50 Christmas Trivia Questions and Answers (Free Printable)

Christmas trivia is one of the easiest party games there is: no setup, no special equipment, and it works for a family of four or an office party of forty. Below are 50 Christmas trivia questions with answers, sorted into five rounds from easy to tricky, plus a free printable trivia sheet with an answer key you can hand out tonight.

How to play Christmas trivia

1. Make teams. Two to five teams of 2 to 6 people each works best.
2. Pick a host. The host reads the questions and keeps score (and doesn’t play).
3. Play in rounds. Read 10 questions per round. Teams write their answers, then swap sheets and mark each other.
4. Score it. One point per correct answer. Give a bonus point for the hardest round if you like.
5. Break a tie. Ask “How many gifts are given in total in ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’?” Closest answer wins (it’s 364).

Round 1: Easy Christmas trivia (great for kids)

1. What color is Rudolph’s nose?
   Answer: Red
2. Where does Santa Claus live?
   Answer: The North Pole
3. What are Santa’s helpers called?
   Answer: Elves
4. How many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh, counting Rudolph?
   Answer: Nine
5. What do people traditionally put on top of a Christmas tree?
   Answer: A star or an angel
6. In which country did the Christmas tree tradition begin?
   Answer: Germany
7. Which Christmas plant has prickly green leaves and red berries?
   Answer: Holly
8. Which reindeer shares its name with the Roman god of love?
   Answer: Cupid
9. What is the name of the town where the Whos live in the Grinch story?
   Answer: Whoville
10. How many sides does a snowflake usually have?
    Answer: Six

Round 2: Christmas movie trivia

11. In Home Alone (1990), which city is the McCallister family flying to when they leave Kevin behind?
    Answer: Paris
12. In Home Alone 2, which city does Kevin end up in?
    Answer: New York City
13. Who played Buddy in the movie Elf?
    Answer: Will Ferrell
14. In Elf, what are the four main food groups of elves?
    Answer: Candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup
15. In It’s a Wonderful Life, what happens every time a bell rings?
    Answer: An angel gets his wings
16. In A Christmas Story, what does Ralphie want for Christmas?
    Answer: A Red Ryder BB gun
17. What is the name of the Grinch’s dog?
    Answer: Max
18. In Miracle on 34th Street, which department store hires Kris Kringle as its Santa?
    Answer: Macy’s
19. What is the family’s last name in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?
    Answer: Griswold
20. Who is the Pumpkin King in The Nightmare Before Christmas?
    Answer: Jack Skellington

Round 3: Christmas song trivia

21. Who sang the 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You”?
    Answer: Mariah Carey
22. Which singer recorded the famous version of “White Christmas”?
    Answer: Bing Crosby
23. In “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” how many lords are a-leaping?
    Answer: Ten
24. In “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” what is given on the first day?
    Answer: A partridge in a pear tree
25. Who sang the hit 1949 recording of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”?
    Answer: Gene Autry
26. Which band released “Last Christmas” in 1984?
    Answer: Wham!
27. Who wrote and sang “Feliz Navidad”?
    Answer: José Feliciano
28. In “Jingle Bells,” what kind of sleigh is it?
    Answer: A one-horse open sleigh
29. In which language was “Silent Night” first written?
    Answer: German (“Stille Nacht”)
30. In “Frosty the Snowman,” what are Frosty’s eyes made of?
    Answer: Coal

Round 4: Christmas around the world

31. Which country sends London a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square every year?
    Answer: Norway
32. What do children in the Netherlands leave out for Sinterklaas?
    Answer: Their shoes
33. In Icelandic tradition, how many Yule Lads visit in the days before Christmas?
    Answer: 13
34. In Japan, which fast-food meal is a popular Christmas tradition?
    Answer: KFC fried chicken
35. In Australia, which season is it at Christmas?
    Answer: Summer
36. What is the name of the nine-night celebration in Mexico leading up to Christmas?
    Answer: Las Posadas
37. In Italy, which kind old woman brings gifts to children on Epiphany?
    Answer: La Befana
38. How do you say “Merry Christmas” in German?
    Answer: Frohe Weihnachten
39. In which language is “Joyeux Noël” the Christmas greeting?
    Answer: French
40. What is the traditional Christmas Eve supper called in Poland?
    Answer: Wigilia

Round 5: Christmas history and traditions

41. Who wrote A Christmas Carol, first published in 1843?
    Answer: Charles Dickens
42. In A Christmas Carol, what is the name of Scrooge’s late business partner?
    Answer: Jacob Marley
43. How many reindeer are named in the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”)?
    Answer: Eight
44. Who composed the music for The Nutcracker ballet?
    Answer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
45. The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett. Which country did he bring it from?
    Answer: Mexico
46. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 for which department store?
    Answer: Montgomery Ward
47. Which US state was the first to make Christmas an official holiday, in 1836?
    Answer: Alabama
48. In what year did Christmas become a US federal holiday?
    Answer: 1870
49. In “Xmas,” what does the X stand for?
    Answer: The Greek letter chi, the first letter of “Christ” in Greek
50. On what date is Boxing Day?
    Answer: December 26

Tips for a great trivia night

• Mix ages on each team so kids can shine on the easy round and grown-ups on the history round.
• Give small prizes: a box of chocolates, a candle or first pick in the gift swap.
• Keep each round short. Ten questions with a snack break in between keeps the energy up.
• Pair trivia with another quick game, like a white elephant gift exchange or Most Likely To cards. See our Friendsmas party ideas for more.

FAQ

How many trivia questions do I need for a party?

Plan on about 30 to 50 questions for an hour of play. That’s three to five rounds of ten.

Are these questions OK for kids?

Yes. Round 1 is made for kids, and the movie and song rounds are family friendly too.

Can I play Christmas trivia over video call?

Yes. Share the questions on screen, have each team send answers by chat, and reveal the answers after each round.