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Christmas Trivia Questions for Kids, From Reindeer to Carols

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Las Posadas is held in Mexico from December 16 to 24. What does the Spanish word 'posada' mean?

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All 153 questions with answers

Christmas around the world 26

  • A pantomime is a Christmas stage show with fairy tales, songs and jokes. In which country did it develop? Answer: England. Source: Wikipedia: Pantomime
  • A parol hangs outside many homes in the Philippines at Christmas. What is a parol? Answer: A star-shaped lantern. Source: Wikipedia: Parol
  • At a Polish Christmas Eve supper, an extra place is laid at the table. Who is it for? Answer: An unexpected guest. Source: Wikipedia: Wigilia
  • At a Polish Christmas Eve supper, what is sometimes placed under the tablecloth? Answer: A handful of hay. Source: Wikipedia: Wigilia
  • Christmas crackers are pulled open at the dinner table in Britain. What do they do when pulled? Answer: Make a snapping sound. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas cracker
  • Colorful Christmas nativity scenes called szopki are typical of which country? Answer: Poland. Source: Wikipedia: Nativity scene
  • During Las Posadas in Mexico, what do children break open at the end of each night? Answer: A star-shaped pinata. Source: Wikipedia: Las Posadas
  • Epiphany, on January 6, is sometimes called by another name. Which one? Answer: Three Kings' Day. Source: Wikipedia: Epiphany (holiday)
  • How many different dishes should a traditional Polish Christmas Eve supper have? Answer: Twelve. Source: Wikipedia: Wigilia
  • In Australia, Christmas Day falls in which season? Answer: Summer. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas in Australia
  • In Ethiopia, on which date is Christmas Day celebrated? Answer: January 7. Source: Wikipedia: Observance of Christmas by country
  • In Finland, what do people usually do just before the Christmas festivities begin? Answer: Take a sauna. Source: Wikipedia: Observance of Christmas by country
  • In Italy, the Befana brings children gifts on the night of January 5. How is she usually shown traveling? Answer: Riding a broomstick. Source: Wikipedia: Befana
  • In Norway, what is often hidden in the Christmas rice porridge for one lucky person to find? Answer: An almond. Source: Wikipedia: Observance of Christmas by country
  • In Poland, the Christmas Eve supper called Wigilia traditionally begins when what has been seen? Answer: The sky's first star. Source: Wikipedia: Wigilia
  • In the Philippines, the last dawn service before Christmas is called Misa de Gallo. What does that Spanish name mean? Answer: Rooster's Mass. Source: Wikipedia: Simbang Gabi
  • In the short form 'Xmas', the X comes from a letter in which alphabet? Answer: Greek. Source: Wikipedia: Xmas
  • Las Posadas is held in Mexico from December 16 to 24. What does the Spanish word 'posada' mean? Answer: Lodging. Source: Wikipedia: Las Posadas
  • On Saint Lucy's Day in Sweden, a girl dresses as Saint Lucy in a white dress and red sash. What does she wear on her head? Answer: A crown of candles. Source: Wikipedia: Saint Lucy's Day
  • On the night before Three Kings' Day, children in Argentina leave out grass and water. Which animals is it for? Answer: The kings' camels. Source: Wikipedia: Epiphany (holiday)
  • Outdoor Christmas markets now take place in many countries. In which country did they begin? Answer: Germany. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas market
  • The Philippines is known for a very long Christmas season. In which month does it begin? Answer: September. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas in the Philippines
  • The pohutukawa tree is a symbol of Christmas in New Zealand. What does it do in December? Answer: It grows large crimson flowers. Source: Wikipedia: Observance of Christmas by country
  • Stollen is a holiday bread that is often coated in powdered sugar. What is baked inside it? Answer: Nuts, spices and dried fruit. Source: Wikipedia: Stollen
  • What were Christmas parol lanterns in the Philippines traditionally made from? Answer: Bamboo and paper. Source: Wikipedia: Parol
  • Why is Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean, called Christmas Island? Answer: A sea captain named it on Christmas Day. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas Island

