On April 8, 2024, weather permitting, Montreal will witness one of the most exciting events on the astronomical calendar—a total solar eclipse!
We open 2024’s programming joined by two special guest speakers, plus a screening of their documentary short, “Shadowchasers”!
MonSFFA has invited astronomy enthusiasts David Shuman and Paul Simard to speak on the upcoming eclipse, and of their many adventures chasing shadows. Safety when viewing a solar eclipse will be covered, and David and Paul will screen their 2017 documentary short “Shadowchasers: The Great American Total Solar Eclipse,” which was presented at the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s 2019 AGM.
David, a graphic designer by trade, is an avid amateur astronomer and photographer, and has been a long-standing member and board member of the RASC’s Montreal chapter. His fascination with, and extensive knowledge of spaceflight and launch vehicles has seen him travel several times to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness the launch of unmanned spacecraft. He has held NASA press credentials and in 1994, photographed the Space Shuttle. In 2001, he visited the Keck, Gemini, and Subaru telescopes in Hawaii.
Paul, who has been passionate about astronomy for some 30 years, has also developed an interest in video-editing over more than a decade. Combining these two specialties, he seeks to educate and help people appreciate the night sky, and universe in which we all live.
David and Paul have teamed up on numerous passion projects, like a 3-D photographic tour of Mars and their “Shadowchasers” film. They have given talks and film presentations at the North East Astronomy Forum (NEAF), Montreal’s own ConCept sci-fi convention, and at MonSFFA.
We are thrilled to have them back on the subject of the April eclipse.
Paul Simard (left) and David Shuman (right) gave a presentation at MonSFFA, circa 2019.
We will also hold MonSFFA’s AGM and Executive-Committee Elections, and continue with our PowerPoint presentation on air shows and aviation museums, aviation often having inspired early SF, making of many sci-fi fans devotees, too, of aviation!
DIRECTIONS TO THE LACHINE LEGION BRANCH
Easily accessible via public transit, the Lachine Legion is located at 3015 Rue Henri-Dunant, between Provost and St-Antoine, just east of 32nd Avenue (see map).
The 191 bus, among others, stops on 32nd Avenue, near the Legion. Those travelling from Montreal, for example, can board the 191 at the Lionel Groulx Metro Station; the ride to 32nd Avenue takes about 35 minutes. From neighbourhoods west of Lachine, the 191, as well as the 195, depart from Terminus Dorval and take roughly 25 minutes to reach 32nd. Consult the STM (www.stm.info/en) for best bus routes.
Those travelling by car may exit from Autoroute 20, whether eastbound or westbound, at 32nd Avenue (Exit 60). Drivers may also access 32nd from Autoroute 13. It’s a short couple blocks drive south on 32nd to the intersection with Provost. Turn east onto Provost, then promptly south onto 31st Avenue, which lets out onto Henri-Dunant. Turn east again and find the Legion Hall about 50 metres from the intersection on the south side of the street.
The Legion maintains a parking lot adjacent the building; there is no charge to park one’s vehicle. Free parking is also available on Henri-Dunant.
Weather permitting, on April 8, 2024, Montreal will witness one of the most exciting events on the astronomical calendar—a total solar eclipse!
MonSFFA has invited astronomy enthusiasts David Shuman and Paul Simard to speak on the upcoming eclipse, and of their many adventures chasing shadows. Safety when viewing a solar eclipse will be covered, and David and Paul will screen their 2017 documentary short “Shadowchasers: The Great American Total Solar Eclipse,” which was presented at the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s 2019 AGM.
David, a graphic designer by trade, is an avid amateur astronomer and photographer, and has been a long-standing member and board member of the RASC’s Montreal chapter. His fascination with, and extensive knowledge of spaceflight and launch vehicles has seen him travel several times to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness the launch of unmanned spacecraft. He has held NASA press credentials and in 1994, photographed the Space Shuttle. In 2001, he visited the Keck, Gemini, and Subaru telescopes in Hawaii.
