How to Run Christmas-Themed Quizzes for Your Pub, Restaurant or Hotel

Christmas is one of the busiest and most profitable times of the year for hospitality venues. 

Guests are looking for festive fun, cosy surroundings and memorable experiences to share with family, friends and colleagues. 

A Christmas-themed quiz night ticks all the boxes: it’s affordable entertainment, easy to host, and brilliant for boosting footfall and dwell time.

Whether you run a local pub, a family-friendly restaurant or a boutique hotel, or are in charge of Christmas entertainments at a hotel that's part of a chain, here’s how to host a festive quiz that keeps guests returning year after year.

Why Christmas Quiz Nights Work So Well

They attract groups

Office parties, club socials and family get-togethers, all love a quiz. It’s an ideal pre-Christmas event that appeals to mixed ages.

They encourage longer stays

Teams ordering sharing boards, puddings or an extra round while the quizmaster tallies scores is great for revenue.

They create a warm community feel

A quiz night adds atmosphere and gives you a chance to showcase your venue’s personality.

They’re easy to run

With a bit of preparation, you can host a brilliant evening without needing specialist equipment.

Choose a Format That Works for Your Venue

★ Traditional Pen-and-Paper Quiz

Perfect for pubs and casual restaurants. Keep it simple: several themed rounds and a picture sheet on each table.

★ Christmas Bingo-Quiz Hybrid

Guests fill in bingo cards with answers instead of numbers. It’s fast-paced and great for families.

★ Big Screen Quiz

If you have a projector or large TV, add picture rounds, music clips and film stills. Ideal for hotel lounges or larger restaurants.

★ Charity Quiz Night

Partner with a local charity, hospice or foodbank. It strengthens community ties and boosts turnout.

Festive Quiz Round Ideas

Mix easy and harder questions to keep all teams engaged. Popular round themes include:

The 12 Days of Christmas

Questions about birds, meanings, and origins of the song.

Christmas TV Specials

From Morecambe and Wise to The Vicar of Dibley, this always goes down well.

Food and Drink at Christmas

British festive traditions, unusual global practices or guess-the-ingredient challenges.

Name That Christmas Tune

Short clips or even hummed intros if you want to add some humour.

Christmas Toys Through the Decades

Nostalgia always sparks lively conversation.

Christmas Around the World

Perfect for hotel guests or venues with an international crowd.

Add On-Brand Prizes

You don’t need to spend much to create excitement. Choose prizes that also promote your venue:

Free dessert or coffee for each team member

A gift card for the pub or restaurant

A Christmas hamper featuring local produce

A bottle of fizz for the winning team

A “booby prize” such as a wooden spoon or novelty reindeer antlers

Many venues also offer a “rollover jackpot” for a bonus question, encouraging repeat visits.

Make It Special With Festive Touches

A Christmas quiz should feel magical, not just another Thursday night. Small details make a big difference:

Serve mulled wine, hot chocolate or Christmas cocktails

Offer a quiz-night festive platter or sharing board

Add fairy lights, table candles or music to set the mood

Invite teams to wear Christmas jumpers for a prize

Use decorative answer sheets or scorecards

Promote Your Quiz Effectively

Good advertising ensures a full house. Try:

Posters in-venue and on your entrance door

Daily posts on Facebook, Instagram, X and Threads

An event listing on your website or Google Business page

Sharing details with local community groups

Adding a “Book your table for our Christmas quiz!” button online

Always encourage teams to reserve tables early to manage capacity.

Keep the Night Running Smoothly

Start on time to respect early arrivals

Keep rounds short and lively

Use a microphone if the room gets busy

Allow a short break for ordering drinks

Check answer sheets in full view for transparency

Announce results with plenty of cheer and humour

A friendly, upbeat quizmaster makes all the difference.

Make It a Seasonal Tradition

If your first quiz goes well, turn it into a Christmas tradition. Many venues run:

Weekly quizzes throughout December

A festive “Big Quiz Night” just before Christmas

A New Year quiz to kick off January trade

Guests love rituals, and a well-run quiz night becomes something they look forward to each year.

Hosting a Christmas-themed quiz night is an easy, low-cost way to generate excitement, increase bookings and bring people together. With clever theming, good promotion and a welcoming atmosphere, your pub, restaurant or hotel can become the go-to venue for festive fun in your community.

How to Host Quizzes for Parties in Your Home: A Guide to Fun, Laughter & Light Competition

Hosting a party at home? Want to break the ice, fill those awkward silences, or just spark a bit of friendly competition? 

Then it’s time to bring in the ultimate crowd-pleaser: the humble quiz. 

Whether you're throwing a birthday bash, a dinner party, or a casual get-together, a well-run quiz can take your night from nice to legendary. 

Here’s how to make it a hit without breaking a sweat.

1. Pick Your Format: Team or Solo?

First things first — decide whether people will be quizzing in teams or flying solo.

Team quizzes are great for bigger groups and help take the pressure off shy guests. Individual quizzes work better for smaller gatherings or competitive crowds who love a challenge. You can also mix it up: start solo and switch to teams for a bonus round or two.

2. Choose a Theme (or Don’t)

Quizzes can be general knowledge free-for-alls, or themed to suit the occasion. Think:

Pop culture (music, films, memes)

Decades (a roaring ‘20s night? Nostalgic '90s?)

Themed to the party (Halloween trivia, Christmas questions, etc.)

Personalised rounds (how well do you know the host?)

If your guests know each other well, a cheeky “Who Said That?” or “Guess the Baby Photo” round can get some real laughs.