Trees, plants and decorations 27

  • A real Christmas tree is usually which kind of tree? Answer: An evergreen conifer. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • A star on top of a Christmas tree stands for which star? Answer: The Star of Bethlehem. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • A well-known story says candy canes began in a German cathedral in 1670. Why were they handed out? Answer: To keep children quiet in church. Source: Wikipedia: Candy cane
  • An old custom says it is unlucky to take down the Christmas decorations before which night? Answer: Twelfth Night. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • Before electric lights, what did people use to light up a Christmas tree? Answer: Candles. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • The blown glass Christmas ornament was invented in a small town called Lauscha. In which country is Lauscha? Answer: Germany. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas ornament
  • Christmas nutcracker dolls are most often made to look like what? Answer: A toy soldier. Source: Wikipedia: Nutcracker doll
  • The city of Oslo, in Norway, gives a Christmas tree as a present to the people of which city? Answer: London. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • Erwin Perzy got the first patent for the snow globe at the end of the 1800s. Which country was he from? Answer: Austria. Source: Wikipedia: Snow globe
  • Holly berries are slightly toxic to people. Which animals eat them as food? Answer: Birds. Source: Wikipedia: Holly
  • Holly has bright red berries, but only some holly plants grow them. Which ones? Answer: The female plants. Source: Wikipedia: Ilex aquifolium
  • How do the cones of a fir tree sit on its branches? Answer: They stand upright like candles. Source: Wikipedia: Fir
  • How many candles does an Advent wreath usually hold around its ring? Answer: Four. Source: Wikipedia: Advent wreath
  • How many sides does a spruce needle have? Answer: Four. Source: Wikipedia: Spruce
  • In Germany, Poland and Ukraine, finding which small creature on a Christmas tree is said to bring good luck? Answer: A spider. Source: Wikipedia: Legend of the Christmas Spider
  • In one German-American custom, an ornament is hidden on the tree and the finder gets a reward. What shape is it? Answer: A pickle. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas pickle
  • In Scandinavia, a Yule goat is a popular Christmas ornament. What is it usually made of today? Answer: Straw. Source: Wikipedia: Yule goat
  • In which part of the world did the custom of the decorated Christmas tree develop? Answer: Central Europe. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas tree
  • The name 'Advent calendar' comes from a word in which language? Answer: German. Source: Wikipedia: Advent calendar
  • Pines, firs and spruces are conifers. What do conifers grow in place of flowers? Answer: Cones. Source: Wikipedia: Conifer
  • The poinsettia is a popular Christmas plant. Where does it grow wild? Answer: Mexico and Central America. Source: Wikipedia: Poinsettia
  • Tinsel was invented in 1610 in Nuremberg, Germany. What was it first made from? Answer: Shredded silver. Source: Wikipedia: Tinsel
  • What color are the berries of European mistletoe? Answer: White. Source: Wikipedia: Mistletoe
  • What does the word 'evergreen' tell you about a plant? Answer: Its leaves stay green all year. Source: Wikipedia: Evergreen
  • What were the very first decorated Christmas trees hung with? Answer: Apples, candy canes and pastries. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas ornament
  • Who organized the first nativity scene with live actors, in the Italian town of Greccio in 1223? Answer: Francis of Assisi. Source: Wikipedia: Nativity scene
  • Why do many conifer trees have a cone shape, wide at the bottom and pointed at the top? Answer: It helps them shed snow. Source: Wikipedia: Conifer

