Holidays are special days or periods of time that commemorate or celebrate an event, person or culture. They are a part of every culture, and often come with their own set of traditions, customs, and rituals. There is a wide range of holiday trivia questions that can be asked, whether you're a history buff or someone who is curious about the different celebrations around the world.
Here are some examples of holiday trivia questions you might come across: What is the origin of Christmas? When is Hanukkah celebrated? What is the significance of Diwali? What is the meaning of Mardi Gras? These questions cover a wide range of holidays, including both religious and secular celebrations, and events that are celebrated in different parts of the world.
In addition to the history and significance of holidays, there are also many fun and interesting facts to learn about. For example, did you know that Christmas is celebrated on December 25th to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, but it has its origins in ancient Roman and pagan celebrations? Or that Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days in the Temple after the Maccabees reclaimed it from the Greeks? These trivia questions will not only test your knowledge, but also give you a glimpse into the many fascinating aspects of holidays, the cultures and the traditions that surround it.
75 Holiday Trivia Questions Ranked From Easiest to Hardest (Updated for 2023)
- What search engine makes changes to its logo, known as "doodles," to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and famous people, such as a pointillist version in honor of artist Georges Seurat?
Answer: Google
- According to a survey by Dance magazine, what Christmas-themed Tchaikovsky ballet accounts for nearly half the annual revenue of many dance companies?
Answer: The Nutcracker
- The 1953 film "Roman Holiday" is famous for its scenes of Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck riding around Rome on a scooter made by what Italian brand whose name means "wasp?"
Answer: Vespa
- A young boy takes a train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve in what classic 1985 children's book by Chris Van Allsburg?
Answer: The Polar Express
- According to the song, when Peter Cottontail comes hoppin’ down the bunny trail, hippity-hoppity, what springtime holiday is on its way?
Answer: Easter
- Celebrated on the 19th day of the sixth month of the year, what is the newest addition to the US federal holiday calendar, as signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021?
Answer: Juneteenth
- If you ask when a ship will operate and get ATDNSHINC as a response, here’s a tip: it stands for “Any Time Day or Night Sundays and ______ included)
Answer: Holidays
- In "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," what magical country does the White Witch put a spell on so that it is always winter but never Christmas?
Answer: Narnia
- Celebrated with tequila and sombreros by many Americans, Cinco De Mayo actually commemorates the not--so-boozy defeat of the French by what nation at the 1862 Battle of Puebla?
Answer: Mexico
- Celebrated on December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe Day draws Catholics from around the world to pay homage to an image of the Virgin Mary located in what country?
Answer: Mexico
- Known as Fright Fest at all U.S. locations, but known as Festival de Terror in Mexico, the Halloween-oriented haunt event with attractions and themed "Scare Zones" is an annual staple at what chain of theme parks?
Answer: Six Flags
- The Halloween classic "Hocus Pocus" is set in what guessable Massachusetts city?
Answer: Salem
- "Hubie Something," "Something H20: 20 Years Later," and "Boo! A Madea Something" are movie titles where "Something" replaced what holiday?
Answer: Halloween
- What rhyming made-up word completes the following Seinfeld-created holiday phrase? "Festivus for the ______."
Answer: The Rest of Us
- What autumn holiday was described by writer O. Henry as "the one day that is purely American?"
Answer: Thanksgiving
- "I played my best for him" and "He smiled at me" are both lyrics in what popular Christmas song that was first recorded in 1951 and details a poor young boy being summoned by the Magi to Jesus's birth?
Answer: The Little Drummer Boy
- In the insurance business, what is the name for a person whose job it is to analyze statistics to calculate risks and price premiums accordingly?
Answer: Actuary
- Halloween is derived from "Hallow E'en" or All Hallows Eve, which denoted the evening before what Christian holiday honoring saints celebrated on November 1st in western Christianity?
Answer: All Saints' Day
- In the song “Frosty the Snowman,” what article of clothing made Frosty come to life?
Answer: Old silk hat
- The Dino Rescue Patroller is a motorized toy that was a popular item for the 2020 holidays and is inspired by what extremely-popular kids television program?
Answer: Paw Patrol
- "The Cricket on the Hearth" is a holiday novel, not nearly as well known as "A Christmas Carol," by what British author?
Answer: Charles Dickens
- Since it was first announced in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium, March 14 is the annual celebration of what 'tasty' mathematical constant?
