116 Christmas Trivia Questions and Answers for Family Game Night

ByElisabeth McKnight Posted on
Kids in front of a decorated Christmas tree outdoors

Every December, once the extended family is all under one roof and the kids have hit that overtired, sugar-cookie stage where they can’t sit still but won’t go to bed either, I reach for the same thing: a stack of Christmas trivia questions. It buys you twenty minutes of everyone actually looking at each other instead of a screen, and it works whether you have a room full of six-year-olds or a table of competitive grandparents.

I pulled together this master list of Christmas trivia questions and answers so you don’t have to. They’re sorted into ten rounds, starting with easy ones the littlest kids can shout out and building to an expert round that will stump the adults (even the ones who think they know everything about Christmas movies). Read them out loud, split into teams, or run the whole thing as a Christmas quiz at the dinner table.

However you play, there’s something here for every age at the party. I saved a bonus round of fun Christmas facts for the end, in case you have a kid like mine who wants thrives on random facts.

Rather hand these out than read off your phone? I turned the whole set into a free printable PDF you can grab below: question sheets sorted by round, a team score sheet, and a separate answer key so nobody peeks before it’s their turn. Totally free – just pop your email in below.

Jump to a Round

Round 1: Christmas Trivia for Kids

Difficulty: Easy. Perfect for the preschool-through-early-elementary crowd. These are shout-out-the-answer questions, no hands required.

1. What color are Santa’s boots?
Black

2. What do children leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve?
Cookies and milk

3. What is the name of the place where Santa lives?
The North Pole

4. What animals pull Santa’s sleigh through the sky?
Reindeer

5. What do you hang by the fireplace for Santa to fill?
Stockings

6. What do you put on the very top of a Christmas tree?
A star (or an angel)

7. What color is the Grinch?
Green

8. What plant do people traditionally kiss under at Christmas?
Mistletoe

9. What is Frosty the Snowman made of?
Snow

10. Including Rudolph, how many reindeer does Santa have?
Nine

11. What do we call the songs people sing at Christmastime?
Carols

12. What red-and-white striped treat is shaped like a hook?
A candy cane

13. What is the day before Christmas called?
Christmas Eve

14. Whose glowing red nose lights the way for Santa’s sleigh?
Rudolph’s

15. What kind of tree do most families decorate for Christmas?
A pine or fir tree

16. Gingerbread cookies are often shaped like what?
People (gingerbread men)

Round 2: Christmas Movie Trivia

Difficulty: Medium. The category that starts the most arguments in my house. See how many your family really knows.

17. In Elf, what are Buddy’s four main food groups?
Candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup

18. In Home Alone, what is the last name of the family that leaves Kevin behind?
The McCallisters

19. Which classic film features the line “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings”?
It’s a Wonderful Life

20. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what is the name of the Grinch’s dog?
Max

21. In The Polar Express, what is the first gift of Christmas that the boy receives?
A bell from Santa’s sleigh

22. In A Christmas Story, what gift does Ralphie desperately want?
A Red Ryder BB gun

23. In Elf, what is the name of Buddy’s love interest?
Jovie

24. What is the name of the angel who helps George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life?
Clarence

25. In Miracle on 34th Street, what does Kris Kringle claim to be?
The real Santa Claus

26. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, what does Clark Griswold hope to build with his Christmas bonus?
A swimming pool

27. According to the story, how many sizes too small is the Grinch’s heart?
Three sizes

28. In Home Alone 2, which city does Kevin get lost in?
New York City

29. In Elf, what does Buddy say is the best way to spread Christmas cheer?
Singing loud for all to hear

30. What are the three spirits that visit Scrooge in A Christmas Carol?
The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come

31. In the movie The Holiday, what do the two main characters swap?
Their houses

Round 3: Christmas Song and Music Trivia

Difficulty: Medium. For the family that has strong opinions about which version of every carol is the correct one.

