Christmas Trivia Quiz

Christmas Trivia Quiz

Ultimate Christmas Trivia: 100 Questions to Test Your Holiday Knowledge!

Christmas is a season filled with joy, nostalgia, and plenty of fascinating traditions. Whether you enjoy classic holiday movies, timeless carols, or quirky traditions, this trivia page is here to challenge and entertain. With 100 Christmas-themed questions, it’s perfect for family gatherings, holiday parties, or anyone who loves to show off their Christmas spirit!

Do you think you know Christmas inside and out? What famous beverage company helped popularize Santa Claus’s modern image? What Christmas song is the best-selling single of all time? And which U.S. state is officially known as the birthplace of eggnog?

Here’s a sprinkle of bonus trivia to help you get into the festive mood:

  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in a 1939 booklet created by Montgomery Ward but became a Christmas classic when the song debuted in 1949.
  • The tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace comes from the story of St. Nicholas secretly leaving gold coins in children’s stockings.
  • The Grinch, from Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, was originally black and white in the book but became green for the iconic 1966 animated special.
  • The beloved holiday movie Home Alone (1990) was the highest-grossing Christmas film for decades.
  • Germany is credited with starting the tradition of decorating Christmas trees in the 16th century, often using candles before modern lights.

From religious traditions and festive foods to holiday movies and pop culture moments, these trivia questions cover every aspect of Christmas. Whether hosting a holiday quiz or just brushing up on your Yuletide knowledge, this page has everything you need to make the season merry and bright.

So, how much do you know about Christmas? Grab a cup of cocoa, gather your friends, and start today’s ultimate Christmas trivia challenge!

100 Christmas Trivia Questions

(answers)

1. What popular Christmas song was written for Thanksgiving?

2. What song inspired the Christmas truce between British and German soldiers in World War I?

3. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?

4. Who wrote White Christmas?

5. What singer’s Christmas album holds the record for the highest-selling Christmas album of all time?

6. Which holiday treat is shaped like a shepherd’s staff?

7. What is the most common Christmas gift according to modern surveys?

8. What holiday drink contains cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes nutmeg, often served warm?

9. Who composed the Christmas carol Silent Night?

10. In A Christmas Story, what gift does Ralphie want so desperately?

11. Who originally recorded Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree?

12. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, what does Clark Griswold receive as a bonus instead of money?

13. What decoration is traditionally kissed under during Christmas?

14. Looking for the top two answers – you get one point for each.
What decoration is commonly placed at the top of a Christmas tree?

15. In which two Gospels is the birth of Jesus described?

16. What is the traditional dessert served at the end of a Kwanzaa feast?

17. What year was the first Rockefeller Christmas Tree erected?

18. What was the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist in Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer?

19. What is the main ingredient in gingerbread?

20. Which Christmas song does Judy Garland sing in Meet Me in St. Louis?

21. What was the first Rankin-Bass Christmas special?

22. In Rudolph, who is the ruler of the Island of Misfit Toys?

23. Which holiday tune was the first Christmas song broadcast from space in 1965?

24. What traditional Hanukkah food is made from potatoes and is often served with applesauce or sour cream?

25. What day marks the start of the Christmas shopping season?

26. What is the elf’s name that causes mischief in modern Christmas households?

27. In Die Hard, what is the name of the police officer who helps John McClane from outside the building?

28. What do children in England call Santa Claus?

29. Which Christmas beverage mixes eggs, sugar, milk, and sometimes brandy or rum?

30. What food item is traditionally left out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve?

31. In It’s a Wonderful Life, what happens every time a bell rings?

32. What is the most popular Christmas cookie in the U.S.?

33. Which Christmas song became a civil rights anthem during the 1960s?

34. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, what animal causes chaos in the house?

35. What type of creature is Gizmo in Gremlins, a movie set around Christmas?

36. What Christmas-themed plant is known for its red and green leaves?

37. All play. From the youngest to the oldest, until we get it right, Spell Poinsettia.

38. What holiday dessert features sponge cake, jam, and whipped cream, often served in a glass bowl?

39.  What colors are most commonly associated with Christmas?

40. What is the name of the Christmas cactus known for blooming in December?

41. Name the German character who is the “anti” Santa Claus.

42. What is the snowman’s name in the Disney movie Frozen?

43.  Name the band that sang Do They Know It’s Christmas for Ethiopian famine relief in 1984.

44. In what year did Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You first reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?