Answer: Pi
- In Spain, a tradition in the first seconds of the New Year is to quickly eat 12 uvas for good luck. In English, what fruit are uvas?
Answer: Grapes
- What Alaska state holiday, observed on the last day of March, is named for the United States Secretary of State that negotiated the United States' purchase of Alaska from Russia?
Answer: Seward's Day
- Called "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" in the native language, what country commemorates October 3, the anniversary of the day its eastern and western parts reunited, with a national Unity Day holiday?
Answer: Germany
- A central item in Kwanzaa traditions, the kinara holds one black, three red, and three green of what item?
Answer: Candles
- In her 1983 hit "Holiday," what one-named singer declares that "if we took a holiday, took some time to celebrate just one day out of life, it would be so nice?"
Answer: Madonna
- Eating a bucket of KFC will make you just as sleepy as a big ol' helping of Thanksgiving turkey, since most poultry contains about the same amount of what T-word amino acid?
Answer: Tryptophan
- Whamageddon is a challenge with competitors trying to make it through the holiday season without hearing what Wham Christmas song?
Answer: Last Christmas
- Celebrated by many on November 13th, what holiday on which women ask men out originated from the Al Capp comic strip, "Li'l Abner?"
Answer: Sadie Hawkins Day
- After remixing his "Si Se Puede" call-to-action as a campaign slogan, what U.S. president declared March 31 a federal commemorative holiday honoring César Chávez?
Answer: Barack Obama
- In 1887, Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to make it an official public holiday. Seven years later, there were 29 additional states with official celebrations. What is it?
Answer: Labor Day
- Literally meaning “new day”, Nowruz is the new year in the Solar Hijri calendar. The Solar Hijri calendar is the official calendar of which country, the second largest in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia?
Answer: Iran
- In 1870, which president who was a commanding general during the Civil War signed legislation to make Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day federal holidays?
Answer: Ulysses S. Grant
- What holiest day of the Jewish year focuses on atonement with a fast, confession, and prayer? It lent its name to an armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Egypt and Syria in 1973.
Answer: Yom Kippur
- "Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke and "Crazy Rich Asians" star Henry Golding teamed up in what 2019 holiday rom-com named for a Wham! song?
Answer: Last Christmas
- Although a staple of the holiday, candy corn is also often considered a polarizing sweet and is even considered "Halloween's most contentious sweet" by Vox. In the vast majority of tri-colored pieces of candy corn, what color is the middle section of the sweet?
Answer: Orange
- Literally meaning “head of the year”, what three day holiday celebrates the Jewish New Year? In English it is sometimes referred to as the Feast of Trumpets.
Answer: Rosh Hashanah
- It has been tradition for the Irish taoiseach to give the US president shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day since ambassador John Hearne gave them to which US president in 1952?
Answer: Harry Truman
- Don't say turkey: Vaccinium macrocarpon is the scientific name of what Thanksgiving staple?
Answer: Cranberry
- List as one of the “50 Greatest TV Animals” by Animal Planet in 2003, name the greyhound adopted by The Simpsons in the 1989 Christmas special “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”.
Answer: Santa’s Little Helper
- Observed for eight days and nights, Hanukkah starts on the 25th day of what month on the Hebrew calendar?
Answer: Kislev
- Eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas Day has been a tradition since the 1970s in what nation on the other side of the world from Kentucky?
Answer: Japan
- Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, what week-long Jewish holiday starts five days after Yom Kippur and involves dwelling in a foliage-covered booth?
Answer: Sukkot
- What is the five-letter name of the cannabis-based drink, popular in India, which of traditionally served during holidays of Maha Shivaratri and Holi?
Answer: Bhang
- What December holiday, which honors various African harvest festival traditions, was invented in 1966 by professor Maulana Karenga?
Answer: Kwanzaa
- Add the release year of the classic Christmas film "Holiday Inn" to the year "The Express: The Ernie Davis Story" was released. What's that add up to?
Answer:
- In Germany, New Year's Eve is known by what name that makes it sound like the star of the "Rocky" film franchise?
Answer: Silvester
- Which city in Ottawa County is home to a light-up musical water fountain on Dewey Hill that puts on shows celebrating holidays and even you’re favorite Disney sing-a-long?
Answer: Grand Haven
- Which type of novelty calendar inspired by Christian tradition is popular around the holidays and involves opening a little present each day in December leading up to Christmas Day on the 25th? (Hint: They’re often chocolate or toys, but you can also find them with cheese…)
Answer: Advent
- Multiply the number in the title of a 2002 Adam Sandler Hanukkah cartoon movie by the number of candles on a Kwanzaa kinara. What's that equal?
