Christmas Quiz for Work: Rounds, Rules and Questions
You have been asked to organise a Christmas quiz for work, probably with a day job still to do. The simplest approach is five rounds of about eight questions, played in teams of four to six, finished in 45 to 60 minutes. Below you will find a running order, sample questions with answers for every round, and a tie-breaker.
What makes a Christmas quiz for work go well
A good work quiz is one everyone can score on. Mixed ages and job roles mean the questions should be festive and familiar, not niche trivia that only one keen person can answer.
Keep it inclusive. Don’t build it around the pub, make sure non-drinkers and quieter colleagues have a role, and keep it to 45 to 60 minutes. Mix easy questions that everyone gets with a few hard ones that separate the top teams.
How to run it: set-up
Set-up is where most DIY quizzes succeed or fail, and it takes less effort than writing the questions.
Teams, scoring and marking
Teams of four to six work well. Mix departments on purpose, because a table of one department tends to dominate. Give each team a name, one answer sheet and one pen.
Score one point per correct answer. Have teams swap sheets after each round and mark in a different colour, then read the answers aloud. Decide in advance what counts as correct, and make the quizmaster’s ruling final.
Timing and a sample running order
This running order fits roughly 55 minutes:
- Welcome, rules and team names (5 minutes)
- Round 1: festive general knowledge (8 minutes, including marking)
- Round 2: Christmas music (8 minutes)
- Round 3: Christmas films and TV (8 minutes)
- Break and refills (5 minutes)
- Round 4: emoji picture round (8 minutes)
- Round 5: know your colleagues (8 minutes)
- Tie-breaker, scores and prizes (5 minutes)
Tie-breakers and prizes
Use a closest-guess number question, such as “How many baubles are on the tree in reception?” Write the answer down beforehand. Prizes can be small: chocolate, a trophy that rotates each year, or first pick of the leftover desserts.
Round ideas with sample questions and answers
Five of the six rounds below fill the running order; use festive numbers as a spare or swap it in for a round that does not suit your group. Each has sample questions with answers. They use well-known facts that are easy to check. For an easier round, offer multiple choice. For a harder one, ask for the extra detail given in brackets.
Festive general knowledge
- Which plant do people traditionally kiss under at Christmas? Mistletoe
- Which European capital gives its name to a sprout served with Christmas dinner? Brussels
- How many reindeer are named in “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, not counting Rudolph? Eight (name as many as you can for a bonus point)
Christmas music
- Which band had a hit with “Merry Xmas Everybody”? Slade
- Who sings “All I Want for Christmas Is You”? Mariah Carey
- Which 1984 charity single asked “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Band Aid
Christmas films and TV
- Who plays Buddy in Elf? Will Ferrell
- What is the name of the boy left behind in Home Alone? Kevin McCallister
- Who wrote A Christmas Carol? Charles Dickens
Emoji picture round
Show three emojis per question and ask for the title. For example, a reindeer, a red circle and a nose gives Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. A house, a child and a screaming face gives Home Alone.
Know your colleagues
Ask everyone to submit a fact in advance, such as a first job or an unusual talent, then ask “Who is it?” You choose the answers, so there is nothing to look up.
Festive numbers
- What do you receive on the fifth day of Christmas in the song? Five gold rings
- How many doors does a standard Advent calendar have? 24 (most start on 1 December)
- How many spirits visit Scrooge, not counting Marley’s ghost? Three
Funny and quirky rounds that suit adults
For a funnier quiz, lean into the office. Try a caption round with a photo of the team from the year, “guess the colleague’s baby photo” or a round on office clichés. A “guess the Christmas jumper owner” round also works.
Keep it kind. Ask people before using anything personal, and avoid jokes at someone’s expense. The best laughs come from shared experiences, not individual embarrassment.
Quiz formats compared
The right format depends on group size and how much effort you can give. The group sizes below are rules of thumb, not limits.
| Format | Best for | Effort | Remote-friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper, pub-style | 10 to 60 people in one room | Low: print sheets and questions | No |
| Slides | 20 to 100 people, with a screen | Medium: build the deck | Yes, with screen share |
| App or online | Mixed or remote groups | Low to medium: set up accounts | Yes |
| Hosted quiz or game show | Larger groups, parties, big socials | Low for you: a supplier runs it | Usually in person |
Running it for hybrid or remote teams
Put remote colleagues on mixed teams rather than a separate remote table, so they are not an afterthought. Share the questions on slides, use breakout rooms, and have each team nominate one person to submit answers in the chat or a form.
Skip rounds that need physical objects, and keep each round short. A few minutes of silence while people mark is awkward on video, so move straight to the next question.
When to bring in a host
As a rule of thumb, DIY works well for up to about 50 people and a casual lunch. It struggles when you want to run the quiz and enjoy it yourself, when the group is large, or when the quiz is part of a bigger party.
That is where a hosted event helps. Our Game Shows & Quizzes include Taskmaster-style challenges, Cube challenges, quizzes and bingo, with company-themed customisation and setup included. They suit post-conference or end-of-day socials. If you are planning more than a quiz, tell us about the whole event and we will build the rest around it.
FAQs
How many questions should a Christmas quiz for work have?
For a full session of 45 to 60 minutes, aim for 40 to 60 questions across five or six rounds. For a quick lunchtime quiz, 20 questions is plenty. These are our recommendations rather than a rule, so adjust for how chatty your teams are and how long you can spare.
Can you do a Christmas quiz with answers that is easy to mark?
Yes. Keep answers short and factual, print one answer sheet per team, and swap sheets between teams so nobody marks their own. Read the answers aloud after each round while it is fresh. Avoid questions with several valid answers, because they cause arguments about half marks.
What is a good tie-breaker for a work quiz?
A closest-guess number question works best, because there is always a winner. Pick something you can count or look up, such as the number of baubles on the reception tree. The team nearest wins. Write the answer down beforehand so there is no debate.
How long should a work Christmas quiz last?
Between 45 and 60 minutes suits most workplaces, including marking and a short break. Longer than that and people drift off or have to leave for meetings. If you only have a lunch hour, run four rounds of five questions and keep the tie-breaker in your back pocket.
Does a Christmas quiz work for remote teams?
It can, with a few changes. Use breakout rooms for teams, show questions on shared slides, and let teams submit answers in chat or a form. Avoid picture rounds that depend on screen size, and keep rounds short so the call does not drag.
Tell us about your event and we’ll put together a tailored proposal. Send us an enquiry and we’ll reply within one business day.