph, Mary and Jesus left Bethlehem, they went to what country?

2. What is the translation of Emmanuel?

3. What is the name of the angel that appeared to Mary?

4. What was the name of the old prophetess who saw Jesus in the temple when he was presented to the Lord after his birth?

5. How many wise men come to see the Savior?


1. Egypt 2. God with us 3. Gabriel 4. Anna 5. the Bible never says a number



Christmas in Literature

1. What is Scrooge’s first name?

2. How many ghosts visit Scrooge in the course of “A Christmas Carol”?

3. In “Little Women” who says, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents” ?

4. In “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Gladys Herdman pushed her way to the front of the angel choir and shouted these famous words: “Hey! __ __ __ ___ ___ ___!” (6 words)

5. Complete the line from “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” “More rapid than ____ his coursers they came and he ___ and shouted and called them by name.”


1. Ebenezer 2. 4 3. Jo March 4. Unto you a child is born! 5. eagles, whistled


Historical Christmas

1. What river did General Washington cross on December 25, 1776?

2. What Christmas treat is a round or oval candy filled with fruit preserves or cream and covered with chocolate?

3. In which country was eggnog created?

4. In which country did the custom of having and decorating a Christmas tree originate?

5. A copywriter for which major department store in 1939 wrote the first poem about Rudolph, the 9th reindeer?

1. The Delware 2. sugarplums 3. England 4. Germany 5. Montgomery Ward



20-25 correct - You are a serious lover of Christmas, welcome to the club! You are in the ranks with fellow Christmas die-hards, Cindy Lou Who, Ralphie Parker and Santa Claus himself.

10-20 correct - You love Christmas too!

5-10 correct - Don't be ashamed, some of these questions were hard!

>5 correct - Yikes, you're in trouble! Don't be surprised if you get kicked out of Who-ville for your Grinchy ways.