A Christmas Quiz Thread

In what country/region in Western Europe was the celebration of Christmas banned for about 400 years?
 
Sweden would have been my second guess. It's nice you gave me a star anyway :-)

The German Christmas carol Stille Nacht is usually sung "Silent night, holy night..." in English. What is a less well-known alternative translation in English? (title/ first line)
 
Legend says there were 3 wise men and they were named.
What are the names ?

Extra gold star if you know there’s another legend of a 4th wise man and his name
 
Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar

WEll, thanks to your post, I now know that there was a legend of a fourth. Does that count?
 
Merab said:
Isn’t Aunty Google clever 😁

It’s a really lovely story, one of my favourite Christmas stories
Click to expand...
Occasionally Auntie Google is wrong, I've heard, but yes she's pretty clever generally.

I have yet to read the story of the Fourth Wise Man, that is to say: re-read. I know I have read it, but can't remember much about it, except he left the other three at some point, planned to use a different route maybe? Anyway, response not necessary, I am able to read.
 
So in Scotland, Christmas celebrations were banned for 400 years.
What event did the Scots celebrate instead?
Bonus point if you can name a probably previous Christmas tradition which was moved to the new event!
 
Correct on event.

Yes, I read that First Footing was probably originally a Christmas tradition, possibly something to do with those Three Wise Men. Tho of course in other countries' traditions they don't turn up till Jan. 6th or thereabouts. (Not read on Auntie Google.)
 
Where does the word Carol originate from?

Coming from a Scottish family I grew up familiar with some of the Scottish traditions around Christmas and new year.
We always celebrate New Year as well as Christmas
 
Merab said:
Coming from a Scottish family I grew up familiar with some of the Scottish traditions around Christmas and new year.
We always celebrate New Year as well as Christmas
Click to expand...
Yeah, I did wonder if you might be Scottish in some way or another. I think it might have been you who put Stirling on the Have you been to? thread. And then some references to Gaelic...

My parentage is half-Scottish, half-English, with the Scottish being more prominent - we lived there a few years and never in England, and long before I was born the English side moved to Scotland permanently. My parents' parents both celebrated first footing, even the English ones in Scotland, but we never did when I was growing up. Since being on this thread, I've been exploring more of the traditions and their history- very educational thread.
 
OK, another question, let me see...

Name/first line of a Christmas carol sung in Latin, where if there is an English translation, it is not often sung. Carol starts with "P"
 
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