Megan Moran

Santa, elves and reindeer quiz

Where did Santa Claus come from, and what do real reindeer get up to in winter? These 20 questions follow the story from a fourth-century bishop to a famous poem, a department-store booklet and a phone call that started a Christmas Eve tradition. Gather the family and see who can name all the reindeer.

A free quiz from Megan Moran, author of The Ultimate Christmas Quiz Book.

Paper-cut illustration of reindeer and a sleigh full of presents outside a snowy workshop
Pick an answer to start20 to go

  1. Question 1 of 20The poemEasy

    How many reindeer are named in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas"?

  2. Question 2 of 20Saint NicholasEasy

    Saint Nicholas, whose legends inspired Santa Claus, was bishop of Myra, an ancient town in what is now which country?

  3. Question 3 of 20RudolphMedium

    In the 1964 TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which reindeer is Rudolph's father?

  4. Question 4 of 20The poemHard

    "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was first published anonymously on 23 December 1823 in which newspaper?

  5. Question 5 of 20Real reindeerMedium

    In winter, real reindeer dig through snow to feed mainly on what?

  6. Question 6 of 20Real reindeerEasy

    In North America, wild reindeer are usually known by what name?

  7. Question 7 of 20Picturing SantaMedium

    Cartoonist Thomas Nast drew his famous Santa Claus illustrations for which magazine?

  8. Question 8 of 20The poemHard

    In the poem's 1823 first printing, the last two reindeer were named "Dunder and" what?

  9. Question 9 of 20Saint NicholasMedium

    The feast day of Saint Nicholas falls on which date in the Western church calendar?

  10. Question 10 of 20The poemEasy

    "A Visit from St. Nicholas" is better known by which title, taken from its opening line?

  11. Question 11 of 20Picturing SantaMedium

    Which artist painted the Santa Claus figures used in Coca-Cola's Christmas advertising from 1931?

  12. Question 12 of 20Saint NicholasHard

    In 1087, sailors carried the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to which Italian city, where they are still venerated?

  13. Question 13 of 20Modern SantaMedium

    The Santa-tracking tradition now run by NORAD began in 1955 after a newspaper ad for which retailer gave children a number to call Santa?

  14. Question 14 of 20Names around the worldEasy

    The American name "Santa Claus" developed from Sinterklaas, the name for Saint Nicholas in which language?

  15. Question 15 of 20Real reindeerMedium

    Reindeer are the only species of deer in which what normally happens?

  16. Question 16 of 20The poemHard

    Besides Clement Clarke Moore, which New York poet has been proposed by some researchers as the true author of "A Visit from St. Nicholas"?

  17. Question 17 of 20Names around the worldMedium

    In Dutch tradition, Sinterklaas is said to arrive each November by steamboat from which country?

  18. Question 18 of 20Names around the worldEasy

    Which festive figure, long associated with English Christmas merrymaking, gradually merged with the American Santa Claus?

  19. Question 19 of 20ElvesMedium

    In "A Visit from St. Nicholas," the saint is described as "chubby and plump, a right jolly old" what?

  20. Question 20 of 20Real reindeerHard

    The reflective layer at the back of an Arctic reindeer's eyes changes from gold in summer to what color in winter?

Answer all 20 to see your score.

Want more? The Ultimate Christmas Quiz Book has over 500 questions like these, ready for your next quiz night.

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Show all the answers
  1. How many reindeer are named in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas"? Eight
  2. Saint Nicholas, whose legends inspired Santa Claus, was bishop of Myra, an ancient town in what is now which country? Turkey
  3. In the 1964 TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which reindeer is Rudolph's father? Donner
  4. "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was first published anonymously on 23 December 1823 in which newspaper? The Troy Sentinel
  5. In winter, real reindeer dig through snow to feed mainly on what? Lichens
  6. In North America, wild reindeer are usually known by what name? Caribou
  7. Cartoonist Thomas Nast drew his famous Santa Claus illustrations for which magazine? Harper's Weekly
  8. In the poem's 1823 first printing, the last two reindeer were named "Dunder and" what? Blixem
  9. The feast day of Saint Nicholas falls on which date in the Western church calendar? 6 December
  10. "A Visit from St. Nicholas" is better known by which title, taken from its opening line? 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
  11. Which artist painted the Santa Claus figures used in Coca-Cola's Christmas advertising from 1931? Haddon Sundblom
  12. In 1087, sailors carried the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to which Italian city, where they are still venerated? Bari
  13. The Santa-tracking tradition now run by NORAD began in 1955 after a newspaper ad for which retailer gave children a number to call Santa? Sears
  14. The American name "Santa Claus" developed from Sinterklaas, the name for Saint Nicholas in which language? Dutch
  15. Reindeer are the only species of deer in which what normally happens? Females grow antlers too
  16. Besides Clement Clarke Moore, which New York poet has been proposed by some researchers as the true author of "A Visit from St. Nicholas"? Henry Livingston Jr.
  17. In Dutch tradition, Sinterklaas is said to arrive each November by steamboat from which country? Spain
  18. Which festive figure, long associated with English Christmas merrymaking, gradually merged with the American Santa Claus? Father Christmas
  19. In "A Visit from St. Nicholas," the saint is described as "chubby and plump, a right jolly old" what? Elf
  20. The reflective layer at the back of an Arctic reindeer's eyes changes from gold in summer to what color in winter? Blue
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Origins of Christmas

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Classic Christmas films

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