It’s the day after Christmas dinner. Everyone’s stuffed. Someone suggests a game. Cards get boring. Charades? Nobody wants to move. And then someone says, “How about a Christmas quiz with answers?” Suddenly, people perk up. Christmas trivia is so fun because everybody feels like they know everything about the holidays. And then you hit them with, ‘What is Rudolph’s girlfriend’s name?’ and they look at you like deer in the headlights.
Or you say that Jingle Bells wasn’t composed for Christmas, and look at their expression. Here are 50 questions that’ll challenge your family. A mix of easy and hard. Movies, music, history, weird facts. Everything.
Movies and TV
1. Where are the McCallisters headed when they abandon Kevin in Home Alone?
Paris. The entire family jets off to France and then loses their kid.
2. What does the Grinch pretend to have instead of reindeer?
His dog, Max. He forces Max to pull the sleigh with antlers strapped to his head.
3. What occurs each time a bell rings in It’s a Wonderful Life?
An angel gets his wings. So that’s what Zuzu says at the end.
4. Who was Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol?
Michael Caine. He is also the only major human character in the whole thing.
5. What’s the name of Rudolph’s girlfriend in the old TV special?
Clarice. She says he’s still cute even with the red nose.
6. In Elf, what does Buddy consider the four main food groups?
Candy, candy canes, candy corn,s and syrup.
7. In which city is Miracle on 34th Street set?
New York City. Specifically, ly Macy’s department store.
8. What does Ralphie want for Christmas most of all in A Christmas Story?
A Red Ryder BB gun. Everyone keeps warning him that he’ll shoot his eye out.
Also read: Max Verstappen’s Net Worth
Music
9. What Christmas song was originally written for Thanksgiving?
Jingle Bells. James Lord Pierpont penned it as a Thanksgiving song in 1857.
10. Who recorded “Wonderful Christmastime” in 1979?
Paul McCartney. That synth sound is either love it or hate it, no in between.
11. What’s the top-selling Christmas single of all time?
White Christmas by Bing Crosby. Over 50 million copies sold.
12. In ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, what is the total number of presents?
364 gifts. It’s not just 12. You add up all the gifts from each day.
13 Which Christmas carol includes “Sleep in heavenly peace”?
Silent Night. Written in 1818 in Austria.
14. Who was the first artist to sing‘ Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’?
Brenda Lee. She was just 13 when she recorded it in 1958.
15. Which Christmas song did John Lennon and Yoko Ono release in 1971?
Happy Xmas (War Is Over). Still gets played every year.
16. Which artist has the most-streamed Christmas song on Spotify?
Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” * As of December 2025, it has over 2 billion streams.
Santa and Reindeer
17. What are the two other very common names for Santa?
Kris Kringle and Saint Nick. Father Christmas, if you’re British.
18. How often does Santa check his list?
Twice. To check who is naughty and nice.
19. What reindeer is named after a symbol of Valentine’s Day?
Cupid. One of Santa Claus’s original eight reindeer.
20. What department store invented Rudolph in 1939?
Montgomery Ward. They created a coloring book for children, and Rudolph was invented.
21. What is the name of the modern-day country where Saint Nicholas was born?
Turkey. He was a native of Patara, in the ancient district of Lycia.
22. Can you name all nine of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.
23. According to the song, what does Frosty the Snowman have for a nose?
A button nose. And two eyes made of coal.
Food and Drink
24 . What is the Christmas drink also known as “milk punch”?
Eggnog. Consisting of milk, cream, sugar, eg, gs, and usually rum or brandy.
25. What hot spiced cider is a Christmas tradition?
Wassail. Derives from an ancient English toast … “be in good health“.
26. What danced in children’s heads in ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’?
Sugar plums. No one knows what those are anymore.
27. In what nation is it traditional to eat KFC on Christmas Day?
Japan. Millions of families order fried chicken for Christmas. It has been a thing since the 1970s.
28. What is the classic form of a candy cane supposed to symbolize?
A shepherd’s staff. It’s supposed to make children think of the shepherds who came to visit baby Jesus.
29. Which fruit is placed inside Christmas stockings?
Oranges or tangerines. It began because fresh fruit was scarce and costly in winter.
30. What’s the name of the German Christmas cake made with dried fruits and nuts?
Stollen. It is meant to symbolize the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Traditions Around the World
31. Which nation pioneered the custom of setting up Christmas trees?
Germany. The practice dates to the 16th century.
