Christmas quiz: 40 questions and answers for your party

A Christmas quiz is the easiest way to get a whole room talking. Here are 40 questions with answers, split into five rounds of eight.

Read a round aloud, give teams a minute to write answers, then reveal. The answers are next to each question so the quizmaster can play too.

Round 1: Christmas films

• In Home Alone, which city is Kevin's family flying to? Answer: Paris

• In Home Alone 2, which city does Kevin end up in? Answer: New York

• Who plays Buddy in Elf? Answer: Will Ferrell

• In Love Actually, which actor plays the Prime Minister? Answer: Hugh Grant

• What is the skeleton's name in The Nightmare Before Christmas? Answer: Jack Skellington

• Where does the train go in The Polar Express? Answer: The North Pole

• What is the name of the snowman in Frozen? Answer: Olaf

• Which film has the line "Keep the change, ya filthy animal"? Answer: Home Alone

Round 2: Christmas songs

• Who sings "All I Want for Christmas Is You"? Answer: Mariah Carey

• Which band released "Last Christmas"? Answer: Wham!

• Who recorded the best-known version of "White Christmas"? Answer: Bing Crosby

• In "The Twelve Days of Christmas", what is given on the first day? Answer: A partridge in a pear tree

• In the same song, how many maids are a-milking? Answer: Eight

• Which song begins "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire"? Answer: The Christmas Song

• Which song from The Snowman begins "We're walking in the air"? Answer: Walking in the Air

• What colour is Rudolph's nose? Answer: Red

Round 3: Christmas traditions

• Who wrote A Christmas Carol? Answer: Charles Dickens

• What is the miser's name in A Christmas Carol? Answer: Ebenezer Scrooge

• What is the day after Christmas called in the UK and Australia? Answer: Boxing Day

• Which plant do people kiss under? Answer: Mistletoe

• Which country gives London a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square every year? Answer: Norway

• What do you pull at a British Christmas dinner that goes bang? Answer: A Christmas cracker

• Who wrote How the Grinch Stole Christmas!? Answer: Dr. Seuss

• What colour is the Grinch? Answer: Green

Round 4: Christmas food

• Which country does panettone come from? Answer: Italy

• Stollen is a Christmas bread from which country? Answer: Germany

• What flavour is a classic candy cane? Answer: Peppermint

• What is a bûche de Noël shaped like? Answer: A log

• What is inside a mince pie? Answer: Mincemeat: dried fruit and spices

• Which red Christmas plant is named after Joel Poinsett? Answer: Poinsettia

• What is the main ingredient of eggnog besides milk? Answer: Eggs

• Which spice gives gingerbread its name? Answer: Ginger

Round 5: Christmas around the world

• In which season is Christmas in Australia? Answer: Summer

• What do many Australians call Secret Santa? Answer: Kris Kringle

• What do many Irish people call Secret Santa? Answer: Kris Kindle

• "Joyeux Noël" means Merry Christmas in which language? Answer: French

• "Feliz Navidad" means Merry Christmas in which language? Answer: Spanish

• "Frohe Weihnachten" means Merry Christmas in which language? Answer: German

• On which evening do Dutch families celebrate Sinterklaas? Answer: 5 December

• What is a German Christmas market called in German? Answer: Weihnachtsmarkt

How to run your Christmas quiz

• Make teams of three to five. Mix people who don't know each other.

• One round at a time. Read all eight questions, then collect answers.

• Swap sheets to mark. It's faster and funnier.

• Have a prize. Even a box of chocolates makes people try harder.

Make it a party on 8club

Create a Hotspot on 8club for the night, share one link and see who's coming. 8club opens a group chat for everyone going, so plans and reminders live in one place.

Plan your Christmas quiz night on 8club

Doing gifts too? Draw names with the free Secret Santa generator.

Quick answers

How many questions should a Christmas quiz have?

Five rounds of eight questions works well for a party: long enough to be fun, short enough to finish before dinner.

How do you run a Christmas quiz at a party?

Split into teams of three to five, read each round aloud, and swap answer sheets to mark before the next round.

Can I play this Christmas quiz online?

Yes. Share the questions on a video call or in your group chat and give each team a few minutes per round.