Christmas
Gather around one phone after dinner, between presents or while you wait for midnight on New Year’s Eve. A Christmas round needs no special rules: read a question, take a guess and see who dares to raise it. This collection stays here all year for early planners and late celebrations.
60 available questions in English
Play this categoryHow many reindeer pull the sleigh in the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas?
Show answer
8
How many reindeer pull the sleigh in the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas?
The poem names 8 reindeer; Rudolph joined the story much later.
Including Rudolph, how many reindeer are in the familiar Christmas sleigh team?
Show answer
9
Including Rudolph, how many reindeer are in the familiar Christmas sleigh team?
With Rudolph guiding the sleigh, the familiar team grows to 9 reindeer.
How many ghosts visit Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, including Jacob Marley?
Show answer
4
How many ghosts visit Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, including Jacob Marley?
Marley starts a night of 4 ghostly visits that changes Scrooge.
How many gifts arrive in total across all days of The Twelve Days of Christmas?
Show answer
364
How many gifts arrive in total across all days of The Twelve Days of Christmas?
Counting every repeated gift in the song brings the grand total to 364.
How many gold rings are named in the recurring line of The Twelve Days of Christmas?
Show answer
5
How many gold rings are named in the recurring line of The Twelve Days of Christmas?
The song slows down for its famous line about 5 gold rings.
How many candles does a traditional Advent wreath have, excluding a central Christ candle?
Show answer
4
How many candles does a traditional Advent wreath have, excluding a central Christ candle?
Its 4 outer candles mark the Sundays leading up to Christmas.
For how many nights are the traditional Mexican Las Posadas celebrations held?
Show answer
9
For how many nights are the traditional Mexican Las Posadas celebrations held?
Las Posadas fill 9 nights with processions, songs and visits.
How many Yule Lads visit children in Icelandic Christmas folklore?
Show answer
13
How many Yule Lads visit children in Icelandic Christmas folklore?
Icelandic folklore sends 13 mischievous Yule Lads down from the mountains.
How many dawn Masses make up the traditional Philippine Simbang Gabi novena?
Show answer
9
How many dawn Masses make up the traditional Philippine Simbang Gabi novena?
The 9 dawn Masses bring worshippers together before Christmas.
How many nights does Hanukkah last?
Show answer
8
How many nights does Hanukkah last?
Hanukkah lasts 8 nights, with another light added each evening.
How many acts are in Tchaikovsky’s original ballet The Nutcracker?
Show answer
2
How many acts are in Tchaikovsky’s original ballet The Nutcracker?
The ballet tells its Christmas adventure in 2 acts.
How many kinds of gifts do the Magi bring in the Gospel of Matthew?
Show answer
3
How many kinds of gifts do the Magi bring in the Gospel of Matthew?
Gold, frankincense and myrrh make 3 kinds of gifts; the text does not count the visitors.
On which day of January is Epiphany traditionally celebrated in Spain?
Show answer
6
On which day of January is Epiphany traditionally celebrated in Spain?
January 6 is the traditional day for the Three Kings and their gifts in Spain.
On which day of December is Spain’s Christmas Lottery draw traditionally held?
Show answer
22
On which day of December is Spain’s Christmas Lottery draw traditionally held?
The sung lottery numbers are a familiar sound on December 22.
On which day of December is Boxing Day celebrated?
Show answer
26
On which day of December is Boxing Day celebrated?
Boxing Day falls on December 26, immediately after Christmas Day.
On which day of December is Saint Lucia’s Day celebrated in Sweden?
Show answer
13
On which day of December is Saint Lucia’s Day celebrated in Sweden?
Candlelit Lucia processions brighten December 13 in Sweden.
How many doors does a traditional Advent calendar ending on Christmas Eve have?
Show answer
24
How many doors does a traditional Advent calendar ending on Christmas Eve have?
The 24 doors provide a daily countdown from the start of December to Christmas Eve.
On which day of December is Christmas Eve?
Show answer
24
On which day of December is Christmas Eve?
December 24 is Christmas Eve, when many families gather for their main festive meal.
How many desserts are traditionally served at a Provençal Christmas supper?
Show answer
13
How many desserts are traditionally served at a Provençal Christmas supper?
The 13 desserts are shared after the Provençal Christmas Eve meal.
How many dishes are traditionally associated with a Polish Wigilia supper?
Show answer
12
How many dishes are traditionally associated with a Polish Wigilia supper?