32. Which plant is called the Christmas Flower?
Poinsettia. From Mexico, co; introduced in to US in the 1820s.
33. What’s the name of the horned figure in Alpine folklore who punishes naughty children?
Krampus. He’s basically the anti-Santa. Terrifying stuff.
34. What do the people of Sweden watch on television at 3 p.m. every Christmas Eve?
Donald Duck & Friends Wish You A Merry Christmas. It’s called “Kalle Anka,” and it’s a national tradition.
35. Which holiday is celebrated the day after Christmas inthe United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia?
Boxing Day. December 26th. Began as a day to hand out boxes of gifts to servants and the poor.
36. In Iceland, how many Santa-like figures visit children in the 13 nights before Christmas?
They’re known as the Yule Lads, and each has its own personality.
37. What is the mode of transportation forthe Christmas morning church service in Venezuela?
Roller skates. Roads are shut to cars so that people can skate to church. Seriously.
History
38. Who was the US president who signed Christmas into law as a federal holiday?
Ulysses S. Grant in 1870. Before that, it was your standard workday.
39. In what year did the US Postal Service release its first Christmas stamp?
1926. It was of a wreath and candles.
40. What was George Washington up to on Dec. 25, 1776?
Crossing the Delaware River. Renowned surprise attack upon Hessian Forces.
41. Which war saw the famous Christmas Truce?
World War I in 1914. German and British troops downed their arms and celebrated with each other.
42. What company introduced the modern-looking Santa Claus in the 1930’s?
Coca-Cola. Their ads featured Santa in red and white, which were the colors of their brand. But Santa wore red even earlier than that.
43. When was the artificial Christmas tree first created?
1880s in Germany. They were created using goose feathers that had been dyed green.
The Nativity Story
44. Where was baby Jesus born?
Bethlehem. In a stable, for there was no room at the inn.
45. What were the three presents brought by the wise men?
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. All expensive and significant.
46. According to the legend, what animal transported Mary to Bethlehem?
A donkey. (Although the Bible doesn’t really say.)
47. How many wise men were present at the birth of Jesus?
The Bible doesn’t say. Everyone thinks three because there were three gifts, but it doesn’t actually say.
48. If you look through the Gospels, which one gives us the most detail about Christ’s birth?
Luke. Matthew’s account also mentions it, but Luke provides more detail about the shepherds and angels.
Random Facts
49. How long does it take for the average Christmas tree to grow?
About seven years for a typical six to seven-foot tree.
50. Which US state has a town called Santa Claus?
Indiana. There’s also one in Georgia and Arizona, but Indiana’s is the most famous.
Why This Stuff Matters
Look, nobody actually needs to know that Jingle Bells was written for Thanksgiving. Or that Japan eats KFC on Christmas. Or that Venezuela roller skates to church. But that’s what makes it fun. When you ask these questions, you’re not really testing knowledge. You’re creating moments. Someone will argue that Coca-Cola invented Santa’s red suit. Someone else will insist there were definitely three wise men. Your cousin will nail every movie question, and your aunt won’t know any of them. That’s Christmas. Stupid arguments over trivia. Laughter when someone gets it hilariously wrong. Groans when the know-it-all cousin gets another one right. This Christmas quiz with answers works because every question connects to a memory. Home Alone reminds you of watching it as a kid. White Christmas makes you think of your grandma humming it in the kitchen. The nativity story brings back childhood Christmas pageants, where you wore a bathrobe and a towel on your head.
Also read: Tell Me Lies Season 3 Is Back in January and Lucy’s Already Making Bad Choices Again
How to Actually Use This
You’ve got 50 questions here. That’s enough for a proper game. You can split people into teams. Boys versus girls. Kids versus adults. Whichever pairing causes the most competition. Or go individual. The winner gets first dibs on leftovers. Or control of the TV remote. Or just bragging rights until next year. Read them from your phone. Print them out. Write them on index cards. Whatever works for your family. The format doesn’t matter. The questions do. Keep score if you want. Or don’t. Make it competitive or keep it casual. The goal isn’t to crown a Christmas trivia champion. The goal is to spend time together, rather than everyone staring at their phones. Because honestly, that’s what Christmas is about. Not the presents. Not the decorations. Not knowing how many gifts are in “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Just being together. Talking. Laughing and making memories over dumb trivia. So grab this quiz tonight. Or save it for next year. Test your family. See who actually knows their stuff. Bet you’ll be surprised who gets which questions right. And when someone inevitably googles an answer to check if you’re right, just let it go. It’s Christmas.
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