Carols and songs 23

  • The 1864 song 'Up on the Housetop' is thought to be the first Christmas song mainly about whom? Answer: Santa Claus. Source: Wikipedia: Up on the Housetop
  • 'Away in a Manger' was long said to be the work of Martin Luther in Germany. Where is it now thought to come from? Answer: The United States. Source: Wikipedia: Away in a Manger
  • The carol 'Good King Wenceslas' is about a king of Bohemia who lived long ago. Which modern country is Bohemia part of? Answer: The Czech Republic. Source: Wikipedia: Good King Wenceslas
  • The carol 'Here We Come A-wassailing' begins with singers coming among what? Answer: The leaves so green. Source: Wikipedia: Here We Come A-wassailing
  • In 'Good King Wenceslas', how does the king's page manage to keep going through the deep snow? Answer: He steps in the king's footprints. Source: Wikipedia: Good King Wenceslas
  • In 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', which gift arrives on the twelfth day? Answer: Drummers drumming. Source: Wikipedia: The Twelve Days of Christmas (song)
  • In 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas', which treat do the singers demand before they will go? Answer: Figgy pudding. Source: Wikipedia: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
  • In the carol 'Away in a Manger', what does the baby not have for a bed? Answer: A crib. Source: Wikipedia: Away in a Manger
  • In the carol 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', how many swans are a-swimming? Answer: Seven. Source: Wikipedia: The Twelve Days of Christmas (song)
  • In the old English custom of orchard wassailing, who or what do people sing to? Answer: The trees. Source: Wikipedia: Wassail
  • In the song 'Jingle Bells', what are the singers riding in as they dash through the snow? Answer: A one-horse open sleigh. Source: Wikipedia: Jingle Bells
  • In the song 'Jolly Old Saint Nicholas', what does the singer ask Saint Nicholas to do first? Answer: Lean his ear this way. Source: Wikipedia: Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
  • Jingle bells, also called sleigh bells, were first made to be fastened to what? Answer: Horse harnesses. Source: Wikipedia: Jingle bell
  • 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' still goes by its first title, 'Adeste Fideles'. Which language is that? Answer: Latin. Source: Wikipedia: O Come, All Ye Faithful
  • The old word 'wassail' comes from a greeting. What did that greeting mean? Answer: Be in good health. Source: Wikipedia: Wassail
  • The rhythm of the tune of 'Jingle Bells' is said to copy which sound? Answer: A trotting horse's bells. Source: Wikipedia: Jingle Bells
  • 'Silent Night' was first sung on Christmas Eve in 1818. Which instrument played along? Answer: A guitar. Source: Wikipedia: Silent Night
  • The twelve days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day. On which evening do they end? Answer: January 5. Source: Wikipedia: Twelve Days of Christmas
  • 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is called a cumulative song. What does that mean? Answer: Each verse builds on the verses before. Source: Wikipedia: The Twelve Days of Christmas (song)
  • The usual tune of 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' was first written to celebrate which invention? Answer: The printing press. Source: Wikipedia: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
  • Which carol did the English hymn writer Isaac Watts write in 1719? Answer: Joy to the World. Source: Wikipedia: Joy to the World
  • The word 'carol' may come from an old French or Latin word for what? Answer: A circular dance. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas carol
  • The word 'Noel' goes back to a Latin word, natalis. What does natalis refer to? Answer: A day of birth. Source: Wikipedia: The First Noel

