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About This Quiz
Step aside, St. Nick. Butt out, Rudolph. In this special Yuletide quiz, we're saluting another beloved member of the Christmas character pantheon: the one and only Missus Claus. Break out the eggnog and let's get started!
Considered the first written work to reference Santa's spouse, "A Christmas Legend" was penned by James Rees. When did he publish it?
1834
1849
Rees' story doesn't go into much detail on this score; it merely mentions "Santa Claus and his wife." A literary magazine later coined the term "Mrs. Claus" in 1851.
1883
Fill in the Blank: Katharine Lee Bates, author of an 1889 poem that popularized the Mrs. Claus character, also wrote ________.
"The New Colossus" (1883)
"America the Beautiful" (1893)
In Bates' "Goody Santa on a Sleigh Ride," Mrs. Claus lobbies to join St. Nick on his annual gift-giving trip. Bates depicts Mrs. Claus as a hard-working homemaker who's slightly resentful that he won't let her come along (he eventually changes his mind.)
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" (1862)
Mrs. Claus made her cinematic debut in which of these peculiar-sounding movies?
"Santa Claus vs. the Devil" (1959)
"Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny" (1972)
"Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (1964)
This sci-fi headscratcher has earned a place in history for being the first movie to ever depict Kris Kringle's spouse (played here by Doris Rich).
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Which Peanuts character takes a moment to acknowledge Mrs. Claus in the classic TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965)?
Linus van Pelt
Sally Brown
As she dictates a letter to Santa, Sally asks "How is your wife?" before moving on to "a long list of presents that I want."
Schroeder
The Rankin/Bass special "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (1970) explores Mrs. Claus' backstory - and gives her a first name. Do you remember what it was?
Jessica
"Miss Jessica" is a redheaded schoolteacher who can't help but fall for Mickey Rooney's youthful Kris Kringle. (A little doll helps seal the deal.)
Ethel
Abigail
Which *other* Rankin/Bass TV movie gives Mrs. Claus the immortal line, "Whoever heard of a skinny Santa?"
"Jack Frost" (1979)
"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1964)
Voice actress Peg Dixon was double-cast as both Rudolph's mother and Mrs. Claus, by the way.
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (1974)
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Disney's "The Santa Claus 2" (2002) introduces Mrs. Claus to the franchise. She's one of several holiday mascots to appear in the movie. Who else made the cut?
Uncle Sam
The April Fool
The Easter Bunny
Rounding out the ensemble are Father Time, Mother Nature, Cupid, the Tooth Fairy and Sandman. Quite a crew.
In 1996, CBS aired an original TV movie musical called "Mrs. Santa Claus," starring which of these Broadway legends in the title role?
Bernadette Peters
Carol Channing
Angela Lansbury
Yup, it was Lansbury. Composer-lyricist Jerry Herman, the mastermind behind the iconic "Hello, Dolly!" score, wrote songs for the film.
Fill in the Blank: Mrs. Claus is usually pretty benevolent, but in "Billy and Mandy Save Christmas" (2005), she's revealed to be a maniacal ______.
cyborg
vampire
The good news is, cookies and milk can apparently cure vampirism. Who knew?
werewolf
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You Got:
/10
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