Paul, who has been passionate about astronomy for some 30 years, has also developed an interest in video-editing over more than a decade. Combining these two specialties, he seeks to educate and help people appreciate the night sky, and universe in which we all live.
David and Paul have teamed up on numerous passion projects, like a 3-D photographic tour of Mars and their “Shadowchasers” film. They have given talks and film presentations at the North East Astronomy Forum (NEAF), Montreal’s own ConCept sci-fi convention, and at MonSFFA.
We are thrilled to have them back on the subject of the April eclipse.
Paul Simard (left) and David Shuman (right) gave a presentation at MonSFFA, circa 2019.
We will also hold MonSFFA’s AGM and Executive-Committee Elections, and continue with our PowerPoint presentation on air shows and aviation museums, aviation often having inspired early SF, making of many sci-fi fans devotees, too, of aviation!
DIRECTIONS TO THE LACHINE LEGION BRANCH
Easily accessible via public transit, the Lachine Legion is located at 3015 Rue Henri-Dunant, between Provost and St-Antoine, just east of 32nd Avenue (see map).
The 191 bus, among others, stops on 32nd Avenue, near the Legion. Those travelling from Montreal, for example, can board the 191 at the Lionel Groulx Metro Station; the ride to 32nd Avenue takes about 35 minutes. From neighbourhoods west of Lachine, the 191, as well as the 195, depart from Terminus Dorval and take roughly 25 minutes to reach 32nd. Consult the STM (www.stm.info/en) for best bus routes.
Those travelling by car may exit from Autoroute 20, whether eastbound or westbound, at 32nd Avenue (Exit 60). Drivers may also access 32nd from Autoroute 13. It’s a short couple blocks drive south on 32nd to the intersection with Provost. Turn east onto Provost, then promptly south onto 31st Avenue, which lets out onto Henri-Dunant. Turn east again and find the Legion Hall about 50 metres from the intersection on the south side of the street.
The Legion maintains a parking lot adjacent the building; there is no charge to park one’s vehicle. Free parking is also available on Henri-Dunant.
MonSFFA is excited to host guest speakers from the RASC David Shuman and Paul Simard.
In April of 2024, weather permitting, Montreal will experience one of the most exciting astronomical events–a total solar eclipse!
We have invited David Shuman and Paul Simard to talk about their adventures chasing shadows. They will also explain how best to safely view the eclipse. We will also get to watch their mini-documentary, “Shadowchasers”.
David, a graphic designer by trade & avid amateur astronomer and photographer, is a longstanding member and Board member of the RASC Montreal Centre.
He has had many experiences from NASA press credentials, photographing the Space Shuttle in 1994, to visiting the Keck, Gemini & Subaru telescopes in 2001.
His fascination with spaceflight has also allowed him to witness several unmanned launches from KSC in Florida to extensive knowledge of spaceflight & launch vehicles.
Along wih Paul Simard, he is co-creator of the Eclipse mini-documentary “Shadowchasers: The Great American Total Solar Eclipse” in 2017 shown at the 2019 RASC AGM.
Paul Simard has been interested in astronomy for over 30 years and has been into video editing for at least 10 years. He has been using his knowledge to combine the two interests in helping people understand the night sky and the universe we all live in.
Dave and Paul have given numerous public talks & 3-D film presentations at NEAF & in California.
Long time members will remember their previous presentations at Con*Cept and MonSFFA.
Paul Simard and David Shuman at a March, 2019 MonSFFA meeting.
This is Post 6 of 6, officially bringing to a close our 2023 Holiday ZOOM-Chat. But feel free to continue the video-chat, if you wish, and for as long as you wish!
8) THANK YOU AND SIGN-OFF
Before we present the answers to our Christmas quiz, posted earlier, we extend thanks to Keith Braithwaite, Cathy Palmer-Lister, and all of our contributing participants for organizing this Holiday ZOOM-Chat!
We hope you have enjoyed your afternoon with us; don’t forget to comment on today’s online get-together.
