Classic Christmas carol trivia
The oldest songs in the Christmas canon have crossed languages, continents and centuries — and most of us sing them every year without knowing where they came from. These ten questions cover the carols your grandparents knew by heart.
Q1.In which language was "Silent Night" originally written?Tap to reveal
Answer: German
It premiered in 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria, as "Stille Nacht," with lyrics by Joseph Mohr and music by Franz Xaver Gruber.
Q2.If you add up every gift given in "The Twelve Days of Christmas," how many gifts are there in total?Tap to reveal
Answer: 364
Each day's gifts repeat cumulatively — one partridge on day one, two turtle doves plus another partridge on day two, and so on.
Q3.What gift is given on the seventh day of Christmas?Tap to reveal
Answer: Seven swans a-swimming
The swans come right after the six geese a-laying and before the eight maids a-milking.
Q4."Jingle Bells" was originally written for which holiday?Tap to reveal
Answer: Thanksgiving
James Lord Pierpont published it in 1857 as "One Horse Open Sleigh," and it was associated with Thanksgiving season before becoming a Christmas standard.
Q5.The carol "What Child Is This?" is set to the melody of which traditional English tune?Tap to reveal
Answer: Greensleeves
William Chatterton Dix's 1865 lyrics were paired with the 16th-century folk melody.
Q6."O Holy Night" originated in which country?Tap to reveal
Answer: France
Composer Adolphe Adam set the French poem "Cantique de Noël" to music in 1847.
Q7.In the carol, Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of which saint?Tap to reveal
Answer: Stephen
The Feast of Stephen falls on December 26, the day after Christmas.
Q8.In "We Three Kings," what three gifts do the kings carry?Tap to reveal
Answer: Gold, frankincense and myrrh
Each of the song's middle verses is sung from the perspective of one king describing his gift.
Q9.Who wrote the lyrics to "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"?Tap to reveal
Answer: Charles Wesley
The Methodist hymn writer penned it in 1739; the familiar melody was later adapted from music by Felix Mendelssohn.
Q10.Which Christmas song was the first ever broadcast from space?Tap to reveal
Answer: Jingle Bells
Gemini 6 astronauts played it on a smuggled harmonica and sleigh bells in December 1965.
Pop Christmas hits — from Bing Crosby to Mariah Carey
Every generation adds its own song to the December playlist, and a handful of them turned into chart juggernauts that return every single year. These ten questions cover the hits that dominate holiday radio.
Q1.In what year did Mariah Carey release "All I Want for Christmas Is You"?Tap to reveal
Answer: 1994
It appeared on her album Merry Christmas and has returned to the charts nearly every December since.
Q2.Which duo released "Last Christmas" in 1984?Tap to reveal
Answer: Wham!
George Michael wrote, produced and performed the song, which finally hit UK number one decades later.
Q3.Which Christmas song is the best-selling single of all time?Tap to reveal
Answer: "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby
Guinness World Records estimates it has sold over 50 million copies worldwide.
Q4.Who wrote "White Christmas"?Tap to reveal
Answer: Irving Berlin
Berlin, one of America's greatest songwriters, reportedly told his secretary he had just written the best song anybody ever wrote.
Q5.Who recorded the original 1958 version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"?Tap to reveal
Answer: Brenda Lee
Lee was only 13 years old when she recorded the Johnny Marks song.
Q6.Which artist recorded the bilingual holiday classic "Feliz Navidad"?Tap to reveal
Answer: José Feliciano
The Puerto Rican singer released it in 1970, mixing Spanish and English so both audiences could sing along.
Q7.Which former Beatle released "Wonderful Christmastime" in 1979?Tap to reveal
Answer: Paul McCartney
McCartney played every instrument on the synth-heavy track himself.
Q8.Which charity supergroup recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984?Tap to reveal
Answer: Band Aid
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote it to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Q9.Who released "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" in 1971?Tap to reveal
Answer: John Lennon
Lennon recorded it with Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band as a Vietnam War protest wrapped in a Christmas song.
Q10.Which Ariana Grande song has become a modern Christmas radio staple since 2014?Tap to reveal
Answer: "Santa Tell Me"
The standalone single now charts alongside decades-old classics every December.
Movie and novelty Christmas song trivia
Some of the most beloved holiday songs were written for the screen — and some were written purely to be ridiculous. This round mixes Hollywood standards with the novelty tunes kids beg to hear on repeat.
