Printable December 50+ Trivia Questions and Answers
December is a month filled with holiday cheer, winter wonder, and fascinating historical events. As the last month of the year, it’s a time for reflection and celebration. Whether you’re looking to spice up a holiday party, challenge your friends and family, or simply expand your knowledge, December trivia questions can be both fun and educational. From Christmas traditions to important historical dates, winter sports to astronomical events, there’s a wide range of topics to explore. Get ready to test your knowledge and learn some interesting facts about this festive month with our collection of December trivia questions and answers. Let’s dive in and see how much you know about the twelfth month of the year!
There is also a free printable version at the end.
History
- Multiple Choice
What historical event began on December 16, 1773, in Boston?
a) The American Revolution
b) The Boston Tea Party
c) The signing of the Declaration of Independence
d) The Battle of Bunker Hill
Answer: b) The Boston Tea Party - True or False
The United Nations was officially established in December.
Answer: False (It was established in October.) - Fill in the Blank
On December 7, 1941, the U.S. naval base at _______ was attacked, leading the United States into World War II.
Answer: Pearl Harbor - Open-Ended
Which European nation declared independence on December 6, 1917?
Answer: Finland - Multiple Choice
On December 10, 1901, the first Nobel Prizes were awarded. Which category was NOT part of the original prizes?
a) Literature
b) Peace
c) Economics
d) Physics
Answer: c) Economics - Multiple Choice
Who became King of England on December 25, 1066?
a) Richard the Lionheart
b) William the Conqueror
c) Edward the Confessor
d) Alfred the Great
Answer: b) William the Conqueror - True or False
The Wright Brothers made their first powered flight in December 1903.
Answer: True - Fill in the Blank
On December 1, 1955, _______ refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Civil Rights Movement.
Answer: Rosa Parks - Open-Ended
The Apollo 17 mission, the last crewed mission to the Moon, launched in December of which year?
Answer: 1972 - Multiple Choice
On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a deadly tsunami. What was its magnitude?
a) 7.9
b) 8.6
c) 9.1
d) 9.8
Answer: c) 9.1
Holidays
- Multiple Choice
When is Hanukkah typically celebrated in December?
a) Always starting on December 25
b) On variable dates, depending on the Hebrew calendar
c) Always ending on December 31
d) Every first week of December
Answer: b) On variable dates, depending on the Hebrew calendar - True or False
Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1.
Answer: True - Open-Ended
What is the name of the traditional December holiday celebrated in Mexico that reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter?
Answer: Las Posadas - Fill in the Blank
St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6, is especially popular in _______ and _______.
Answer: Germany and the Netherlands - Multiple Choice
Which country is credited with starting the tradition of the Christmas tree?
a) England
b) Germany
c) Sweden
d) Italy
Answer: b) Germany - Multiple Choice
The Feast of St. Lucia, celebrated on December 13, is an important holiday in which country?
a) Norway
b) Sweden
c) Iceland
d) Denmark
Answer: b) Sweden - True or False
Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26, originated in Australia.
Answer: False (It originated in the UK.) - Fill in the Blank
The Hindu festival of _______ occasionally falls in December, though its timing varies each year.
Answer: Diwali - Open-Ended
What is the name of the Japanese tradition of cleaning homes and preparing for the New Year, often carried out in late December?
Answer: Ōsōji - Multiple Choice
What holiday is celebrated in December and involves the lighting of a Kinara?
a) Hanukkah
b) Kwanzaa
c) Winter Solstice
d) Advent
Answer: b) Kwanzaa
Pop Culture
- Multiple Choice
The song “Jingle Bell Rock” was first released in December of which year?
a) 1947
b) 1957
c) 1967
d) 1977
Answer: b) 1957 - True or False
The movie Home Alone was released in December 1990.
Answer: False (Home Alone was released in November 1990.) - Fill in the Blank
In the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” on the 12th day, my true love gave me _______.
Answer: Twelve drummers drumming - Open-Ended
What iconic holiday special first aired on December 9, 1965, and features a character questioning the commercialism of Christmas?
Answer: A Charlie Brown Christmas - Multiple Choice
In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what is the name of the Grinch’s dog?
a) Max
b) Sam
c) Charlie
d) Spot
Answer: a) Max - Multiple Choice
The first televised address by a U.S. President occurred in December 1947. Who was the president?
a) Harry S. Truman
b) Franklin D. Roosevelt
c) Dwight D. Eisenhower
d) Herbert Hoover
Answer: a) Harry S. Truman - True or False
“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” was written during a December snowstorm.
Answer: False (It was written in July.) - Fill in the Blank
The 1992 film The Muppet Christmas Carol is based on the novella by _______.