Santa, reindeer and gift bringers 28

  • A small American city called North Pole gets letters to Santa every year. In which state is it? Answer: Alaska. Source: Wikipedia: North Pole, Alaska
  • 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' was first printed in a newspaper in Troy, New York. In which year? Answer: 1823. Source: Wikipedia: A Visit from St. Nicholas
  • By tradition, what does a badly behaved child find in a Christmas stocking? Answer: A lump of coal. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas stocking
  • Ded Moroz brings presents to children in Russia. When does he deliver them? Answer: At New Year. Source: Wikipedia: Ded Moroz
  • Father Christmas is the traditional name for the spirit of Christmas in which country? Answer: England. Source: Wikipedia: Father Christmas
  • The Finnish name for Santa Claus is Joulupukki. What does that name literally mean? Answer: Christmas goat. Source: Wikipedia: Joulupukki
  • How many reindeer pull the sleigh in the poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' of 1823? Answer: Eight. Source: Wikipedia: Santa Claus's reindeer
  • How many Yule Lads visit the children of Iceland in the nights before Christmas? Answer: 13. Source: Wikipedia: Icelandic Christmas folklore
  • Icelandic children leave a shoe on the windowsill for the Yule Lads. What does a badly behaved child find in it? Answer: A rotten potato. Source: Wikipedia: Icelandic Christmas folklore
  • In Austria and parts of Germany, who is said to bring the presents on Christmas Eve? Answer: The Christkind. Source: Wikipedia: Christkind
  • In Christmas stories, who makes the toys in Santa's workshop? Answer: Elves. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas elf
  • In Finland, a place called Korvatunturi has long been called Santa's home. In which northern region is it? Answer: Lapland. Source: Wikipedia: Santa Claus
  • In Scandinavia, what do families leave out on Christmas Eve for the nisse, the little spirit of the farm? Answer: A bowl of porridge. Source: Wikipedia: Nisse (folklore)
  • In the legend of the Christmas stocking, what did Saint Nicholas toss into a poor family's house? Answer: Bags of gold. Source: Wikipedia: Christmas stocking
  • In the Netherlands, what do children put out for Sinterklaas to fill with treats? Answer: A shoe. Source: Wikipedia: Sinterklaas
  • In the Netherlands, which animal does Sinterklaas ride? Answer: A white horse. Source: Wikipedia: Sinterklaas
  • In the poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas', how does St. Nicholas get into the house? Answer: Down the chimney. Source: Wikipedia: A Visit from St. Nicholas
  • Many reindeer make a sound as they walk that can be heard from far away. What makes it? Answer: Their knees clicking. Source: Wikipedia: Reindeer
  • The poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' is better known by its first line. How does it begin? Answer: 'Twas the night before Christmas. Source: Wikipedia: A Visit from St. Nicholas
  • Reindeer can see a kind of light that people cannot, which helps them in the snowy Arctic. Which kind? Answer: Ultraviolet light. Source: Wikipedia: Reindeer
  • Reindeer live wild in North America too. What are they called there? Answer: Caribou. Source: Wikipedia: Reindeer
  • Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated in much of Europe on which date? Answer: December 6. Source: Wikipedia: Saint Nicholas Day
  • Saint Nicholas was a bishop in the city of Myra long ago. In which modern country is Myra? Answer: Turkey. Source: Wikipedia: Santa Claus
  • Two of Santa's reindeer were first named Dunder and Blixem. What do those old Dutch words mean? Answer: Thunder and lightning. Source: Wikipedia: Santa Claus's reindeer
  • What is a reindeer's favorite winter food, which it digs for under the snow? Answer: Lichen. Source: Wikipedia: Reindeer
  • Which cartoonist's drawings in the 1800s helped to fix the modern picture of Santa Claus? Answer: Thomas Nast. Source: Wikipedia: Santa Claus
  • Which city near the Arctic Circle do Finns consider the official hometown of Santa Claus? Answer: Rovaniemi. Source: Wikipedia: Rovaniemi
  • Which people of northern Scandinavia are known for herding reindeer? Answer: The Sami. Source: Wikipedia: Reindeer

