Advent

Quiz
Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas.
This is a quiz to help us focus on the season.

This Advent Quiz has 30 questions. You will be allowed 10

minutes to complete them. (That’s 20 seconds per question.)
You must hurry or you will not complete them all.
1. True or False?
Advent lasts four weeks and is a time
of preparation for Christmas.
The correct answer is: True.
The word Advent comes from the Latin “adventus”
which means “to come” or “the arrival”. It starts
on the Sunday closest to November 30th and lasts
for four Sundays. The focus of the entire season
is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ
in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the
return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.
2. When does advent start?

a. December 1st
b. Last Sunday in November
c. Fourth Sunday before Christmas day
d. Monday after the first Sunday in
December
2. When does advent start?

a. December 1st
b. Last Sunday in November
c. Fourth Sunday before Christmas day
d. Monday after the first Sunday in
December
3. True or False?
Non-Christians celebrate Advent along
with Christians.
The correct answer is:
False.
Why? Non-Christians don’t anticipate
the coming of Christ.
4. Multiple choice. Is advent a
time of:

a. Feasting.
b. Fasting.
4. Multiple choice. Is advent a
time of:

a. Feasting.
b. Fasting.
4. Multiple choice. Is advent a
time of:

The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the

b. Fasting.
world, of the "Word made flesh" and
dwelling among us, is to reveal God and
His grace to the world through Jesus’
life and teaching, but also through his
suffering, death, and resurrection. To
reflect this emphasis, originally Advent
was a time of penitence and fasting.
5. Are Sundays in Advent Special?
If so, Why?
Sundays are not special.
Unlike Lent, (where Sundays are
relieved from fasting) Sundays are not
of a special significance, differing from
the other days.
6. How many candles are in an
Advent wreath? Are there
traditional colors? What are they?
This is a trick question.
It can be four or it can be five depending
on how you count. One for each
Sunday with a fifth candle, white for
Christ may be placed in the center (not
in the wreath)
6. How many candles are in an
Advent wreath? Are there
traditional colors? What are they?
This is a trick question.
It can be four or it can be five depending
on how you count. One for each
Sunday with a fifth candle, white for
Christ, which may be placed in the
center (not in the wreath)
6. How many candles are in an
Advent wreath? Are there
traditional colors? What are they?
Candles have traditionally been purple,
which is the color of penitence and
fasting as well as the color of royalty.
However, in recent years some churches
use blue to distinguish the Season of
Advent from Lent. Some churches may
use Bright Blue to symbolize the night
sky, in anticipation of the impending
announcement of the King’s coming.
7. What is an advent calendar?
There are a wide variety of Advent
calendars, but usually they are simply a
card or poster with windows that can be
opened, one each day of Advent, to
reveal some symbol or picture associated
with the Old Testament story leading up
to the birth of Jesus.
8. When Zechariah found out his wife
was going to have a baby, who did he
tell first? [Luke 2: 5-25]
This is a trick question.
He could not tell anyone, he was mute
[Luke 1:20-22]
9. Jesus birth marked a turning point in
the world’s history. How many gospels
contain the narrative of Jesus’ birth.
Only Luke tells the story of
Jesus birth.
Matthew tells of the conception before
and the visit of the wise men afterwards
[Matt 1:18- 2:1]. To Mark and John,
the events surrounding His birth were
not as important as what He did.
10. Matthew and Luke both record
Jesus lineage. What is the major
difference between the two accounts?
Matthew traced the number of
generations from Abraham to
Jesus while Luke traced Jesus’
lineage back to Adam (and
thus God).
10. Matthew and Luke both record
Jesus lineage. What is the major
difference between the two accounts?
Matthew traced the number of
generations from Abraham to
Jesus while Luke traced Jesus’
lineage back to Adam (and
thus God).
10. Matthew and Luke both record
Jesus lineage. What is the major
difference between the two accounts?
. The two accounts are different. To reconcile the
differences, some scholars may call one the
“legal” lineage (Matthew) and the other the
“natural” lineage.
To Matthew, the Jewish tax collector, sacred
number fourteen counted very, very heavily in
his accounting.
To Luke, the gentile, Jesus’ descent from Adam
and God were of most importance.
11. Multiple choice. Who was the
angel that announced Jesus birth to
Mary?

a. Michael
b. Gabriel
c. It was announced in a dream, not
by an angel.
d. Lucifer
e. Herkamier
11. Multiple choice. Who was the
angel that announced Jesus birth to
Mary?

a. Michael
b. Gabriel[Luke 1:26]
c. It was announced in a dream, not
by an angel.
d. Lucifer
e. Herkamier
12. Multiple choice. How old was Mary
when Jesus was born?

