Christmas Trivia Questions and Answers
Christmas trivia questions and answers turn a family gathering, classroom party or office get-together into a shared game that everyone can join, from the youngest child to the oldest trivia fan. This set of Christmas trivia is written for children, grandparents and everyone in between, and every question is family-friendly.
Inside you will find 32 questions in four rounds: traditions and history, songs and stories, Santa and reindeer, and Christmas around the world. Each round runs from easy to hard, about half the questions are multiple choice, and every answer comes with a fun fact you can read aloud.
Use this Christmas trivia any way you like. Read it out around the table, print the page from your browser, or host it live so everyone answers on their own phone and the scores update after every question.
Host these 32 Christmas trivia questions and answers as a live game
Players join from their phones with a QR code, no app. Scoring and the leaderboard are automatic. Free for up to 5 teams.
Traditions & History
1.Boxing Day, a public holiday in the UK, Canada and Australia, falls on which date?
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Answer: December 26
One theory says the name comes from "Christmas boxes" of money or gifts that tradespeople collected in Britain. Samuel Pepys mentions the custom in his 1663 diary.
2.Which country is credited with the origins of the decorated indoor Christmas tree, which developed there during the 1500s?
- ASpain
- BGreece
- CPortugal
- DGermany
Show answer
Answer: Germany
Records show a tree in Strasbourg Cathedral in 1539, when the city was in the Holy Roman Empire. The earliest firmly dated picture of a tree, from 1576, is a carving on a house in Turckheim, Alsace.
3.Which plant do people hang overhead at Christmas so that couples can share a kiss beneath it?
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Answer: Mistletoe
It is a hemiparasite that taps into its host tree for water and nutrients, and birds spread its sticky seeds from branch to branch.
4.The poinsettia is named after the first US minister to which country, where the plant grows wild?
- ANorway
- BMexico
- CIceland
- DJapan
Show answer
Answer: Mexico
The red "petals" are really bracts, which are modified leaves. The true flowers are the small yellow clusters in the centre.
5.Which Englishman commissioned the first commercial Christmas card in London in 1843, selling each one for a shilling?
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Answer: Henry Cole
The card was designed by John Callcott Horsley, and about 2,050 copies were printed and sold that year.
6.In 1848 a London newspaper showed which British monarch's family gathered around a decorated tree at Windsor Castle, helping make Christmas trees fashionable at home?
- AAnne
- BElizabeth I
- CQueen Victoria
- DMary II
Show answer
Answer: Queen Victoria
A US magazine copied the picture in 1850, removing royal touches such as the tiara and moustache, and it became the first widely seen image of a decorated tree in America.
7.In 1931, construction workers put up a small unlit tree at a New York City building site that later became famous for its annual tree lighting. Which complex was it?
- ARockefeller Center
- BGrand Central Terminal
- CEmpire State Building
- DMadison Square Garden
Show answer
Answer: Rockefeller Center
The workers pooled their money for the 20-foot balsam fir and their families made the garlands. The first official tree followed in 1933.
8.The name "Santa Claus" is a phonetic version of which Dutch name for Saint Nicholas?
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Answer: Sinterklaas
Dutch settlers brought the legend to 17th-century New Amsterdam, now New York City, and Washington Irving's 1809 "History of New York" helped Anglicise the name.
Songs, Stories & Screens
9.In a classic Dr. Seuss story, which grouchy creature living on a mountain above Whoville tries to steal Christmas?
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Answer: The Grinch
The story was published in 1957, and the Grinch's dog, Max, pulls his sleigh.
10.In the 1990 comedy Home Alone, what is the first name of the young boy accidentally left behind when his family goes on a Christmas trip?
- APeter
- BBuzz
- CKevin
- DHarry
Show answer
Answer: Kevin
The film is set in a Chicago suburb, and the McCallister house seen on screen is a real home in Winnetka, Illinois.
11.In "The Twelve Days of Christmas", what does your true love give you on the first day?
- AA partridge in a pear tree
- BTwo turtle doves
- CThree French hens
- DFour calling birds
Show answer
Answer: A partridge in a pear tree
The fifth day brings five gold rings, and if every gift is repeated in each verse, the total comes to 364 gifts.
12.In Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol", which stingy old miser is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve?
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Answer: Ebenezer Scrooge
The first printing of 6,000 copies sold out within about five days, by Christmas Eve 1843.
13.James Lord Pierpont's 1857 song, now known as "Jingle Bells", was first published under which title?
- ASleigh Bells Ring
- BThe One Horse Open Sleigh
- CDashing Through the Snow
- DBells on Bobtail
Show answer
Answer: The One Horse Open Sleigh
In December 1965 the Gemini 6 astronauts played it with a harmonica and sleigh bells, making it one of the first songs broadcast from space.
14.Which Russian composer wrote the music for the ballet The Nutcracker?