Answer:
- The well-protected "Home Alone" house is standing strong at 671 Lincoln Ave in Winnetka, Illinois. What's its five-digit zip code?
Answer:
- "Must Love Flowers," "Holidays With the Angels," and "The Christmas Spirit" are among the many recent novels by what prolific romance author who was born in Yakima?
Answer: Debbie Macomber
- When they launched in 2016, which robotic creature that “unboxed itself” by Spin Master got so popular that no one could find one in time for the holidays and people were selling the online for hundreds of dollars?
Answer: Hatchimals
- Rory and Lorelai work to squeeze in four holiday dinners in "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving," an episode from what TV series?
Answer: Gilmore Girls
- On Halloween in 1926, a certain 52-year-old man died from impacts of a ruptured appendix at Grace Hospital in Detroit. This man's spookily-timed death was strictly coincidental but during his life he was often suspected of otherworldly or spiritual connections. Who is this man?
Answer: ehrich weiss
- What is the word commonly found during election time which evolved from Latin words for "upon" and "lean on" or "lie down"? In electoral matters, the word is often simply abbreviated with the lower case letter "i".
Answer: Incumbent
- What Christian holiday, typically celebrated in early January, celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ, usually the moment when the Magi visited the Christ Child? This “E” holiday is known as ‘Theophany’ in the East.
Answer: Epiphany
- The bittersweet song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is originally from what Judy Garland movie musical with a US city in its name?
Answer: Meet Me in St. Louis
- What is the name of the department store in the movie "Elf" that is modeled after the real-life Macy's in New York City?
Answer: Gimbels
- The Mullagh Medal goes to the Player of the Match for Australia's traditional Boxing Day face-off at MCG in what sport?
Answer: Cricket
- The Mexican holiday of Dia de Muertos on November 1st is often marked with ornately planned and decorated ofrendas (altars) in which loved ones are remembered and celebrated. One popular decoration is the bright orange Flor de Muerto (Flower of Dead) which is more often known by what name in English?
Answer: Mexican marigolds
- The restaurant chain Chipotle has celebrated Halloween for 20 years with a variety of promotions such as free burritos for customers wearing tinfoil. What is the punny name that the chain uses for this celebration? By the way, in 2020, the event unsurprisingly went fully digital.
Answer: Boorito
- In what Fox teen drama series did character Seth Cohen claim to have invented the holiday of Chrismukkah?
Answer: The O.C.
- Dressed in sequins and feathers, musicians known as Mummers parade down Broad Street in a New Year's Day tradition in what East Coast city?
Answer: Philadelphia
- What president officially made Thanksgiving a US national holiday, marking the last Thursday in November on everybody’s calendar? This president had particular pressure to bring the country together for a friendly dinner.
Answer: Abraham Lincoln
- Referring to the inn from the Nativity story, Las Posadas is a pre-Christmas celebratory novena that lasts for how many days?
Answer: Nine
- Moving Day, July 1st, in what Canadian province results in over 7% of the population moving in that province's largest city?
Answer: Quebec
- The ball that drops to commemorate New Year's Eve in Times Square, NYC, is covered in nearly 2,700 crystal triangles from what company named for a city in Ireland?
Answer: Waterford
- Often used in the mortgage industry, what is the 16-letter term that refers to the likely ability of a borrower to repay debt?
Answer: Crediworthiness
- On August 14th of every year, what country celebrates its independence following the end of the British Raj? India's is one day later.
Answer: Pakistan
- What ancient Roman festival, held from December 17th on the Julian calendar until December 23rd, was used to honor a Roman God? Nowadays, its name is reminiscent of the sixth planet from our sun.
Answer: Saturnalia
- The Jewish holiday Purim commemorates the Jewish people being saved from what Achaemenid Persian Empire official who had planned to kill all Jews?
Answer: Haman
- What American author wrote the sweetly ironic Christmas-themed short story, "The Gift of the Magi?"
Answer: O.Henry
- January 13th is a Federal Observance Day to commemorate the life of what 19th century songwriter of minstrel showtunes like “Oh! Susanna”, “My Old Kentucky Home”, and “Camptown Races?”
Answer: Stephen Foster
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About the Author
Eli Robinson is the Chief Trivia Officer at Water Cooler Trivia. He was once in a Bruce Springsteen cover band called F Street Band.
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