Winter nature 27

  • A sled slides over snow on long narrow strips under its body. What are the strips called? Answer: Runners. Source: Wikipedia: Sled
  • A snow house can keep people warm. Why is snow good at keeping heat in? Answer: It traps pockets of air. Source: Wikipedia: Igloo
  • Before a long winter sleep, how do larger hibernating animals store the energy they will need? Answer: As body fat. Source: Wikipedia: Hibernation
  • Emperor penguins lay one egg in the Antarctic winter. Who keeps it warm for the first two months? Answer: The father. Source: Wikipedia: Emperor penguin
  • From 1885, Wilson Bentley studied thousands of snowflakes one at a time. How did he record them? Answer: He photographed them through a microscope. Source: Wikipedia: Snowflake
  • Frost is a thin layer of ice on a cold surface. What does it form from? Answer: Water vapor in the air. Source: Wikipedia: Frost
  • How did the snowshoe hare get its name? Answer: Its big back feet stop it sinking in snow. Source: Wikipedia: Snowshoe hare
  • How do emperor penguins in a colony defend themselves against the bitter cold? Answer: They form a tight huddle. Source: Wikipedia: Emperor penguin
  • How does an icicle form? Answer: Dripping water freezes again. Source: Wikipedia: Icicle
  • How does the thick winter fur of an Arctic fox help it hide? Answer: It blends in with the snow. Source: Wikipedia: Arctic fox
  • Ice is clear, so why does snow look white? Answer: The crystals scatter the light. Source: Wikipedia: Snow
  • Ice skates found in north-west China are thought to be about 3,500 years old. What are they made of? Answer: Animal bones. Source: Wikipedia: Ice skating
  • If you stood exactly at the North Pole, which direction would every path lead? Answer: South. Source: Wikipedia: North Pole
  • In many places, a typical snowman is built from how many large snowballs? Answer: Three. Source: Wikipedia: Snowman
  • In the Arctic, an aurora is called the aurora borealis. What is its everyday name? Answer: The northern lights. Source: Wikipedia: Aurora
  • Male and female northern cardinals are different colors. What color is the male? Answer: Bright red. Source: Wikipedia: Northern cardinal
  • Most owls hunt at night. What is unusual about the snowy owl? Answer: It is often about in the daytime. Source: Wikipedia: Snowy owl
  • The rock ptarmigan is a bird of cold northern lands. What color are its feathers in winter? Answer: White. Source: Wikipedia: Rock ptarmigan
  • What are falling snowflakes made of? Answer: Ice crystals. Source: Wikipedia: Snow
  • What causes the glowing lights of an aurora in the night sky? Answer: Charged particles from the Sun. Source: Wikipedia: Aurora
  • What does an Arctic hare usually do to keep warm and to sleep? Answer: Digs a hole in the ground or snow. Source: Wikipedia: Arctic hare
  • What happens to an animal's body while it hibernates? Answer: Its breathing and heartbeat slow down. Source: Wikipedia: Hibernation
  • What is a stoat called when it is wearing its pure white winter coat? Answer: An ermine. Source: Wikipedia: Stoat
  • What lies at the North Pole? Answer: Sea ice floating on an ocean. Source: Wikipedia: North Pole
  • Which small bird with a red breast has been pictured on Christmas cards since the 1800s? Answer: The robin. Source: Wikipedia: European robin
  • Why is it unlikely for two snowflakes to be exactly alike? Answer: Each holds a huge number of water molecules. Source: Wikipedia: Snowflake
  • Why is it winter in the northern half of the world in December? Answer: That half is tilted away from the Sun. Source: Wikipedia: Winter