The club will resume activities in the New Year, beginning with our Saturday, January 13 meeting. Mark that date in your calendars as we have booked a pair of special astronomy guests, who will speak on the topic of the upcoming solar eclipse expected in April of 2024!
Goodbye for now, and may you all enjoy a Cheerful Holiday Season, and a healthy, Happy New Year!
9) ANSWERS TO CHRISTMAS QUIZ
And now, here are the answers to our 2023 Christmas Quiz. Compare your answers to these.
1) In what town is set the classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)?
A) Pine Tree, VT; B) Lake George, NY; C) Stepford, CT; D) Seneca Falls, NY; or E) Bedford Falls, NY
ANSWER: E) Bedford Falls, NY.
FYI: Pine Tree, Vermont and Stepford, Connecticut are, respectively, the fictional settings of the movie musical White Christmas (1954), and the novel (1972) and movies (1975 and 2004) The Stepford Wives. Both Lake George and Seneca Falls are real towns in New York state. The latter claims to be the inspiration for Bedford Falls, based on unsubstantiated evidence of It’s a Wonderful Life director Frank Capra having visited the town prior to shooting the film. Regardless, Seneca Falls boasts a museum and annual festival dedicated to the film.
2) Edmund Gwenn, Thomas Mitchell, Ed Wynn, Sebastien Cabot, and Richard Attenborough—these five actors played the same character in five different productions of which feel-good Christmas story?
ANSWER: Miracle on 34th Street.
3) Name the character they all played?
ANSWER: Kris Kringle/Santa Claus.
Edmund Gwenn portrayed Kris Kringle/Santa Claus in the original 1947 movie, for which he was awarded an Oscar. Thomas Mitchell, Ed Wynn, and Sebastien Cabot each played the part in television versions, Mitchell in 1955, Wynn in 1959, and Cabot in 1973. And Richard Attenborough interpreted the role in the 1994 remake of the original film.
4) The first published mention of Santa Claus’ sleigh and reindeer appeared in the 1821 illustrated poem “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight.” In said poem, how many reindeer are depicted as pulling Santa’s sleigh?
A) Four, B) Two, C) Eight, D) One, or E) Six
ANSWER: D) One.
5) In the 1989 Christmas fantasy film Prancer, what was the name of the reindeer appearing in the movie as the titular character?
A) Canada, B) Olive, C) Boo, D) Rudolph, or E) Winter
ANSWER: C) Boo.
Pregnant at the time of filming, she was selected because of her onscreen rapport with human co-star Rebecca Harrell. Also, being pregnant, she would naturally retain her antlers for a longer period of time, long enough to allow filming to wrap!
6) In which year did the military begin its annual “tracking” of Santa Claus’ sleigh on its Christmas Eve flight?
ANSWER: Although the US Air Force first issued a communique on Christmas Eve, 1948, outlining that radar was tracking an “unidentified sleigh, powered by eight reindeer,” this missive was a one-off publicity stunt. It was not until 1955 that the annual tradition began.
7) Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story, “The Greatest Gift,” was self-published as a booklet in 1943 and given as a Christmas present to family and friends before it was sold to a magazine in 1944, then published as an illustrated book that same year. “The Greatest Gift” served as the source material for which beloved Christmas movie?
ANSWER: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).
8) What is the name of Stern’s protagonist in “The Greatest Gift”?
A) George Taylor, B) George Hegerman, C) George Milton, D) George Pratt, or E) George Jetson
ANSWER: George Pratt, a character who became George Bailey in the famous film adaptation.
FYI: Colonel George Taylor is the character played by Charlton Heston in Planet of the Apes (1968); George Hegerman, also known as Minnesota Fats, is a fictional pool hustler, the creation of novelist Walter Tevis; George Milton is one of the principal protagonists in author John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men; and George Jetson, patriarch of the futuristic Jetson family, is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character!
9) In an episode of the original Twilight Zone, a group of nameless individuals, having no memory of who they are or how they came to find themselves trapped in a giant metal cylinder with no apparent exit, contemplate the mystery of their situation, formulate a desperate plan of escape, and make the attempt. This group of characters numbers how many?
