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Quizzes > Society & Culture > Culture & Traditions

Alternative Christmas Quiz: Test Your Non-Christmas Holiday Trivia

Think you can ace our unusual Christmas facts quiz - dive into festive trivia now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art festive icons menorah lantern carnival mask pinata on teal background for non Christmas holiday trivia quiz

This Non-Christmas Holiday Trivia Quiz helps you practice festive facts from holidays like Diwali, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year, and more beyond Christmas. Play at your own pace and learn a fact or two you can share at your next trivia night. When you want more seasonal fun, try the winter holiday quiz afterward.

Diwali, the festival of lights, is primarily celebrated by followers of which religion?
Buddhism
Sikhism
Jainism
Hinduism
Diwali originated in ancient India as a Hindu festival celebrating the victory of light over darkness. While Sikhs and Jains also observe Diwali for their own historical events, it is rooted in Hindu mythology and traditions. The festival involves lighting oil lamps, exchanging gifts, and family gatherings.
Which holiday marks the Persian New Year and is celebrated at the spring equinox?
Vesak
Passover
Ramadan
Nowruz
Nowruz, meaning 'new day,' is the traditional Persian New Year celebrated on the vernal equinox, usually around March 20th or 21st. It marks the beginning of spring and is observed by various communities in Iran, Central Asia, and beyond. Festivities often include family gatherings, special meals, and symbolic rituals such as visiting elders and setting a Haft-Seen table.
The Lantern Festival, which marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations, originated in which country?
China
Vietnam
South Korea
Thailand
The Lantern Festival originated in China during the Han Dynasty and officially ends the Chinese New Year period on the 15th day of the lunar calendar. Celebrations feature ornate lantern displays, lion dances, and eating tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls). It symbolizes family reunion and the illumination of the future.
Halloween traces its origins back to which ancient Celtic festival?
Lughnasadh
Samhain
Beltane
Imbolc
Halloween evolved from Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, observed on October 31st. It was believed that during Samhain the boundary between this world and the spirit world became thin. Modern Halloween traditions like costumes and trick-or-treating have roots in Samhain rituals.
Kwanzaa, founded in 1966, is celebrated for how many days beginning December 26th?
10
5
12
7
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration from December 26th to January 1st, honoring African heritage and culture. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 and centers on seven principles called Nguzo Saba. Each day is dedicated to one principle such as unity, self-determination, and faith.
During Eid al-Fitr, the meal that breaks the daily fast at sunset is known as what?
Sehri
Suhoor
Seder
Iftar
Iftar is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset on Eid al-Fitr and every day of Ramadan. It typically begins with dates and water followed by a larger meal. Suhoor (or Sehri) is the pre-dawn meal before fasting begins.
The Jewish festival of Hanukkah commemorates which historical event?
The Exodus from Egypt
The giving of the Torah at Sinai
The fall of the First Temple
The rededication of the Second Temple
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. According to tradition, a miracle occurred when a day's worth of oil burned for eight days. It's observed by lighting the menorah over eight nights.
Japan's Golden Week typically includes which national holiday on April 29th?
Respect for the Aged Day
Coming of Age Day
Showa Day
Marine Day
Showa Day on April 29th honors the birthday of Emperor Showa (Hirohito) and kicks off Japan's Golden Week, a string of four national holidays. It's a time for reflection on the Showa era and its events. Golden Week is one of Japan's busiest holiday seasons for travel and festivals.
The Hindu spring festival of Holi is popularly known by which name?
Festival of Lights
Festival of Music
Festival of Colours
Festival of Flowers
Holi is widely known as the 'Festival of Colours' because participants throw colored powders and water at each other to celebrate the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. It's marked by music, dancing, and festive foods. The vibrant colours symbolize joy and unity.
Mexico's Día de los Muertos celebrations traditionally span how many days?
3
7
1
2
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) officially spans two days - November 1st for honoring children and November 2nd for adults who have passed away. Families build altars (ofrendas) decorated with marigolds, sugar skulls, and photos of loved ones. It's a celebration of life and remembrance rather than mourning.
Iran's Yalda Night festival celebrates the longest night of the year on which astronomical event?
Spring Equinox
Autumn Equinox
Winter Solstice
Summer Solstice
Yalda Night, or Shab-e Yalda, marks the winter solstice in Iran - the longest night of the year - on or around December 21st. Families gather to eat watermelon, pomegranates, nuts, and recite poetry by Hafez. It celebrates the triumph of light as days grow longer after the solstice.
The word 'Diwali' is derived from the Sanskrit term 'Dipavali,' which means what?
Festival of colours
Victorious light
Row of lamps
Night of joy
'Diwali' comes from the Sanskrit 'Dipavali,' combining 'Deepa' (lamp) and 'Avali' (row or series). It refers to the rows of clay oil lamps lit to symbolize inner light and the victory of good over evil. The lamps are a central decorative and spiritual feature of the celebration.
During Korea's Lunar New Year (Seollal), the traditional bow of respect offered to elders is called what?
Sebae
Jultagi
Tteokguk
Hanbok
Sebae is the deep ceremonial bow that younger Koreans perform for their elders during Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year. In return, elders give gifts or money called 'sebaetdon.' It's one of the most important customs symbolizing respect and gratitude.
South Korea's harvest festival Chuseok is also traditionally known by what name?
Seollal
Dano
Daeboreum
Hangawi
Chuseok, one of Korea's biggest holidays, is also called Hangawi, meaning 'the middle of autumn.' It's celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and involves ancestral worship, feasting on songpyeon rice cakes, and visiting family tombs. It's often referred to as Korean Thanksgiving.
On Japan's Setsubun festival, the ritual of throwing roasted soybeans to drive away evil spirits is known as what?
Misogi
Omikuji
Tsukimi
Mamemaki
Mamemaki, literally 'bean throwing,' is performed on Setsubun (the day before the lunar new year) to cleanse away evil spirits and invite good fortune. Participants chant 'Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!' ('Demons out! Luck in!') while tossing roasted beans. It's believed the beans symbolically purify and protect the household.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand non-Christmas cultural celebrations -

