Christmas Trivia Jeopardy

Carols, holiday films, Santa lore and traditions from around the world on one festive board. Free to copy, and guests buzz in from their phones.

6 categories · 30 clues · Final Jeopardy · everyone buzzes in from their phone

For game night

Copies all 30 clues into an editor of your own. Free, no account needed.

Every clue on this board

This page is public, so anyone can read the answers — copy the board and swap a few clues before game day.

Holiday Movies

$200
In this 1990 film, 8-year-old Kevin McCallister fends off two burglars after his family flies to Paris without him.
What is Home Alone?
$400
Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human raised by Santa's helpers, in this 2003 comedy.
What is Elf?
$600
An angel shows George Bailey what his town would be like without him in this 1946 film.
What is It's a Wonderful Life?
$800
Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB gun in this 1983 film.
What is A Christmas Story?
$1,000
In this 1947 film, a New York court case tries to prove that Kris Kringle is the real Santa Claus.
What is Miracle on 34th Street?

Carols and Songs

$200
Irving Berlin wrote this song, made famous by Bing Crosby.
What is White Christmas?
$400
This carol was first sung in Austria in 1818 under the German title 'Stille Nacht'.
What is Silent Night?
$600
Mariah Carey released this holiday hit in 1994.
What is All I Want for Christmas Is You?
$800
Mel Torme and Bob Wells wrote this 1945 song, which became a signature hit for Nat King Cole.
What is The Christmas Song?
$1,000
Charles Wesley wrote the words to this carol, later sung to a tune by Felix Mendelssohn.
What is Hark the Herald Angels Sing?

Santa and His Reindeer

$200
This reindeer's glowing red nose guides Santa's sleigh through the fog.
Who is Rudolph?
$400
Santa's workshop is said to be at this spot at the top of the world.
What is the North Pole?
$600
This 1823 poem, traditionally credited to Clement Clarke Moore, gave names to eight of Santa's reindeer.
What is A Visit from St. Nicholas?
$800
Rudolph was created in 1939 for a giveaway booklet from this department store chain.
What is Montgomery Ward?
$1,000
A misprinted phone number in a 1955 newspaper ad started the Santa tracking tradition now run by this defense command.
What is NORAD?

Christmas Around the World

$200
Children in this country leave out shoes for Sinterklaas, who arrives by steamboat in November.
What is the Netherlands?
$400
In Japan, a popular Christmas meal comes from this American fast-food chain.
What is KFC?
$600
Every year since 1947, this city has given London the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.
What is Oslo?
$800
In Italy, this kindly old witch brings gifts to children on the eve of Epiphany.
Who is La Befana?
$1,000
On December 13, Swedes celebrate this saint's day, when a girl wears a crown of candles.
What is St. Lucia's Day?

Festive Food and Drink

$200
This creamy holiday drink is made with milk, cream, sugar and eggs.
What is eggnog?
$400
Red-and-white candy canes are classically flavored with this.
What is peppermint?
$600
This traditional British dessert is often doused in brandy and set alight at the table.
What is Christmas pudding?
$800
This German fruit bread dusted with powdered sugar is a specialty of Dresden.
What is stollen?
$1,000
This French Christmas cake is rolled and frosted to look like a log.
What is a buche de Noel?

Trees and Decorations

$200
Many families place this shape at the top of the tree to represent the one over Bethlehem.
What is a star?
$400
Tradition says people who meet under this hanging plant should kiss.
What is mistletoe?
$600
These thin, shiny metallic strands are draped over tree branches for sparkle.
What is tinsel?
$800
The custom of bringing an evergreen tree indoors for Christmas is credited to this country.
What is Germany?
$1,000
Prince Albert, husband of this queen, helped popularize the Christmas tree in Britain.
Who is Queen Victoria?

Final Jeopardy — Christmas Plants

The poinsettia takes its English name from Joel Poinsett, who was the first US minister to this country, where the plant grows wild.

What is Mexico?

How to run this board

A Christmas party usually brings together people who rarely play games together, and this board is built for that mix. It covers holiday films, carols and their history, Santa and his reindeer, traditions from other countries, Christmas food and drink, and the stories behind decorations like the tree and the stocking.

Put the board on the TV after dinner and let guests buzz in from their phones from wherever they are sitting. Teams by household or by generation both work well.

One seasonal house rule: the lowest-scoring team at the end of the first round picks the next Christmas song to play. It keeps the music going and gives the trailing team something to cheer about.

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