45. In A Christmas Story, what item does Ralphie’s father win as a “major award”?

46. In Home Alone, what is Kevin’s favorite kind of pizza?

47. What’s the most popular toy sold during Christmas in history?

48. What Friends character dresses as the Holiday Armadillo?

49.  What Christmas tradition came from an old Norse log-burning custom?

50. In which country did the tradition of exchanging Christmas cards begin?

51. In The Christmas Chronicles 2, who plays Mrs. Claus?
HINT: Kurt Russell plays Santa in the film.

52. Who sang Frosty the Snowman in the 1969 TV Special?

53. What holiday tune is subtitled “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”?

54. What European country is known for its “Christmas Witch” tradition?

55. What spice is commonly used in eggnog and sprinkled on top for garnish?

56. In A Christmas Carol, how many ghosts visit Ebenezer Scrooge?

57. What phrase does Frosty say when he comes to life in the 1969 TV special?

58. In The Simpsons, what is the name of the family’s Christmas dog?

59. In what year did 1958’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee reach number one on the Billboard Charts?

60. How many sides does a snowflake have due to its molecular structure?

61. What is the name of the tradition where kids leave their shoes out for gifts on December 5th?

62. Name the company that popularized Santa’s red-and-white suit in the 1930s.

63. What color was Santa’s suit before red became popular?

64. What song does Hugh Grant’s character dance to in Love Actually

65. What U.S. president declared Christmas a federal holiday?

66. What animated movie features Jack Skellington taking over Christmas?

67. What type of nut is often used in holiday decorations?

68. Besides ginger, what spice is commonly used in gingerbread?

69. In Elf, what is the first rule of the Code of Elves?

70. What do people in Japan traditionally eat on Christmas?

71. What Christmas duet was originally sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie?

72. In Miracle on 34th Street, what does Kris Kringle use to prove he is Santa Claus?

73. Which saint is celebrated on December 6th?

74. What popular holiday-themed challenge involves avoiding hearing Last Christmas?

75. What Seinfeld holiday is celebrated as an alternative to Christmas?

76. Who narrates Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town?

77. Who is the main antagonist in Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town?

78 . What Holiday song begins with the line, “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh”?

79. What is the name of Santa’s lead reindeer?

80. Who later replaced Dasher?

81. What year was the song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first released?

82. What is the name of the holiday-themed Starbucks drink introduced in 2002?

83. What is the chemical formula for snow?

84. What classic holiday song begins with, “You better watch out, you better not cry”?

85. What is the German word for Christmas tree?

86. What color is Santa Claus’s belt?

87. What holiday treat is made from sugar, corn syrup, and butter, then cooled into a crunchy candy, popular in the U.S. during Christmas?

88. What saint is often depicted kneeling at the nativity scene?

89. What Christmas song did The Cuban Missile Crisis inspire?

90. What is the name of the young girl who sells matches on a cold winter night in Hans Christian Andersen’s story

91. What date is celebrated as “Boxing Day”?

92. Name the British duo who had a hit with Last Christmas.

93. What Christmas food is often called “figgy pudding” in the classic carol We Wish You a Merry Christmas?

94. Who recorded the famous Christmas album Merry Christmas in 1994?

95. What classic children’s book tells the story of a young girl traveling to the Land of Sweets?

96. Name the composer who wrote the music for the ballet The Nutcracker.

97. What do Brad and Kate struggle with during the holidays in Four Christmases?

98. What holiday classic has the lyric, “Through the years we all will be together if the fates allow”?

99. What popular Christmas food is made with dried fruits and nuts and has a long shelf life?

100. What did the Magi (three wise men) bring as gifts for Jesus?

Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

1. You get one point for each of the three wise men you can name.

2. Who founded Rankin-Bass Productions?

4. What is the name of the red pigment in poinsettias that makes them festive?

5. What is the nickname of the two crooks in Home Alone?

6. What was the (different) nickname for Harry & Marv in Home Alone 2?

7. What is the “first gift of Christmas” in The Polar Express?

8. What 1821 poem was the first to mention Santa’s sleigh and reindeer?

9. In The Grinch, what competition does Cindy Lou Who’s mom participate in?

10. What is the name of Santa’s wife?

The Answers:

100 Christmas Trivia Answers

1. What popular Christmas song was written for Thanksgiving?
Jingle Bells

2. What song inspired the Christmas truce between British and German soldiers in World War I?
Silent Night

3. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?
White Christmas by Bing Crosby

4. Who wrote White Christmas?
Irving Berlin

5. What singer’s Christmas album holds the record for the highest-selling Christmas album of all time?
Elvis Presley’s 1957 Elvis’ Christmas Album