ANSWER: Five.
10) The dark twist-ending of the above described episode—spoiler!—reveals that these characters are all, in fact, different sorts of dolls that have been dropped into a Christmas donations barrel collecting toys for an orphanage! What kinds of dolls are they?
ANSWER: “Clown, hobo, ballet dancer, bagpiper, and an army major,” so listed by series creator Rod Serling in his opening narration.
11) What was the title of this rather bleak Christmas Twilight Zone episode?
ANSWER: “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” (1961).
12) Who was Harry Shoup and what unique association did he have to Christmas?
ANSWER: USAF Colonel Harry Shoup was on duty the evening a young girl wanting to speak to Santa Claus accidentally telephoned CONAD (Continenal Air Defense Command) in Colorado Springs, Colorado—CONAD predated NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command).
Colonel Harry Shoup, who came to be known as “The Santa Colonel.”
While the details of the 1955 incident have differed from telling to telling, the gist of the story was that the child believed she was phoning Santa Claus on his private line. Initially supposing that someone was playing an ill-advised joke on him, Colonel Shoup quickly understood that he was speaking not to a prankster, but a child, and that an innocent mistake had been made.
In the most common version of events, he pretended to be Santa, spoke with the girl for a time, and was eventually able to get her mother on the phone, who explained that an advertisement appearing in the local newspaper had encouraged youngsters to either call and talk to Santa on his private line, or visit him in person at Sears Toyland. Apparently, the misprinted phone number published was that of CONAD’s Operations Center, an unlisted number!
Realizing that a flood of calls from other children might be imminent, Shoup directed his staff to tell any child who called in looking for Santa Claus that CONAD was tracking his sleigh as he overflew North America, and to provide his current location.
Volunteers staff the phones at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center, circa 2007.
And thus was launched what has become an annual tradition that carries on to this day. “NORAD Tracks Santa” is the defense organization’s best-known community outreach program. Each year, the operation employs hundreds of volunteers, from both the U.S. and Canadian militaries, and from civilians, answering thousands upon thousands of queries from children the world over. With the advent of the digital era, and the involvement of Google and other corporate sponsors, tens of millions view NORAD’s Santa tracking Website every December.
Shoup, who was dubbed “The Santa Colonel,” retired from the Air Force in 1968 and died in 2009.
13) The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1902) is a children’s book penned by Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum, offering a markedly different take on the story of Santa Claus. For example, rather than Clement C. Moore’s familiar team of eight reindeer, featured in his poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”—also known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”—Baum’s story identifies ten reindeer. Name them.
14) Name the two reindeer that Baum’s Santa Claus relies on as his principal sleigh-pulling team in The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
ANSWER: B) Flossie and Glossie.
15) Match these servings of Christmas cuisine to their country of origin.
A) Multekrem 1) Iceland
B) Pandora 2) Germany
C) Colemono 3) Poland
D) Hangikjöt 4) Norway
E) Kruidnoten 5) Venezuela
F) Bolo de mel 6) Sweden
G) Bigos 7) Japan
H) Hallacas 8) Chile
I) Christmas Pudding 9) Italy
J) Kentucky Fried Chicken 10) Netherlands
K) Knäck 11) Portugal
L) Springerle 12) England
ANSWER:
A-4: Multekrem is a traditional Norwegian dessert the main ingredients of which are cloudberries, whipped cream, and sugar. Customarily served with Christmas dinner.
B-9: Pandora, a traditional Italian sweet bread shaped as an eight-pointed star, originated in the Veneto region and is popular during the Christmas/New Year’s season. Usually sprinkled with vanilla-scented icing sugar to resemble the snow-capped Italian Alps at Christmastime.
C-8: Colemono, meaning “monkey’s tail,” is a traditional Chilean drink served at Christmas, the principal ingredients of which include aguardiente (alcoholic spirits), milk, sugar, coffee, and cloves.
D-1: Hangikjöt, or “hanging meat,” is a traditional Icelandic festive food served at Christmas. Smoked lamb, mutton, or horse boiled and dished up sliced, either hot or cold. Often served with potatoes in French béchamel sauce and green peas, or thinly sliced on bread.
