Christmas Trivia: Fun For Your Family Gatherings (And Impress Your Family!)

Do You Know Christmas Trivia and Traditions?

Family trivia games are always a lot of fun! Several years ago at our extended family Christmas dinner, my siblings and I were the hosts. To provide a little entertainment and fun, we created a handout of Christmas trivia facts and also a little family-friendly trivia game.

When I compiled these facts, I was a bit surprised at some of the things I found and thought you would enjoy them also!

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of my links, I may receive a commission or credit at no additional cost to you. For more info, please read my Affiliate Information Policy.)

Gift Giving

Christmas is a time of giving. Of course, to us Christians, the best gift ever was born on Christmas Day – Jesus.

The tradition of gift-giving probably originated with the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. These valuable items were standard gifts to honor a king or deity in the ancient world: gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. 

For our time, a very common custom of giving involves the preparation of special foods for family, friends and those in need. It is common for groups, clubs, and workplaces to have gift exchanges, often using a swapping / stealing game.

Learn the meanings behind Christmas Traditions. Have fun at your family gatherings with Christmas Trivia. #Christmas #Traditions #Trivia Share on X

Christmas Trees

The evergreen fir tree started as a pagan symbol for honoring the gods and spirits. Pagans also used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as it made them think of the spring to come. It later became the symbol of eternal life.

There are many legends of the Christmas Tree. Perhaps the most common is that in the 1840’s England’s Prince Albert and Queen Victoria set up a decorated Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. In 1848, a drawing of “The Queen’s Christmas tree at Windsor Castle” was published in the Illustrated London News. It showed Queen Victoria, her German husband Prince Albert and their young children around a tree which was set-up on a table. The custom quickly spread throughout Europe and on to other parts of the world.

The electric lights on our Christmas trees were originally lit candles, representing stars. Candles are still used in some parts of Europe. Ornaments were originally edible things like gingerbread and apples. Tree skirts were originally used under the tree to protect the table or floor from dripping candle wax.

Artificial trees have been around since the early 20th century and over the years have been made from feathers, paper mâché, metal, glass, and many different types of plastic.

Caroling

Like many Christmas traditions, singing carols originated as a Pagan custom. Carols were sung at the Winter Solstice celebrations as people danced round stone circles. The word carol actually means dance or a song of praise and joy!

The current tradition of a group of people walking from home to home singing Christmas carols originated in England. Most of the popular Christmas songs today were written in the 19th century but original carols date back to the middle ages!

Today, carols are a big part of Christian Candlelight services where the church is lit only by candlelight.

Poinsettias

Known as the “Christmas Flower” or the “Flower of the Holy Night” in Mexico, the poinsettia is the most popular of Christmas flowers.

The shape of the poinsettia flower and leaves are sometimes thought of as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus. The red-colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ. The white leaves represent his purity.

Holly

Holly is one of the most popular Christmas evergreens. The holly tree was known to medieval monks as the “Holy Tree” because it was believed to keep evil spirits away. It was also believed to protect a home from lightning!

The early Romans decorated their hallways with holly garlands during the mid-winter feast of Saturnalia.

Holly later became the emblem of eternal life, the pointed leaves of the holly represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, the red berries symbolized the drops of blood shed.

Holly also came to represent the burning bush in which God appeared before Moses.

Why December 25th

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. No date is given in the Bible for the birth of Jesus, so why December 25?

It is widely considered that the date began with pagan festivals that occurred in December. Some sources say the date was purposely chosen to draw attention away from the pagan ritual that fell on the same day (December 25th is when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place).

The events detailed in the Bible such as shepherds in their fields would lead us to expect the birth to have occurred in the spring, not in the cold winter. But the December 25th date could have also come from Roman Catholic historian, Sextus Julius Africanus. who dated Jesus’s conception to March 25—nine months before December 25.

So, it’s easy to see that the date of December 25th can be questioned. Just remember whenever you celebrate Christmas that you are celebrating a real event that happened, that God sent his Son into the world as a Christmas present for everyone!

Understand that many of these traditions and customs have several origins and meanings and that I have represented what I found to be the most popular.

Christmas Trivia Quiz

Here’s a list of family-friendly Christmas trivia. Have fun with it! Get a PDF listing of the quiz AND answers with this sign-up form.

1. The first instrument on which the carol Silent Night was played was: a) A harp b) A pipe organ c) A guitar d) A kazoo
2. The name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was: a) Bob Cratchit b) Jerry Cornelius c) Bill Sykes d) Jacob Marley
3. In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. Their Dutch counterparts use: a) Old hats b) Beer mugs c) Shoes d) Stockings, just like everyone else!
4. Which name does not belong to one of Santa’s reindeer? a) Comet b) Prancer c) Blitzen d) Klaxon
5. The real St. Nicholas lived: a) At the North Pole b) On the island of Malta c) In Turkey d) In Holland
6. At Christmas, it is customary to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of which plant? a) Ivy b) Yew c) Holly d) Mistletoe
7. Which popular Christmas song was actually first written for Thanksgiving? a) Away in a Manger b) Frosty the Snowman c) Jingle Bells d) Joy to the World
8. According to the song, Frosty the snowman did not have which of the following features: a) A corncob pipe b) A button nose c) A bright red scarf d) Two eyes made out of coal
9. What was Grandma drinking when she got run over by a reindeer?
10. What is Scrooge’s favorite two-word phrase?
11. In “The Night Before Christmas”, what type of headgear does Mamma wear?
12. Name the two reindeer whose name begins with a “C”.
13. According to the Gospels, what did the Wise Men bring?
14. What did the lamb say to the shepherd boy?
15. What Irish song was a hit for Bing Crosby?
16. In the classic, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch was described in three words. What are they?
17. In the song “Winter Wonderland,” what do we call the snowman?
18. In the 1964 movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what was the name of Rudolph’s elf friend?
19. Who wrote, “Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more?”
20. What song does Lucy ask Schroeder to play on his piano in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”?

Have a Blessed Christmas time!