A New Years trivia quiz

In just a few days we'll be saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012. With this in mind my trivia quiz for today revolves around the history, traditions and events surrounding New Year's day and eve.

If you'd like to take the quiz it is easy: get out a piece of paper and pen or pencil.Write down on the paper numbers 1-20 (because there are twenty questions in all). Scroll down to the questions and read, and from the four possible answers given for each question choose one answer. Write your selection # down and proceed to the next question. After the questions you will find the Answers, and here you can tally up your score to find out how well you've done. Good luck!

1. The first ball to be dropped in New York’s Times Square happened in what year?

a. 1908

b. 1925

c. 1938

d. 1962

2. The first time that January 1^st was celebrated as the beginning of a new year was in 153 B.C. when the Romans moved the first month of their calendar back to January. For what reason did the Romans do this?

a. To coincide with elections of the two highest ranking Republic positions

b. To honor the god, Janus, god of beginnings and transitions

c. More sacred sheep were born in January than in February

d. To honor Tobasco, god of hang-over relief

3. In 567 A.D. the Council of Tours prohibited the recognition of an official New Year. Why did they do this?

a. They believed the end of the world would happen soon.

b. They disliked that the date was originated with pagans.

c. To move the date to August 9 in order to replace the Frankish holiday of Stickball Day with a less athletic-themed celebration

d. Because they were just a bunch of grumpy old geezers who hated celebrating anything

4. What famous Frank was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, January 1, 1938?

a. entertainer Frank Sinatra, Jr.

b. actor Frank Langella

c. football player and coach, Frank Beamer

d. Head of the barley cereal syndicate crime family, Frankenberry.

5.. In 1583 what event returned January 1^st as observation of the New Year in Europe?

a. A severe earthquake in Portugal on that date that miraculously took no human victims

b. Papal fear surrounding a dire prediction by seer, John Dee

c. The institution of the Gregorian Calendar

d. The 67-year old Queen of Spain took her first bath

6.. On January 1, 1788 the Pennsylvanian Quakers did what?

a. Disavowed Quakerism

b. Emancipated their slaves

c. Officially denounced the Amish as heretics

d. Opened the Quaker Oats company

7. The lyrics of the now-traditional New Years song, “Auld Lang Syne” began as a poem set to the tune of a much older Scot folk ballad. Who wrote the poem?

a. John Keats

b. Robert Burns

c. Lord Byron

d. Dr. Seuss

8. On January 1, 1877, what happened to Queen Victoria of Britain?

a. She got married

b. She celebrated her 50^th birthday

c. She was proclaimed Empress of India

d. She got stuck in her throne, requiring three hours of man power and twenty pounds of butter to get her out

9. On January 1, 1906 the government of the Netherlands made what law?

a. Mandatory licenses required for driving engine-powered vehicles

b. A national census

c. Recognition of Dutch as the National language

d. Prohibition on the wearing of lamp shades as hats

10. Much to the dismay of millions, on January 1, 1945 this person announced they were not a god. Who was it?

a. Joseph Stalin

b. Emperor Hirohito

c. Gandhi

d. Clark Gable

11. On January 1, 1971 what kind of commercials were banned from American television?

a. Anti-free labor union ads

b. Ads for cigarettes

c. Anything relating to or suggestive of illegal drug paraphernalia

d. Car sale ads that feature a dealer’s annoying and untalented children

12. On New Years eve, 1985, this celebrity died in a controversial plane crash. Who was this celebrity?

a. Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?” commercial icon, Clara Peller

b. TV newscaster David Brinkley

c. Radio disc jockey legend Wolfman Jack

d. entertainer Rick Nelson

13. The symbol of “Baby New Year” evolved out of what?

a. From customs in the reign of Elizabeth I, who had the court midgets lead celebrations on New Years day.

b. Back to the ancient Greek tradition of escorting a baby throughout the villages in honor of Dionysus, god of wine

c. From the ancient Hungarian day of Remembrance of the Infants (honoring babies who had died the previous year)

d. Out of remembrance for the young victims of the Great Minnesota Baby Juggling Catastrophe of January 1, 1928

14. On January 1, 1962 who failed to pass an audition for Decca Records?

a. Liberace

b. The Beatles

c. Comedian George Carlin

d. The Jackson Two

15. The tradition of eating black eyed peas on New Years Day is believed to do what?

a. Bring prosperity for the next year

b. Return loved ones from war

c. Bring a year of peace into a household

d. Relieve constipation

16. In some parts of the world, to insure a healthy household in the coming year, it is customary for the head of the household to spank who on New Years day?

a. his wife

b. his children

c. the oldest member of the family

d. his monkey

17. According to data at Box Office Mojo, the highest box office sales draw on a New Years day is held by what film?

a. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

b. Avatar

c. Crocodile Dundee

d. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

18. What celebrity, known for their convincing portrayals of the opposite sex, was born January 1, 1895?

a. Milton Berle

b. J. Edgar Hoover

c. George Sanders

d. Eleanor Roosevelt

19. According to southern U.S. beliefs, to make a New Years resolution stick one must do what while making it?

a. be inside a church

b. be at death’s door

c. be engaged or newly widowed or divorced

d. be beaten with the community stupid stick

20. In some parts of the U.S. eating pancakes with butter, syrup and whipped cream on New Years day indicates what?

a. You plan to make a marriage proposal in the coming year

b. You are turning your back on regrets of the last year

c. You are having breakfast at Shoney’s or Denny’s

d. A diet probably wasn’t part of your New Years resolution

Answers

1. a. 1908

2. a. To coincide with elections of the two highest ranking Republic positions

3. b. They disliked that the date was originated with pagans

4. b. actor Frank Langella

5. c. The institution of the Gregorian Calendar

6. b. Emancipated their slaves

7. b. Robert Burns

8. c. She was proclaimed Empress of India

9. a. Mandatory licenses required for driving engine-powered vehicles

10. b. Emperor Hirohito

11. b. Ads for cigarettes

12. d. entertainer Rick Nelson

13. b. Back to the ancient Greek tradition of escorting a baby throughout the villages in honor of Dionysus, god of wine

14. b. The Beatles

15. a. Bring prosperity for the next year

16. a. his wife

17. b. Avatar

18. b. J. Edgar Hoover

19. b. be at death’s door

20. c. You are having breakfast at Shoney’s or Denny’s