Saturday, December 26, 2009

Happy Boxing Day!!!

Our great nation succumbs once again to the ogre of commercialism today, scarcely spending 24 hours with our loved ones, remembering ever so slightly the birth of our Lord's son as we stuff our faces with ham, pickled herring, salted nuts and Jell-O salad. Today is far more Christmas-like than the rainy gloom Wisconsin has bestowed upon our visit the past few days, as it snows gently as I look out to the countryside outside my mother-in-law's home.

Elsewhere, though, the burgeoning crowds line up to return their gifts, along with an assortment of used roasters and mysteriously stained tablecloths that they're certain were that way when they bought them.

Two seasons working retail the day after Christmas have hardened me. What can I say?

Enough of that, though, as we now move on to last week's winners! I could have hoped for more competition (since that would have meant more followers as well), but how could I go wrong with three strong respondents?
In first place, scoring 80% PLUS answering the Bonus Question, Nej is the Winner Most Exalted of the Mo's Bacon Chocolate bar by Vosges. Merry Christmas!!
In second place, we have a tie! Yet another Christmas miracle. Ah, to bestow bacon-y cheese upon my friends, it warms the heart. Both Bev and Sarah scored 65%, and still an impressive score since you faithful quizzees know I don't pull punches with my questions.

Of course, these winners would be so without prizes, and you should be reading each of their blogs as regularly as possible.

Dare I post the correct answers? (Dare! Dare!) Because I'm about educating you about the trivial bits and bobs of the world, here are the correct and preferred answers to the quiz:

1) Which late Canadian actor starred in films about both Thanksgiving and Christmas, among his other works? John Candy (Thanksgiving: Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Christmas: Home Alone)

2) Which American actor starred in one of those films after playing a supporting role with him one year earlier? Macaulay Culkin (Uncle Buck before Home Alone)

3) What does 'Mele Kalikimaka' mean, and what film brought the Bing Crosby version of this song to a new generation of listeners? It's Hawaii's way to say 'Merry Christmas' to you! The song featured in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

4) Far more well-known, White Christmas is nearly synonymous with Bing Crosby. In which two films did he perform this song? Holiday Inn (1942), and the eponymous White Christmas (1954)

5) Name two other films where the song is used in its recorded form. Mother Night (based on the Kurt Vonnegut book) and Bye Bye Brasil

6) Identify the actor who played Adolf Eichman in one of those films, in addition to playing another Nazi in an earlier movie. (Check previous 'RAoT' posts for a hint...) Henry Gibson played the voice of Adolf Eichman in Mother Night, in addition to being an Illinois Nazi in the Blues Brothers (also starring John Candy, by the way.)

7) How many bottles of Frooney Green Eye Wash would one need in one's medicine cabinet to qualify for the beautiful silver tea service and a night on the town with Alfred Hitchcock? One would need ten bottles of eye wash, in addition to answering a simple question, which I believe may have involved rugby.

8) After playing the Devil (hereinafter known as George Spiggot), in what 1987 film did Peter Cook play a far holier character? The Princess Bride, wherein Cook played the minister.

9) In which 1985 film did Dudley Moore, Cook's frequent collaborator, play one of Santa's elves? Santa Claus - the movie

10) As if playing Santa Claus in that film wasn't a big enough role, what 'big' character did David Huddleston go on to play? Jeffrey 'The Big' Lebowski

Bonus Question: Anita Ekberg's portrait graced Krilenku's hideout in From Russia with Love, her mouth concealing an excape hatch.

I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoyed our little Quiz-mas. May your days be merry and bright, and may your day after Christmas, like mine, be white.

5 comments:

Nej said...

"...remembering ever so slightly the birth of our Lord's son as we stuff our faces with ham, pickled herring, salted nuts and Jell-O salad."

That just about sums it up! :-)

Nej said...

And...I totally thought the bacon bar was fictional at first. Will wonders never cease!?!?! :-)

Elliott said...

You'll learn soon enough, Grasshopper. One of the things that will always elicit pure, unadalterated honesty (and drooling) from me is bacon.

Nej said...

So...we're sitting in the hotel breakfast dining area this weekend....and the news is on the TV. They are talking about what to eat, what not to eat...blah, blah, blah.

Neither of us are paying it any attention, until we hear the word bacon. We both stop what we're doing, look at each other....then look at the TV.

They were actually telling us to NOT eat bacon??? What is this world coming to???

Elliott said...

Rest assured, I will never advise anyone not to eat bacon. That's just wrong.

Be nice and share!

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