Holiday Quiz & Trivia
This holiday quiz has 15 holiday trivia questions, easy and tricky, and every answer comes with a quick explanation. No sign-up needed.
15 questionsMixed (easy → hard)~3 minNo timer
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This holiday trivia quiz takes you around the world in December, from Christmas in Australia and north India to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Scotland's Hogmanay and Sweden's candle-lit Lucia processions. Along the way you will meet Scrooge, Saint Nicholas, a famous carol, a plant named after a diplomat, and a Christmas song that was played in space.
The 15 holiday quiz questions run from easy to tricky, so the whole family can join in, and they work equally well for office parties, classrooms and virtual get-togethers. Play solo for an instant score, or turn it into one of your holiday trivia games: read each question aloud, let teams shout their answers, then share the explanation. The full set of holiday quiz questions and answers is in the answer key further down the page.
Here is one to impress your guests: in December 1965, astronauts on Gemini 6 played Jingle Bells on a harmonica and a handful of bells, and the Smithsonian says these were the first musical instruments played in space. The harmonica and bells are now in the Smithsonian's collection. Want more festive fun? Try our Christmas quiz next.
Holiday questions with answers
Show answers
In the UK and many Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day falls on which date?
- 24 December
- 25 December
- 26 December
- 31 December
Answer: 26 December. Boxing Day is 26 December, the day after Christmas. The name is linked to the old custom of giving "Christmas boxes" to workers.
In "The Twelve Days of Christmas", what is the gift on the first day?
- Two turtle doves
- A partridge in a pear tree
- Five gold rings
- Three French hens
Answer: A partridge in a pear tree. Every verse ends with "a partridge in a pear tree", the first-day gift in this traditional English carol.
Which miser is visited by three spirits in Charles Dickens's 1843 story A Christmas Carol?
- Ebenezer Scrooge
- Oliver Twist
- Jacob Marley
- Bob Cratchit
Answer: Ebenezer Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge meets the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Marley is his late partner who warns him first.
In Australia, Christmas falls in which season?
- Winter
- Spring
- Autumn
- Summer
Answer: Summer. Seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, so many Australians spend Christmas at the beach or around a barbecue.
Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is celebrated over how many nights?
- Five
- Seven
- Eight
- Twelve
Answer: Eight. Hanukkah lasts eight nights, with one more candle lit on the menorah each night. It remembers the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The December solstice, around 21 or 22 December, brings what to the Northern Hemisphere?
- The longest day
- The shortest day
- Equal day and night
- A full moon
Answer: The shortest day. The December solstice is the shortest day north of the equator - and the longest day south of it.
In much of north India, Christmas is popularly known by which name?
- Bada Din
- Bhai Dooj
- Lohri
- Makar Sankranti
Answer: Bada Din. Bada Din means "Big Day". Bhai Dooj follows Diwali, while Lohri and Makar Sankranti are mid-January harvest festivals.
Kwanzaa, first celebrated in 1966 and held from 26 December to 1 January, celebrates the culture of which community?
- African Americans
- Native Americans
- Irish Americans
- Mexican Americans
Answer: African Americans. Activist Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa to celebrate African-American culture, drawing on African harvest festivals.
Hogmanay is the name for New Year's Eve celebrations in which country?
- Ireland
- Wales
- Scotland
- Norway
Answer: Scotland. Hogmanay is Scotland's New Year's Eve, famous for street parties, fireworks and the custom of "first-footing" after midnight.
Which red-leaved Christmas plant is native to Mexico and named after the first US minister to Mexico?
- Holly
- Mistletoe
- Poinsettia
- Amaryllis
Answer: Poinsettia. The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, credited with bringing it to the US in the 1820s. Its red "petals" are actually leaves.
Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra. Myra lies in which present-day country?
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons - Turkey
- Greece
- Italy
- Netherlands
Answer: Turkey. Myra is in southern Turkey. Nicholas became Sinterklaas in Dutch tradition, which later turned into Santa Claus in America.
Which royal helped make the Christmas tree popular in Britain, especially after an 1848 newspaper picture of the royal tree at Windsor Castle?
Photo: Diliff, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons - King George III
- Prince Albert
- King Edward VII
- Queen Anne
Answer: Prince Albert. German-born Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, brought his homeland's custom to court, and the 1848 picture made it fashionable.
In December 1965, the Gemini 6 astronauts surprised Mission Control by playing which tune on a harmonica and bells?
Photo: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons - Silent Night
- Jingle Bells
- Deck the Halls
- White Christmas
Answer: Jingle Bells. Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford played Jingle Bells in orbit. The Smithsonian says these were the first musical instruments played in space.
Las Posadas, nine nights from 16 to 24 December re-enacting Mary and Joseph's search for shelter, is a famous tradition of which country?
Photo: DeGrazia Foundation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons - Sweden
- Germany
- Australia
- Mexico
Answer: Mexico. Las Posadas is celebrated mainly in Mexico and parts of Central America, with processions, songs and pinatas at each night's stop.
On 13 December in Sweden, girls in white robes wearing crowns of candles celebrate the feast of which saint?
Photo: IngimarE, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons - Saint Nicholas
- Saint Bridget
- Saint Stephen
- Saint Lucy
Answer: Saint Lucy. Saint Lucy's Day (Lucia) brings light to the darkest part of the Nordic winter, with songs, saffron buns and candle-lit processions.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find Holiday questions with answers?
On this page. Play the quiz for your score, then open the answer key below to see all 15 holiday trivia questions, the correct answers and a short explanation for each. It is ready to use at a party without any prep.
How many questions are in this Holiday quiz?
There are 15 questions, from easy to hard. They cover Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year and winter traditions from countries including India, Mexico, Sweden, Scotland and Australia.
Can I play the Holiday quiz online for free without signing up?
Yes. It is free, with no account and nothing to download. You see your score as soon as you finish and can share it to challenge friends and family.
Is this holiday trivia quiz only about Christmas?
No. Christmas features, but the quiz also covers Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Hogmanay, Saint Lucy's Day and Las Posadas, plus the December solstice. That makes it a good fit for mixed groups who celebrate different holidays.