Happy Advent, Heraldites! Starting Nov. 29 we start making our way through the first week of this season of expectation. So enjoy our all-Advent quiz to help build the anticipation.

1. Traditions

In what country is there a long-tradition of celebrating Advent by having bagpipers play, often at Nativity scenes or parading through the streets? The practice is based on the belief that the shepherds who visited the Holy Family in Bethlehem played music for Jesus.

a) Scotland

b) Ireland

c) Russia

d) Italy

2. Saints

Advent marks what point in the church year?

a) the start of the new liturgical year

b) the midpoint

c) the end of the first period of Ordinary Time

d) the end of the year

3. Hymn

What hymn based on Isaiah 7:14 is often sung during Advent, with successive verses for each week of Advent?

a) Now Unto Us a Child Is Born

b) O Come Divine Messiah

c) O Come, O Come Emmanuel

d) Creator of the Stars of Night

4. Traditions

What does Misa de Gallo, the Filipino Christmas-time novena, mean?

a) Beautiful Morning

b) Mass of the Rooster

c) God’s Mass

d) Mass of Waiting

5. Holy Day

What Holy Day of Obligation falls during Advent (Dec. 8)?

a) Assumption of Mary

b) Birth of Mary

c) Immaculate Conception

d) Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

6. Hawaii

A Portuguese tradition that was brought to Hawaii is the Christmas display known as a lapinha. What is it?

a) a Christmas tree decorated only with roosters

b) a tiered nativity scene with the infant Jesus on the top tier

c) red, green and yellow stars strung together and put over a house’s entryway

d) a tree-shaped dessert made up of stacked malassadas

7. Days

How many days are there in Advent?

a) 25

b) 26

c) 21

d) from 21 to 28

8. Traditions

In England there used to be a tradition where poor, elderly women would carry around dolls from home to home, collecting half-pence. It was bad luck not to be visited by them before Christmas Eve. What were the dolls the women carried made to look like?

a) St. Nicholas

b) the Magi

c) Mary and Joseph

d) Jesus and Mary

9. Advent Calendars

What country did Advent calendars first start in during the 1800s? Hint: Christmas trees came from here too.

a) U.S.

b) Turkey

c) Germany

d) Brazil