Trivia #15

B. No

The story of Hanukkah does not appear in the Torah because the events that inspired the holiday occurred after it was written. It is, however, mentioned in the New Testament, in which Jesus attends a "Feast of Dedication." According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. (The first Book of the Maccabees tells another version of the story, describing an eight-day celebration that followed the rededication but making no reference to the miracle of the oil.) The word, "Chanukah" has several different, yet related sources. It comes from "Kah," the Hebrew equivalent of 25 and "Chanu," meaning rest. The word "Chanukah" is also connected with the words "dedication" (chanukat) and "education" (chinuch). On the twenty-fifth day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the Maccabees rested from their battle. They marched victoriously into the holy Temple in Jerusalem, ready to rededicate the holy service. They would forever serve as role models — educators — to future generations.

C. Finland

E. Massachusetts

In 1620, when the Puritans first arrived in the New World, they banned Christmas, labeling it as the “Foolstide.” After all, there is not one mention of Christmas in the bible. They fiercely believed and decreed that the only religious holiday worth celebrating was the Sabbath. This Puritanical ban was practiced quite strictly and anyone who disobeyed it was arrested. Even the Governor of Massachusetts experienced this anti-Christmas policy when he got put behind the bars for sponsoring a Christmas service. The ban lasted until the middle of the 18th century,

E. Ukraine

In Ukrainian, Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Веселого Різдва' Veseloho Rizdva.

Bulgarian: Vesela Koleda

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest

French: Joyeux Noël

German: Frohe Weihnachten

B. Robert Burns

Auld Lang Syne is a Scots-language poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song of unknown origin. The most accurate plain English interpretation of the Auld Lang Syne’s famous title is ‘Old long since’, or ‘For the sake of old times.’

The song itself is reflective in nature, and is basically about two friends catching up over a drink or two, their friendship having been long and occasionally distant. The words were written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, but Burns himself revealed at the time of composing it that he had collected the words after listening to the verse of an old man on his travels, claiming that his version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ marked the first time it had been formally written down.