Christmas Etymology | Baamboozle - Baamboozle | The Most Fun Classroom Games!

angel

Fusion of Old English engel (with hard -g-) and Old French angele. Both are from Late Latin angelus, from Greek angelos.

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nativity

Nativite, "feast-day celebrating the birth of Christ, Christmas," from Old French nativité "birth, origin, descent; birthday; Christmas" (12c.), from Late Latin

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Santa Claus

American English, in reference to the customs of the old Dutch colony of New York, from dialectal Dutch Sante Klaas, Middle Dutch Sinter Niklaas -Saint Nicholas

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turkey

Short for turkey cock or turkeyhen, originally applied to the guinea fowl (imported through Turkey), and then erroneously to the American bird.

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eraser

Reset score!

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seesaw

Swap points!

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shark

Other team loses 15 points!

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thief

Give points!

banana

Go to last place!

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fairy

Take points!

gift

Win 15 points!

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banana

Go to last place!

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tinsel

Kind of cloth made with interwoven gold or silver thread, from Anglo-French tencele, Old French estencele, estincelle "spark, spangle"

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stocking

From Old English stocu "sleeve," which is related to Old English stocc "trunk, log". Probably because of resemblance of legs to tree trunks.

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sleigh

1703, American and Canadian English, from Dutch slee, shortened from slede (sled/sledge).

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Scrooge

Generic for "miser," by 1905, from the name of the curmudgeonly employer in Dickens' 1843 story "A Christmas Carol."

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gift

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse gift, gipt "gift; good luck," from Proto-Germanic *geftiz

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reindeer

Deer inhabiting the arctic regions of Europe, from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse hreindyri "reindeer," with dyr "animal" + hreinn.

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bauble

Early 14c., "showy trinket or ornament," from Old French baubel "child's toy, trinket," probably a reduplication of bel, from Latin bellus "pretty".

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lifesaver

Give 25 points!

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shark

Other team loses 5 points!

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gift

Win 5 points!

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banana

Go to last place!

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elf

Old English elf (Mercian, Kentish), ælf (Northumbrian), ylfe (plural, West Saxon) "sprite, fairy, goblin, incubus," from Proto-Germanic *albiz.

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wreath

Old English wriða "fillet, bandage, band" (literally "that which is wound around"). Meaning "ring or garland of flowers or vines" is first recorded 1560s.

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