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Answer: Tchaikovsky
The ballet premiered on 18 December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, on a double bill with his opera Iolanta.
15.Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in a booklet written for a Chicago retailer. In which year?
- A1919
- B1939
- C1949
- D1959
Show answer
Answer: 1939
Robert L. May created the character for Montgomery Ward, which handed out 2.4 million copies the first year. The famous song followed in 1949.
16.The carol "Silent Night", with words by Joseph Mohr and music by Franz Gruber, was first performed in 1818 in which present-day country?
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Answer: Austria
The original German title is "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", and the best-known English version was written by John Freeman Young in 1859.
Enjoying this Christmas trivia? Play it live with your group
Players join from their phones with a QR code, no app. Scoring and the leaderboard are automatic. Free for up to 5 teams.
Santa, Reindeer & Winter Fun
17.How many reindeer pull Santa's sleigh in the classic 1823 poem, not counting Rudolph?
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18.Which flavour is traditionally associated with red-and-white striped candy canes?
- APeppermint
- BCinnamon
- CStrawberry
- DLiquorice
Show answer
Answer: Peppermint
Early canes were made by hand and often broke. In 1957 a priest named Gregory Keller patented a machine that automated the twisting, striping and cutting.
19.What sock-shaped bags do children hang up on Christmas Eve, hoping Santa will fill them with small gifts?
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Answer: Stockings
One legend says Saint Nicholas tossed bags of gold into a poor family's home and one landed in a stocking, though there are no written records of how the custom began.
20.In North America, wild reindeer are usually known by which name?
- AElk
- BMoose
- CCaribou
- DBison
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Answer: Caribou
Reindeer are unusual among deer because females can grow antlers as well as males.
21.Which of Santa's reindeer shares its name with the German word for "thunder"?
- ABlitzen
- BPrancer
- CCupid
- DDonner
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Answer: Donner
In the 1823 poem the last two reindeer were named Dunder and Blixem, taken from a Dutch phrase meaning "thunder and lightning".
22.France's traditional Christmas dessert is a sponge cake rolled up and decorated to look like a small log. What is it called?
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Answer: Bûche de Noël
The name first referred to a real log burned in the hearth. The cake version appeared in the 19th century, probably in France.
23.Thanks to the crystal structure of ice, a typical snowflake grows how many main arms?
- AFour
- BFive
- CSix
- DEight
Show answer
Answer: Six
Wilson Bentley began photographing snowflakes through a microscope in 1885, and his pictures revealed how varied they are.
24.Which London confectioner is traditionally credited with inventing the Christmas cracker in the 1840s?
Show answer
Answer: Tom Smith
His son Walter added the paper hats, small gifts and varied designs to set the crackers apart from rival makers.
Christmas Around the World
25.Australia celebrates Christmas in the middle of summer because of where the country sits relative to the equator. Where is that?
- ANorth of the equator
- BSouth of the equator
- CDirectly on the equator
- DNear the North Pole
Show answer
Answer: South of the equator
Carols by Candlelight, an outdoor Christmas Eve singing tradition, began in Melbourne in 1938 and has since spread around the world.
26.What does the Spanish greeting "Feliz Navidad" mean in English?
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Answer: Merry Christmas
The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano wrote the song and released it as a single in November 1970.
27.In Britain, what traditional name is used for Santa Claus?
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Answer: Father Christmas
The English figure of Father Christmas goes back to 16th-century England, and the two characters are now popularly regarded as the same person.
28.Père Noël is the traditional name for Santa Claus in which country?
- AItaly
- BGermany
- CBrazil
- DFrance
Show answer
Answer: France
Père Noël literally means "Father Christmas". In Dutch-speaking areas Santa is called de Kerstman, which means "the Christmas man".
29.Panettone, a tall, domed sweet bread studded with raisins and candied citrus, is a Christmas favourite from which country?
- AItaly
- BGreece
- CSweden
- DPoland
Show answer
Answer: Italy
It is baked in a tall mould and hung upside down while it cools so that the air bubbles do not collapse.
30.Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean, is an external territory of which country?
- AIndonesia
- BIndia
- CAustralia
- DSri Lanka
Show answer
Answer: Australia
Captain William Mynors named the island after sailing past it on Christmas Day in 1643.
31.Every year since 1947, the giant Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been a thank-you gift from which country?
Show answer
Answer: Norway
The tree comes from the city of Oslo, and a plaque at its base thanks the people of London for their assistance during 1940 to 1945.
32.In Icelandic folklore, how many Yule Lads visit children, one at a time, in the days before Christmas?
- ASeven
- BNine
- CTwelve
- DThirteen
Show answer
Answer: Thirteen
Children leave shoes on their windowsills. Well-behaved children find small gifts, while naughty ones get a rotten potato.