6. Which holiday treat is shaped like a shepherd’s staff?
Candy cane

7. What is the most common Christmas gift according to modern surveys?
Gift cards

8. What holiday drink contains cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes nutmeg, often served warm?
Mulled wine (or cider)

9. Who composed the Christmas carol Silent Night?
Franz Xaver Gruber

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

11. Who originally recorded Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree?
Brenda Lee

12. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, what does Clark Griswold receive as a bonus instead of money?
A membership to the Jelly of the Month Club

13. What decoration is traditionally kissed under during Christmas?
Mistletoe

14. Looking for the top two answers – you get one point for each.
What decoration is commonly placed at the top of a Christmas tree?
Star or angel

15. In which two Gospels is the birth of Jesus described?
Matthew and Luke

16. What is the traditional dessert served at the end of a Kwanzaa feast?
sweet potato pie (or peach cobbler and bread pudding)

17. What year was the first Rockefeller Christmas Tree erected?
1931

18. What was the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist in Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer?
Hermey

19. What is the main ingredient in gingerbread?
Molasses

20. Which Christmas song does Judy Garland sing in Meet Me in St. Louis?
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

21. What was the first Rankin-Bass Christmas special?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

22. In Rudolph, who is the ruler of the Island of Misfit Toys?
King Moonracer

23. Which holiday tune was the first Christmas song broadcast from space in 1965?
The Astronauts on Gemini 6 played Jingle Bells.

24. What traditional Hanukkah food is made from potatoes and is often served with applesauce or sour cream?
Latkes

25. What day marks the start of the Christmas shopping season?
Black Friday

26. What is the elf’s name that causes mischief in modern Christmas households?
Elf on the Shelf

27. In Die Hard, what is the name of the police officer who helps John McClane from outside the building?
Sgt. Al Powell

28. What do children in England call Santa Claus?
Father Christmas

29. Which Christmas beverage mixes eggs, sugar, milk, and sometimes brandy or rum?
Eggnog

30. What food item is traditionally left out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve?
Cookies and milk

31. In It’s a Wonderful Life, what happens every time a bell rings?
An angel gets its wings

32. What is the most popular Christmas cookie in the U.S.?
Chocolate chip cookies

33. Which Christmas song became a civil rights anthem during the 1960s?
Go Tell It on the Mountain

34. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, what animal causes chaos in the house?
A squirrel

35. What type of creature is Gizmo in Gremlins, a movie set around Christmas?
Mogwai

36. What Christmas-themed plant is known for its red and green leaves?
Poinsettia

37. All play. Youngest to oldest. Spell Poinsettia.
P-O-I-N-S-E-T-T-I-A

38. What holiday dessert features sponge cake, jam, and whipped cream, often served in a glass bowl?
Trifle

39.  What colors are most commonly associated with Christmas?
Red and green

40. What is the name of the Christmas cactus known for blooming in December?
Schlumbergera

41. Name the German character who is the “anti” Santa Claus.
Krampus

42. What is the snowman’s name in the Disney movie Frozen?
Olaf

43.  Name the band that sang Do They Know It’s Christmas for Ethiopian famine relief in 1984.
Band Aid

44. In what year did Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You first reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
2019. It was first released in 1994.

45. In A Christmas Story, what item does Ralphie’s father win as a “major award”?
A leg lamp

46. In Home Alone, what is Kevin’s favorite kind of pizza?
Cheese

47. What’s the most popular toy sold during Christmas in history?
The Rubik’s Cube

48. What Friends character dresses as the Holiday Armadillo?
Ross

49.  What Christmas tradition came from an old Norse log-burning custom?
The Yule log

50. In which country did the tradition of exchanging Christmas cards begin?
England (The United Kingdom)

51. In The Christmas Chronicles 2, who plays Mrs. Claus?
HINT: Kurt Russell plays Santa in the film.
Goldie Hawn

52. Who sang Frosty the Snowman in the 1969 TV Special?
Jimmy Durante

53. What holiday tune is subtitled “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”?
The Christmas Song

54. What European country is known for its “Christmas Witch” tradition?
Italy

55. What spice is commonly used in eggnog and sprinkled on top for garnish?
Nutmeg

56. In A Christmas Carol, how many ghosts visit Ebenezer Scrooge?
Four (Jacob Marley and the three spirits of Christmas)

57. What phrase does Frosty say when he comes to life in the 1969 TV special?
Happy Birthday!

58. In The Simpsons, what is the name of the family’s Christmas dog?
Santa’s Little Helper

59. In what year did 1958’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee reach number one on the Billboard Charts?
2023 (December 4, 2023 to be exact)

60. How many sides does a snowflake have due to its molecular structure?
Six

61. What is the name of the tradition where kids leave their shoes out for gifts on December 5th?
St. Nicholas Day

62. Name the company that popularized Santa’s red-and-white suit in the 1930s.
Coca-Cola

63. What color was Santa’s suit before red became popular?
Green (Santa was often depicted in green or brown before the modern red suit.)

