Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: What food is the centerpiece of China’s Mid-Autumn Festival?

Mooncakes
Wontons
Hot pot
Dumplings

Correct Answer: Mooncakes

So why is this answer correct? : The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of China’s oldest and most important festivals, dating back some 3,000 years. Also called the Mooncake Festival, this three-day event is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar (when the moon is the roundest and brightest). Central to the festivities are mooncakes made with duck egg yolks and assorted fillings such as red bean, lotus, chestnut, and sesame.

Trivia: What does the U.K.’s Guy Fawkes Night commemorate?

Queen Elizabeth’s coronation
A famous knight’s birthday
The end of the Hundred Years’ War
A failed bombing

Correct Answer: A failed bombing

So why is this answer correct? : Also called Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes Night commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a conspiracy to blow up the British Parliament. Named after one of the conspirators, the first Guy Fawkes Day was celebrated on November 5, 1606. Today, it is marked by parades, fireworks, bonfires, food, and dolls bearing the likeness of Guy Fawkes (which are thrown into the bonfires).

Trivia: What is the most important custom of Thailand’s Loy Krathong festival?

Making small boats
Setting off fireworks
Making dumplings
Making wooden dolls

Correct Answer: Making small boats

So why is this answer correct? : Loy Krathong, also known as “the festival of light,” originated in the ancient city of Sukhothai, Thailand. Small decorated boats called “krathongs” are sent down the river as an offering to Mae Khongka, the water goddess. These boats are usually made of banana leaves and flowers, and candles are placed on them, each with a prayer, memory, or wish attached.

Trivia: Which ancient culture originally celebrated the Day of the Dead?

Greeks
Egyptians
Aztecs
Minoans

Correct Answer: Aztecs

So why is this answer correct? : The Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) originated with the Aztecs thousands of years ago, and today, the annual fall festival is still an important part of Mexican culture. A brightly painted and decorated skull is a key symbol of the festivities, which take place on November 1 and 2 each year. To celebrate, families build altars to honor their departed loved ones, sending them offerings such as flowers, tequila, and chiles.

Trivia: What culture celebrated the first Halloween festival, called Samhain?

Celtics
Babylonians
Greeks
Persians

Correct Answer: Celtics

So why is this answer correct? : Halloween today is a holiday full of candy and costumes, but the celebration has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which began around 2,000 years ago in modern-day Ireland and the U.K. The festival celebrated the new year, which started on November 1, according to the Celtic calendar. The belief was that, on that particular night, there was no boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Trivia: Which U.S. city celebrates autumn with a hot air balloon festival?

Portland, Oregon
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Woodstock, Vermont
Phoenix, Arizona

Correct Answer: Albuquerque, New Mexico

So why is this answer correct? : The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of the most colorful fall festivals in the world, featuring rainbow-colored balloons soaring high over the desert landscape each year. The event first took place in 1972, and the 2022 season marks the 50th anniversary of the world’s largest ballooning event, featuring live entertainment, dining, and other activities.

Trivia: What is traditionally made during the Jewish festival of Sukkot?

Altars
Huts
Pies
Wooden shoes

Correct Answer: Huts

So why is this answer correct? : Also called the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, Sukkot is a Jewish autumn festival held in September or October. During the eight-day celebration, families make traditional huts (booths) as a nod to the Exodus, when the Israelites lived in huts in the desert before reaching the Promised Land. Traditional feasts with family and friends are enjoyed inside these huts.

Trivia: Which U.S. city is home to an annual fall voodoo festival?

Salem, Oregon
St. Paul, Minnesota
New Orleans, Louisiana
Branson, Missouri

Correct Answer: New Orleans, Louisiana

So why is this answer correct? : In the early 1700s, enslaved West African peoples in Louisiana combined their religious beliefs with Catholic traditions, creating a new practice called “voodoo.” New Orleans voodoo relies heavily on the belief that spirits can be reached through rituals such as music and dance, which are fixtures of the festivities at the Voodoo Music and Arts Festival, held during Halloween weekend in New Orleans.

Trivia: Diwali is an autumn festival celebrated in which country?

Korea
China
Morocco
India

Correct Answer: India

So why is this answer correct? : Diwali is one of India’s most popular holidays, celebrating the victory of light over darkness. The five-day religious celebration typically occurs in late October or early November. “Diwali” comes from the Sanskrit word “dipavali,” meaning “row of lights.” The lighting of diyas (small lamps) is still one of the most popular customs during the festival today. Celebrations also include fireworks, devotional music, traditional food, and gift-giving.

Trivia: The original Oktoberfest is held annually in which city?

Vienna, Austria
Munich, Germany
Prague, Czechia
Dublin, Ireland

Correct Answer: Munich, Germany

So why is this answer correct? : Arguably the most famous fall festival in the world, Oktoberfest celebrations kick off at the end of September in Munich, Germany. The two-week celebration originated on October 12, 1810, to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who became King Louis I. Today, Oktoberfest is celebrated worldwide and features traditional dances, songs, and plenty of German beer and cuisine.