    Dive into non christmas holiday trivia to recognize diverse festivals and appreciate the global variety beyond December 25th.

  2. Identify unique winter rituals -

    Spotlight alternative Christmas quiz traditions by exploring unconventional customs and quirky winter practices from different regions.

  3. Recall quirky festive facts -

    Memorize standout details from our unusual Christmas facts quiz that redefine the way you view holiday cheer.

  4. Analyze holiday trivia challenge strategies -

    Hone your skills for any holiday trivia challenge by learning how to approach and answer trickier festive questions.

  5. Compare festive holiday trivia -

    Differentiate between Christmas-centric celebrations and other seasonal events, sharpening your insight into global winter observances.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Yule and the Winter Solstice Traditions -

    As one of the oldest non-Christmas holiday trivia staples, Yule marks the winter solstice around December 21 with bonfires and evergreen rituals tracing back to Norse and Celtic cultures (UNESCO Intangible Heritage). Use the mnemonic "Sun's Return on 21" to remember the solstice date. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, many modern winter customs like decorating evergreens stem from these solstice rites.

  2. Hanukkah's Eight-Day Light Festival -

    Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple with an eight-day menorah lighting to honor the miracle of oil that burned for eight nights (Chabad.org). Remember "8 nights, 9 lights" as a mnemonic for the eight candles plus the shamash helper candle. Scholars from Hebrew University note that this story often surprises quiz takers in festive holiday trivia challenges.

  3. Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba Principles -

    Observed from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa honors African-American heritage with the Seven Principles or Nguzo Saba, including Umoja (Unity) and Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) (Kwanzaa.org). Recall them with the phrase "Unity Joins Joyous Cooperative Generosity…" to cue each principle. Stanford African Studies highlights these principles as key facts for any alternative Christmas quiz.

  4. Hogmanay and Scotland's New Year Rituals -

    Hogmanay marks the Scottish New Year on January 1 with "first-footing," where the first visitor brings luck, often carrying coal or whisky (Historic Environment Scotland). The "First Foot Favors" mnemonic helps you remember good-luck tokens like coal, shortbread, and salt. Academic studies in the Journal of Folklore Research emphasize its unique role in holiday trivia challenge questions.

  5. Saturnalia: Ancient Rome's Daytime Saturn Festival -

    Saturnalia, held December 17 - 23 in honor of the god Saturn, featured role reversals, gift exchanges, and public feasting that influenced modern holiday celebrations (Encyclopedia Britannica). Think "Saturn's Silly Swap" to recall how masters and slaves switched roles during the festival. The American Journal of Archaeology notes it as a must-know in unusual Christmas facts quizzes.

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