Answer: Charles Dickens - Open-Ended
Which artist recorded the famous December hit song “Last Christmas”?
Answer: Wham! - Multiple Choice
The character of Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol was visited by how many ghosts?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
Answer: c) 4
(Continued in Geography, Science, Literature, and Sports…)
Geography
- Multiple Choice
December marks the start of summer in which hemisphere?
a) Northern
b) Southern
c) Both
d) Neither
Answer: b) Southern - True or False
The Tropic of Capricorn receives the most direct sunlight during December.
Answer: True - Fill in the Blank
December is the peak of the _______ season in Antarctica, when scientists and tourists are most active.
Answer: Summer - Open-Ended
What U.S. state has an annual December tradition called the “Christmas Boat Parade”?
Answer: California - Multiple Choice
In which country is the world-famous “Santa Claus Village,” a popular December tourist destination, located?
a) Canada
b) Finland
c) Norway
d) Sweden
Answer: b) Finland - Multiple Choice
Which African country celebrates its independence on December 12?
a) Kenya
b) Ghana
c) Nigeria
d) Tanzania
Answer: a) Kenya - True or False
In December, the Arctic region experiences 24 hours of daylight.
Answer: False (It experiences 24 hours of darkness.) - Fill in the Blank
The tallest sand dunes in the world, located in the Namib Desert, are often visited in December in _______.
Answer: Namibia - Open-Ended
What is the name of the warm ocean current that peaks in strength around December and can disrupt weather patterns worldwide?
Answer: El Niño - Multiple Choice
Which city is famous for its giant December Christmas markets?
a) Vienna
b) London
c) Paris
d) Berlin
Answer: a) Vienna
Science
- Multiple Choice
What astronomical event occurs around December 21?
a) The vernal equinox
b) The winter solstice
c) The summer solstice
d) The autumnal equinox
Answer: b) The winter solstice - True or False
December is part of the Perseid meteor shower season.
Answer: False (It’s part of the Geminid meteor shower season.) - Fill in the Blank
The Geminid meteor shower peaks in mid-December and appears to radiate from the constellation _______.
Answer: Gemini - Open-Ended
What is the common name for the shortest day of the year, occurring in December in the Northern Hemisphere?
Answer: Winter solstice - Multiple Choice
Which of the following animals has a migration that peaks in December?
a) Monarch butterflies
b) Gray whales
c) Arctic terns
d) Penguins
Answer: b) Gray whales - Multiple Choice
What is the scientific term for Earth’s closest approach to the Sun, which typically happens in early January, shortly after December?
a) Perihelion
b) Aphelion
c) Solstice
d) Equinox
Answer: a) Perihelion - True or False
December sees one of the highest tides of the year due to the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
Answer: True - Fill in the Blank
December babies born under the zodiac sign Sagittarius are associated with the element _______.
Answer: Fire - Open-Ended
What is the name of the molecule that gives holly berries their bright red color?
Answer: Anthocyanin - Multiple Choice
What atmospheric phenomenon is most visible in the Arctic during December?
a) Thunderstorms
b) Tornadoes
c) Aurora Borealis
d) Heatwaves
Answer: c) Aurora Borealis
Literature
- Multiple Choice
What famous poem begins with “‘Twas the night before Christmas…”?
a) The Gift of the Magi
b) A Christmas Carol
c) A Visit from St. Nicholas
d) The Snow Queen
Answer: c) A Visit from St. Nicholas - True or False
C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe features a winter that lasts for 100 years.
Answer: True - Fill in the Blank
Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol was first published in December of the year _______.
Answer: 1843 - Open-Ended
What American writer penned the short story The Gift of the Magi, often associated with Christmas?
Answer: O. Henry - Multiple Choice
Which novel begins with the line, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents”?
a) Little Women
b) Pride and Prejudice
c) Jane Eyre
d) Wuthering Heights
Answer: a) Little Women
Sports
- Multiple Choice
What popular college football bowl game is traditionally played on December 1?
a) Rose Bowl
b) Cotton Bowl
c) Sugar Bowl
d) None of the above
Answer: d) None of the above (Bowl games usually begin mid-December.) - True or False
The Winter Olympics have never started in December.
Answer: True - Fill in the Blank
In 2010, FIFA awarded Qatar the right to host the _______ World Cup, which was played in December.
Answer: 2022 - Open-Ended
Which NHL team hosted the first Winter Classic outdoor hockey game in December 2008?
Answer: Buffalo Sabres - Multiple Choice
The NBA Christmas Day games are a tradition. When did this tradition start?
a) 1947
b) 1967
c) 1977
d) 1987
Answer: a) 1947
