🎄 Christmas Trick-Trivia: How Well Do You Really Know the Biblical Story?
Every December, we dust off our nativity sets, hang our lights, and retell the story of Jesus’ birth. But over the centuries, tradition has added all kinds of details that sound biblical… but aren’t actually in the text.
So here’s a playful, eye‑opening Christmas trivia challenge. Each question has a twist — the kind that makes you say, “Wait… is that really in the Bible?”
Let’s see how well you know the original Christmas story. (Try to answer before reading the answer below each question!)
❓ How old do you have to be to be used by God?
Answer: Not even born yet. Luke 1:41–44 "When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit... For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy." (NASB) Unborn John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary arrived. Talk about early ministry.
❓ How many wise men visited Jesus?
Answer: The Bible never says. Matthew 2:1–12 "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem... magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem... And they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (NASB - Selected verses) We know they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh — but the number of Magi is never mentioned.
❓ Did Jesus’ birth happen on December 25?
Answer: Scripture doesn’t give a date. The December celebration came centuries later.
❓ Did the angels sing to the shepherds?
Answer: Surprisingly, no. Luke 2:13–14 "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'" (NASB) Luke says the angels said their message — not that they sang it.
❓ Did Mary ride a donkey to Bethlehem?
Answer: Possibly… but the Bible never mentions one. Luke 2:1–5 "Joseph also went up from Galilee... in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child." (NASB) It’s a traditional assumption, not a biblical detail.
❓ Was there an innkeeper who turned them away?
Answer: No innkeeper appears in the text. Luke 2:7 "And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (NASB) Only that “there was no room.”
❓ Did the wise men visit Jesus in the manger?
Answer: Nope. Matthew 2:11 "After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him." (NASB) By the time they arrived, the family was living in a house.
❓ How many angels appeared to the shepherds?
Answer: At least one — then “a multitude.” Luke 2:9–13 "And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them... And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God..." (NASB) No specific number is given.
❓ What exactly was the star of Bethlehem?
Answer: The Bible doesn’t say. Matthew 2:2, 7–10 "'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.' ... and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was." (NASB) It simply describes a star that guided the Magi.
❓ What did Joseph say in the Christmas story?
Answer: Nothing. (Other than naming Jesus: Matthew 1:25"but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus." (NASB)) Joseph has no recorded dialogue in Scripture.
❓ What animals were present at Jesus’ birth?
Answer: Unknown. Luke 2:7 "And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (NASB) The Bible doesn’t list any animals — nativity scenes fill in that detail.
❓ What sign did the angels give the shepherds?
Answer: A baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (NASB) Not a star — that was for the Magi.
❓ What gift did the shepherds bring?
Answer: None mentioned. Luke 2:15–20 "When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child... The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen..." (NASB) They brought their presence and their testimony.
❓ How did Mary respond to everything happening around her?
Answer: She treasured and pondered it all in her heart. Luke 2:19 "But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart." (NASB) A quiet, reflective moment in the middle of cosmic events.
❓ Who was the first person to call Jesus “Lord” in the Christmas story?
Answer: Elizabeth. Luke 1:43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?" (NASB) Filled with the Holy Spirit, she recognized Him before He was even born.
⭐ Final Thoughts
Christmas is full of wonder — and sometimes the most surprising truths are the ones hiding in plain sight. These little “trick-trivia” moments remind us to slow down, read carefully, and rediscover the beauty of the story behind the season. Here it is from Luke's gospel (fuller version; the "traditional" reading, Luke 2:1-20, is highlighted within the larger text below by a light green background):
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
“My soul exalts the Lord,
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50“And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51“He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
53“He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54“He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.
60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
62And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
64And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.
65Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.
66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
78Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.
4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.
7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
21And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
24and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
28then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
According to Your word;
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32A light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.
34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—
35and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.
38At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.
40The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
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