Round 1: Christmas music
- In which language was the carol “Silent Night” originally written? German; the song comes from Austria.
- What year is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” from? 1994.
- Which Dutch singer had his first hit in 1976 with “Eenzame kerst”? André Hazes.
- Which band sings “Fairytale of New York” with Kirsty MacColl? The Pogues.
- Which Beatle had a solo Christmas hit in 1979 with “Wonderful Christmastime”? Paul McCartney.
- Which group had a Christmas hit in 1978 with “Mary’s Boy Child - Oh My Lord”? Boney M.
- In which year did Dutch station Radio 2 broadcast the very first Top 2000? 1999.
- Which Russian composer wrote the music for the Christmas ballet “The Nutcracker”? Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
- Which British pop star sang the duet “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” for a Christmas TV special in 1977? David Bowie (with Bing Crosby).
- Under what title was “Jingle Bells” originally published? “The One Horse Open Sleigh”.
Round 2: Christmas films and TV
- In which Christmas film is Kevin left at home while his family flies off? Home Alone.
- Which actor accidentally turns into Santa in “The Santa Clause”? Tim Allen.
- What is the name of the skeleton who wants to take over Christmas in “The Nightmare Before Christmas”? Jack Skellington.
- In which 1984 Christmas film must you not feed a mogwai after midnight? Gremlins.
- In which New York department store does Kris Kringle play Santa in “Miracle on 34th Street”? Macy’s.
- Which 2019 animated film follows a postman posted to the northern town of Smeerensburg? “Klaus”.
- On which day does the Dutch king traditionally give his Christmas address on television? Christmas Day, 25 December.
- Which actor plays both the conductor and Santa in the animated film “The Polar Express”? Tom Hanks.
- Which toy is Arnold Schwarzenegger desperate to get hold of on Christmas Eve in “Jingle All the Way”? A Turbo-Man action figure.
- Which song plays in the British animated film “The Snowman” as the boy and the snowman fly through the sky? “Walking in the Air”.
Round 3: Traditions around the world
- In which country did the decorated Christmas tree originate? Germany.
- On which date is Epiphany? 6 January.
- What do Christians celebrate at Christmas? The birth of Jesus.
- Which season is it in Australia at Christmas? Summer.
- How many Christmas days are official public holidays in the Netherlands? Two: Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
- On which date is Spain’s El Gordo Christmas lottery drawn every year? 22 December.
- Which horned figure roams Austria on 5 December to punish naughty children? Krampus.
- In which country is it tradition to watch Donald Duck cartoons at three in the afternoon on Christmas Eve? Sweden.
- How many Yule Lads, the Jólasveinar, does Icelandic tradition have? Thirteen.
- Which saint set up the first nativity scene in Greccio, Italy, in 1223? Francis of Assisi.
Round 4: Food and drink
- Which two ingredients is marzipan mostly made of? Ground almonds and sugar.
- Which ring-shaped biscuit do the Dutch hang in the Christmas tree on a ribbon? The kerstkransje.
- Which Italian city does panettone come from? Milan.
- Which small vegetable belongs on the British Christmas table and has divided it for years? Brussels sprouts.
- Which fish is traditionally served on Christmas Eve in Poland and Czechia? Carp.
- What is hidden in the Danish Christmas dessert risalamande? A whole almond.
- Which sweet Dutch festive bread from the Zaan region appears in paintings by Jan Steen? The duivekater.
- Which creamy Christmas drink of milk or cream, sugar and beaten eggs is popular in the United States and Canada? Eggnog.
- What are “pigs in blankets” on a British Christmas dinner plate? Small sausages wrapped in bacon.
- Which fruit traditionally sits on top of the Japanese Christmas cake of sponge and whipped cream? Strawberries.
Round 5: Trivia and numbers
- Which country does the poinsettia originally come from? Mexico.
- How many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh in the classic Christmas poem, not counting Rudolph? Eight.
- In which Dutch town are the Christmas markets held inside marl caves? Valkenburg aan de Geul.
- In which year did British and German soldiers hold the famous Christmas truce? 1914.
- Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, named on Christmas Day 1643, is territory of which country? Australia.
- In which year did construction workers put up the very first Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center site? 1931.
- Since which year has North American air defence tracked Santa’s route on Christmas Eve, today as NORAD Tracks Santa? 1955 (then still CONAD; NORAD dates from 1958).
- Which postal code does Canada Post use for letters to Santa? H0H 0H0.
- What does the X in “Xmas” stand for? Christ (the X is the Greek letter chi, the first letter of Christos).
- In which year was a Christmas tree first lit with electric bulbs? 1882 (at the New York home of Edward Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison).
Want more? Our 50 Christmas quiz questions with answers has fifty different ones.
