Christmas around the world trivia

Christmas around the world questions and answers

24 questions. Tap a question’s answer line to see it.

1. Much of Sweden gathers around the TV every Christmas Eve for a Disney special starring which cartoon character?

   1. Goofy
   2. Donald Duck
   3. Mickey Mouse
   4. Pluto
   Show answer

   B. Donald Duck Known in Sweden as Kalle Anka, the broadcast is the 1958 Disney special 'From All of Us to All of You.'

2. Children in Catalonia, Spain, spend December caring for the Tió de Nadal, a Christmas character made from what object?

   1. A clay jug
   2. A straw goat
   3. A broom
   4. A log
   Show answer

   D. A log Slate describes it as a hollow log with stick legs, a smiley face, and a floppy red hat, kept cozy under a blanket.

3. On which January date does the Russian Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas?

   1. January 7
   2. January 19
   3. January 1
   4. January 6
   Show answer

   A. January 7 The church keeps the older Julian calendar, so its December 25 lands on January 7 of the Gregorian calendar.

4. Who traditionally sings out the winning numbers at Spain's El Gordo Christmas lottery drawing in Madrid?

   1. Schoolchildren
   2. Opera singers
   3. Town criers
   4. Radio hosts
   Show answer

   A. Schoolchildren In 2024, pupils from Madrid's San Ildefonso school drew the numbers from revolving orbs and sang results for nearly five hours.

5. Iceland's folklore tells of a giant Yule Cat said to prey on anyone who did not receive what before Christmas Eve?

   1. A new book
   2. Fresh bread
   3. New clothes
   4. A candle
   Show answer

   C. New clothes In the stories, the huge cat roams the snowy countryside at Christmastime.

6. Simbang Gabi, a nine-day series of dawn Masses leading up to Christmas, is a tradition rooted in which country?

   1. Brazil
   2. Portugal
   3. The Philippines
   4. East Timor
   Show answer

   C. The Philippines The pre-dawn Masses run December 16 to 24 and began so farmers could attend before heading to the fields.

7. Since Australia lies in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas Day there falls in which season?

   1. Winter
   2. Spring
   3. Fall
   4. Summer
   Show answer

   D. Summer Tourism Australia's guide puts summer at December to February, the opposite of Northern Hemisphere seasons.

8. KFC's 'Kentucky for Christmas' campaign, which turned fried chicken into a holiday dinner in one Asian country, launched in what year?

   1. 1982
   2. 1991
   3. 1974
   4. 1964
   Show answer

   C. 1974 The idea began with a Christmas 'party barrel' special conceived at KFC's first Japanese store, which opened in 1970.

9. The towering Christmas tree raised in London's Trafalgar Square each year is an annual gift from which country?

   1. Norway
   2. Canada
   3. Sweden
   4. Denmark
   Show answer

   A. Norway The gift has been made every year since 1947, in thanks for Britain's support for Norway during World War II.

10. Spain's Christmas lottery awards a famous top prize nicknamed 'El Gordo.' What does that nickname mean in English?

    1. The Golden Pig
    2. The Lucky One
    3. The Big Star
    4. The Fat One
    Show answer

    D. The Fat One The drawing is held every year on December 22.

11. Dutch children receive their holiday gifts for the feast of Sinterklaas. On what December date is it celebrated in the Netherlands?

    1. December 1
    2. December 5
    3. December 13
    4. December 24
    Show answer

    B. December 5 Holland's tourism site says Sinterklaas matters more there than Santa Claus; the Christmas tree goes up after he departs.

12. During the nights before Christmas, Icelandic children set what on the windowsill for the visiting Yule Lads to fill?

    1. A basket
    2. A mitten
    3. A stocking
    4. A shoe
    Show answer

    D. A shoe Good children find small gifts; disobedient ones find a rotten potato in the shoe instead.

13. Dresden's Striezelmarkt, one of Germany's best-known Christmas markets, was founded as a one-day market in what year?

    1. 1621
    2. 1398
    3. 1434
    4. 1534
    Show answer

    C. 1434 It began as a market where residents bought meat for the Christmas meal, and it marked its 590th anniversary in 2024.

14. In Ethiopia, where Christmas falls in early January, what is the holiday called in Amharic?

    1. Timkat
    2. Genna
    3. Meskel
    4. Enkutatash
    Show answer

    B. Genna Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on January 7, which is Tahsas 29 in Ethiopia's own calendar.

15. In Italian folklore, who flies over Italy on a broomstick the night of January 5 to fill children's stockings?

    1. Babbo Natale
    2. La Fata Turchina
    3. La Befana
    4. Santa Lucia
    Show answer

    C. La Befana Her visit comes on the eve of Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, twelve days after Christmas Day.

16. Mexico's Las Posadas processions in late December reenact whose search for a place to stay?

    1. The shepherds
    2. The three wise men
    3. Mary and Joseph
    4. The apostles
    Show answer

    C. Mary and Joseph Singers go door to door asking for shelter and are turned away until a host finally welcomes them in for a party.

17. The first printed Advent calendars sold commercially were published in which country?

    1. Switzerland
    2. Germany
    3. Denmark
    4. Austria
    Show answer

    B. Germany Publisher Gerhard Lang's mother once fixed 24 cookies to a piece of cardboard for him; his printed calendars had 24 pictures to stick onto cardboard.

18. In which country do millions of families celebrate Christmas with a bucket of KFC fried chicken?

    1. Thailand
    2. South Korea
    3. China
    4. Japan
    Show answer

    D. Japan Fortune reported in 2016 that about 3.6 million Japanese families celebrate Christmas with KFC.

19. Santa Claus Village, a tourist attraction about five miles north of Rovaniemi's city center in Lapland, is in which country?

    1. Sweden
    2. Finland
    3. Canada
    4. Norway
    Show answer

    B. Finland The village's first building, a cottage constructed in 1950, honored a trip to Rovaniemi by Eleanor Roosevelt.

20. On Christmas Eve, Catalan children sing to the 'Tió de Nadal' and do what so it releases its stash of candies and gifts?

    1. Roll it downhill
    2. Hit it with sticks
    3. Splash it with water
    4. Spin it in circles
    Show answer

    B. Hit it with sticks From December 8, children 'feed' the log nuts and dried fruit nightly, then find it has 'pooped out' treats on Christmas Eve.

21. Spain held the first draw of its yearly Christmas lottery during its war against Napoleon's forces. In which year was that draw held?

    1. 1763
    2. 1901
    3. 1812
    4. 1848
    Show answer

    C. 1812 Spain's national lottery is even older: it was set up as a charity in 1763 under King Carlos III.

22. Mexico celebrates Las Posadas from December 16 to 24. What does the Spanish word 'posada' mean in English?

    1. Inn
    2. Star
    3. Gift
    4. Candle
    Show answer

    A. Inn The tradition is also celebrated in Guatemala and parts of the southern United States.

23. In Iceland's Christmas folklore, how many Yule Lads take turns visiting children in the run-up to Christmas?

    1. 13
    2. 12
    3. 7
    4. 9
    Show answer

    A. 13 Iceland's tourism site calls them trolls, yet harmless mischief-makers who bring gifts to well-behaved kids.

24. Sweden's Christmas Eve Donald Duck special airs at the same time every year. What time does it start?

    1. 6 p.m.
    2. 3 p.m.
    3. 9 a.m.
    4. 1 p.m.
    Show answer

    B. 3 p.m. Slate reported in 2009 that it ranked among Sweden's three biggest TV events, drawing 40 to 50 percent of the country.