festivus christmakkah trivia for judeo-christian pagan-ish children

I'm claiming Christmas Success this year. We got this reaction this morning:

Brett & I happily lost Find Jesus and let Cal and Emmett flaunt their victory this morning. We had a last minute game change where we switched to team play, parents vs. children. This move probably averted Christmas Catastrophe if only one of the elder sons had won. Instead, they won TOGETHER. Phew. And for the record: we totally LET THEM WIN. They have lots of opportunities to learn how to be a good losers, but Christmas morning is not one of them. (But Brett & I still could have won. Let's be clear on that.)


Waiting to come downstairs this morning. (Willa still takes a bottle WHAT OF IT?)

Willa loves her new (old) rocking chair. Though not as much as she loves Abram's new train conductor overalls, size 6-12 months. (Is there NO standard sizing in children's clothes? Have children's clothing makers ever MET a 6 to 12 month old child? There's variation in sizes, but crimony, not THAT much.) So much for that Christmas dress she was going to wear today.



She's mad about something, but not the overalls. She's just mad at the world for existing without her permission.

 The big boys got soccer shin guards and socks,which they are wearing all day today. Brett's parents have given them the awesomest gift of indoor soccer league registration. They are pretty pumped.

Christmas Eve has the potential to be The Longest Day Of A Child's Life. To pass the time, we played a trivia game, with a question every hour on the hour. (I stole this from a very creative co-worker.) I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it before yesterday, because it really helped to pass the time.

However, I had not wrapped A SINGLE GIFT before yesterday after lunch, at which point I frantically wrapped 46 presents in 90 minutes. So don't brag to ME about your procrastination. I WIN. And for my prize, I get this trashbag full of wadded up wrapping paper.

My baking assistants.

I made the trivia a team activity, so as long as one answered right, everyone got the prize. I'm definitely resurrecting this game for future Christmas Eves, but also for long winter days, and probably long car rides. The prizes were things like a cup of chocolate milk, a starburst, a puff of canned whip cream right into their mouths, and a piece of fruit from a giant box that came right from Produce Row (where they unload shipments off the river in the middle of the night and you can get it before distribution or cold storage).

Here's my questions & answers:

What's the name of the rabbit in the movie Frosty The Snowman?
Hocus Pocus

Hanukkah celebrates the reclaiming of the temple, when there was only enough oil for one night but it burned for how many?
eight nights

The grinch did not like Christmas at all, because he heart was WHAT?
two sizes too small

What do people mean when they say Jesus lives in your heart? Is there an actual Jesus in your heart?
No. It means that Jesus was all good and we have all that goodness inside us too.

What sound do the reindeer paws make on the roof in the song Up On The Rooftop?
click click click

The owl that hoots outside our house at night is looking for a girlfriend right now, and that's why he sings this time of year. What kind of owl is it?
Great horned owl

The winter solstice is the longest WHAT of the year?
night

The winner of Find Jesus is the person who him WHERE on Christmas morning?

In the nativity scene


10 cousins, all age 6 & under! Top row: Lily, Audrey, Jack, Daphne, Keenan. Bottom row: Abram, Calum, Emmett, Willa Mae, Charlie