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I'll Be Broke for Christmas: The Holiday Cash Quiz!
by Bruce Watson Dec 7th 2012 6:00PM
- <p> Charlie Brown's complaints about commercialism notwithstanding, Christmas is an expensive time for consumers -- and an important time for retailers who use year-end sales to shore up their bottom lines. But how much is the holiday worth -- and who has had the best luck cashing in? To get a better feeling for the curious flow of Christmas cash, we reviewed at some of the biggest-sellers, biggest-tickets, and most traditional holiday treats. If you've ever wondered about the money underlying the season, take a peek!</p>
- <p> A. "Miracles: the Holiday Album" (Kenny G)<br /> B. "Merry Christmas" (Johnny Mathis)<br /> C. "White Christmas" (Bing Crosby)<br /> D. "The Elvis Christmas Album" (Elvis Presley)</p>
- <p> Answer: D. Elvis' Christmas album received a Diamond certification, indicating that it sold over 10 million copies. Oddly enough, Kenny G's <em>Miracles</em> came in second, with an 8-times Platinum rating, which means that it sold more than 8 million copies.</p>
- <p> A. $37,900<br /> B. $43,700<br /> C. $73,500<br /> D. $96,300</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
- <p> Answer: C. While the actual Rockefeller Center tree is donated every year by a tree farm, it's worth an estimated $25,000. Add in the lights -- and the Swarovski crystal star at the top -- and you're looking at <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-12-05/what-would-the-christmas-tree-at-rockefeller-center-be-worth" target="_blank">an estimated</a> $73,500.</p>
- <p> A. "It's a Wonderful Life"<br /> B. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"<br /> C. "A Christmas Story"<br /> D. "The Nightmare Before Christmas"</p>
- <p> Answer: B. Since its debut in 2000, <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=christmas.htm" target="_blank"><em>The Grinch Who Stole Christmas</em></a> has grossed more than $260 million -- 42% more than the next-highest contender, <em>The Polar Express</em>. By comparison, <em>The Nightmare Before Christmas</em> ($75 million) and <em>A Christmas Story</em> ($20 million) were modest successes. As for <em>It's a Wonderful Life</em>, there are no records of its total gross, although it has brought in $3.3 million in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/business" target="_blank">rental earnings</a>.</p>
- <p> A. $107,300<br /> B. $96,100<br /> C. $70,600<br /> D. $63,900</p>
- <p> Answer: A. Over the last year, the cost of the twelve days of Christmas <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/11/26/12-days-of-christmas-gift-list-price-tag-now-tops-107-000/" target="_blank">has risen</a> by 6.1 percent, largely driven by jumps in the price of gold, swans and geese. To get all 364 items mentioned (we're counting all the repeats, thus, a full dozen partridges and pear trees) you will crack the hundred-grand mark.<br /> <br /> On the bright side, the cost of some items, like "eight maids a milking" stayed almost the same, as the minimum wage has held pat. For that matter, if you happen to know anyone in a garage band, rounding up "twelve drummers drumming" and "nine ladies dancing" might be a bargain!</p>
- <p> A. Afroman<br /> B. Bob Dylan<br /> C. Twisted Sister<br /> D. Death Row Records</p>
- <p> Answer: Trick question! All four have Christmas albums!</p>
- <p> A. $30<br /> B. $50<br /> C. $100<br /> D. A half quart of mulled wine and three plates of figgy pudding</p>
- <p> Answer: C. While <a href="http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/sleighrides.php" target="_blank">prices vary</a>, the average rate for a one-hour sleigh ride hovers around $30 per adult and $20 per child, or $100 for a family of four. For a decidedly less romantic <a href="http://www.centralpark.com/guide/activities/horse-drawn-carriages.html" target="_blank">horse-drawn carriage</a> ride around Central Park in New York City, the price is a bit higher: about $110 for 45 minutes.</p>
- <p> A. "Bikini Bloodbath Christmas"<br /> B. "A Cadaver Christmas"<br /> C. "Deadly Little Christmas"<br /> D. "Ho Ho Hellions"</p>
- <p> Answer: D. With a few exceptions, notably <em>Silent Night, Deadly Night</em>, holiday horror movies don't make much of a dent in the public consciousness. Even so, studios keep making low budget flicks to chill the blood on Christmas night. This could be good news for <em>Ho Ho Hellions</em>, my idea for a tale of a gang of Christmas elves who go on an insane yuletide rampage after drinking spoiled egg nog, which has not been made into a movie ... yet.</p>
- <p> <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/money-quiz/" target="_blank" title="View this gallery live">Pop Quiz: Do You Know the Cool Facts About Cold, Hard Cash?</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/small-business-quiz/" target="_blank" title="View this gallery live">Quiz: The Small Business Impact</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/economic-quiz/" target="_blank" title="View this gallery live">Quiz: The Economy and the Tax Gap in the United States</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/pop-quiz-american-opportunity/" target="_blank" title="View this gallery live">Pop Quiz: American Opportunity</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/pop-quiz-the-most-costly-affairs-in-history/" target="_blank" title="View this gallery live">Pop Quiz: What Were the Costliest Affairs in History?</a></p>
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