Holidays

The Ultimate Christmas Quiz To Level Up Your Festive Spirit

Because this is one lockdown tradition should remain.

by Sophie McEvoy
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
The Ultimate Christmas Quiz To Level Up Your Festive Spirit
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/Getty Images

Gone are the two years of limbo and lockdown, this Christmas will be the first for many that isn’t taking place over Zoom or a phone screen, which means the much-loved Christmas quiz will be even more rowdy. Whether they were already a tradition in your household or have become a new feature since lockdown began, quiz question about Christmas are a great way to get in the festive spirit and introduce a bit of friendly competition to your yuletide scheduling. With this in mind, I’ve gathered together 60 – yes 60 – Christmas quiz questions that cover everything from music to food and festive traditions to film, books and TV.

In this Christmas quiz (which will work just as well for an IRL get together as a virtual party), you can expect to find questions on telly faves like The Vicar of Dibley and Gavin & Stacey, classic films such as Love Actually, iconic festive lyrics from George Michael and Elton John, as well as obscure facts like who invented Christmas crackers and which country created the Yule Log and the name of the Christmas party held at Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

So, keep scrolling to find a fresh batch of Christmas quiz questions and answers that will make your Christmas even more entertaining than the last.

Music

Questions

  1. What was the Christmas number one in 2021?
  2. In what year did Leona Lewis originally release her festive bop “One More Sleep”?
  3. Which song is most-streamed by Brits at Christmas?
  4. In Elton John’s “Step Into Christmas”, what does the singer want to watch “forever and ever”?
  5. What year was Band Aid 30’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” released?
  6. Who was the first X Factor winner to have a Christmas number one?
  7. Which Australian pop star covered Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” in 2016?
  8. In Wham’s “Last Christmas”, what did George Michael write on a note attached to a gift?
  9. Which artist or band has had the most Christmas number ones in the UK?
  10. Which Spice Girls hit was Christmas number one in 1996?

Answers

  1. LadBaby’s “Sausage Rolls For Everyone”
  2. 2013
  3. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey (Official Charts)
  4. The snow fall
  5. 2014
  6. Shayne Ward
  7. Kylie Minogue
  8. “I love you”
  9. The Beatles (Official Charts)
  10. “2 Become 1”

TV

Questions

  1. When did the second Gavin & Stacey Christmas special air?
  2. Which British comedy duo aired Christmas specials during the 1970s?
  3. Who played the three ghosts in the Catherine Tate special Nan’s Christmas Carol?
  4. What’s the UK’s most-watched TV Christmas special of all time?
  5. What alcoholic beverage was Bryn talking about when he asked “What will they think of next?” in the Gavin & Stacey 2008 Christmas special?
  6. Which Ricky Gervais-led sitcom had a Christmas special in 2003?
  7. What music show ended in 2006, but airs a special episode each Christmas?
  8. When was the first Annual Hootenanny hosted by Jools Holland?
  9. In The Vicar of Dibley’s season one Christmas episode, what was Alice most looking forward that Christmas?
  10. In what year was the The Royal Christmas Broadcast first televised?

Answers

  1. 2019
  2. Morecambe & Wise
  3. Ben Miller, David Tennant, and Roger Lloyd Pack
  4. Only Fools and Horses “Time On Our Hands” (Digital Spy)
  5. Mint Baileys
  6. The Office
  7. Top of the Pops
  8. 1993
  9. “My highlights are going to be Jurassic Park and the Queen’s speech, written this year by Ruby Wax.”
  10. 1957

Film

Questions

  1. What song does Billy Mack record a Christmas version of in Love Actually?
  2. Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock will make her acting debut in which 2021 Christmas movie?
  3. Which actor co-wrote the 2019 film Last Christmas?
  4. What’s the title of the sequel to The Snowman?
  5. Who voiced Arthur in Arthur Christmas?
  6. What’s the UK’s favourite Christmas film?
  7. What’s the name of Jack Black’s character in The Holiday?
  8. Jodie Whittaker starred in which 2015 Christmas film?
  9. What does Mr. Narwhal say to Buddy as he leaves the North Pole in Elf?
  10. Who voiced the Gruffalo in The Gruffalo?

