It works as Christmas trivia or holiday trivia anywhere. Three of the 50 aren’t scored: two polls and a word cloud, to get the room talking between rounds. Every answer was checked on 23 October 2026.
The quiz at a glance #
| Round | Questions | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Christmas films | 10, including a guess-the-year | Everyone. Starts easy, ends with a cult classic |
| 2. Christmas songs and music | 9, plus a playlist poll | The music fans; a few for the oldies |
| 3. Food and drink around the world | 10 | The food people and the travellers |
| 4. Traditions and history | 9, plus a tree poll | The know-it-alls |
| 5. A Southern Hemisphere Christmas | 9, plus a word cloud | NZ and Australian teams, and anyone who has wondered about a beach Christmas |
| Tiebreaker | 1, closest guess wins | Settling it |
Allow about 45 minutes for all five rounds with a short break, or pick two or three rounds for a lunchtime quiz.
Christmas quiz questions and answers #
Each answer is hidden until you tap Show answer, so you can share this page on screen and reveal as you go.
Round 1: Christmas films #
1. In the first Home Alone film, where are the McCallisters flying to when they leave Kevin behind?
A. London · B. Rome · C. Paris · D. New York
Show answer
C. Paris
2. In Elf, what is the name of Buddy’s father, played by James Caan?
A. Frank Hobbs · B. Walter Hobbs · C. Walter Burke · D. Peter Hobbs
Show answer
B. Walter Hobbs
3. Which city is Miracle on 34th Street set in?
A. New York · B. Chicago · C. Boston · D. Philadelphia
Show answer
A. New York
4. True or false: Die Hard takes place on Christmas Eve.
Show answer
True. The film is set at a Christmas Eve office party at Nakatomi Plaza.
5. In It’s a Wonderful Life, what is the name of the angel who helps George Bailey?
A. Gabriel · B. Harold · C. Clarence · D. Henry
Show answer
C. Clarence
6. Who plays Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)?
A. Patrick Stewart · B. Michael Caine · C. Albert Finney · D. Alastair Sim
Show answer
B. Michael Caine
7. In Love Actually, what is Hugh Grant’s character’s job?
A. Prime Minister · B. Bookshop owner · C. Novelist · D. Wedding singer
Show answer
A. Prime Minister
8. Guess the year: when was Home Alone first released in cinemas?
Show answer
- Closest guess wins.
9. In The Polar Express, where is the train going?
A. Lapland · B. The South Pole · C. The North Pole · D. Santa’s summer house
Show answer
C. The North Pole
10. In The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King of where?
A. Christmas Town · B. Halloween Town · C. Pumpkin Hollow · D. Spooky Ville
Show answer
B. Halloween Town
Round 2: Christmas songs and music #
11. Who released “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1994?
A. Mariah Carey · B. Whitney Houston · C. Celine Dion · D. Kylie Minogue
Show answer
A. Mariah Carey
12. Which duo released “Last Christmas” in 1984?
A. Pet Shop Boys · B. Eurythmics · C. Tears for Fears · D. Wham!
Show answer
D. Wham!
13. Which songwriter wrote “White Christmas”?
A. Cole Porter · B. George Gershwin · C. Irving Berlin · D. Irving Caesar
Show answer
C. Irving Berlin
14. Guinness World Records lists whose recording of “White Christmas” as the best-selling single of all time?
A. Frank Sinatra · B. Bing Crosby · C. Elvis Presley · D. Dean Martin
Show answer
B. Bing Crosby
15. True or false: astronauts played “Jingle Bells” on a harmonica in space in 1965.
Show answer
True. The Gemini 6 crew did it on 16 December 1965. The harmonica is at the Smithsonian.
16. Which band had the UK Christmas number one in 1973 with “Merry Xmas Everybody”?
A. Wizzard · B. T. Rex · C. Mud · D. Slade
Show answer
D. Slade
17. The Pogues recorded “Fairytale of New York” with which singer?
A. Sinéad O’Connor · B. Dolores O’Riordan · C. Kirsty MacColl · D. Kate Bush
Show answer
C. Kirsty MacColl
18. Who was 13 when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”?
A. Connie Francis · B. Brenda Lee · C. Dolly Parton · D. Patsy Cline
Show answer
B. Brenda Lee
19. Which charity supergroup released “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in 1984?
A. Band Aid · B. USA for Africa · C. Live Aid · D. Comic Relief
Show answer
A. Band Aid
20. Poll: which song goes on the office playlist first?
A. All I Want for Christmas Is You · B. Last Christmas · C. Fairytale of New York · D. Jingle Bell Rock
No right answer. Nobody scores; everyone argues.