a. Old enough to know better.

b. Bible doesn’t say.
c. Over twenty-one
d. Virgin teenager
e. Young and un-married
f. b, d, and e.
12. Multiple choice. How old was Mary
when Jesus was born?

a. Old enough to know better.

b. Bible doesn’t say.
c. Over twenty-one
d. Virgin teenager
e. Young and un-married
f. b, d, and e.
12. Multiple choice. How old was Mary
when Jesus was born?
f. b, d, and e.

g. Bible doesn’t say.

d. Virgin teenager
e. Young and un-married
12. Multiple choice. How old was Mary
when Jesus was born?
• We don’t know, Matthew said she was a
virgin [Matt 1:25].
• Mark and John don’t say much about it.
• Luke says that Mary was virgin [Luke 1:27
and again in 1:34].
• In the Bible, “virgin” is synonymous with
young, woman who had not given birth.
Women married quite young in those days
and therefore is was quite likely that Mary
was in her teens.
13. Multiple choice. What was Mary’s
husband’s name?

a. Zachariah
b. Abraham
c. Lot
d. Joseph
e. Bible doesn’t say
13. Multiple choice. What was Mary’s
husband’s name?

a. Zachariah
b. Abraham
c. Lot
d. Joseph [Matthew 1:18, 20, 24]
e.Luke
Bibledoesn’t
doesn’t say to mention that they
happen
were married. [Luke 1:27 and again Luke
2:4-5]
14. Multiple choice. Jesus was born on:
This is a trick25
a. December question.
th

We don’t know because

b. December there
6th or 7 th is no reliable
c.record
March of the date. However, the December
25th
and January
d. April 9 th dates are the least likely. St.
Luke tells us that the shepherds were,
e. We don’t know but December
“abiding in the field” and winter would be
25 is most likely.
th
far too cold for that. These th
Spring dates
f.were
Epiphany, January 6
advanced in antiquity but none have
any literary or historical evidence.
15. Why was Jesus born in a Manger?

There was no room for them in the inn.

[Luke 2:7]
16. What are swaddling clothes?

Strips of cloth wrapped around a

newborn infant to hold its legs and
arms still.
17. What gifts did the shepherds bring
the baby Jesus?
Another trick question.
The wise men brought gifts. The shepherds
came because they were curious, there is
no mention of gifts. [Luke 2:15-18] Of
course someone could argue that the story
of the angels appearance was a gift to
Mary. But that is stretching a point.
18. Where were Mary and Joseph going
when Jesus was born?

a. Jerusalem
b. Bethlehem
c. Nazareth
d. Galilee
e. Judea
f. To get married
g. To pay taxes
h. To be counted
i. On a vacation
j. Mary was riding a donkey
18. Where were Mary and Joseph going
when Jesus was born?

a. Jerusalem
b. Bethlehem
c. Nazareth
d. Galilee
e. Judea
f. To get married
g. To pay taxes
h. To be counted
i. On a vacation
j. [Luke 2:3-5]
Mary was riding a donkey
19. What do Christmas wreaths
symbolize?

Wreaths are endless with no beginning

and no end. They symbolize eternal
life.
20. Multiple choice. Why are
poinsettias a special Christmas
decoration?

a. Red is the traditional color of

Christmas.
b. Poinsettias only bloom at Christmas.
c. The small yellow parts are shaped
like a cross.
d. All of the above.
20. Multiple choice. Why are
poinsettias a special Christmas
decoration?
The correct answer is b, Poinsettias
bloom at Christmastime.

You may have partial credit for answer a.

The small yellow parts of a poinsettia, actually

the bloom since the red parts are leaves, are in
a random pattern not that of a cross. Thus
answers c. and d. are definitely wrong.
21. Multiple choice. The tradition of a
Christmas tree began in what
country?

a. The United States

b. England
c. France
d. Italy
e. Germany
21. Multiple choice. The tradition of a
Christmas tree began in what
country?

