Winter Quiz: Are You Hot When It's Not?

Which animals do not hibernate during winter?

Bears

Chipmunks

Spiny Anteaters

Hedgehogs

Which of the following statements about reindeer is false?

Reindeer (Image Credit: Animals Animals/Robert Maier)

They can pull sleds

North American reindeer are called caribou

Female reindeer have antlers

They subsist primarily on small insects

According to Greek mythology Demeter, the goddess of grain and the harvest, caused the first winter when:

She fell in love with her reflection in a frozen pond

She became angry at the hot sun after she flew too close

She neglected the land in grief after her daughter was abducted

She decided she needed a break from the harvest

By tradition we can expect six more weeks of winter if on Groundhog Day, February 2, the groundhog:

Does not see its shadow

Sees its shadow

Becomes frightened by its shadow

Boxes with its shadow

Why does snow appear white?

Do you know? (Image Credit: Phototake NYC/Eric Grave)

Each snow crystal grows around a piece of white dust

It retains the white part of the cloud from which it falls

To provide camouflage for polar bears

Each crystal has many reflecting surfaces

Why is winter cold?

The Sun cools slightly every winter

Clouds keep the Sun from shining

The hours of daylight are shorter and less intense

Lava floes located just below Earth’s surface retreat for several months

What food is traditionally served during Christmas festivities in Japan?

Salmon roe

Microwave popcorn

Miso soup

A decorated cake

Who is the month of January named for?

Jan Hus, an important religious reformer

Django Reinhardt, a pioneering Belgian musician

Jan Beuckelzoon, a radical Protestant leader

Janus, the Roman god of doors and gateways

Who created the story of Rudolph, the reindeer with a shiny red nose?

An ad writer for the Montgomery Ward Company

Residents of rural Sweden

Charles Dickens

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Which activity will make you most likely to catch a common cold?

Spending time outdoors in cold weather

Drinking coffee

Riding on an airplane

Watching holiday specials on TV