Megan Moran

Christmas carols quiz

Behind every favorite carol is a story of poets, priests, composers and faraway places. Discover who wrote the words and music, where the tunes came from and how some famous carol traditions began. Warm up your voice and see how many you know.

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

Paper-cut illustration of lanterns and open songbooks in front of a snowy village church
Pick an answer to start20 to go

  1. Question 1 of 20OriginsEasy

    In which language was 'Silent Night' originally written?

  2. Question 2 of 20ComposersMedium

    The usual tune for 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' is adapted from music by which composer?

  3. Question 3 of 20OriginsEasy

    'O Come, All Ye Faithful' is an English translation of a hymn originally written in which language?

  4. Question 4 of 20TunesHard

    The tune of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' first appeared in a 1589 French book about what?

  5. Question 5 of 20OriginsEasy

    Which carol is sung from the point of view of the Magi on their journey to Bethlehem?

  6. Question 6 of 20WritersMedium

    Phillips Brooks wrote 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' in 1868 while he was rector of a church in which US city?

  7. Question 7 of 20OriginsHard

    Which carol was long credited to Martin Luther, although it is now thought to be wholly American in origin?

  8. Question 8 of 20ComposersMedium

    Which English composer wrote 'A Ceremony of Carols' for treble voices and harp in 1942?

  9. Question 9 of 20TunesMedium

    The melody of 'Deck the Halls' comes from a traditional New Year's Eve carol from which country?

  10. Question 10 of 20OriginsEasy

    'O Holy Night' began life in 1847 as a poem in which language?

  11. Question 11 of 20Carol traditionsHard

    The 'Coventry Carol' was originally sung as part of what?

  12. Question 12 of 20TunesMedium

    'Carol of the Bells' is based on 'Shchedryk', a choral piece by Mykola Leontovych from which country?

  13. Question 13 of 20Famous servicesEasy

    Which carol traditionally opens the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge?

  14. Question 14 of 20WritersMedium

    The real Wenceslas who inspired 'Good King Wenceslas' was a 10th-century duke of which land?

  15. Question 15 of 20Famous servicesHard

    The first Nine Lessons and Carols service was held in 1880 in a temporary wooden cathedral in which English city?

  16. Question 16 of 20WritersMedium

    Who wrote the words of 'Joy to the World', first published in 1719?

  17. Question 17 of 20OriginsEasy

    Which carol is known in German as 'O Tannenbaum'?

  18. Question 18 of 20WritersHard

    Which Massachusetts minister wrote the words of 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear' in 1849?

  19. Question 19 of 20WritersMedium

    'In the Bleak Midwinter' began as a poem by which English poet?

  20. Question 20 of 20Carol traditionsMedium

    The word 'carol' comes from the Old French 'carole', which originally meant what?

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. In which language was 'Silent Night' originally written? German
  2. The usual tune for 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' is adapted from music by which composer? Felix Mendelssohn
  3. 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' is an English translation of a hymn originally written in which language? Latin
  4. The tune of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' first appeared in a 1589 French book about what? Dancing
  5. Which carol is sung from the point of view of the Magi on their journey to Bethlehem? We Three Kings
  6. Phillips Brooks wrote 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' in 1868 while he was rector of a church in which US city? Philadelphia
  7. Which carol was long credited to Martin Luther, although it is now thought to be wholly American in origin? Away in a Manger
  8. Which English composer wrote 'A Ceremony of Carols' for treble voices and harp in 1942? Benjamin Britten
  9. The melody of 'Deck the Halls' comes from a traditional New Year's Eve carol from which country? Wales
  10. 'O Holy Night' began life in 1847 as a poem in which language? French
  11. The 'Coventry Carol' was originally sung as part of what? A mystery play
  12. 'Carol of the Bells' is based on 'Shchedryk', a choral piece by Mykola Leontovych from which country? Ukraine
  13. Which carol traditionally opens the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge? Once in Royal David's City
  14. The real Wenceslas who inspired 'Good King Wenceslas' was a 10th-century duke of which land? Bohemia
  15. The first Nine Lessons and Carols service was held in 1880 in a temporary wooden cathedral in which English city? Truro
  16. Who wrote the words of 'Joy to the World', first published in 1719? Isaac Watts
  17. Which carol is known in German as 'O Tannenbaum'? O Christmas Tree
  18. Which Massachusetts minister wrote the words of 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear' in 1849? Edmund Sears
  19. 'In the Bleak Midwinter' began as a poem by which English poet? Christina Rossetti
  20. The word 'carol' comes from the Old French 'carole', which originally meant what? A ring dance
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