The correct answer is e,

Germany.
Probably in the first part of the 8th
Century.
22. What is the legend of the
Christmas tree?
The Christmasinterpreted
St. Boniface tree is a symbol
the of peace and
fir’s
endless
survivallife.
as One of the legends
a miracle and to surrounding
illustrate
the tree relates
Christ’s how British
superiority missionary St.
he concluded,
Boniface was preaching to the Teutonic
"Let this be called the tree of the
tribes. To convince them to abandon worship
Christ Child. It is a sign of endless
of the sacred oak of Odin, which was a
life, for of
remnant itspagan
leavesDruidism,
are always green.”
he chopped
down a great oak tree. Falling, it crushed
everything in its path except for a small fir
sapling.
23. Multiple choice. Why do we put
lights on a Christmas tree?

a. So we can find it in the dark

b. To remind us of the Christ Child.
c. Because it is prettier that way
d. They remind us of stars
e. Because we don’t want to put
candles on it
f. a, b, and e.
23. Multiple choice. Why do we put
lights on a Christmas tree?
The correct answer is …
Well, who knows ??
Historically the answer would be (d)
candles were put on Christmas trees to
remind us of the stars on the night of
Jesus birth. But, that would also make
(b) a correct answer. Certainly (c) is
true also. Hmmm, I don’t know about
(a) but wouldn’t argue against it.
24. Multiple choice. Why are church
bells an important part of our
Christian tradition?
a. Bells traditionally call worshipers to
church.
b. To let everyone know that Sunday
School is over.
c. So children can ring them to remind
us of Jesus.
d. Jingle Bells is a Christmas song.
24. Multiple choice. Why are church
bells an important part of our
Christian tradition?
a. Bells traditionally call worshipers to
church.
b. To letthe
Before everyone
widespread knowusethat Sunday
of clocks, and
School
later is over.
watches, church bells were the only
c.
waySopeople
children
knewcanwhat
ring time
themit to remind
was. The
us of Jesus.
sounding of church bells was to call the
d. JingletoBells
faithful is a Christmas
worship. (They were song.
also
used to sound joyous occasions and
emergency alarms, but that is not the
Christmas answer we are looking for.)
25. Multiple choice. Poinsettias are
native to what country?

a. Germany
b. Brazil
c. France
d. Italy
e. Mexico
25. Multiple choice. Poinsettias are
native to what country?
The correct answer is e, Mexico.
In 1829, Dr. Joel Poinsett, the United
States Minister to Mexico, returned to
Charleston, South Carolina, bringing
with him a beautiful vermillion plant
which covered the hillsides of Mexico.
The flower became popular and in the
hands of skilled gardeners, it is at the
height of its beauty at Christmas time.
26. Why is mistletoe a Christmas
decoration? What does mistletoe
symbolize?
1.There
Mistletoe
are isprobably
an evergreenseveral
and evergreens are
traditional Christmas decorations.
2.answers:
Mistletoe grows best in Oak trees and is
especially noticeable in the winter when the
leaves of the trees have fallen.
3. Mistletoe was revered by the ancient druids
of Europe and was so sacred that the ground
beneath it was considered hallowed. It was
forbidden to fight on these grounds and thus
beneath the mistletoe was a place of truce
and peace. Our custom of kissing under the
mistletoe derives from this.
27. Why is holly used as a Christmas
decoration? What does it remind us
of?
As we use holly in our Christmas decorations,
we are reminded of cross of Calvary as well as
the nativity of Bethlehem. To Christians, the
sharp holly leaves and red berries remind us
of the crown of thorns and the drops of blood
that flowed at Jesus’ crucifixion.
28. Multiple choice. Which of the
following events occurred on
December 25th?

a. Jesus was born in AD 0.

b. The pilgrims began building an
American settlement in 1620.
c. George Washington crossed the
Delaware River in 1776.
d. None of the above
e. b and c
f. (a-b) = (c+d)
28. Multiple choice. Which of the
following events occurred on
December 25th?
The correct
Originally, answer
December is e.
25 was (b and
a Roman
Jesus wasn't born on December 25. He
c)celebration that encouraged
was probably
Finally,
drunkenness Christborn
andwassometime
allnot born
kinds ofbetween
AD 0.
sexual
Due to a(early
Passover
immorality. calendar
The mix-up,
spring)
church and His first
the
leaders date
felt of
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there
rains is between
should four
be aThat's
fall). and
Christian
whenseven B.C.
alternative
toSo we're
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holiday.being heretical
(After all, the when
kids we
were
shepherds would have been out
say that
home from Jesus waswith
school probably
nothingborn four
to do!)
"keeping
years watch
before over
Christ! their flock
So in A.D. 325, they chose December 25 by
night."
as the day to celebrate Christ's birth.
29. True or False?
Christmas is universally celebrated by
Christians everywhere.
The correct answer is: False.
Being Christian does not mandate
Christmas. A Christian is one who accepts
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Some
faithful Christians consider the Christmas
celebrations as being without scriptural
basis and therefore reject them completely.
30. True or False?
“Hark! The Herald Angles Sing.”
The correct answer is:
False.
. Angels don't sing, but speak in the
account recorded by Luke. [2:10
and 2:13-14]