Christmas Music Quiz: Guess the Christmas Song With Family

Every song on this quiz is one you've heard in a supermarket queue at some point in December: Mariah, Wham!, Brenda Lee, Sinatra, the British Christmas number ones and a handful of newer pop hits. That's exactly why it works for mixed ages. Grandparents get the crooners, parents get the 80s, and teenagers get Ariana and Sabrina Carpenter.

How to play this quiz

1. Open the quiz on the big screen (a smart TV browser, a laptop plugged into the TV, or just a laptop) with the "Play this quiz" button and press "Start". The room is created with the playlist loaded.
2. Everyone scans the QR code with their phone and types a name. The first one in is the host and picks the mode and points.
3. Go with "Song only". Christmas music is full of covers and re-recordings of much older songs, so "Song and year" turns into an argument about which version you're hearing. Recognizing the song is the fun part.
4. Set search to "Title and artist" so younger players can type "Mariah" or "Bieber" instead of remembering the exact title.
5. For a family game, 10 points with "Seconds to buzz" left at 30. If your family is competitive about this, drop it to 15.

It runs on Track Attack: free, in the browser, phones as buzzers, nothing to install.

Songs you might hear

Deezer keeps the playlist updated, so it can change. These are some of the songs on it, among others.

The unmissables

• "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (1994): sleigh bells and Mariah's slow, solo opening. Once the piano kicks in, every phone in the room buzzes.
• "Last Christmas" – Wham! (1984): that synth intro.
• "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Brenda Lee (1958): rock and roll with a sax break. She recorded it when she was 13.
• "Feliz Navidad" – José Feliciano (1970): the acoustic guitar and a chorus everyone can sing, whether they speak Spanish or not.
• "Jingle Bell Rock" – Daryl Hall & John Oates: careful, this is their 1983 cover. Bobby Helms had the original.

Crooners (and lots of covers)

• "White Christmas" – Frank Sinatra: Bing Crosby made it famous; this is Sinatra's take.
• "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!": it's on here twice, by Dean Martin and by Frank Sinatra.
• "The Christmas Song" – Nat King Cole: "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" over strings. He recorded it more than once.
• "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Gene Autry (1949).
• "A Holly Jolly Christmas" – Burl Ives (1964): from the stop-motion Rudolph TV special that aired the same year.
• "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" – Andy Williams (1963): opens with a full choir and orchestra.

The UK Christmas chart

If you grew up in Britain, half of these are your childhood. If you're American, this is where you'll lose points.

• "Merry Christmas Everyone" – Shakin' Stevens (1985): the UK Christmas number one that year.
• "Lonely This Christmas" – Mud (1974): a ballad sung in the style of late-era Elvis. Also a Christmas number one.
• "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" – Wizzard (1973): glam rock with a children's choir from Birmingham. It lost the 1973 Christmas top spot to Slade.
• "Step Into Christmas" – Elton John (1973): piano-driven and upbeat.
• "Fairytale of New York" – The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl (1987): a slow piano intro and Shane MacGowan's unmistakable voice.
• "Driving Home for Christmas" – Chris Rea: first a B-side in 1986, then a single in 1988.
• "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" – The Darkness (2003): sleigh bells, big guitars and that falsetto.

Newer favorites

• "Underneath the Tree" – Kelly Clarkson (2013): bells, horns and a big 60s-style sound.
• "Santa Tell Me" – Ariana Grande (2014).
• "Christmas Lights" – Coldplay (2010).
• "Mistletoe" – Justin Bieber (2011).
• "Christmas Tree Farm" – Taylor Swift (2019).

Difficulty and tips to win

The big five are easy points for everyone. The real game is in the crooners, who blur together on a first listen, and the British singles, which split the room depending on which side of the Atlantic people grew up on.

• Learn to tell Sinatra from Dean Martin. Sinatra is crisp and precise; Dino is loose and lazy, almost sliding through the words. With two versions of "Let It Snow" on the list, that's a point at stake.
• Same title, different artist. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" appears by the Jackson 5 and by Bruce Springsteen. When searching by title and artist, double-check which one you tap.
• Not every song mentions Christmas. East 17's "Stay Another Day" and the Spice Girls' "2 Become 1" are on here because they're 90s UK Christmas staples. If a 90s ballad starts, think of them.
• Ignore the sleigh bells. Loads of these songs open with jingle bells. Wait for the first distinctive instrument (Brenda Lee's sax, the Wham! synth, the "Feliz Navidad" guitar) before you buzz.

Playing with kids and grandparents

• Pair younger kids with an adult: one buzzes, the other types. Grandparents who aren't comfortable with phones can team up with a grandchild, which is half the fun anyway.
• Want more ideas for the evening, with or without an app? See our music games for Christmas and New Year's Eve.
• When the party crowd takes over later, switch to the 80s songs quiz.

FAQ

Do we need an app?

No. The big screen runs the game in a browser and players join by scanning a QR code. No account, no Spotify or Deezer subscription.

How many people can play?

The whole family or a group of friends, each on their own phone, or in pairs.

Can we play without a TV?

Yes, a laptop is enough as long as everyone can hear it.

Are these the original versions?

Not always. Several classics on this playlist are covers (Sinatra's "White Christmas", Hall & Oates' "Jingle Bell Rock", Sam Smith's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", Kylie's "Santa Baby"). That's one more reason to play "Song only" and not argue about the year.