Can You Ace This Holiday Trivia Quiz? Find Out Now!

Think you know your holiday history? From mistletoe magic to the origins of Rudolph, this festive quiz will test your knowledge of the season’s most beloved traditions. Gather your family, grab some cocoa, and see who’s the real holiday trivia champion!

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Ready to Sleigh This Quiz? Let’s get started!

1. What plant is traditionally used to decorate homes at Christmas and is said to bring good luck?

A) Ivy
B) Mistletoe
C) Holly
D) Poinsettia

Answer: B) Mistletoe

In ancient times, mistletoe was believed to bring peace and good fortune—and today, it’s still known for inspiring a few holiday kisses.

2. The poinsettia is native to which country?

A) Italy
B) Mexico
C) Spain
D) Brazil

Answer: B) Mexico

The poinsettia was introduced to the U.S. by Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, in the 1820s.

3. Which popular Christmas ballet premiered in the United States in 1944?

A) Swan Lake
B) The Nutcracker
C) Sleeping Beauty
D) Coppélia

Answer: B) The Nutcracker

Although now a holiday staple, The Nutcracker wasn’t immediately popular—it took years before it became the Christmas classic we know today.

4. What classic Christmas movie is set in the fictional town of Bedford Falls?

A) Miracle on 34th Street
B) It’s a Wonderful Life
C) White Christmas
D) A Christmas Carol

Answer: B) It’s a Wonderful Life

The snowy scenes were created using a mix of soap flakes and fake snow made from “foamite,” used in fire extinguishers!

5. What U.S. government department officially tracks Santa’s Christmas Eve journey each year?

A) NASA
B) NORAD
C) The U.S. Postal Service
D) The Department of Defense

Answer: B) NORAD

NORAD’s Santa Tracker began by accident in 1955 after a misprinted phone number in a Sears ad directed children to the defense hotline.

6. What U.S. state is the leading producer of Christmas trees?

A) North Carolina
B) Oregon
C) Vermont
D) Colorado

Answer: B) Oregon

Oregon produces more than 5 million Christmas trees each year, shipping them all across the country!

7. What fruit was traditionally placed in Christmas stockings in the U.S. as a symbol of generosity and good luck?

A) Apple
B) Orange
C) Pear
D) Lemon

Answer: B) Orange

The tradition is said to have been inspired by the story of St. Nicholas leaving gold coins for the poor—represented by golden oranges.

8. What beverage company is credited with popularizing the modern image of Santa Claus in red and white?

A) Pepsi
B) Starbucks
C) Hershey’s
D) Coca-Cola

Answer: D) Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola’s 1930s holiday ads featured a jolly, rosy-cheeked Santa—an image that helped define how we picture him today.

9. What famous department store hosted the first Thanksgiving Day parade in 1920—four years before Macy’s?

A) Gimbels
B) JCPenney
C) Sears
D) Montgomery Ward

Answer: A) Gimbels

Macy’s may have become the most famous, but Gimbels started the parade trend!

10. The first-ever New Year’s Eve “ball drop” in New York City’s Times Square took place in what year?

A) 1897
B) 1907
C) 1957
D) 1977

Answer: B) 1907

The original ball was made of iron and wood and weighed 700 pounds—quite a bit heavier than today’s 12-foot, LED-covered version!

11. Which U.S. state is the nation’s top producer of turkeys?

A) Texas
B) Minnesota
C) Arkansas
D) North Carolina

Answer: B) Minnesota

Minnesota produces nearly 40 million turkeys a year—enough for every American household to have one on Thanksgiving.

12. What U.S. town claims to be “The Christmas City”?

A) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
B) Santa Claus, Indiana
C) North Pole, Alaska
D) Noel, Missouri

Answer: A) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem was officially nicknamed “The Christmas City” in 1937 and celebrates year-round with festive lights and markets.

13. Which U.S. department store created the character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

A) Macy’s
B) Sears
C) Montgomery Ward
D) JCPenney

Answer: C) Montgomery Ward

In 1939, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward wrote a storybook about Rudolph as a free gift for customers—selling over two million copies that year.

14. Which U.S. state is home to one of the country’s oldest candy cane manufacturers, founded in the 1920s?

A) North Carolina
B) Ohio
C) Pennsylvania
D) New York

Answer: C) Pennsylvania

Hammonds Candy in Pennsylvania is one of the oldest makers of hand-pulled candy canes still operating today.

Final Score Check!

12–14 Correct: You’re basically Santa’s historian—impressive!
8–11 Correct: You know your traditions! Pass the eggnog.
4–7 Correct: You’re on the nice list but might need a holiday movie marathon.
0–3 Correct: Time to brush up on your holiday cheer (and trivia skills)!

Whether you’re a trivia pro or just here for the cookies, the holidays are all about fun, laughter, and a little sparkle of magic. So gather your crew, hit replay on White Christmas, and keep the cheer going all season long!

Kim Dow

Kim is the owner and publisher of Sass Magazine, as well as the owner of Sass Studios, a boutique graphic design studio in Frederick, MD. When not in the office, Kim can be found doing some of her favorite hobbies—reading a book, dancing, traveling, or playing with her rescued pitbull.