NEW YEARS QUIZ

Happy New Year everybody! New Year’s is probably the most widely celebrated public holiday in the world. Virtually every country celebrates the New Year in some way.

Some people love New Year’s and the attendant partying and celebrating that goes along with it. Others, hate it. Ed McMahon, a noted partier, preferred to celebrate it quietly. He called New Year’s Eve “amateur night,” meaning many people who normally did not go out, felt compelled to drink, party and drive.

Below please find a New Year’s quiz. Most of the questions are obscure, so treat it as a learning exercise.

1. It is generally believed that N Y celebrations began with the:

a. Romans circa 50 BC
b. Babylonians circa 4000 BC
c. Greeks circa 4000 BC
d. Persians circa 5000 BC

2. The original N Y date was in what month?

a. January
b. February
c. March
d. December

3. Which of the following foods is considered lucky to eat on N Y?

a. Corn on the cob
b. Steak
c. Bananas
d. Cabbage

4. One N Y tradition holds that you will have good luck all year if the first person to walk through the door of your home is a tall, dark-haired stranger. This is called:

a. First Footer
b. Early Bird
c. Lucky Stranger
d. Dark One

5. The Chinese New Year is normally celebrated:

a. January 1
b. July 1
c. Between December 15 and December 31
d. Between January 20 and February 20

6. N Y is celebrated by “Polar Bear” Clubs in each of the following countries except:

a. US
b. UK
c. Canada
d. Switzerland

7. The “Junkanoo Parade” takes place in:

a. Jamaica
b. Bahamas
c. Hawaii
d. Malaysia

8. “Basil’s Pie” is eaten in:

a. UK
b. Poland
c. Greece
d. Ireland

9. In what country do the people celebrate by eating 12 grapes?

a. France
b. Greece
c. Italy
d. Spain

10. The first people to incorporate resolutions into the holiday were:

a. Babylonians
b. Persians
c. Romans
d. Greeks

11. The origins of “Auld Lang Syne” are obscure. But, it was first published in the 1700s, and it is derived from a folk song of what country?

a. Ireland
b. England
c. Scotland
d. Canada

12. “Auld Lang Syne,” loosely translated into English, means:

a. Happy New Year
b. Don’t forget me
c. The good old days.
d. Drink up

13. It was published by:

a. Emily Dickinson
b. Robert Byrnes
c. Shakespeare
d. John Dunne

14. The first year NYC dropped its famous ball was:

a. 1905
b. 1907
c. 1910
d. 1950

15. One other city with a “dropping” tradition is:

a. Dillsburg Pa (pickles)
b. Philadelphia, Pa. (cheesesteaks)
c. Miami, FL. (oranges)
d. Buffalo, NY (snowballs)

16. The oldest N Y college bowl game is:

a. Rose Bowl
b. Fiesta Bowl
c. Orange Bowl
d. Sugar Bowl

17. The first Orange Bowl was won by:

a. Ohio State
b. Army
c. Notre Dame
d. Bucknell

18. The total number of college bowl games is:

a. 5
b. 35
c. 50
d. 55

19. Which of these cities celebrates N Y first?

a. Sydney
b. Hong Kong
c. Tokyo
d. New York

20. Which of these cities celebrates N Y last?

a. London
b. Moscow
c. Manila
d. Singapore

ANSWERS: 1. b; 2. c; 3. d; 4. a; 5. d; 6. d; 7. b; 8. c; 9. d; 10. a; 11.c; 12. c; 13. b; 14. b; 15. a; 16. a; 17. d; 18. b; 19. a ; 20. a

CONCLUSION

It is January 2. Have you broken your New Year’s resolutions yet?