Other December festivals 22

  • According to tradition, where did the Buddha sit to meditate before the awakening that Bodhi Day remembers? Answer: Under a tree. Source: Wikipedia: Bodhi Day
  • Apart from the helper candle, how many Hanukkah candles are lit on the first night? Answer: One. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah
  • Bodhi Day, kept on December 8 in Japan, is a holiday of which religion? Answer: Buddhism. Source: Wikipedia: Bodhi Day
  • By tradition, the four Hebrew letters on a dreidel stand for a phrase. What does the phrase mean? Answer: A great miracle happened there. Source: Wikipedia: Dreidel
  • The Dongzhi Festival is a festival of Chinese tradition in December. What does it mark? Answer: The winter solstice. Source: Wikipedia: Dongzhi
  • Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of which month of the Hebrew calendar? Answer: Kislev. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah
  • Hanukkah gelt is given to children during the holiday. What is the candy kind of gelt? Answer: Chocolate coins in shiny foil. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah gelt
  • Hanukkah remembers the time when a group recovered Jerusalem and its Temple, over 2,000 years ago. Who were they? Answer: The Maccabees. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah
  • How many branches does a Hanukkah menorah have? Answer: Nine. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah menorah
  • In Modern Hebrew, another name for Hanukkah is the Festival of what? Answer: Lights. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah
  • In Spain, what do people eat at midnight on New Year's Eve, one for each chime of the clock? Answer: Twelve grapes. Source: Wikipedia: New Year's Eve
  • Junkanoo is a Christmas-time festival of masks, drumming, dance and parades. Where is it best known today? Answer: The Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize. Source: Wikipedia: Junkanoo
  • The Kwanzaa candle holder has three red candles and three green ones. What color is the single candle in the center? Answer: Black. Source: Wikipedia: Kinara
  • The Kwanzaa candle holder is called a kinara. In which language does kinara mean 'candle holder'? Answer: Swahili. Source: Wikipedia: Kinara
  • Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture. On which date does it begin? Answer: December 26. Source: Wikipedia: Kwanzaa
  • The name Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili phrase. What does the phrase mean? Answer: First fruits. Source: Wikipedia: Kwanzaa
  • On a Hanukkah menorah, the ninth candle is called the shamash. What is its job? Answer: To light the other candles. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah menorah
  • Saint Lucy's Day, on December 13, is widely kept as a festival of light. What does the name Lucy mean? Answer: Light. Source: Wikipedia: Saint Lucy's Day
  • Saturnalia was a December festival with feasting and gifts. Which ancient people held it? Answer: The Romans. Source: Wikipedia: Saturnalia
  • Which old song do people traditionally sing after midnight on New Year's Eve, often holding hands in a circle? Answer: Auld Lang Syne. Source: Wikipedia: New Year's Eve
  • Why are Hanukkah lights often placed in the window nearest the street? Answer: To make the miracle known to others. Source: Wikipedia: Hanukkah
  • Yalda Night is a festival of ancient origin in Iran and nearby lands. Which night of the year does it celebrate? Answer: The longest night. Source: Wikipedia: Yalda Night

How it works

These 153 Christmas trivia questions for kids ask about things a child can find out, not things they have watched. What is a parol? Which animal does Sinterklaas ride? How many branches does a Hanukkah menorah hold? None is about a film or TV show.

Read the full guide

Six topics, from Manila to the Arctic

Christmas around the world has 26 questions, from the star-shaped pinata of Las Posadas to the hay under a Polish tablecloth. Trees, plants and decorations (27) covers the glass ornaments of Lauscha and the first snow globe. Carols and songs has 23, Santa, reindeer and gift bringers 28 and Winter nature 27.

More than one December festival

Other December festivals holds 22 holiday trivia questions for kids. Nine are on Hanukkah, four on Kwanzaa and the rest on New Year's Eve, Bodhi Day, Dongzhi, Yalda Night, Saint Lucy's Day and Junkanoo. Each says what a festival is and how it is kept, and takes no side. Choose it under Start from, below the question, play a set, then press Print for a festivals round on paper.

  • Sing the line before you answer: Carols and songs asks how many swans are a-swimming and which treat the singers demand.
  • Start the youngest on Santa, reindeer and gift bringers: how many reindeer pull the sleigh, and what goes out for Sinterklaas.
  • Mix the ages in each team, then let Winter nature break a tie: why snow looks white, and who warms a penguin's egg.

Questions and answers

What ages are these questions for?

Ages 6 to 12. A six-year-old who knows the poem can say how St. Nicholas gets into the house. A twelve-year-old may still not know which kind of light reindeer can see and people cannot.

Are there questions about Christmas movies?

No. There are no film, TV or cartoon questions, no brand names and no songs still in copyright, so nobody needs to have seen anything. Nothing in the pack spoils the secret of who fills the stockings.

Which questions are easy enough for a six-year-old?

Santa, reindeer and gift bringers has the most easy ones, nine, then Winter nature, eight. Carols and songs is the hardest, with nine hard in 23. The levels are our estimate. Each answer was read on September 19, 2026 in the Wikipedia article under it.

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