Ring In The New Year With 45 Festive New Year's Trivia Questions!

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As we bid farewell to the old and embrace the new, what better way to usher in the coming year than with a burst of festive trivia? In this post, we’ve curated an exciting collection of New Year’s trivia questions that will not only test your knowledge but also add a touch of education and world travel to your celebrations.

From global traditions to historical tidbits, these questions are designed to tickle your brain cells and infuse your New Year’s gathering with a spirit of curiosity and fun.

But that’s not all – we’ve thrown in a star-studded grab bag of trivia featuring celebrities born on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Ever wondered which famous personalities share their special day with the turning of the calendar?

Ready to get at it? Gather your friends and family and let’s tackle the world of New Year’s trivia.

Before we get started — we invite you to bookmark or save some of these other trivia quizzes for later!

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Table of Contents

New Year’s Trivia: General Knowledge

What tradition suggests that the first person you come across in the new year could set the tone for the next 12 months, especially for couples?

Answer: The New Year’s kiss; and according to the tradition, not kissing may indicate potential relationship issues.

What song is traditionally sung at the end of New Year’s parties, as referenced in the last scene of “When Harry Met Sally”, written in 1788?

Answer: “Auld Lang Syne”.

Auld Lang Syne is the famous song that’s synonymous with New Year’s. What language does “auld lang syne” come from?

Answer: Scots language. Translated literally, it means “old long since,” but the meaning is more like “old times” or “the olden days.”

In which year did the celebration of New Year’s Day become widely accepted as January 1st, following the adoption of the Gregorian calendar?

Answer: January 1, 1752

On New Year’s Day, what is the name of the parade held in Pasadena, CA?

Answer: Tournament of Roses Parade.

What do people in the United States typically watch on TV on New Year’s Eve?

Answer: Watch the ball drop in Times Square.

In which US state does the annual Times Square Ball Drop occur?

Answer: Kicking off in 1907 to ring in January 1908, New York Times owner Adolph Ochs created the event to draw attention to the Times’s new headquarters, and it’s been an annual spectacle and one of the most popular New Year’s Eve celebrations ever since.

Of the countries listed, which is the first country to celebrate New Year’s Eve each year?

a) Canada
b) Japan
c) New Zealand

d) Philippines

Answer: c) New Zealand

What percentage of annual sales does Champagne bought during the week ending Dec. 31 account for?

Answer: 25% of annual sales.

Which Roman emperor declared January 1 a national holiday and named the month after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates, who had two faces—one looking forward and one looking back?

Answer: Julius Caesar.

Approximately what percentage of Americans make New Year’s resolutions?

Answer: 45% make resolutions.

And what are the top five resolutions?

Answer: Top resolutions are to lose weight, get organized, spend less and save more, stay fit and healthy, and quit smoking.

Why do traditions suggest eating leafy greens and legumes on New Year’s Day?

Answer: Leafy greens symbolize prosperity, and legumes, such as beans and peas, resemble coins, bringing good luck and prosperity.

What symbol is most commonly associated with New Year’s, often depicted in a diaper, black top hat, and a sash showing the numbers of the new year?

Answer: Baby New Year.

According to myth, what happens to Baby New Year as the year progresses?

Answer: Baby New Year matures into an old man during the year. He spends the year growing and learning before passing on his knowledge as Father Time next January 1.

The Mummers Parade is a unique way of celebrating New Year’s, where 10,000 participants step through City Hall and perform in unique costumes. In which city does the Mummers Parade take place?

Answer: Philadelphia. The parade dates back to mid-17th-century, incorporating elements from Irish, German, English, Swedish and other European heritages.

And what are the five divisions of the Mummers Parade?

Answer: Divisions include a comic division, wench brigades, fancy division, string bands, and fancy brigades.

According to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which holiday saw the highest number of vehicle thefts in 2019?

Answer: New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Trivia: New Year Celebrations Around The World

In Spain, what is the tradition known as “las doce uvas de la suerte” and what does it symbolize?

Answer: The tradition involves eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, symbolizing each chime of the clock and believed to ward off evil while bringing prosperity and luck.

In India, there’s a New Year’s tradition that involves building a sculpture of an old man and burning it down at midnight. What does this symbolize?

Answer: The tradition represents the passing of grievances from the old year to make way for the new.

In Japan, what do people traditionally eat on New Year’s Eve?

Answer: People in Japan eat Toshikoshi soba noodles on New Year’s Eve, symbolizing a break away from the old year. The tradition dates back to the Kamakura period.

What is the name of the traditional Japanese New Year’s soup that typically includes mochi rice cakes, chicken, and vegetables?

Answer: Ozoni

In France, what beverage is prominently featured in New Year’s celebrations?

Answer: Champagne.

On New Year’s Day in Haiti, what traditional meal is associated with the holiday?