E-10: Kruidnoten are hard, spiced, cookie-like confectionaries associated with Sinterklass (Saint Nicolas) in the Netherlands.
F-11: Bolo de mel, originating from Portugal’s Madeira, is a traditional cake first produced by nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara in the late 15th century, when Madeira, an archipelago in the North Atlantic some 500 kilometres west of Morocco, was an important producer of sugar. Their recipe called for molasses as opposed to the more prevalent honey used today. This “honey cake” is enjoyed throughout the year, but is especially popular at Christmas, and time-honoured in Madeira is the practise of tearing pieces off with one’s hands rather than cutting the cake into slices when serving.
G-3: Bigos, or “hunter’s stew,” is a traditional Polish dish of chopped meats, sauerkraut, shredded fresh cabbage, and spices served hot and supplemented with additional vegetables and wine. Especially associated with Catholic holidays like Easter and Christmas.
H-5: Hallacas are tamales that have been described as a Venezuelan national dish. Of indigenous origin and supplemented with ingredients introduced by Spanish settlers in the early-16th century, they are said to have been cooked up by slaves during the colonial era. Numerous regional variants emerged throughout Spanish holdings in the Americas, from Cuba to Argentina. Wrapped in Plantain leaves and boiled, Hallacas are a staple of Venezuela’s Christmas celebrations.
I-12: Christmas pudding, a round, sweet, dried-fruit dessert, originated in medieval England and is traditionally served as part of Christmas dinner in the United Kingdom, and in former British colonies such as Canada. Ingredients include breadcrumbs, dried fruit, sugar, treacle, suet, and spices. The pudding mixture is thoroughly stirred, a process customarily involving each member of a household, then typically boiled in a “pudding cloth” or steamed in a basin for seven or eight hours, moistened with citrus juices, brandy or other alcohols, and allowed to cool and set. Usually stored until Christmas Day, at which time it is reheated, placed on a platter and topped with a sprig of holly for presentation at the dinner table, the pudding may be doused with warm brandy and “flamed” before serving.
J-7: Kentucky Fried Chicken, while originating in the U.S., has become something of a traditional Christmas meal in, of all places, Japan!
With only about one percent of that nation’s population identifying as Christian, Christmas is a secular holiday in the Land of the Rising Sun. American-style fast-food restaurants came to Japan in the early 1970s, including one of the most popular, Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The company, today rebranded as KFC, launched a national marketing campaign in 1974, “Kentucky for Christmas,” apparently inspired by a visiting foreigner who had stopped in at a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in Tokyo on December 25, remarking “I can’t get turkey in Japan, so I have no choice but to celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken.” The first party buckets soon followed, aggressively promoted with feel-good television commercials linking Kentucky Fried Chicken with Christmas, and touting the “delicacy” as a means of celebrating the holiday in a true, authentic American style! The truth was not permitted to get in the way of a good marketing campaign, and the idea took hold. By the early 1980s, Colonel Saunders was everywhere, dressed in a red Santa Claus suit, peddling chicken.
So popular is KFC at Christmastime in Japan today that orders must be placed months in advance, and on Christmas Day, people line up for hours to pick up their finger lickin’ good chicken!
K-6: Knäck, or Christmas Butterscotch, is a traditional Swedish hard toffee prepared for the festive season.
L-2: Springerle originated in southwestern Germany, principally Swabia and the surrounding areas. A biscuit or cookie featuring an embossed design, springerle was traditionally baked for both religious and secular holidays, but today is most commonly associated with the Christmas season.
16) In the perennial Christmas favourite It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), how much cash does George Bailey’s building and loan business find itself short on Christmas Eve as a result of hapless Uncle Billy’s absentmindedness while visiting the bank to make a deposit, and greedy, underhanded banker Potter’s taking full advantage of the situation to surreptitiously misappropriate that money?
ANSWER: $8000.
17) What is Potter’s first name?
