Christmas Songs & Carols

40 questions · Answers revealed below each question · Print this set

1.What is the beloved Brazilian Portuguese title of the hymn "Silent Night"?
- A. Bela Noite
- B. Natal Branco
- C. Boas Festas
- D. Noite Feliz
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Noite Feliz
Did you know? Em português, o hino austríaco virou "Noite Feliz".
2.In "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", which pudding do carolers demand?
- A. Rice pudding
- B. Bread pudding
- C. Figgy pudding
- D. Plum pudding
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Figgy pudding
Did you know? The carolers refuse to go until they get some figgy pudding.
3.Which Brazilian singer made "Natal Branco" a Portuguese-language Christmas classic?
- A. Simone
- B. Roberto Carlos
- C. Caetano Veloso
- D. Gilberto Gil
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Roberto Carlos
Did you know? Roberto Carlos recorded the definitive Brazilian "Natal Branco".
4.Which singer made "Blue Christmas" a rock-era classic in 1957?
- A. Jerry Lee Lewis
- B. Roy Orbison
- C. Elvis Presley
- D. Johnny Cash
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Elvis Presley
Did you know? Elvis Presley recorded "Blue Christmas" for his 1957 Christmas album.
5.Who released "Santa Tell Me" in 2014?
- A. Demi Lovato
- B. Selena Gomez
- C. Katy Perry
- D. Ariana Grande
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Ariana Grande
Did you know? Ariana Grande added "Santa Tell Me" to the modern canon.
6.Which group took "Mary's Boy Child" to number one in 1978?
- A. Eruption
- B. Bee Gees
- C. Boney M.
- D. ABBA
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Boney M.
Did you know? Boney M.'s version topped the UK chart at Christmas 1978.
7."Good King Wenceslas" was actually a duke of which historical land?
- A. Poland
- B. Bohemia
- C. Hungary
- D. Bavaria
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Bohemia
Did you know? Wenceslas I ruled Bohemia in the 10th century.
8.Which Beatle recorded "Wonderful Christmastime" in 1979?
- A. Ringo Starr
- B. Paul McCartney
- C. John Lennon
- D. George Harrison
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Paul McCartney
Did you know? Paul McCartney released the synth-driven carol in 1979.
9.Who recorded "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in 1963?
- A. Bing Crosby
- B. Dean Martin
- C. Andy Williams
- D. Perry Como
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Andy Williams
Did you know? Andy Williams' version made the song a perennial favorite.
10.In Brazil, John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is sung under which title?
- A. Então É Natal
- B. Boas Festas
- C. Natal Branco
- D. Noite Feliz
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Então É Natal
Did you know? The Brazilian version is universally known as "Então É Natal".
11.Which Joni Mitchell song, a melancholy Christmas favorite, begins "It's coming on Christmas"?
- A. A Case of You
- B. Both Sides Now
- C. River
- D. Big Yellow Taxi
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River
Did you know? Joni Mitchell's "River" opens on a Christmas scene.
12.Which 1984 charity supergroup recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
- A. Farm Aid
- B. Band Aid
- C. USA for Africa
- D. Live Aid
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Band Aid
Did you know? Band Aid assembled UK stars for the 1984 Ethiopian famine relief single.
13.Which hip-hop group released "Christmas in Hollis" in 1987?
- A. Public Enemy
- B. Run-DMC
- C. Beastie Boys
- D. LL Cool J
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Run-DMC
Did you know? Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" appeared on a 1987 holiday compilation.
14.How old was Jimmy Boyd when he sang the 1952 hit "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"?
- A. Nine
- B. Eleven
- C. Sixteen
- D. Thirteen
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Thirteen
Did you know? Jimmy Boyd was 13 when the record hit number one.
15.In "Good King Wenceslas", the king looks out on the feast of which saint?
- A. St. Nicholas
- B. St. Basil
- C. St. Stephen
- D. St. Lucia
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St. Stephen
Did you know? The carol opens "on the feast of Stephen".
16.On which 1994 album did Mariah Carey release "All I Want for Christmas Is You"?
- A. Daydream
- B. Merry Christmas
- C. Music Box
- D. Emotions
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Merry Christmas
Did you know? The song closed side one of "Merry Christmas" (1994).
17.Which rocker's live versions made "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" an arena staple?
- A. Bob Seger
- B. Bruce Springsteen
- C. John Mellencamp
- D. Tom Petty
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Bruce Springsteen
Did you know? Springsteen's live take became a radio favorite.
18.Who sang "Believe" for "The Polar Express" soundtrack?
- A. Celine Dion
- B. Michael Bublé
- C. Josh Groban
- D. Andrea Bocelli
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Josh Groban
Did you know? Josh Groban recorded "Believe" for the film.
19.Who recorded the novelty hit "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (1979)?
- A. Ray Stevens
- B. Elmo & Patsy
- C. Sheb Wooley
- D. C. W. McCall
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Elmo & Patsy
Did you know? Elmo & Patsy's 1979 novelty song became an annual radio fixture.
20.Which surf rock band released "Little Saint Nick" in 1963?
- A. The Four Seasons
- B. The Ronettes
- C. Jan and Dean
- D. The Beach Boys
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The Beach Boys
Did you know? The Beach Boys gave Santa a hot-rod sleigh in 1963.
21.Who recorded "Step Into Christmas" in 1973?
- A. Elton John
- B. David Bowie
- C. Billy Joel
