It’s the most wonderful time of year. And it’s time for our annual Christmas quiz. Gather the family, munch on some Christmas cookies and keep track of your score. Are you ready?

1) In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what made the Grinch so cranky?
a) His mother-in-law visited each Christmas Eve
b) His shorts were two sizes too tight
c) His heart was two sizes too small

And the answer is c)! His heart was two sizes too small. Do you get it? If not, start over.

Let’s pitter patter off to question two.

2) What is the shape of the candy cane modelled after?
a) A hockey stick
b) A shepherd’s crook
c) A fish hook

The answer is b), a shepherd’s crook. If you picked hockey, take two minutes in the penalty box for being tripped, then skate on to question three.

3) What was the first instrument on which “Silent Night” was played?
a) The accordion
b) The guitar
c) The kazoo
d) The pipe organ

And the answer is b). “Silent Night” was first played on the guitar. By the way, my Sunday school teacher played the accordion and carried a beeper. That was optimistic of him, don’t you think?

5) Which is the only book to mention the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus?
a) Matthew
b) Mark
c) Luke
d) Larry

The answer is a), Matthew. Matthew tells us very little about the wise men. We don’t know their names, how many there were, or if they arrived on Camels or Camaros. If you chose d), the book of Larry, go and dunk your head in a snow drift.

Well, it’s time to tally your score. If you know that Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean or that there was no question number five in this quiz, collect two bonus points. If your score was 1 or 2, good try. Take an aspirin and try this quiz again in the morning. If you scored 3-4. Not bad. Your potential is showing. If you scored 5. Masterful! Brilliant! Genius! Send us a note and we’ll place your name in a draw for a free fruitcake.

Aren’t you glad there won’t be a test like this when you reach heaven? We’ll be celebrating the child of the manger. Jesus Christ. God with us. And if you have any tales of Christmas, place them in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.