As we head into Christmas week (on an optimistic note the daylight hours have begun to lengthen!) it’s time to break out some holiday trivia along with some hoped for astute observations. Let’s start with the opening round of the NCAA FBS playoffs that were played this weekend.
The Alabama-Oklahoma and Miami (FL)-Texas A&M games were close contests between evenly matched squads with the Crimson Tide moving on to play Indiana in the Rose Bowl and the Hurricanes advancing to tangle with THE in the Cotton Bowl. However you could hear the howls of anguish from fans of Notre Dame, BYU, and perhaps Texas and Vanderbilt as outmatched James Madison fell to Oregon (who will now face Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl) and Tulane was overwhelmed for a second time this year by Ole Miss (who will take on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl). Look for some more tweaks next year to the selection committee’s criteria for participation. My fearless predictions of the quarterfinal games will be forthcoming in next week’s Shots!
For those of you interested, the Falcons of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls will face perennial powerhouse North Central College from Naperville, Illinois in the D-III Championship game on January 4th in Canton. The Cardinals of North Central will be appearing in their sixth consecutive title game, having won the Stagg Bowl in 2019, 2022, and 2024. Meanwhile, the Ferris State Bulldogs won their fourth D-II title in the past five years by downing the Bison of Harding (Arkansas) University 42-21.
Big game on tap this coming Saturday in New Madison as the Tri-Village Patriots boys square off with D-I GWOC power Fairmont in one of those games scheduled to prepare Josh Sagester’s team for a deep run in the OHSAA tournament this March. Should be an interesting contest, along with other games and holiday tournaments, for both boys and girls around West Central Ohio the next week or two!
Now for some Christmas trivia, so sit back with some eggnog and test your knowledge of holiday miscellany. Answers to follow—seven or more correct qualifies you as a true Santa believer; five or six as a Santa’s helper; three or four makes you more like Scrooge; and two or less means nothing but lumps of coal in your Christmas stocking (bah humbug!).
- What plant’s berries are white and are hung in doorways?
- Which two of Santa’s reindeer are named after weather phenomena? 3. Who wrote the classic novel “A Christmas Carol”?
- What beverage company has used Santa in its marketing since 1931? 5. In the movie “Home Alone,” where was Kevin’s family traveling to for the holidays?
- In the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” what does Clark want to buy with his hoped-for Christmas bonus?
- What song includes “don we now our gay apparel”?
- And finally, what is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?
According to sources, approximately 43% of Ohioans will travel 50 miles or more over the next two weeks through January 1st. How about you? Also, the top ten domestic destinations for the holiday season are: Orlando (home of the Mouse); Ft. Lauderdale; Miami; Anaheim (that Mouse again!!); Honolulu; Tampa; New York City; Dallas-Fort Worth (????); and Las Vegas (I would have bet on that!).
Here are your trivia answers:
- Don’t stand under the mistletoe with anyone else but me!
- Donner (thunder) and Blitzen (lightning).
- Who could forget Charles Dickens and Tiny Tim.
- Coca-Cola has always used Santa to great advantage over the holidays. 5. Kevin was left behind to torment the two hapless thieves while his family was in Paris. 6. Clark Griswold wanted a swimming pool more than anything. And who could forget Cousin Eddie?
- Wear your gay apparel when you “Deck The Halls” with boughs of holly. 8. And Bing Crosby’s rendition of “White Christmas” still rules as the number one best selling song of Christmas, much to Mariah Carey’s chagrin!
Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a memorable and meaningful holiday season!!
