The 12 Days of Christmas have officially ended for this year.
Did you attempt the 12 Days of Christmas Quiz which the KVCA set in The Village Voice, and on the Village website?
If so, here are the answers. How did you do?
1. Are you likely to see a Partridge in a pear tree in Britain? Why?
Answer: No. Partridges are ground-dwelling birds.
2. To which continent do Turtle Doves migrate in the British winter?
Answer: Africa
3. Hence nth refresh (anagram)
Answer: Three French hens
4. Colly birds (sometimes sung as calling birds) is an old English name for which common British bird – Robin, Nightingale, Songthrush, Blackbird?
Answer: Blackbird
5. “Five gold rings” actually relates to another British bird. Which one and why?
Answer: Ring-necked pheasants.
6. Are goose eggs, on average, larger or smaller than chicken eggs? And which have the thicker shells?
Answer: Goose eggs are typically larger and have thicker shells than chicken eggs.
7. Do all swans on the River Thames belong to the King?
Answer: No. The Vintners and the Dyers livery companies own some, which are marked. The King retains the right to claim ownership of any unmarked mute swan swimming in open waters.
8. Why is milk considered to be a very fast drink?
Answer: Because it is pasteurised (past your eyes) before you see it.
9. The Nine Ladies Stone Circle, at an English Heritage site in Derbyshire, has how many stones?
Answer: Ten. The 10th had fallen flat and was only discovered in 1977.
10. Lord Lucan leapt into the headlines in 1974.
Was this because:
A. He murdered his wife and disappeared?
B. He murdered the family nanny and disappeared?
Answer: B. At the inquest of Sandra Rivett, the Lucan’s nanny, Lord Lucan was named as her killer. He was never found and was declared dead in 1999.
11. According to the adage “he who pays the piper” also does what?
Answer: Calls the tune.
12. These 12 famous Drummers each have a letter missing. When you have found them all, what does it spell?
MIT*H MITCHELL (Jimi Hendrix Band)
G*NGER BAKER (Cream)
JOHN BON*AM (Led Zeppelin)
KEITH *OON (The Who)
AL J*CKSON (Booker T & the MGs)
*TEWART COPELAND (Sting)
CHARLIE WAT*S (Rolling Stones)
RINGO *TARR (The Beatles)
BU*DY RICH (his own band)
TERR* BOZZIO (Frank Zappa)
I*N PAICE (Deep Purple)
GENE K*UPER (Benny Goodman)
Answer: CHRISTMAS DAY
MITCH MITCHELL (Jimi Hendrix Band)
JOHN BONHAM (Led Zeppelin)
GENE KRUPER (Benny Goodman)
GINGER BAKER (Cream)
RINGO STARR (The Beatles)
CHARLIE WATTS (Rolling Stones)
KEITH MOON (The Who)
AL JACKSON (Booker T & the MGs)
STEWART COPELAND (Sting)
BU*DY RICH (his own band)
IAN PAICE (Deep Purple)
TERRY BOZZIO (Frank Zappa)
13. Over the 12 days of Christmas, how many birds did I receive?
Answer: By my count the answer is 184 (or 224 if you count the Gold Rings as Pheasants). The total includes
12 Partridges (one each day);
11 x 2 Turtle Doves = 22
10 x 3 French Hens = 30
9 x 4 Colly Birds = 36
7 x 6 Geese = 42
6 x 7 Swans = 42
So 12 + 22 + 30 + 36 + 42 + 42 = 184
And 8 x 5 Pheasants = 40, so if you included these, the total is 184 + 40 = 224. You can have a bonus point for that!
With best wishes for 2025!
Bob Gunn, KVCA.