32. “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is the opening line of which song?
“The Christmas Song”

33. In “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” what is given on the fifth day?
Five golden rings

34. Who recorded the famous original version of “White Christmas”?
Bing Crosby

35. Which legendary songwriter wrote “White Christmas”?
Irving Berlin

36. In “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” what do the other reindeer never let Rudolph do?
Join in any reindeer games

37. Which beloved Christmas song was originally written for Thanksgiving?
“Jingle Bells”

38. In which country did the carol “Silent Night” originate?
Austria

39. Who wrote and first recorded “Feliz Navidad”?
José Feliciano

40. In “Deck the Halls,” what do we “don”?
Our gay apparel

41. Which carol contains the line “Sleep in heavenly peace”?
“Silent Night”

42. In “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, who does the night wind speak to?
A little lamb

43. What is the best-selling Christmas single of all time?
“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby

44. In what decade was Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” first released?
The 1990s (1994)

Round 4: Santa, Reindeer, and the North Pole

Difficulty: Easy. A friendly round almost everyone can score well on.

45. Can you name all nine of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph

46. What is the name of Santa’s wife?
Mrs. Claus

47. Who helps Santa build the toys in his workshop?
Elves

48. What does Santa check twice?
His list

49. According to legend, what do children on the naughty list receive?
Coal

50. What name for Santa comes from the Dutch word “Sinterklaas”?
Santa Claus

51. What real historical saint is Santa Claus based on?
Saint Nicholas

52. How does Santa traditionally get into a house?
Down the chimney

53. In the original 1823 poem, what were Donner and Blitzen first named?
Dunder and Blixem

54. In “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” how is St. Nicholas described?
As a jolly old elf, with a miniature sleigh and tiny reindeer

Round 5: Christmas Around the World and Traditions

Difficulty: Hard. The round that always teaches me something new, no matter how many times I host.

55. In which country did the Christmas tree tradition originate?
Germany

56. What are the Mexican Christmas processions that reenact Mary and Joseph seeking shelter called?
Las Posadas

57. What is the name of the Italian Christmas witch who delivers gifts on Epiphany?
La Befana

58. In which country is it traditional to eat KFC for Christmas dinner?
Japan

59. In Sweden, a large decorative straw goat is a Christmas symbol. What is it called?
The Yule Goat

60. What Christmas tradition involves hiding a pickle ornament in the tree?
The Christmas pickle

61. In Iceland, instead of one Santa, children are visited by how many “Yule Lads”?
Thirteen

62. What is burned in the fireplace during Christmas and is also the name of a rolled cake?
A Yule log

63. What is the season like in Australia at Christmas?
Summer (hot)

64. What is the name of the candle-holding wreath that counts down to Christmas?
An Advent wreath

65. In the Netherlands, what is the Dutch figure who inspired Santa Claus called?
Sinterklaas

66. Which country is credited with originating the gingerbread house?
Germany

Round 6: Christmas Food and Treats

Difficulty: Medium. Best played before dinner, not after, when everyone still has the energy to argue.

67. What spice gives gingerbread its signature flavor?
Ginger

68. What is traditionally hidden inside a British Christmas pudding for luck?
A coin (a silver sixpence)

69. What fruit is studded with cloves to make a fragrant holiday pomander?
An orange

70. What nut is roasted in the opening line of “The Christmas Song”?
Chestnuts

71. What is often used to stud and decorate a baked Christmas ham?
Cloves

72. Peppermint bark typically layers peppermint with what?
Chocolate (dark and white)

73. What powdered-sugar-coated cookie is also known as a Mexican wedding cookie?
A snowball cookie (Russian tea cake)

74. What is the most traditional main dish for Christmas dinner in the United States?
Turkey or ham

75. Fruitcake is famous for being packed with what?
Candied and dried fruit

76. What warm, spiced non-alcoholic drink is made by simmering apple cider?
Mulled (hot spiced) cider

77. What holiday candy is shaped like a shepherd’s crook?
The candy cane

Round 7: The Nativity and Christmas in the Bible

Difficulty: Medium. A round that means a lot in our home, and one the whole family can usually rally on.

