A Christmas Quiz - Answers

1.      One of the most beloved pieces of music at Christmas is the aria Ave Maria. Two versions of this classic were composed, one by a German composer and one by a French.  Who were the two composers?  When listening to it, you should be able to tell by the second note which is which.  How?  Which is which?

Franz Schubert (German) wrote one version and Charles Gounod (French) wrote the other.  At the beginning of the singing part, Schubert’s version the second note is lower than the first, whereas Gounod’s version that note is higher.

2.      We have no reference about what time of year Jesus was borne.  How did December 25^th become the selected date for Christmas?

Early Christians had to be very circumspect how and when they celebrated Christian events.  Most pagan societies had a celebration to mark the winter solstice and the Christians held their Christmas celebration during this time.

3.      The Christmas tree has become a key part of holiday decorating.  Where did the tradition of the Christmas tree originate?

By all accounts it originated in Germany, again as part of the winter solstice celebrations. Christians accepted pagan rituals like the Christmas tree in order to make Christianity more acceptable to pagan tribes.

4.      In only one year of one war was there a spontaneous truce on the night of Christmas Eve.  What war?  What year? Who were the two antagonists who made the truce? Who objected?  Which side started the truce? How?

The only known such event took place during the First World War on Christmas Eve 1914.  This was perhaps the first war in Europe that continued to fight in winter.  Most previous wars had not fought during the winter.  The antagonists that participated in the truce were the Germans and British.  Their officers sternly objected to the truce, concerned that it might weaken the men’s fighting spirit.  There was no truce on the French front. German troops started the truce when one of their number started to sing.  The song he began with was “Annie Laurie”.