3. Write (or Steal) Your Questions

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Plenty of great quiz questions live online, or you can write your own if you're feeling creative. Aim for a mix of:

Easy warm-ups

Trickier thinkers

Picture rounds (print out or display on your TV)

Music rounds (play snippets from your phone or smart speaker)

Pro tip: Test your questions beforehand. No one wants a debate over whether Pluto is a planet again.

4. Set the Scene

Create a bit of drama. Dim the lights, light a few candles, cue a theme tune if you’re feeling extra. Give the host a “Quizmaster” badge or a silly hat. Set up a scoreboard or use a whiteboard to keep track. And most importantly — have pens and answer sheets ready! (Scraps of paper work fine too.)

5. Keep It Snappy

Don’t let it drag. Aim for 4-6 rounds, around 5 questions each. Add in a half-time drinks break, maybe a snack round (guess the crisp flavour, anyone?), and wrap up while spirits are still high.

6. Add Fun Prizes

You don’t need to splash out — think:

A mini bottle of bubbly

Chocolate bars

A dubious-looking trophy from a charity shop

“Bragging rights” and a place on the Quiz Night Wall of Fame

Silly booby prizes for the losing team can be even funnier.

7. Be the Host with the Most

Project your voice, keep the energy up, and don’t take things too seriously. A bit of banter goes a long way. And if someone challenges an answer? Flip a coin or open it to the floor — it’s your party, after all.

Bonus Tips:

Use a PowerPoint or Google Slides if you’re going digital.

Include a music round using Spotify, YouTube, or even a live performance if someone plays an instrument.

Have a tie-breaker question ready, just in case!

Final Thoughts

A home quiz isn’t just about who knows the capital of Kazakhstan — it’s about laughs, light-hearted rivalry, and bringing people together. So pour a drink, channel your inner Paxman, and let the games begin.

Happy quizzing!

How to Organise and Host a Brilliant Christmas Quiz

The festive season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than by hosting a Christmas quiz? 

Whether it's at your local pub, for your club, your workmates, or just for family and friends, a quiz night is the perfect way to bring people together. 

It’s fun, festive, and filled with friendly competition. Here’s how to organise and host a Christmas quiz everyone will remember.

1. Choose Your Venue and Audience

The setting of your quiz will dictate a lot of your decisions. Are you hosting at a pub, your club, the office, or at home? 

For larger groups, a spacious venue with enough seating and a microphone might be necessary. For smaller, intimate gatherings, your living room or a cosy corner of a pub will do just fine.

Make sure the environment fits the tone of your quiz – fun and relaxed, with a touch of festive cheer.

2. Set the Date and Spread the Word

Pick a date that works for your audience, ideally a week or two before Christmas when the festive spirit is in full swing. Avoid overly busy dates like Christmas Eve or weekends when people may have other plans.

Send out invites via email, social media, or old-fashioned Christmas cards for a personal touch. Include details like the time, venue, and whether there’s a prize for the winners.

3. Create Festive Quiz Rounds

The heart of any quiz is its questions, so make them engaging and Christmassy. Here are some ideas for festive quiz rounds:

Christmas Films: Name the movie based on a quote or describe a plot in a few words.

Music Round: Play snippets of Christmas songs for teams to identify, or go for a “finish the lyrics” challenge.

General Knowledge: Mix in some Christmas-related trivia (e.g., What’s the best-selling Christmas single of all time?).

Picture Round: Show pictures of famous Christmas traditions, celebrities dressed as Santa, or festive foods.

History & Traditions: Questions about Christmas customs from around the world.

Keep the rounds balanced to suit everyone – not just the trivia buffs!

4. Equip Yourself With the Right Tools

You’ll need some essentials to keep the quiz running smoothly:

Answer Sheets: Provide sheets for teams to write down their answers.

A Timer: Keep rounds on schedule with a timer or stopwatch.

Speaker System: If it’s a large crowd, a microphone and speakers will ensure you’re heard.

Projector or Screen: Great for picture or video rounds.

You can also use online platforms like Kahoot or Google Forms for a tech-savvy quiz night.

5. Add Festive Decorations and Extras

Set the mood with Christmas decorations. Hang fairy lights, garlands, and maybe a mistletoe or two. A festive dress code, like Christmas jumpers or Santa hats, adds to the fun.

Consider offering mulled wine, mince pies, or other festive treats to keep everyone in high spirits.

6. Decide on Prizes

People love a bit of competition, especially when there’s a prize involved. Keep it light-hearted with festive-themed prizes like:

A bottle of wine or bubbly

A hamper of Christmas goodies

Gift cards

A humorous trophy, like a "Christmas Quizmaster Crown"

Have a small consolation prize for the team in last place to keep it fun for everyone.

7. Be a Great Host

As the quizmaster, it’s your job to keep the energy high and the atmosphere lively. Inject some humour, don’t be afraid to banter with teams, and keep the quiz moving along at a good pace.

8. Add a Twist

Spice things up with a few unique twists:

Bonus Points: Offer extra points for best team name or best festive attire.

Speed Round: Include a rapid-fire round where teams shout out answers.

Secret Santa Round: Hide bonus prizes under chairs or have a random “lucky team” winner.

9. End on a High Note

Finish the evening with a heartfelt thank-you to everyone for participating. Announce the winners with a bit of fanfare, hand out the prizes, and maybe have a festive singalong to close the night.

10. Follow Up

If it’s a regular event, get feedback on what people enjoyed or what could improve. Sharing photos or funny moments from the quiz on social media can help keep the festive spirit alive and encourage attendance next year.

With a little planning and a lot of Christmas cheer, your quiz night is sure to be a hit. So, put on your Santa hat, brush up on your trivia, and get ready to host a fabulous Christmas quiz!