64. What song does Hugh Grant’s character dance to in Love Actually
Jump (For My Love) by The Pointer Sisters

65. What U.S. president declared Christmas a federal holiday?
Ulysses S. Grant

66. What animated movie features Jack Skellington taking over Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas

67. What type of nut is often used in holiday decorations?
Chestnuts

68. Besides ginger, what spice is commonly used in gingerbread?
Cinnamon

69. In Elf, what is the first rule of the Code of Elves?
“Treat every day like Christmas.”

70. What do people in Japan traditionally eat on Christmas?
KFC

71. What Christmas duet was originally sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie?
Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

72. In Miracle on 34th Street, what does Kris Kringle use to prove he is Santa Claus?
Bags of mail addressed to Santa

73. Which saint is celebrated on December 6th?
Saint Nicholas

74. What popular holiday-themed challenge involves avoiding hearing Last Christmas?
Whamageddon

75. What Seinfeld holiday is celebrated as an alternative to Christmas?
Festivus

76. Who narrates Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town?
Fred Astaire (as S.D. Kluger)

77. Who is the main antagonist in Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town?
Burgermeister Meisterburger

78 . What Holiday song begins with the line, “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh”?
Jingle Bells

79. What is the name of Santa’s lead reindeer?
Dasher

80. Who later replaced Dasher?
Rudolph

81. What year was the song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first released?
1949

82. What is the name of the holiday-themed Starbucks drink introduced in 2002?
Peppermint Mocha

83. What is the chemical formula for snow?
H₂O (Snow is frozen water or H₂O.)

84. What classic holiday song begins with, “You better watch out, you better not cry”?
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

85. What is the German word for Christmas tree?
Tannenbaum

86. What color is Santa Claus’s belt?
Black

87. What holiday treat is made from sugar, corn syrup, and butter, then cooled into a crunchy candy, popular in the U.S. during Christmas?
Peanut brittle

88. What saint is often depicted kneeling at the nativity scene?
Saint Francis of Assisi. He is credited with organizing the first living nativity scene in 1223 in Greccio, Italy.

89. What Christmas song did The Cuban Missile Crisis inspire?
Do You Hear What I Hear?

90. What is the name of the young girl who sells matches on a cold winter night in Hans Christian Andersen’s story?
The Little Match Girl

91. What date is celebrated as “Boxing Day”?
December 26

92. Name the British duo who had a hit with Last Christmas.
Wham!

93. What Christmas food is often called “figgy pudding” in the classic carol We Wish You a Merry Christmas?
Christmas pudding 

94. Who recorded the famous Christmas album Merry Christmas in 1994?
Mariah Carey

95. What classic children’s book tells the story of a young girl traveling to the Land of Sweets?
The Nutcracker

96. Name the composer who wrote the music for the ballet The Nutcracker.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

97. What do Brad and Kate struggle with during the holidays in Four Christmases?
Visiting all four of their divorced parents’ families.

98. What holiday classic has the lyric, “Through the years we all will be together if the fates allow”?
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

99. What popular Christmas food is made with dried fruits and nuts and has a long shelf life?
Fruitcake

100. What did the Magi (three wise men) bring as gifts for Jesus?
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh

Trivia Team Bonus Answers:

1. You get one point for each of the three wise men you can name.
Gaspar (or Caspar), Melchior, and Balthasar

2. Who founded Rankin-Bass Productions?
Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass

4. What is the name of the red pigment in poinsettias that makes them festive?
Anthocyanin

5. What is the nickname of the two crooks in Home Alone?
The Wet Bandits (Harry and Marv)

6. What was the nickname for Harry & Marv in Home Alone 2?
The Sticky Bandits

7. What is the “first gift of Christmas” in The Polar Express?
A bell from Santa’s sleigh

8. What 1821 poem was the first to mention Santa’s sleigh and reindeer?
Old Santeclaus with Much Delight

9. In The Grinch, what competition does Cindy Lou Who’s mom participate in?
The Christmas lights competition

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