ANSWER: Henry.
18) The Martian weapons brandished in the sci-fi/Christmas movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) were simply off-the-shelf, store-bought toy guns! Which of these served as the Martians’ handgun?
A) Wham-O Airblaster, B) Daisy Buck Rogers XZ-38 Disintegrator Pistol, C) Topper Toys Johnny Seven O.M.A. (One-Man Army), D) Mattel Agent Zero M Snap-Shot (Camera to Safe Cap Pistol), or E) Rayline Rapid-Fire Tracer Gun
ANSWER: A) Wham-O Airblaster.
Voldar (standing, far left) holds a Wham-O Air Blaster on Santa Claus in the 1964 sci-fi/Christmas film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Wham-O’s popular toy gun, with its packaging, is shown below.
19) In It’s a Wonderful Life, what is the maiden name of George Bailey’s wife, Mary?
ANSWER: Hatch.
20) A pivotal sequence in the film shows George, despondent over his Building and Loan’s missing money, contemplating suicide, convinced that his family and friends would be better off without him! By way of Heavenly intervention, he is shown the dark and disturbing reality that would have been were he never born so that he may know the very important and positive impact he has had on his hometown, and the lives of his loved ones. The hope is that he will thus appreciate the life he has lived, and change his mind about throwing it all away by killing himself. In this unsettling alternate history, much is distressingly different, including the name of the town! What is that name?
ANSWER: Pottersville, no doubt named for George’s unscrupulous, hard-hearted, lifelong nemesis, who has been trying for decades to buy out or otherwise close the Bailey’s building and loan business in order to monopolize banking in the community. And in this dystopian timeline, he has succeeded in doing so!
TOP: George desperately tries to help Uncle Billy remember where the absentminded fellow might have misplaced $8000; BOTTOM, LEFT: George and Mary Bailey; BOTTOM, RIGHT: In the alternate timeline, Mary is a spinster who works as a librarian.
21) What is Mary’s occupation in the alternate timeline?
ANSWER: Mary, who in this reality is a spinster, works as a librarian.
22) In his novelty Chanukah Song, comedian Adam Sandler’s list of fellow Jewish celebrities who celebrate Chanukah includes two superstars of sci-fi television, or rather, the iconic characters they portrayed. Name these two, with whom, sings Sandler, “you can spin a dreidel.”
ANSWER: Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock—actors William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, who played Kirk and Spock, respectively, are “both Jews.”
23)Scrooged (1988) is a modern, comedic take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, in which star Bill Murray’s character—the Ebenezer Scrooge of the piece—is visited by the familiar Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Carol Kane plays the petite, delicate, fairy-like Ghost of Christmas Present, who proceeds to kick, slap, punch and generally batter Murray throughout their encounter. In a parting blow, she clocks him hard in the chops with a toaster! Was that toaster a two-slice or four-slice model?
ANSWER: A four-slice model.
24) The animated film Gotta Catch Santa Claus (2008) is about a young boy who sets out to capture Santa Claus in order to prove to his friends, and to the world, that Santa really does exist! Who voiced Santa Claus in this production?
ANSWER: William Shatner.
25) In the celebrated, uplifting Twilight Zone Christmas episode “The Night of the Meek” (1960), Art Carney plays an unemployed drunkard who, once a year, works as a department-store Santa. He finds an enchanted bag in a back alley on Christmas Eve, and from this bag is able to magically draw the Christmas gifts wished for by his fellow derelicts, and the poor children of the neighbourhood! His own Christmas wish is granted, too—spoiler!—that of being able to distribute presents in this manner every year. The episode ends as a reindeer-drawn sleigh arrives and whisks him off into the night sky to become the real Santa Claus! What is this character’s name?
ANSWER: Mr. Henry Corwin, so introduced by Rod Serling at the top of the episode.
Here, we rerun an image gallery featuring SF/F-themed snow globes that originally appeared as part of our November 2022 e-meeting. Enjoy again, and no shaking the globes!
