Christmas Bar Trivia Questions

How America built its Christmas

Christmas was not always the giant American celebration it is today. Puritan Massachusetts actually banned celebrating it from 1659 until the law was repealed in 1681, and for much of the colonial era the day was quiet in New England. Over the 1800s, customs brought by Dutch, German, British and Irish immigrants blended together, while writers, artists and merchants helped turn it into the family holiday Americans now know.

A Christmas trivia round works well because nearly everyone carries some of the answers around without realizing it. Years of holiday movies on TV, storybooks read aloud every December and carols on the radio stick in the memory. When a question stumps you, think about where you first met the story: an old novel, a classic film, a Saturday morning TV special or a family tradition. That usually points you toward the right decade and the right answer.

For a party, pair this round with a gift-wrapping race or an ugly sweater vote between rounds. Keep a few spare pencils handy, award a candy cane for each right answer, and let the winning team pick the next movie.