Answers

  1. “Love Is All Around” by The Troggs
  2. Boxing Day
  3. Emma Thompson
  4. The Snowman and the Snowdog
  5. James McAvoy
  6. It’s A Wonderful Life (BBC Radio 2 poll)
  7. Miles
  8. Get Santa
  9. “Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!”
  10. Robert Coltrane

Books

Questions

  1. What was the best-selling book of Christmas 2021?
  2. What year was Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol first published?
  3. Which children’s book has been adapted for the BBC for Christmas 2022?
  4. What was the title of the poem by Dr. Suess that The Grinch first featured in?
  5. Who did Tom Fletcher co-write his first Christmas children’s book with? (Bonus point if you can name the book)
  6. What is the name of the Christmas party held at Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
  7. Who wrote the book that 2004’s The Polar Express is based on?
  8. What gift does Marmee March give her daughters for Christmas at the beginning of Little Women?
  9. When was The Snowman by Raymond Briggs originally published?
  10. Which famous fantasy author wrote the book Letters From Father Christmas?

Answers

  1. Pinch of Nom by Kay Featherstone and Kate Allinson (The Guardian)
  2. 1843
  3. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Macksey
  4. The Hoobub and the Grinch (Village Pipol)
  5. McFly bandmate Dougie Poynter (Bonus point – The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas)
  6. The Slug Club Christmas Party
  7. Chris Van Allsburg
  8. A copy of The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, bound in their favourite colours (Tea and Ink Society)
  9. 1978
  10. J. R. R. Tolkien

Food & Drink

Questions

  1. What popular ’70s Christmas pastry snack is making a comeback?
  2. Which country created the Yule Log?
  3. What alcohol is typically poured on a Christmas pudding?
  4. In what century did mulled wine become a festive drink?
  5. Why is mincemeat called mincemeat?
  6. What’s the most popular Christmas drink in the UK?
  7. What does a “Snowball” cocktail consist of?
  8. What’s the anatomical name of a turkey wishbone?
  9. What vegetable do Brits eat at Christmas more than any other country in Europe?
  10. In which country is it tradition to visit KFC at Christmas?

Answers

  1. Vol au vent (Evening Standard)
  2. Norway (History)
  3. Brandy
  4. The 16th century (Traveldine)
  5. In the middle ages, mincemeat was made of mutton or beef preserved by sugar, spices and alcohol (Walkers Shortbread)
  6. Mulled wine (Yorkshire Evening Post)
  7. Advocat, sparkling lemonade, lime juice or lime cordial, and ice (BBC Good Food)
  8. Furcula
  9. Brussel sprouts (iNews)
  10. Japan (BBC)

General Knowledge

Questions

  1. Who invented the very first string of Christmas lights?
  2. What day is Midnight Mass celebrated?
  3. Why is Boxing Day called Boxing Day?
  4. When does the royal family open their Christmas presents?
  5. Who sent the first Christmas card? (Hint: he was the first director of the V&A.)
  6. Name two items children typically leave out for Father Christmas and his reindeer.
  7. Who invented the Christmas cracker?
  8. Which city does tinsel originate from?
  9. Who was the first British monarch to eat turkey for Christmas?
  10. In which month did the Queen record her Christmas message?

Answers

  1. Thomas Edison’s friend, Edward H. Johnson, in 1882 (Library of Congress)
  2. Christmas Eve
  3. It was a day servants could take off in the mid-1600s, when they would receive a “Christmas box” from their master (Insider)
  4. Christmas Eve (Town & Country Mag)
  5. Sir Henry Cole (V&A)
  6. Carrots, mince pies, milk, or cookies (YouGov)
  7. Tom Smith, a London-based confectioner and baker (V&A)
  8. Nuremberg, Germany (BBC)
  9. Henry VIII (History Extra)
  10. December (The Guardian)

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