For your perusal, with this post, we offer a gallery of sci-fi magazine and comic book covers featuring Santa Claus and other Christmas-inspired subjects. Enjoy!
Magazines:
Comic Books:
Our next post will be up at 3:30PM with a gallery of Sci-Fi Snow Globes!
Time for our mid-meeting break! Fix yourself a snack and pour yourself a drink; we’ll hold our virtual raffle momentarily, after which the conversation will continue!
The next post will be up at 3:00PM and feature a collection of Christmas-themed sci-fi magazine and comic book covers!
We have for you, now, as light amusement, the following SF/F-flavoured Christmas quiz—25 questions in honour of December 25, Christmas Day! Answers will be provided in our final post of the afternoon, at 4:00PM. Good luck!
1) In what town is set the classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)?
A) Pine Tree, VT; B) Lake George, NY; C) Stepford, CT; D) Seneca Falls, NY; or E) Bedford Falls, NY
2) Edmund Gwenn, Thomas Mitchell, Ed Wynn, Sebastien Cabot, and Richard Attenborough—these five actors played the same character in five different productions of which feel-good Christmas story?
3) Name the character they all played?
4) The first published mention of Santa Claus’ sleigh and reindeer appeared in the 1821 illustrated poem “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight.” In said poem, how many reindeer are depicted as pulling Santa’s sleigh?
A) Four, B) Two, C) Eight, D) One, or E) Six
5) In the 1989 Christmas fantasy film Prancer, what was the name of the reindeer appearing in the movie as the titular character?
A) Canada, B) Olive, C) Boo, D) Rudolph, or E) Winter
6) In which year did the military begin its annual “tracking” of Santa Claus’ sleigh on its Christmas Eve flight?
7) Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story, “The Greatest Gift,” was self-published as a booklet in 1943 and given as a Christmas present to family and friends before it was sold to a magazine in 1944, then published as an illustrated book that same year. “The Greatest Gift” served as the source material for which beloved Christmas movie?
8) What is the name of Stern’s protagonist in “The Greatest Gift”?
A) George Taylor, B) George Hegerman, C) George Milton, D) George Pratt, or E) George Jetson
9) In an episode of the original Twilight Zone, a group of nameless individuals, having no memory of who they are or how they came to find themselves trapped in a giant metal cylinder with no apparent exit, contemplate the mystery of their situation, formulate a desperate plan of escape, and make the attempt. This group of characters numbers how many?
10) The dark twist-ending of the above described episode—spoiler!—reveals that these characters are all, in fact, different sorts of dolls that have been dropped into a Christmas donations barrel collecting toys for an orphanage! What kinds of dolls are they?
11) What was the title of this rather bleak Christmas Twilight Zone episode?
12) Who was Harry Shoup and what unique association did he have to Christmas?
13) The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1902) is a children’s book penned by Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum, offering a markedly different take on the story of Santa Claus. For example, rather than Clement C. Moore’s familiar team of eight reindeer, featured in his poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”—also known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”—Baum’s story identifies ten reindeer. Name them.
14) Name the two reindeer that Baum’s Santa Claus relies on as his principal sleigh-pulling team in The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
15) Match these servings of Christmas cuisine to their country of origin.
A) Multekrem 1) Iceland
B) Pandora 2) Germany
C) Colemono 3) Poland
D) Hangikjöt 4) Norway
E) Kruidnoten 5) Venezuela
F) Bolo de mel 6) Sweden
G) Bigos 7) Japan
H) Hallacas 8) Chile
I) Christmas Pudding 9) Italy
J) Kentucky Fried Chicken 10) Netherlands
K) Knäck 11) Portugal
L) Springerle 12) England
16) In the perennial Christmas favourite It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), how much cash does George Bailey’s building and loan business find itself short on Christmas Eve as a result of hapless Uncle Billy’s absentmindedness while visiting the bank to make a deposit, and greedy, underhanded banker Potter’s taking full advantage of the situation to surreptitiously misappropriate that money?
17) What is Potter’s first name?
18) The Martian weapons brandished in the sci-fi/Christmas movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) were simply off-the-shelf, store-bought toy guns! Which of these served as the Martians’ handgun?