78. In what town was Jesus born?
Bethlehem

79. What guided the wise men to Jesus?
A star

80. How many wise men are traditionally said to have visited?
Three

81. What three gifts did the wise men bring?
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh

82. Who were Jesus’ earthly parents?
Mary and Joseph

83. Which angel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus?
Gabriel

84. Where was Jesus laid after he was born?
In a manger

85. Who were the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth from the angels?
The shepherds

86. Why did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem?
For a census ordered by Caesar Augustus

87. In which two Gospels is the birth of Jesus recorded?
Matthew and Luke

Round 8: Christmas History and Origins

Difficulty: Hard. The round for the trivia buff in the family who has been waiting all night.

88. What does the word “Christmas” literally mean?
Christ’s Mass

89. In which century did December 25 first become widely celebrated as Christ’s birth?
The 4th century

90. Which company’s 1930s advertising helped popularize the modern red-suited Santa?
Coca-Cola

91. Who is credited with writing “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”)?
Clement Clarke Moore

92. In which country was the first commercial Christmas card produced, in 1843?
England

93. Which festive red plant is native to Mexico?
The poinsettia

94. Which author’s 1843 novella helped revive many of our modern Christmas traditions?
Charles Dickens

95. In colonial New England, Christmas was once what?
Banned (by the Puritans)

96. By legend, which figure of the Reformation is said to have first added lit candles to a Christmas tree?
Martin Luther

97. What decoration on early Christmas trees was later replaced by electric lights?
Real candles

Round 9: Christmas TV Specials and Cartoons

Difficulty: Medium. For anyone who grew up on the stop-motion classics.

98. In the 1964 special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what is the name of the elf who wants to be a dentist?
Hermey

99. What is the name of the island in that special where unwanted toys live?
The Island of Misfit Toys

100. In A Charlie Brown Christmas, what kind of tree does Charlie Brown choose?
A tiny, scraggly tree

101. Who is Charlie Brown’s dog?
Snoopy

102. In Frosty the Snowman, what magical item brings Frosty to life?
A top hat

103. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what is the name of the little girl who catches the Grinch?
Cindy Lou Who

104. In The Year Without a Santa Claus, what are the names of the two feuding brothers who control the weather?
Heat Miser and Snow Miser

Round 10: Expert Christmas Trivia

Difficulty: Hard. The stump-the-grownups round. Save these for the end when someone insists they can’t be beaten.

105. Who actually sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” in the 1966 cartoon? (Hint: it was not the narrator, Boris Karloff.)
Thurl Ravenscroft

106. Across all twelve days, how many total gifts are given in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”?
364

107. Which illustrator defined the modern image of Santa Claus in his Coca-Cola paintings?
Haddon Sundblom

108. What is the name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner in A Christmas Carol?
Jacob Marley

109. What is Tiny Tim’s famous closing line?
“God bless us, every one!”

110. The poinsettia is named after which American diplomat?
Joel Roberts Poinsett

111. Which country sends a giant Christmas tree to London’s Trafalgar Square every year as a thank-you gift?
Norway

112. Mistletoe is unusual among Christmas plants because it is what kind of plant?
A parasitic plant that grows on trees

113. What famous Christmas tree is lit each year in New York City?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

114. Myrrh, one of the wise men’s gifts, was historically used for what?
Anointing, perfume, and embalming

115. In A Christmas Carol, counting Marley plus the three spirits, how many ghosts visit Scrooge in total?
Four

116. What else was Thurl Ravenscroft, the singer from question 105, famous for voicing?
Tony the Tiger

How Did You Score?

Tally up your right answers and find your rank:

– 0 to 30: Cousin Eddie. The RV is parked on the lawn and your heart is in the right place, even if the facts got a little fuzzy. We love you anyway.

– 31 to 65: Casual caroler. You know your classics and can hold your own at any holiday party.

– 66 to 100: Head elf. Genuinely impressive. You have clearly logged your hours by the tree.

– 101 to 116: Buddy the Elf himself. Smiling is your favorite, and so is winning. Nobody challenge this person again.

Bonus Round: Fun Christmas Facts

For the “did you know?” crowd. Not every round has to be a competition. These are the festive fun facts I save for when the questions run dry and someone wants to sound clever at the dinner table. A few of them genuinely surprised me.

1. Rudolph began as a department store giveaway. He was created in 1939 for Montgomery Ward, written as a poem to hand out to holiday shoppers, and only later became the song everyone knows.

