35 Christmas Trivia Questions for Your Next Holiday Party
Christmas is a time of togetherness, tinsel, and…trivia? No, really, if you’re looking for a unique theme for your next Christmas party, you should consider hosting a holiday-themed trivia night! But before you call your friends and loved ones and invite them to your party, you’ll need to brush up on your Christmas trivia. Here are 35 festive facts to get you started!
Q: What Christmas-themed ballet premiered at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1892?
A: The Nutcracker. Bonus fun fact: It was presented on a double bill with Tchaikovsky’s one-act opera, Iolanta.
Q: What is the best-selling Christmas song ever?
A: “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby. Not only is this holiday staple the best-selling Christmas single of all time, but it’s also the best-selling single of all time, with a whopping 50 million sales and counting.
Q: What Christmas song did the Catholic Church denounce for seemingly portraying an illicit affair?
A: “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” The song’s thirteen-year-old singer Jimmy Boyd had to meet with Church leaders at the Archdiocese and explain that the “Santa Claus” the lyrics mention is, in fact, the narrator’s father in costume.
Q: What’s the name of Rudolph’s girlfriend in the 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” television special?
A: Clarice. Her voice actress Janis Orenstein was only 15 years old when she did the unforgettable role.
Q: What is the full name of George Bailey’s guardian angel in Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life?
A: Clarence Odbody. The character was played by English actor Henry Travers.
Q: What well-known fairy tale inspired the tradition of gingerbread houses?
A: Hansel and Gretel. According to researchers, German bakers began making elaborate fairy-tale houses of lebkuchen (gingerbread) after the story was published.
Q: In what country did eggnog originate?
A: England. Modern-day eggnog can trace its roots to posset, a hot, milky, ale-like drink favored by the medieval upper class.
Q: In “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, what are there eight of?
A: Maids a-milking, which refers to the eight beatitudes, found in Matthew 5: 3-10.
Q: Which of Santa’s reindeer starred in a classic 1989 movie starring Sam Elliot and Cloris Leachman?
A: Prancer. The reindeer used in the film was a pregnant female deer named Boo.
Q: In what language does “Mele Kalikimaka” mean “Merry Christmas”?
A: Hawaiian! It’s a loan word invented by breaking down the English sounds of “Merry Christmas” and modifying them to their Hawaiian equivalent.
Q: How many Christmas trees are sold every year in the United States?
A: Between 25 and 30 million. That’s a lot of trees!
Q: According to German folklore, what horned figure punishes naughty children around the holidays?
A: Krampus. The horned mythological antithesis to Santa Claus has been around since the 12th century!
Q: What musical odd couple recorded the song “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” in 1977?
A: Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Click here to relive that iconic duet!
Q: What seasonal song contains the following lyrics: “The moon is right, the spirit’s up, we’re here tonight and that’s enough…”?
A: “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime” by Sir Paul McCartney.
Q: What country celebrates Christmas by eating KFC chicken?
A: Japan! Over 3.6 million Japanese families participate in the Yuletide tradition every year.
Q: What 1964 sci-fi film featuring Santa is widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made?
A: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Fun bonus fact: The Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast riffed the movie in a 1991 episode.
Q: In what Christmas movie does this line appear: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear”?
A: Elf. Also known as, one of our favorite Christmas movies!
Q: What was the first song broadcast from space?
A: “Jingle Bells.” It was broadcast on December 16th, 1965 during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight.
Q: What debonair actor was the original George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life?
A: Cary Grant. After RKO Pictures sold the movie rights to Liberty Studios, Frank Capra replaced Grant with James Stewart.
Q: What color are mistletoe berries?
A: White, though among the 1,300 species of mistletoe, some do produce red or pink berries.
Q: How many ghosts visit Scrooge in A Christmas Carol?
A: Four. Jacob Marley; The Ghost of Christmas Past; The Ghost of Christmas Present; and The Ghost of Christmas Future.
Q: What’s the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time?
A: The Grinch. And no, not the version with Jim Carrey or even the OG. This honor belongs to the 2018 animated version starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, and our favorite: Angela Lansbury.
Q: Which actor played Jovie, Buddy’s love interest in Elf?
A: Zooey Deschanel. New Girl fans better know her as Jess Day.
Q: How old was singer Brenda Lee when she sang “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”?
A: Thirteen. Yes, you read that right!
Q: How many reindeer does Santa Claus have?
A: Nine. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph!
Q: In “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” who played Scrooge?
A: Michael Caine. Commenting on his iconic role, Caine told GQ that he had “never made a movie that a 7-year-old can see. And so a man mentioned the Muppets, and I said, ‘That’s it! I’ll do that!'”
Q: Which well-known company has been using Santa Claus in its advertising since 1931?
A: Coca-Cola. The company commissioned Dutch illustrator Haddon Sundblom to paint Santa for Christmas advertisements.
Q: What is Tim Allen’s character’s name in The Santa Clause?
A: Scott Calvin. Allen has played the character since 1994.
Q: Which country began the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree?
A: Germany. According to historians, the tradition began in the 16th century when devout Christians began bringing trees into their homes and decorating them.
Q: What does the singer ask for a deed to in the song “Santa Baby”?
A: A platinum mine. Additional fun fact: “Santa Baby” was voted the most annoying Christmas song in a 2021 poll!
Q: In what modern-day country was Saint Nicholas born?
A: Turkey. At the time, his birthplace was known as Patara, an ancient seaport city.
Q: Can you finish these lyrics: “God rest ye merry, gentlemen”?
A: Let nothing you dismay.
Q: Which U.S. president banned Christmas trees at the White House?
A: President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was a staunch conservationist who banned the trees because of “environmental concerns.” But, as the story goes, his children still surprised him by hiding a tree in a sewing room closet in December 1903.
Q: Which 1958 supernatural holiday romcom served as the inspiration for Bewitched?
A: Bell, Book and Candle. The film stars James Stewart and Kim Novak.
Q: What is the most recorded Christmas song?
A: “Silent Night.” The song holds the Guinness World Record for being the most-recorded Christmas song in history!
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Originally published December 23, 2024
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