Winter Bash 2020 hat names & references explained

Question

Here is a list of the 'etymology' for the Winter Bash 2020 hats. Everything about the naming (whether related to Stack Exchange mechanics, memes or anything else that isn't obvious to most readers) can be found here. What may be obvious to you (because you're a game expert, or a native English speaker) may not be obvious to other users. For pictures and a list of criteria, see the Winter Bash 2020 hat list 👒 🎩 instead.

The list is a community wiki; feel free to edit it if you have more information about a hat. Please keep the list in alphabetical order for easier searching. If you like to do some research, some hats have been featured in earlier editions, so you might be able to find more information in the previous installments:

Year	Question
2019	no entry since all hats were reruns
2018	Winter Bash 2018 hat names
2017	Winter Bash 2017 hatymology
2016	A list of what each of the Winter Bash 2016 hats are named after
2015	Is there a list of what each of the Winter Bash hats is named after?

Answer 1

Regular hats

• Bûche de Noël: A traditional Christmas dessert in several parts of the world.
• Carmen: Hats covered in fruit were popularized by Carmen Miranda.
• Gimme Space: the graphic is from the famous arcade game Space Invaders
• I Wish To Subscribe: the graphic is a reference to Mr. Sparkle, a Japanese dishwashing detergent mascot who bears a strong resemblance to Homer Simpson. The name is a reference to a line said by Homer Simpson: "Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter."
• Soapbox: a reference to the English idiom "to get on a soapbox," meaning to publicly make an opinionated speech, analogous to starting a discussion on Meta.

Secret hats

• Cruse of Oil: the Jewish holiday Hanukkah commemorates the Miracle of the cruse of oil, and you get the hat for participation on December 18 (anywhere in the world), which is the last day of this year's Hanukkah
• Eliza Doolots: reference to Eliza Doolittle, the protagonist of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady.
• Quarantine Hair: you spend so much time in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that your hair grows wild and birds can nest in it.
• Take This: Reference to the phrase "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this.", which is used to introduce the Master Sword in the 1986 NES version of The Legend of Zelda game.
• This is Fine: reference to the meme of the same name, in which the character Question Hound from the webcomic Gunshow nonchalantly drinks coffee in the middle of a burning room.
• Vexillologist: somebody who studies the history and significance of flags. The hat trigger involves flagging.