Q1."White Christmas" made its debut in which 1942 film?Tap to reveal
Answer: Holiday Inn
Bing Crosby introduced it in the film a dozen years before the movie actually titled White Christmas.
Q2.Judy Garland introduced "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in which 1944 movie?Tap to reveal
Answer: Meet Me in St. Louis
Garland asked for the original lyrics to be softened because they were too sad to sing to a child on screen.
Q3.Which duo recorded the 1979 novelty hit "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"?Tap to reveal
Answer: Elmo & Patsy
The tongue-in-cheek country song became an unlikely perennial on holiday radio.
Q4.In "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)," which chipmunk keeps asking for a hula hoop?Tap to reveal
Answer: Alvin
David Seville has to yell "ALVIN!" repeatedly to get his attention in the 1958 novelty hit.
Q5.Who sang "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" in the 1966 TV special?Tap to reveal
Answer: Thurl Ravenscroft
Ravenscroft was also the growling voice of Tony the Tiger for Frosted Flakes commercials.
Q6.Which composer wrote "Somewhere in My Memory" and the rest of the Home Alone score?Tap to reveal
Answer: John Williams
The Star Wars and Jaws composer earned an Oscar nomination for the Home Alone song.
Q7.Which singing cowboy had a number-one hit with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1949?Tap to reveal
Answer: Gene Autry
Autry's recording of the Johnny Marks song sold millions and turned Rudolph into a musical icon.
Q8.In "Frosty the Snowman," what magical object brings Frosty to life?Tap to reveal
Answer: An old silk hat
The lyric says there must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found.
Christmas song lyrics and hidden facts
You have sung these lines a thousand times — but do you actually know what they say? This final round rewards the players who listen closely to the words, plus a few backstage facts that surprise almost everyone.
Q1.Santa's eight reindeer are named in which 1823 poem?Tap to reveal
Answer: "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas")
The poem attributed to Clement Clarke Moore introduced Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.
Q2.In "Winter Wonderland," the couple builds a snowman and pretends he is whom?Tap to reveal
Answer: Parson Brown
In the song, the snowman parson asks "Are you married?" and they answer "No, man."
Q3."Deck the Halls" is based on a traditional carol from which country?Tap to reveal
Answer: Wales
Its melody comes from the 16th-century Welsh song "Nos Galan."
Q4.True or false: the word "Christmas" never appears in "Let It Snow."Tap to reveal
Answer: True
Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne wrote it during a July 1945 heat wave in Hollywood, and it never mentions the holiday.
Q5.Which singer's version of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" is the most famous?Tap to reveal
Answer: Nat King Cole
Mel Tormé co-wrote the song — reportedly on a blazing hot summer day — and Cole's recordings made it a standard.
Q6.According to the song, what are Frosty the Snowman's eyes made of?Tap to reveal
Answer: Coal
The lyric describes a corncob pipe, a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal.
Q7.Which songwriter wrote the call-and-response duet "Baby, It's Cold Outside"?Tap to reveal
Answer: Frank Loesser
The Guys and Dolls composer originally performed it with his wife at parties before it won the 1950 Oscar for Best Original Song.
Q8.In "Here Comes Santa Claus," what is the name of the lane Santa is coming down?Tap to reveal
Answer: Santa Claus Lane
Gene Autry was inspired to write it while riding in the Hollywood Christmas Parade.
Q9.Meredith Willson, who wrote "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," also wrote which hit Broadway musical?Tap to reveal
Answer: The Music Man
Willson wrote the 1951 Christmas standard a few years before his 1957 Broadway smash.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular Christmas song of all time?
By sales, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" — the best-selling single ever recorded. By modern streaming, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" dominates every December.
What is the oldest Christmas song people still sing?
Among well-known carols, many date to the 1700s and 1800s — "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (1739) and "Silent Night" (1818) are two of the oldest still sung everywhere each year.
How do I run a Christmas song trivia round at a party?
Split the 37 questions above into rounds of 8-10, give teams 15 seconds per question, and award a bonus point when a team can sing the lyric in question. Or play online — the quiz widget on this page runs timing and scoring for you.
Which Christmas songs were actually written in summer?
"Let It Snow" was written during a July heat wave, and "The Christmas Song" was reportedly written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells on a blazing hot day — writing about cold was their way of cooling off.
Where can I find more Christmas trivia beyond songs?
Our full Christmas trivia questions article covers traditions, movies, food and history, and the Trivio.NET app has themed holiday quiz packs you can play solo or against friends.
