A Christmas quiz brings everyone around the same table, from grandparents to colleagues who rarely talk to each other. The best ones mix easy questions with a few surprises, move quickly and leave room for laughter between rounds.
Here are 40 questions with answers, in five rounds of eight: traditions around the world, music, films and stories, food, and fun facts. Use them as they are, read them aloud, or turn them into a live quiz that everyone answers on their phone.
Round 1: Christmas traditions around the world
Start with traditions: everyone can guess, and the answers often lead to stories.
- In which country did the decorated Christmas tree first become a widespread tradition? Answer: Germany
- Which country sends a Christmas tree to London’s Trafalgar Square every year? Answer: Norway
- On which evening do Dutch children traditionally receive Sinterklaas presents? Answer: 5 December
- Which saint inspired the figure of Santa Claus? Answer: Saint Nicholas of Myra
- In Italy, who brings presents to children on the night of 5 to 6 January? Answer: La Befana
- Which French city’s Christmas market, the Christkindelsmärik, dates back to 1570? Answer: Strasbourg
- In which country is fried chicken from a fast-food chain a popular Christmas meal? Answer: Japan
- On which date do Spanish children traditionally receive gifts from the Three Kings? Answer: 6 January
Round 2: Christmas music
Music questions work even better with a short excerpt played on the main screen. Use recordings you are allowed to play.
- Which carol was first performed in 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria? Answer: Silent Night (Stille Nacht)
- Who composed the music for the ballet The Nutcracker? Answer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Which duo released Last Christmas in 1984? Answer: Wham!
- In which year was All I Want for Christmas Is You released? Answer: 1994
- Which singer introduced White Christmas in the film Holiday Inn? Answer: Bing Crosby
- In The Twelve Days of Christmas, what is given on the first day? Answer: A partridge in a pear tree
- Which composer wrote the oratorio Messiah, often performed at Christmas? Answer: George Frideric Handel
- Which reindeer has a very shiny red nose in the famous song? Answer: Rudolph
Round 3: Films and stories
Film questions suit mixed generations: pick a few classics and a few recent titles.
- Who wrote A Christmas Carol, published in 1843? Answer: Charles Dickens
- In A Christmas Carol, what is Scrooge’s first name? Answer: Ebenezer
- In Home Alone (1990), what is the name of the boy left at home? Answer: Kevin McCallister
- In which city is most of Home Alone 2 set? Answer: New York
- What is the name of the Grinch’s dog? Answer: Max
- In Love Actually, which role does Hugh Grant play? Answer: The British Prime Minister
- Where does the train take the children in The Polar Express? Answer: The North Pole
- Which actor plays Buddy in the film Elf (2003)? Answer: Will Ferrell
Round 4: Food and drinks
A tasty round to play just before dessert.
- Which spice gives gingerbread its name? Answer: Ginger
- What is the traditional French Christmas cake shaped like a log called? Answer: Bûche de Noël
- From which country does panettone come? Answer: Italy
- Which German Christmas bread is dusted with icing sugar and often contains marzipan? Answer: Stollen
- What is mulled wine called in Germany? Answer: Glühwein
- Apart from milk or cream, what is the main ingredient of eggnog? Answer: Eggs
- What is traditionally hidden in a British Christmas pudding for luck? Answer: A silver coin
- Which nut is the main ingredient of marzipan? Answer: Almonds
Round 5: Fun facts
Finish with quick questions: perfect for a final round with a tie-breaker.
- How many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh in the classic poem, not counting Rudolph? Answer: Eight
- From which country does the poinsettia, the red Christmas plant, originally come? Answer: Mexico
- Under which plant is it a tradition to kiss? Answer: Mistletoe
- What is the four-week period before Christmas called? Answer: Advent
- On which date is Boxing Day celebrated in the United Kingdom? Answer: 26 December
- How many doors does a classic Advent calendar have? Answer: 24
- In which country were the first commercial Christmas cards sold, in 1843? Answer: The United Kingdom
- Which colour is Santa Claus’s suit in most modern images? Answer: Red, with white trim
How to run the quiz
For a family dinner, read the questions aloud and keep score on paper, or show them on the TV. For an office party, form mixed teams so departments meet, and play one round between each part of the evening. In a seniors’ residence or a club afternoon, read every question aloud, allow more time and replace a few questions with photos or music.
To play live with Pomlet, create a session, add the questions as multiple choice or open answers, and launch it in Teams mode. Everyone joins by scanning a QR code and answers on their phone; the leaderboard appears between rounds.
- Family: 20 questions, one team per generation for a friendly rivalry
- Office party: 30 to 40 questions, mixed teams, a small prize for the winners
- Seniors: questions read aloud, longer timers and a music round
- Remote team: share the join link in your video call
Make the quiz your own
Add two or three local questions: a tradition from your town, the name of your company’s first Christmas party venue, or a photo of the office tree. Open answers accept spelling variations, so guests can type “Tchaikovsky” or “Tchaikovski” and still score when you add the accepted variants.
Keep the quiz short enough to end on a high note. Thirty minutes of play and a clear winner beat an hour of questions.
Merry quizzing
Pick your favourite rounds, adapt a few questions to your group and test the screen before the guests arrive. Whether you read the questions aloud or play on phones, the goal is the same: a shared moment everyone enjoys.