- D. Rod Stewart
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Elton John
Did you know? Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" remains a December fixture.
22.Who recorded "Underneath the Tree" in 2013?
- A. Pink
- B. Katy Perry
- C. Kelly Clarkson
- D. Demi Lovato
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Kelly Clarkson
Did you know? Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree" topped holiday charts.
23.Which 2011 Michael Bublé album became a modern holiday best-seller?
- A. Call Me Irresponsible
- B. Crazy Love
- C. Christmas
- D. To Be Loved
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Christmas
Did you know? Bublé's "Christmas" (2011) topped charts worldwide.
24."Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" was famously written during what weather?
- A. A California heatwave
- B. A summer thunderstorm
- C. A London fog
- D. A New York blizzard
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A California heatwave
Did you know? Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne wrote it in the 1945 California heat.
25.Who sang "Where Are You Christmas?" for the 2000 Grinch film?
- A. Shania Twain
- B. Faith Hill
- C. Celine Dion
- D. Mariah Carey
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Faith Hill
Did you know? Faith Hill sang the theme from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000).
26.Which song's melody was played in space aboard Gemini 6A in 1965 as a holiday prank?
- A. Jingle Bells
- B. White Christmas
- C. Up on the Housetop
- D. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
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Jingle Bells
Did you know? Gemini 6A astronauts played "Jingle Bells" in orbit in December 1965.
27.Who composed the instrumental "Sleigh Ride", premiered in 1948?
- A. John Williams
- B. Leonard Bernstein
- C. Aaron Copland
- D. Leroy Anderson
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Leroy Anderson
Did you know? Leroy Anderson premiered "Sleigh Ride" with the Boston Pops.
28.Which songwriter wrote both "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas"?
- A. Sammy Cahn
- B. Johnny Marks
- C. Irving Berlin
- D. Jule Styne
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Johnny Marks
Did you know? Johnny Marks turned Rudolph's story into a string of hits.
29.How many gifts are given in total in "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?
- A. 156
- B. 364
- C. 78
- D. 300
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364
Did you know? Summing all the verses gives 364 gifts.
30.Which band recorded "Fairytale of New York" with Kirsty MacColl in 1987?
- A. The Clash
- B. The Waterboys
- C. The Pogues
- D. The Dubliners
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The Pogues
Did you know? The Pogues' duet with Kirsty MacColl is a UK Christmas staple.
31.Who recorded the 1950 hit "Frosty the Snowman"?
- A. Perry Como
- B. Nat King Cole
- C. Bing Crosby
- D. Gene Autry
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Gene Autry
Did you know? Gene Autry followed "Rudolph" with the "Frosty" hit in 1950.
32.Which singer first recorded "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" in 1963?
- A. The Crystals
- B. Darlene Love
- C. The Ronettes
- D. The Shirelles
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Darlene Love
Did you know? Darlene Love sang the highlight of Phil Spector's Christmas album.
33.Who composed "Jingle Bells" in the 1850s?
- A. James Lord Pierpont
- B. Thomas D. Rice
- C. Stephen Foster
- D. John Philip Sousa
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James Lord Pierpont
Did you know? James Lord Pierpont published the song as "One Horse Open Sleigh" in 1857.
34.Which band recorded "Father Christmas" in 1977?
- A. The Hollies
- B. The Who
- C. The Kinks
- D. The Rolling Stones
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The Kinks
Did you know? The Kinks' "Father Christmas" tells of a department store Santa robbed by kids.
35.Who sang "A Holly Jolly Christmas" in the 1964 Rudolph TV special?
- A. Fred Astaire
- B. Mickey Rooney
- C. Burl Ives
- D. Jimmy Durante
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Burl Ives
Did you know? Burl Ives, voice of Sam the Snowman, sang the song.
36.Which song from "The Polar Express" won the 2005 Oscar for Best Original Song?
- A. Rockin' on Top of the World
- B. When Christmas Comes to Town
- C. Believe
- D. Hot Chocolate
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Believe
Did you know? "Believe" by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri won the Academy Award.
37.Which producer created the 1963 album "A Christmas Gift for You"?
- A. Brian Wilson
- B. Berry Gordy
- C. Phil Spector
- D. Quincy Jones
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Phil Spector
Did you know? Phil Spector's Wall of Sound met Christmas classics in 1963.
38.Who recorded the definitive 1946 version of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"?
- A. Nat King Cole
- B. Ella Fitzgerald
- C. Frank Sinatra
- D. Bing Crosby
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Nat King Cole
Did you know? Nat King Cole's 1946 recording made the song a standard.
39.Which artist wrote "Last Christmas"?
- A. Elton John
- B. Andrew Ridgeley
- C. David Bowie
- D. George Michael
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George Michael
Did you know? George Michael wrote, produced and sang the 1984 hit.
40.The melody of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" comes from which composer's work?
- A. Felix Mendelssohn
- B. Joseph Haydn
- C. Johann Sebastian Bach
- D. George Handel
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Felix Mendelssohn
Did you know? Mendelssohn's 1840 cantata supplied the tune.

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