How to host a Christmas trivia night
Pick your Christmas trivia questions
Start with the 32 questions on this page, or copy them into the editor and swap in your own. Keep all four rounds, or drop one to shorten your Christmas trivia night to about 45 minutes.
Open a room for your Christmas trivia game
Press the host button to open a live room. You get a room code and a QR code, so your Christmas trivia game is ready in a minute, with no app to install for anyone playing.
Let players join on their phones
Show the QR code on a big screen or send the link. Players scan it or open the link on their phones and pick a name. Christmas trivia guests never need to sign up.
Run the Christmas trivia from one big screen
Put the host view on a TV or projector in presenter mode and press the space bar to move on. You set the pace of the Christmas trivia while everyone answers on their phones or buzzes in.
Let the leaderboard crown a winner
Scoring is automatic, and a leaderboard appears after each question. Free rooms hold up to 5 teams and Pro rooms hold up to 300 teams, so even a big Christmas trivia party works.
Run this Christmas trivia night on phones and a big screen
Players join from their phones with a QR code, no app. Scoring and the leaderboard are automatic. Free for up to 5 teams.
Christmas trivia for kids, adults and parties
Kids
For Christmas trivia with kids, lean on the 100-point questions about Santa, reindeer and winter fun, and read the fun facts aloud. Ten to fifteen questions is plenty for younger children, and small teams of two or three keep everyone involved.
Adults
Adults enjoy Christmas trivia most when the hard 300-point questions get the spotlight. Start with the history and world traditions rounds, keep teams to four or five people, and finish with a tiebreaker of your own. A small prize for the winners helps.
Parties and classrooms
Mixed groups do well with all four rounds of Christmas trivia in order, because each round starts easy. At a party, play between courses or presents. In a classroom, split the set over two lessons, and use the fun facts as short discussion breaks.
Christmas trivia team names
Every Christmas trivia night needs a good team name, and choosing one is half the fun. Borrow one of these original, clean Christmas trivia team names, or twist it into something that suits your family or office.
- Santa Clause and Effect
- The Quiz-mas Elves
- Sleigh All Day Answers
- Jingle Brains
- Tinsel Thinkers
- Reindeer Know-It-Alls
- Naughty but Nerdy
- Snow Way We Are Wrong
- Fruitcake Geniuses
- Ho Ho Hold My Answer
- The Mistle-Toe Tappers
- Candy Cane Crew
- Wrapped in Trivia
- Yule Be Sorry
- Merry Quizzmas
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should a Christmas trivia game have?
Between 25 and 40 questions suits most groups. This Christmas trivia set has 32 questions in four rounds, which fills an evening or a single class period without dragging on, and you can always stop after two rounds.
Where can I find free Christmas trivia for kids?
You can use this page. The Christmas trivia is free to read, and the 100-point questions in each round are gentle enough for younger kids. Read the fun facts aloud so children learn something after each answer.
What is good Christmas trivia for adults?
Use the 300-point questions at the end of each round. The best Christmas trivia for adults mixes odd history, songs and world traditions, so nobody wins on movie knowledge alone. Teams of four or five keep the debates lively.
Can I print these Christmas trivia questions?
Yes, you can print this page from your browser and read the Christmas trivia questions aloud, or hand out copies. If you want automatic scoring instead of paper answer sheets, host the same questions live on phones.
How do I play Christmas trivia online or on Zoom?
Open a live room, share the link or QR code, and players join on their phones from anywhere. Share your screen on a video call so remote family can see each Christmas trivia question while the leaderboard updates.
What are the best rounds for Christmas trivia?
Traditions and history, songs and stories, Santa and reindeer, and Christmas around the world make a balanced Christmas trivia night. Add a movie or music round of your own if your group loves them, since those rounds start the most debates.
How long does a Christmas trivia game take?
Plan on 45 to 60 minutes for all 32 questions, including time to read the fun facts. For a short Christmas trivia break, play two rounds in about 25 minutes and save the rest for later.
How do I run Christmas trivia at work or in the office?
Book a meeting room or a video call, share the QR code, and let colleagues join on their phones. Office Christmas trivia works best with mixed teams, a 30-minute limit and one round of the easier questions first.
What are some easy Christmas trivia questions?
The 100-point questions are the easy ones. Easy Christmas trivia covers well-known traditions, songs and Santa, so everyone scores early. Save the harder 300-point questions for the end of each round.
Who sent the first Christmas card?
The first commercial Christmas card was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole in London in 1843. It was designed by John Callcott Horsley, and about 2,050 copies were printed and sold at one shilling each. A great piece of Christmas trivia.
What are funny Christmas trivia team names?
Puns work best, such as Merry Quizzmas or Jingle Brains. Our list of Christmas trivia team names above has 15 original ideas, and letting each group pick its own name is a fun way to start the game.
TriviaBeam is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organizations, teams, studios or brands these questions mention. Names are used only to describe the subject of each question. Every answer links to the source we checked.
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