Test yourself with the YP Canadian Christmas Quiz

How well do you know your Canadian Christmas? From trees to turkey, the North Pole to presents, we’re ready to test your knowledge of all things Noel in the Great White North. Let’s see how you do! [Image credit: iStock.com/lisegagne]

Q: Nothing says Christmas like a big, decorated tree. There are plenty of tall trees out there, but where will you find Canada’s tallest Christmas tree?

A.  Outside Winnipeg City Hall
B.  In Toronto’s Eaton Centre
C.  Place des Festivals in Montreal
D.  Robson Square in Vancouver

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Answer: B. This year, Canada’s tallest Christmas tree is the 100-foot behemoth in the Eaton Centre, although … the eight Douglas Firs that are lit up at the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver could lay claim to the title. Are they official Christmas trees, or just big trees with lights in them? Tough call.

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Q: Turkey is a tradition on most tables in Canada during Christmas. Who doesn’t love stuffing, gravy and all the fixin’s? How many turkeys do Canadians go through to celebrate the season?

A.  550,000
B.  1.6 million
C.  3.1 million
D.  12.2 million

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Answer: C. In 2016, Canadians purchased 3.1 million turkeys to put on the table for Christmas. That’s about one bird for every 12 Canadians!

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Q: We all know the North Pole is home to a certain Mr and Mrs Claus and their merry elves, but which country do they technically reside in?

A.  Denmark (via Greenland)
B.  Russia
C.  Canada
D.  None of the above

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Answer: D. A tricky question, and one that may be disputed by some. The geographic north pole is actually in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. Russia has established bases on the shifting sea ice that covers the North Pole; Canada laid claim to the area as far back as 1907; and Denmark and Norway may also feel they have legitimate claims. The closest permanently inhabited place, though, is Alert, in Nunavut … so we’ll say Canada has as good a claim as any country to say Santa is a citizen.

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Q: If Santa needed to recruit some new reindeer to pull his sleigh, where would he go to find Canada’s largest herd?

A.  Richards Island, NWT
B.  Pingualuit National Park, Quebec
C.  Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
D.  North of Fort McMurray, Alberta

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Answer: A. A herd of some 3,000 reindeer make their home in the Northwest Territories, migrating between Richards Island and Jimmy Lake. Some readers may point out significantly larger herds of up to 350,000 in Nunavut, but these are technically caribou, which are reindeers’ larger cousins – probably a bit too heavy to get Santa’s sleigh flying on Christmas Eve!

Image credit: iStock.com/Vladimir Melnikov

Q: Which Canadian prime minister was born on Christmas Day?

A.  Jean Chretien
B.  Sir John A. Macdonald
C.  Justin Trudeau
D.  John Diefenbaker

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Answer: C. Our current prime minister was born on December 25, 1971. Does he get double the presents on the day?

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Q: French explorer Samuel de Champlain was an important figure in the establishment of a French colony in North America, having founded what is now Quebec City in 1608. What is his connection to December 25th?

A.  It was the day he first set foot in North America, in 1605.
B.  It was the day he was appointed governor of New France, in 1607
C.  It was the day he died, in 1635.

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Answer: C. Champlain met his end on Christmas Day in 1635, having suffered a stroke some two months before. He was 68.

Image credit: iStock.com/krblokhin

Q: Shopping, shopping, shopping! There’s no question that retail fever hits in the November and December, with malls, markets and online shopping going that special kind of Christmas-crazy as everyone looks for that perfect gift. How much will the average Canadian spend on Christmas this year?

A.  $230
B.  $570
C.  $1,200
D.  $5,500

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Answer: B. According to a survey by Ebates.com, the average Canadian will drop $570 on Christmas shopping this year. Parents will, unsurprisingly, spend more ($710).

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Q: Speaking of shopping (and Christmas cheer!), there’s nothing quite like a visit to a Christmas market to get you in the spirit of the season. This tradition has its roots in Germany, where “Christkindlmarkts” have long been a feature during the holidays. They can now be found all over Canada, but one in particular is the country’s oldest. Which one is it?

A.  The Vancouver Christmas Market
B. The Christkindl Markt in Kitchener, Ontario
C.  The Winnipeg Christkindlmarkt
D.  The German Christmas Market in Quebec City

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Answer: C. The Manitoba based German-Canadian Congress, this market has been running continuously since 1985, making it Canada’s oldest German Christmas market. We’ll drink a glass of gluhwein to that!

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Q: Toronto is home to one of Canada’s largest and oldest Santa Claus Parades. In what year was it first held?

A.  1885
B.  1905
C. 1949
D. 1975

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Answer: B. The first Santa Claus Parade was held in 1905, sponsored by the Eaton’s department store.

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Q: Canada may not technically be able to lay claim to the North Pole (remember question #1), but it has a few other places with plenty of Christmas spirit. Which of these Christmas-y Canadian placenames is not real?

A.  Christmas Island, Nova Scotia
B.  Turkey Point, Ontario
C.  Chris Cringle, Newfoundland
D.  Snowflake, Manitoba

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Answer: C. There’s no Chris Cringle in Newfoundland, but all the other places are real as can be!

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So how did you do? Are you a Canadian Christmas expert?

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!