A traditional Wigilia table offers 12 dishes, often including carp and beetroot soup.
In what year was Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol first published?
Show answer
1843
In what year was Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol first published?
Published in 1843, the novella helped make Scrooge a lasting Christmas character.
In what year was Silent Night first performed in Oberndorf, Austria?
Show answer
1818
In what year was Silent Night first performed in Oberndorf, Austria?
Silent Night was first sung with guitar accompaniment in 1818.
In what year was Jingle Bells first published as The One Horse Open Sleigh?
Show answer
1857
In what year was Jingle Bells first published as The One Horse Open Sleigh?
The song appeared in 1857, and its lyrics never actually mention Christmas.
In what year did Henry Cole commission the first commercial Christmas card in Britain?
Show answer
1843
In what year did Henry Cole commission the first commercial Christmas card in Britain?
Cole’s card appeared in 1843, with a printed greeting beneath a family scene.
In what year did Edward H. Johnson display his electrically lit Christmas tree in New York?
Show answer
1882
In what year did Edward H. Johnson display his electrically lit Christmas tree in New York?
Johnson’s tree glowed in 1882, at a time when candles were the usual decoration.
In what year did A Charlie Brown Christmas first air on American television?
Show answer
1965
In what year did A Charlie Brown Christmas first air on American television?
The special first aired in 1965, bringing its jazz soundtrack to Christmas television.
In what year was Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! first published?
Show answer
1957
In what year was Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! first published?
The Grinch began stealing Christmas on the printed page in 1957.
In what year was the original Home Alone film released?
Show answer
1990
In what year was the original Home Alone film released?
Kevin’s Christmas adventure first reached cinemas in 1990.
In what year was the Christmas comedy Elf first released?
Show answer
2003
In what year was the Christmas comedy Elf first released?
Buddy travelled from the North Pole to New York on cinema screens in 2003.
In what year was the original Miracle on 34th Street film released?
Show answer
1947
In what year was the original Miracle on 34th Street film released?
This Christmas classic first reached cinemas in 1947, surprisingly months before Christmas.
In what year was It’s a Wonderful Life first released?
Show answer
1946
In what year was It’s a Wonderful Life first released?
George Bailey’s story first reached audiences in 1946, long before its TV Christmas tradition.
In what year did Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet premiere in Saint Petersburg?
Show answer
1892
In what year did Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet premiere in Saint Petersburg?
The ballet premiered in 1892, before becoming a fixture of Christmas stages.
In what year did Bing Crosby record his original studio version of White Christmas?
Show answer
1942
In what year did Bing Crosby record his original studio version of White Christmas?
Crosby recorded the song in 1942; it also appeared in the film Holiday Inn.
In what year did José Feliciano release Feliz Navidad?
Show answer
1970
In what year did José Feliciano release Feliz Navidad?
Released in 1970, the bilingual song made its short Spanish greeting famous around the world.
In what year did Wham! first release Last Christmas?
Show answer
1984
In what year did Wham! first release Last Christmas?
Wham! released Last Christmas in 1984, with a video filmed in the Swiss Alps.
In what year did Mariah Carey release All I Want for Christmas Is You?
Show answer
1994
In what year did Mariah Carey release All I Want for Christmas Is You?
The song arrived in 1994 on Carey’s Merry Christmas album.
In what year did Rudolph first appear in Robert L. May’s promotional Christmas booklet?
Show answer
1939
In what year did Rudolph first appear in Robert L. May’s promotional Christmas booklet?
Rudolph debuted in 1939 in a booklet made for the Montgomery Ward department store.
In what year did Christmas become a US federal holiday?
Show answer
1870
In what year did Christmas become a US federal holiday?
Christmas joined the US federal holiday calendar in 1870.
In what year did workers put up the first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center?
Show answer
1931
In what year did workers put up the first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center?
Workers pooled money for a tree in 1931, before the official annual ceremony began.
In what year did the Illustrated London News show Victoria’s family around a Christmas tree?
Show answer
1848
In what year did the Illustrated London News show Victoria’s family around a Christmas tree?
The 1848 engraving helped popularise decorated Christmas trees in Britain.
How old is Kevin McCallister in the original Home Alone film?
Show answer
8 yrs
How old is Kevin McCallister in the original Home Alone film?
Kevin is only 8 yrs when his family accidentally leaves him behind at Christmas.
How many siblings does Kevin McCallister have in the original Home Alone?
Show answer
4
How many siblings does Kevin McCallister have in the original Home Alone?