Answer: Haitians eat pumpkin soup, known as soup joumou, on New Year’s Day to celebrate Haitian Independence Day. The soup was once a delicacy forbidden to enslaved Black people.

In Denmark, what unusual tradition that involves breaking something is associated with New Year’s Eve?

Answer: In Denmark, it is customary to throw old plates on New Year’s Eve. The more broken kitchenware accumulated on your doorstep, the better luck you’ll have in the coming year.

In the Philippines, there’s a New Year’s Eve tradition that involves serving 12 round fruits. What do these fruits symbolize?

Answer: Families serve 12 round fruits, such as apples and grapes, on New Year’s Eve. Each fruit represents one month of the year and is believed to bring prosperity. To ensure a happy new year, the Filipino community also believes that wearing round shapes (such as polka dots!) promotes prosperity and good luck.

What traditional holiday / New Year’s Eve food is customarily made and shared among families in Mexico?

Answer: Families in Mexico make tamales on New Year’s Eve, and on New Year’s Day, they are often served with menudo, a traditional Mexican soup made from cow’s stomach.

In Greece, why do they like hanging an onion outside the door on New Year’s Day?

Answer: Greeks hang an onion outside their door on New Year’s Day, symbolizing fertility and growth.

What New Year’s Eve tradition (involving potatoes) is practiced in Colombia?

Answer: The tradition, called agüero, involves placing three potatoes under each family member’s bed on New Year’s Eve. The peeled, unpeeled, and partially peeled potatoes symbolize good fortune, financial struggle, or a mix of both.

In Ireland, what New Year’s tradition, involving loaves of bread, is practiced?

Answer: To ward off evil spirits and ensure a healthy and prosperous New Year, Irish families bang loaves of Christmas bread against walls and doors throughout their homes.

In Norway and Denmark, what traditional New Year’s Eve treat involves a towering cake with at least 18 layers?

Answer: The traditional treat is called Kransekake, a ringed cake with sugary layers, often made with at least 18 layers, eaten in both Denmark and Norway.

Based on an Italian New Year’s tradition, Italians like to wear what colored undergarments as the clock strikes midnight?

Answer: Red. Italians believe it’s good luck to wear red underwear as the New Year begins, symbolizing a bright future.

Wearing white on New Year’s Eve has long been a tradition with roots in Africa. In Brazil, the Festa de Lemanjá takes place on this night to celebrate the goddess of the sea (Lemanjá). The culmination of the event is when everyone—dressed in white—does what?

Answer: Jumps into the ocean right at midnight to jump over seven waves.

In which region of the world would you find people walking around with an empty suitcase or set it in the middle of a room and stroll around it?

Answer: South America and Mexico (it’s tradition in several Latin American countries). Others go further and take a full lap around the block with their empty luggage.

In which country would you find people symbolically gather all of the bad spirits and negative energy from the past 365 days and toss them right out the front door?

Answer: Cuba. It’s not uncommon to see buckets full of dirty water flying out of homes during the countdown to midnight.

The people from which country say thank you to the past year by remembering its most important events during the hours leading up to midnight, and they use 12 seconds of silence before the stroke of midnight to make wishes?

Answer: Russia.

In Denmark, how do Danes “jump” into the new year?

Answer: By actually jumping off a couch or chair.

What major city is home to one of the largest annual New Year’s Eve celebrations, featuring tons and tons of fireworks?

a) London
b) San Francisco
c) Sydney

d) Tokyo

Answer: c) Sydney

New Year’s Trivia: Celebrities Born on New Year’s Eve and Day

Which Welsh star, known for his iconic roles in films like “The Silence of the Lambs”, was still active in his career at the age of 85 and has recently celebrated over 45 years of sobriety?

Answer: Sir Anthony Hopkins

What American patriot born on Jan 1 is famously known for his midnight ride on April 18, 1775, to warn the colonial militia of approaching British forces during the American Revolutionary War?

Answer: Paul Revere

This South Korean singer, famous for the viral hit “Gangnam Style”, celebrates his birthday on December 31. Who is he?

Answer: Psy

On December 31, which British actor, celebrated for his roles in films like “Gandhi” and various roles in Wes Anderson movies, turns 79?

Answer: Sir Ben Kingsley

The lead singer and guitarist of The Replacements, celebrating his bday on December 31 each year, is known for his contributions to alternative rock. Who is he?

Answer: Paul Westerberg

Celebrating her birthday on December 31, this theater standout and actress is known for her roles in “Cheers” and “Frasier”. She made her Broadway debut in the musical “A Chorus Line” in 1980. Who is she?

Answer: Bebe Neuwirth

The author of The Notebook and a handful of other romantic tomes was born on Dec. 31, 1965. Who is he?

Answer: Nicholas Sparks

So! How did you score on our New Year’s trivia? Were you able to learn something new? We sure hope so, because that’s a huge part of why we love trivia so much!

If you enjoyed reading this article, check out some of our other holiday-related trivia topics and quizzes!