Round 3: Christmas food and drink around the world #
21. In Japan, a popular Christmas meal comes from which fast-food chain?
A. McDonald’s · B. Burger King · C. KFC · D. Subway
Show answer
C. KFC
22. The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve has its roots in which country?
A. Portugal · B. Italy · C. Greece · D. Norway
Show answer
B. Italy
23. Stollen, a fruit bread dusted with icing sugar, comes from which country?
A. Germany · B. Austria · C. Denmark · D. Switzerland
Show answer
A. Germany
24. Which spirit is most traditionally poured over a Christmas pudding and set alight?
A. Whisky · B. Rum · C. Gin · D. Brandy
Show answer
D. Brandy
25. Panettone, the tall Christmas sweet bread, comes from which Italian city?
A. Naples · B. Venice · C. Milan · D. Florence
Show answer
C. Milan
26. A French bûche de Noël is a cake shaped like what?
A. A star · B. A log · C. A bell · D. A wreath
Show answer
B. A log
27. What were mince pies originally filled with?
A. Meat · B. Cheese · C. Apples only · D. Fish
Show answer
A. Meat
28. In Mexico, which parcels of corn dough are a Christmas favourite?
A. Tacos · B. Quesadillas · C. Churros · D. Tamales
Show answer
D. Tamales
29. Turrón, a nougat eaten at Christmas, is a classic from which country?
A. France · B. Belgium · C. Spain · D. Poland
Show answer
C. Spain
30. Eggnog is made with eggs, sugar and what else?
A. Orange juice · B. Milk or cream · C. Coconut water · D. Black tea
Show answer
B. Milk or cream
Round 4: Traditions and history #
31. Which country has given London the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree every year since 1947?
A. Norway · B. Sweden · C. Denmark · D. Finland
Show answer
A. Norway
32. Which royal couple made the Christmas tree popular in Britain in the 1840s?
A. George III and Charlotte · B. Edward VII and Alexandra · C. William IV and Adelaide · D. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Show answer
D. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
33. Santa Claus is based on which saint, whose feast day is 6 December?
A. St Stephen · B. St Christopher · C. St Nicholas · D. St Andrew
Show answer
C. St Nicholas
34. The Advent wreath began in which country?
A. England · B. Germany · C. Italy · D. Sweden
Show answer
B. Germany
35. In Iceland, 13 mischievous visitors arrive in the nights before Christmas. What are they called?
A. The Yule Lads · B. The Frost Brothers · C. The Snow Trolls · D. The Candle Boys
Show answer
A. The Yule Lads
36. True or false: the first commercial Christmas card was commissioned in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole.
Show answer
True.
37. In Catalonia, the Tió de Nadal is a smiling decorated what?
A. Donkey · B. Snowman · C. Log · D. Goat
Show answer
C. Log
38. Which reindeer is not in the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”?
A. Dasher · B. Rudolph · C. Comet · D. Cupid
Show answer
B. Rudolph
39. Who composed the music for the ballet The Nutcracker?
A. Tchaikovsky · B. Mozart · C. Beethoven · D. Rachmaninoff
Show answer
A. Tchaikovsky
40. Poll: real tree or fake tree?
A. Real, always · B. Fake, always · C. No tree, just vibes
No right answer. Nobody scores; everyone argues.
Round 5: A Southern Hemisphere Christmas #
41. Which red-flowering tree is known as New Zealand’s Christmas tree?
A. Kōwhai · B. Rātā · C. Pōhutukawa · D. Kauri
Show answer
C. Pōhutukawa
42. Which of these is a classic Australian Christmas lunch?
A. Lamb shanks · B. Prawns · C. Fish fingers · D. Meat pies
Show answer
B. Prawns
43. True or false: the pavlova is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.
Show answer
True. Whether New Zealand or Australia made it first is another argument. Don’t start it at work.
44. Which ocean yacht race starts in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day?
A. Sydney to Auckland · B. Melbourne to Hobart · C. Sydney to Brisbane · D. Sydney to Hobart
Show answer
D. Sydney to Hobart
45. In which city is the Boxing Day cricket Test traditionally played?
A. Sydney · B. Adelaide · C. Melbourne · D. Brisbane
Show answer
C. Melbourne
46. In New Zealand, plenty of people spend Christmas at the bach. What is a bach?
A. A beach barbecue · B. A holiday home · C. A camping ground · D. A family boat
Show answer
B. A holiday home
47. True or false: Carols by Candlelight at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl is traditionally held on Christmas Eve.