Kevin has 4 siblings: Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff.
By how many sizes does the Grinch’s heart grow in the original Dr. Seuss story?
Show answer
3
By how many sizes does the Grinch’s heart grow in the original Dr. Seuss story?
His heart grows 3 sizes when he understands that Christmas means more than presents.
What number is painted on the locomotive in The Polar Express film?
Show answer
1,225
What number is painted on the locomotive in The Polar Express film?
The locomotive bears 1,225, a number that also evokes the American date for Christmas.
How many staves, rather than chapters, divide Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?
Show answer
5
How many staves, rather than chapters, divide Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?
Dickens arranged the story in 5 staves, giving the book a musical structure.
How long is the theatrical version of The Polar Express, in minutes?
Show answer
100 min
How long is the theatrical version of The Polar Express, in minutes?
The journey to the North Pole takes 100 min minutes in the theatrical film.
What is Kevin’s room number at the Plaza Hotel in Home Alone 2?
Show answer
411
What is Kevin’s room number at the Plaza Hotel in Home Alone 2?
Room 411 becomes Kevin’s luxurious base during his New York Christmas adventure.
How many lights does Clark put on his house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?
Show answer
25,000
How many lights does Clark put on his house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?
Clark proudly announces 25,000 lights before struggling to make them shine.
How many burglars make up the Wet Bandits in the original Home Alone?
Show answer
2
How many burglars make up the Wet Bandits in the original Home Alone?
Harry and Marv are the 2 burglars who underestimate Kevin.
How many main food groups does Buddy name for elves in Elf?
Show answer
4
How many main food groups does Buddy name for elves in Elf?
Buddy’s 4 groups are candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.
How many holiday doors are on the trees in The Nightmare Before Christmas?
Show answer
7
How many holiday doors are on the trees in The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The forest has 7 holiday doors, each marked with a different celebration.
How many verses are in the standard English text of Good King Wenceslas?
Show answer
5
How many verses are in the standard English text of Good King Wenceslas?
Its 5 verses tell a story set on the feast of Stephen.
How many notes form the repeating main motif of Carol of the Bells?
Show answer
4
How many notes form the repeating main motif of Carol of the Bells?
A repeating 4-note pattern gives the carol its instantly recognisable sound.
How many people traditionally pull a Christmas cracker together?
Show answer
2
How many people traditionally pull a Christmas cracker together?
The 2 pullers each hold an end until the cracker opens with a snap.
How many points does the classic Moravian Christmas star have?
Show answer
26
How many points does the classic Moravian Christmas star have?
The classic star has 26 points built from square and triangular bases.
How many cocktail sticks are used in a traditional Christingle orange?
Show answer
4
How many cocktail sticks are used in a traditional Christingle orange?
The 4 sticks carry fruit or sweets and traditionally represent the seasons.
How many fish dishes are traditional at the Italian American Christmas Eve seafood feast?
Show answer
7
How many fish dishes are traditional at the Italian American Christmas Eve seafood feast?
The named feast calls for 7 fish dishes, although family menus vary.
How many lucky fèves are traditionally hidden in a single galette des rois?
Show answer
1
How many lucky fèves are traditionally hidden in a single galette des rois?
A single hidden token means 1 lucky diner gets the paper crown.
How many lucky grapes are traditionally eaten at midnight on New Year’s Eve in Spain?
Show answer
12
How many lucky grapes are traditionally eaten at midnight on New Year’s Eve in Spain?
The 12 grapes are eaten in time with the clock chimes welcoming the new year.
On which day of December does Joulupukki traditionally bring gifts in Finland?
Show answer
24
On which day of December does Joulupukki traditionally bring gifts in Finland?
Joulupukki traditionally visits Finnish homes on December 24, during Christmas Eve celebrations.
Keep exploring
Before you pass the phone
Do we each need a phone?
No. Quasi is a free one-phone game for 2–8 players. Sit together and pass the same phone in turn order.
Do I need to know the exact answer?
An estimate is enough to begin. The decision is whether you can safely raise the current number or should let go.
Can we read the answers here?
Yes. Each published question has an answer inside “Show answer”. Save questions you have already read for a different group if you want a surprise.
Is Christmas only available in December?
Christmas is a year-round category. Its seasonal banner and badge appear around the holidays; the questions keep the same URL.
Can we turn the timer off?
Yes. Choose no timer, 20 seconds or 40 seconds in setup. The opening player gets twice the selected time.