2. “Xmas” isn’t crossing Christ out of Christmas. The X stands in for the Greek letter chi, the first letter of Christ, and it has been used as shorthand for centuries.

3. Mistletoe has a deeply unromantic name. In Old English it roughly translates to “dung twig,” a nod to the fact that the plant spreads through bird droppings.

4. The twelve days of Christmas come after the 25th, not before. They run from Christmas Day through January 5, which is why the song never once mentions last-minute shopping.

5. Alabama recognized Christmas first. It became the first US state to make Christmas an official holiday in 1836, and Christmas didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870.

6. A broken organ gave us “Silent Night.” The carol was first performed in a small Austrian village in 1818 on a guitar, because the church organ had stopped working.

7. Santa’s reindeer are probably all female. Male reindeer usually shed their antlers before December, while females keep theirs through the winter, so the whole team is likely a group of girls.

8. Tinsel was once the real thing. The earliest tinsel was made from thin strands of actual silver before it was swapped for something more affordable.

9. Christmas lights are older than you would guess. The first electric ones appeared in 1882, hand-wired onto a tree by Edward Johnson, a colleague of Thomas Edison.

10. Boxing Day has nothing to do with boxing. The name comes from the tradition of handing out boxes of food and gifts to servants and people in need the day after Christmas.

11. A single engraving made the Christmas tree a must-have. The tradition swept through England and America after an 1848 illustration showed Queen Victoria and her family gathered around one.

12. The candy cane’s shape has a story. As the tale goes, the sticks were first bent into a curve in the 1600s so they would resemble a shepherd’s staff.

13. Stockings trace back to a legend about St. Nicholas. He is said to have tossed gold coins down a chimney that landed in stockings drying by the fire, and the custom stuck.

14. “Jingle Bells” was the first song played in space. Astronauts performed it on a harmonica and sleigh bells during a 1965 mission, just before Christmas.

Keep a few of these in your back pocket. They are the kind of festive fun facts that can turn the quietest lull of the evening into the part everyone remembers.

Get the Free Printable Trivia Pack

Skip the scrolling next December. Enter your email and I will send you this whole set as a print-ready PDF, so it is ready the moment the family walks in: question sheets sorted by round, a team score sheet to track who is winning, and a separate answer key so the reader can quiz everyone else without spoiling their own game.

I hope these carry your family through more than one December. If your crew is anything like mine, the movie round alone will keep everyone arguing happily until it’s finally time for bed.

Hosting the whole family this year? Here’s where I find our matching family Christmas outfits, and if there’s a new little one at the table, 50 ways to make baby’s first Christmas special.

Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Trivia

What are good Christmas trivia questions for a party?

The best party rounds mix easy questions everyone can answer with a few hard ones that spark debate. Movie and song rounds tend to get the most people talking, while the kids’ round keeps younger players in the game. Splitting guests into teams and keeping score turns any of the rounds above into an easy party game.

What are good Christmas trivia questions for adults?

If you want Christmas trivia for adults specifically, send everyone straight to the expert round and the fun facts above. The original names of Santa’s reindeer, the total number of gifts in “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and who really sang the Grinch song are the questions that separate the casual fans from the people who take this very seriously.

How do you play Christmas trivia with a big group?

Divide everyone into teams of three or four, read one round at a time, and have each team write down their answers. Reveal the answers at the end of each round and tally points. A mix of ages on each team keeps it fair, since the little ones often know the movie answers better than the adults.

What is the hardest Christmas trivia question?

It depends on your crowd, but the one that stumps the most people at my house is who actually sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” in the 1966 cartoon. Nearly everyone guesses the narrator, Boris Karloff, when it was really Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice behind Tony the Tiger. The whole expert round is built from these kinds of curveballs.

What is a fun Christmas trivia fact to share?

A favorite of mine: the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are most likely female, since male reindeer usually shed their antlers before December and females keep theirs through winter. There are plenty more where that came from in the fun facts round above.

Is there a free printable Christmas trivia PDF?

Yes. The entire set is available as a free printable PDF, with question sheets sorted by round, a score sheet, and a separate answer key so the person reading can quiz everyone else. Enter your email in the box above and I will send it right over.

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