GET A PENCIL AND A PIECE OF PAPER AND SEE:
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS?

DON’T CHEAT!  DON’T LOOK UP THE ANSWERS!

Try out this Christmas quiz to determine if you know the difference between truth and tradition!

1. For the Journey to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph:
a) walked
b) Joseph walked; Mary rode a donkey
c) rode a bus
d) Who knows?

2. When Mary became pregnant, Mary and Joseph were:
a) married
b) just friends
c) engaged
d) none of the above

3. When Mary became pregnant,
a) Joseph married her
b) Joseph wanted to dissolve their relationship
c) Mary left Nazareth for a while
d) an angel told them to go to Bethlehem
e) both b and c
f) both b and d

4. Christmas has always been observed
a) on December 25
b) on January 17
c) at Grandma’s house
d) none of the above

5. Who directed Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem?
a) Herod
b) an angel
c) Caesar
d) the IRS

6. Just what is a “heavenly host”?
a) an angelic choir
b) the welcoming angel in heaven
c) an army of angels
d) none of the above

7. How many angels spoke to the shepherds?
a) a multitude
b) two – Gabriel and Michael
c) one
d) Who knows?

8. What song did the angels sing?
a) “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
b) “Joy to the World”
c) “Glory to God in the Highest”
d) none of the above

9. The baby Jesus was born in a
a) cave
b) manger
c) hurry
d) barn
e) Who knows?

10. What animals were present at Jesus’ birth?
a) cows, sheep and camels
b) cows, sheep and donkeys
c) lion and tigers and bears
d) none of the above

11. What is a manger anyway?
a) a barn
b) a place for hay
c) a feeding trough
d) a Greek term for the church nursery

12. When did baby Jesus cry?
a) when He opened the wise men’s gifts
b) whenever babies usually cried
c) when the cattle started lowing
d) “No crying He makes”

13. Joseph’s family was from
a) Jerusalem
b) Nazareth
c) Bethlehem
d) none of the above

14. Who saw the star over Bethlehem?
a) Mary and Joseph
b) shepherds
c) the three kings
d) both b and c
e) none of the above

15. What sign were the shepherds to look for?
a) a star over the stable
b) a barn outlined with Christmas lights
c) a baby in a manger
d) both a and c
e) none of the above

16. What did the innkeeper say to Mary and Joseph?
a) “I have a stable out back.”
b) “Come back after the holidays.”
c) “There’s no room in the inn.”
d) both a and c
e) none of the above

17. How many wise men came to see Jesus? ____  (Write in correct number)

18. What in the world are Magi?
a) Eastern kings
b) magicians
c) astrologers
d) wise enough to follow the star
e) none of the above

19. When the wise men brought their gifts to Jesus, they found Him in
a) a manger
b) a house
c) Vacation Bible School
d) none of the above

20. In what books of the Bible will you find these fascinating facts?
a) Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
b) Matthew and Luke
c) Mark and Matthew
d) Matthew, Mark and Luke

ANSWERS:

1. d The Bible gives no record of their means of travel
2. c Matthew 1:18
3. b and c Matthew 1:19; Luke 1:39, 56
4. d December 25 was selected late in the 4th century as the day to celebrate Christ’s birth
5. c Luke 2:1
6. c Army of Angels
7. c Luke 2:10 (“the angel said to them”)
8. d Luke 2:13 (They didn’t sing; they said. OK, if you picked c we’ll give you a point.)
9. e Luke 2:7 (We aren’t told where Jesus was born, only that after His birth He was laid in a manger.)
10. d The Bible doesn’t say anything about animals being present.
11. c
12. b He was fully human as well as fully God.
13. c Luke 2:4
14. e none of the above (Three kings are not mentioned in the Bible. Only in songs.)
15. c Luke 2:12
16. e An innkeeper is never mentioned in the Scriptures
17. The Bible doesn’t say how many – only that Magi came bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh (see Matthew 2:12)
18. c Astrologers who dabble in the natural sciences
19. b Matthew 2:11
20. b Check it out!

SCORING:

19-20 correct: Congratulations! You can separate fact from fiction.
18-16 correct: Not Bad! Truth wins over tradition.
15-11 correct: Uh oh! You’ve been to too many Christmas plays and listened to too many Christmas songs!.
10 or below correct: Ouch!

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Don’t feel badly about a poor score. Most people score poorly! I was really surprised what I didn’t know – it’s pretty amazing how much we learn (often wrongly) from sources outside the Bible (Hello Christmas Songs)

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