Show answer
True.
48. Which Sydney beach is famous for its crowds on Christmas Day?
A. Manly · B. Coogee · C. Bronte · D. Bondi
Show answer
D. Bondi
49. In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas comes just after which?
A. The winter solstice · B. The spring equinox · C. The summer solstice · D. The autumn equinox
Show answer
C. The summer solstice
50. Word cloud: your perfect summer Christmas, in one word.
No right answer. Watch the cloud grow.
Tiebreaker #
Tiebreaker: in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, how many gifts are given in total across all twelve days?
Show answer
- Closest guess wins.
A picture round idea #
A picture round is a crowd favourite, and the easiest round to make your own. Two that work well at work:
- Baby photos. Ask people in advance for a childhood Christmas photo, then show them one at a time: whose is it? Get consent first, and let anyone opt out.
- Zoomed-in Christmas. Crop a photo of a familiar Christmas object (a bauble, a cracker, a candy cane) so tight it’s hard to tell, then reveal the whole thing.
In Google Slides, put the photo on the slide and make the question a multiple choice. With Pop Quiz, a second photo can be set to appear only at the reveal, so the zoomed-in shot gives way to the full one the moment the answer shows.
How to host a Christmas quiz at work #
Teams or solo? #
For a big group, teams of four to six are the classic office format: people who don’t usually work together end up on the same table. On phones, everyone can also play solo, and the leaderboard does the arguing for you. A mix works too: play solo, then add up scores by table at the end.
How long should it be? #
A good length for an office Christmas quiz is 30 to 60 minutes. Five rounds of ten, with 20 seconds a question and a minute of chat between rounds, is about 45 minutes. For a lunchtime or end-of-meeting quiz, two rounds and the tiebreaker take about 15.
Prizes #
Keep them small and silly: a chocolate selection box, the last mince pie, first pick from the Secret Santa pile, or a terrible trophy the winners have to keep on their desk until next Christmas. A prize for the funniest team name costs nothing and gets people in early.
Remote and hybrid teams #
Share your screen on Zoom, Google Meet or Teams and put the join link and code in the chat. If everyone answers on their own phone, remote staff play on equal terms with the people in the room, and nobody has to shout answers over a laggy connection.
Keep it office-safe #
Every question here is safe for work. If you add your own, leave out anything about religion beyond the traditions themselves, politics, or a colleague’s private life, and keep in-jokes to ones the whole team will get.
How to run it live in Google Slides #
You can read the quiz out and mark answer sheets. Or run it like a game show:
- Add Pop Quiz to Chrome on your laptop. It’s free, with no account for you or your players.
- Download the question list: christmas-quiz-for-work.json. In Pop Quiz’s Quiz tab, under Backups and question list, load it.
- Make a slide for each question in your own Christmas deck, and fill each one from the list in one click.
- Add a join slide at the start and a leaderboard after each round, with a final podium at the end.
- Press Slideshow. Players scan the QR code on their phones, pick a nickname, and play. The timer, the answers and the scores appear on your slides.
The full walkthrough is in how to make a live quiz in Google Slides.
Questions #
What are some good Christmas quiz questions? #
Good Christmas quiz questions mix easy and hard, and cover films, music, food and traditions so every kind of player gets a turn. Multiple choice keeps it fair for mixed teams. The 50 questions above are a ready-made set with answers, in five rounds.
What are some fun quiz round ideas for Christmas? #
Christmas films, Christmas number ones, food from around the world, traditions and history, and a picture round. For teams in New Zealand or Australia, a Southern Hemisphere round (pōhutukawa, pavlova, the Boxing Day Test) always goes down well.
How many questions should a work Christmas quiz have? #
Around 30 to 50. Five rounds of ten takes about 45 minutes with breaks, which suits most work crowds. For a quick quiz at the end of a meeting, ten to fifteen questions is plenty.
What’s the difference between a Christmas quiz and Christmas trivia? #
Nothing but the word. People in the UK, New Zealand and Australia tend to say Christmas quiz; in the US it’s Christmas trivia or holiday trivia. The questions are the same.
Can I run a Christmas quiz for a remote team? #
Yes. Share your screen on a video call, and have everyone answer on their own phone with a tool like Pop Quiz, or in the chat if it’s a small group. Phones keep it fair: everyone answers on their own screen, and each answer is timed on the player’s own phone.
Is this quiz free to use? #
Yes. Use the questions however you like at work, at home or at a fundraiser. Pop Quiz, the tool for running it live in Google Slides, is free too.