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

bell

Old English belle, which has cognates in Middle Dutch belle, Middle Low German belle but is not found elsewhere in Germanic

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tree

Middle English tre, from Old English treo, treow "tree," also "timber, wood, beam, log, stake;" from Proto-Germanic *trewam.

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trap

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rocket

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gift

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banana

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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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gift

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

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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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Scrooge

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

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holly

Earlier holin (mid-12c.), shortening of Old English holegn, holen "holly," from Proto-Germanic *hulin-.

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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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festive

From Latin festivus "festive, joyous, gay," from festum "festival, holiday," noun use of neuter of adjective festus "joyful, merry".

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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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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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heart

Other team wins 25 points!

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rocket

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gift

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banana

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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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mistletoe

Old English mistel "basil, mistletoe" + tan "twig," from Proto-Germanic *tainan "twig".

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heart

Other team wins 25 points!

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gift

Win 20 points!

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fairy

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banana

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