Which 15th-century English carol begins with the Middle English words "Adam lay ybounden"?
Answer
Adam lay ybounden
80 Christmas Carols Trivia Questions with Answers
80 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Christmas carols trivia explores the history, lyrics, melodies, translators, composers, and arrangements behind seasonal songs from medieval Europe to modern popular culture. Questions may identify the 15th-century English carol Adam Lay Ybounden, trace O Come, All Ye Faithful through its English translation, or connect Les anges dans nos campagnes with its familiar English version.
The collection also includes musical details such as the fa-la-la refrain in Deck the Halls, Arthur Warrell’s arrangement of an English carol, and the saint honored by the medieval song Personent Hodie. Later works appear too, including Star Carol and the 1964 Calypso Carol. These questions suit choir groups, music classrooms, holiday parties, pub quizzes, and listeners curious about how Christmas songs developed.
Which carol is based on a traditional French melody titled "Les anges dans nos campagnes"?
Answer
Angels We Have Heard on High
Who translated the English words of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in 1841?
Answer
Frederick Oakeley
Which traditional carol includes the repeated refrain "Fa la la la la, la la la la"?
Answer
Deck the Halls
Arthur Warrell helped popularize which English carol with a 1935 four-part arrangement?
Answer
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
"Personent hodie" was probably adapted from a 12th-century song honoring which saint?
Answer
Saint Nicholas
Which composer wrote "Star Carol" in 1972?
Answer
John Rutter
Who wrote the 1964 modern Christmas carol "Calypso Carol"?
Answer
Michael Perry
Who wrote the words to the carol "Angels from the Realms of Glory"?
Answer
James Montgomery
Who wrote the poem set by Peter Warlock in the carol "Bethlehem Down"?
Answer
Bruce Blunt
"Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" first appeared in writing in which 1833 carol book?
Answer
Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern
Who composed the tune "Humility" for "See, amid the Winter's Snow"?
Answer
John Goss
Who wrote the French Christmas carol "Patapan"?
Answer
Bernard de la Monnoye
Who wrote the 1956 Christmas song "Mary's Boy Child"?
Answer
Jester Hairston
What was the original title of "The Little Drummer Boy"?
Answer
Carol of the Drum
Which Austrian Christmas carol and lullaby was first published in 1865?
Answer
Still, still, still
Who composed the modern Christmas carol "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" in 1966?
Answer
John Rutter
Which Christmas carol was first printed in the Sheffield Iris on Christmas Eve 1816?
Answer
Angels from the Realms of Glory
"Personent hodie" was first published in which 1582 songbook?
Answer
Piae Cantiones
Who wrote the words for "Masters in This Hall" around 1860?
Answer
William Morris
"Ríu Ríu Chíu" is known from the 1556 songbook called what?
Answer
Cancionero de Upsala
"The Friendly Beasts" is set to the melody of which Latin song?
Answer
Orientis Partibus
Who translated the Polish carol "W żłobie leży" as "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"?
Answer
Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed
Who published the 1833 version of "I Saw Three Ships"?
Answer
William Sandys
The tune for "Good King Wenceslas" comes from which spring carol?
Answer
Tempus adest floridum
Who wrote the words to "Ding Dong Merrily on High"?
Answer
George Ratcliffe Woodward
In "Gaudete," what does the Latin word "gaudete" mean?
Answer
Rejoice
What was the original title of "We Three Kings"?
Answer
Three Kings of Orient
Who wrote the poem that became "Once in Royal David's City"?
Answer
Cecil Frances Alexander
What is the English title commonly used for the German carol "O Tannenbaum"?
Answer
O Christmas Tree
The carol 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' uses a French dance tune originally called what?
Answer
Branle de l'Official
The carol 'Sussex Carol' is also known by which other common English title?
Answer
On Christmas Night All Christians Sing
The 'Coventry Carol' originates from which 16th-century mystery play?
Answer
The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors
The carol 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' is based on which ancient liturgical texts?
Answer
The Great O Antiphons
Which Christmas carol was performed in space by the Gemini 6 astronauts in 1965?
Answer
Jingle Bells
What is the original German title of the carol 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming'?
Answer
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
Christmas Carols trivia — quick answers
What are good Christmas carol trivia questions?
Good Christmas carol questions ask players to identify songs from lyrics, melodies, refrains, translations, composers, historical periods, and regional origins. A varied quiz can include medieval carols, traditional European melodies, Victorian standards, modern compositions, and unusual arrangements such as calypso or four-part choral versions.
How hard is Christmas carol trivia?
Christmas carol trivia ranges from easy to advanced. Recognizing songs such as Deck the Halls or O Come, All Ye Faithful is relatively easy, while identifying medieval titles, translators, original-language texts, and arrangers requires musical or historical knowledge. The topic works well for both casual and specialist quizzes.
Which carol includes the repeated fa-la-la refrain?
Deck the Halls is the traditional carol known for its repeated “fa-la-la” refrain. Its melody comes from the Welsh song Nos Galan, while the English lyrics were written in the nineteenth century. The song is especially associated with festive decorations, holly, and communal Christmas singing.
Who translated O Come, All Ye Faithful into English?
Frederick Oakeley translated the Latin hymn Adeste Fideles into English as O Come, All Ye Faithful in 1841. The hymn’s Latin text is commonly attributed to John Francis Wade, although its authorship and musical history have been discussed by scholars. Oakeley’s translation helped establish the carol in English-speaking worship.
What is Adam Lay Ybounden?
Adam Lay Ybounden is a late-medieval English carol dating from around the fifteenth century. Its text reflects the Christian story of Adam’s fall and the consequences of original sin, while also connecting the theme with the Virgin Mary. The carol survives in manuscript sources and remains popular in choral Christmas programs.