A) Wham-O Airblaster, B) Daisy Buck Rogers XZ-38 Disintegrator Pistol, C) Topper Toys Johnny Seven O.M.A. (One-Man Army), D) Mattel Agent Zero M Snap-Shot (Camera to Safe Cap Pistol), or E) Rayline Rapid-Fire Tracer Gun
19) In It’s a Wonderful Life, what is the maiden name of George Bailey’s wife, Mary?
20) A pivotal sequence in the film shows George, despondent over his Building and Loan’s missing money, contemplating suicide, convinced that his family and friends would be better off without him! By way of Heavenly intervention, he is shown the dark and disturbing reality that would have been were he never born so that he may know the very important and positive impact he has had on his hometown, and the lives of his loved ones. The hope is that he will thus appreciate the life he has lived, and change his mind about throwing it all away by killing himself. In this unsettling alternate history, much is distressingly different, including the name of the town! What is that name?
21) What is Mary’s occupation in the alternate timeline?
22) In his novelty Chanukah Song, comedian Adam Sandler’s list of fellow Jewish celebrities who celebrate Chanukah includes two superstars of sci-fi television, or rather, the iconic characters they portrayed. Name these two, with whom, sings Sandler, “you can spin a dreidel.”
23)Scrooged (1988) is a modern, comedic take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, in which star Bill Murray’s character—the Ebenezer Scrooge of the piece—is visited by the familiar Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Carol Kane plays the petite, delicate, fairy-like Ghost of Christmas Present, who proceeds to kick, slap, punch and generally batter Murray throughout their encounter. In a parting blow, she clocks him hard in the chops with a toaster! Was that toaster a two-slice or four-slice model?
24) The animated film Gotta Catch Santa Claus (2008) is about a young boy who sets out to capture Santa Claus in order to prove to his friends, and to the world, that Santa really does exist! Who voiced Santa Claus in this production?
25) In the celebrated, uplifting Twilight Zone Christmas episode “The Night of the Meek” (1960), Art Carney plays an unemployed drunkard who, once a year, works as a department-store Santa. He finds an enchanted bag in a back alley on Christmas Eve, and from this bag is able to magically draw the Christmas gifts wished for by his fellow derelicts, and the poor children of the neighbourhood! His own Christmas wish is granted, too—spoiler!—that of being able to distribute presents in this manner every year. The episode ends as a reindeer-drawn sleigh arrives and whisks him off into the night sky to become the real Santa Claus! What is this character’s name?
This is post 1 of 6 related posts which together make up this December 17, 2023 Holiday ZOOM-Chat.
1) SEASON’S GREETINGS
We begin with best wishes to all MonSFFen, their families, and the club’s friends for a very Merry Christmas, a Joyful Holiday season, and a Happy New Year!
2) INTRODUCTION
This is our last club event of 2023. Today’s virtual get-together will unfold right here on the club’s Website over the course of the afternoon, beginning with this first post, and followed by subsequent posts at 1:30PM, 2:30PM, 3:00PM, and 3:30PM, with a concluding post at 4:00PM.
It being that most wonderful time of the year, we have planned a casual chat among friends, allowing everyone the opportunity to exchange seasonal greetings with fellow club members, especially those who couldn’t make it to last weekend’s in-person Christmas Luncheon. No formal programming is scheduled this afternoon, so we have no agenda to post, but we will offer a few surprises throughout the next few hours oriented to the Holidays!
If you’re not fully equipped to ZOOM, you can also take part by phone (voice only); in the Montreal area, the toll-free number to call is: 1-438-809-7799. From out of town? No problem; find your ZOOM call-in number here: Call-In Numbers
Also, have this information on hand as you may be asked to enter it:
Meeting ID: 847 1621 6822
Passcode: 650741
Our next post comes up at 1:30PM and will feature a Christmas Quiz!
On April 8, 2024, weather permitting, Montreal will witness one of the most exciting events on the astronomical calendar—a total solar eclipse!
