If you're celebrating with family, friends, or just cozying up at home, I've got a super fun way to keep everyone entertained: New Year's trivia! Test your knowledge, learn something new, and have a blast with these questions and answers.

How to Use These New Year Trivia Questions

Using these New Year trivia questions is a fantastic way to add some fun and excitement to your celebration. You can turn them into a fun game by dividing your guests into teams and seeing who can answer the most questions correctly.

Alternatively, you can use them as icebreakers to get everyone chatting and laughing, especially if there are people who haven't met before.

For a more relaxed evening, you can simply pick a few questions to ask throughout the night, keeping the conversation interesting and engaging. Whether you're hosting a big party or having a quiet night in, these trivia questions are sure to bring joy and entertainment to your New Year's festivities!

Easy New Year Trivia Questions

1. What fruit do people in Spain traditionally eat at midnight on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: Grapes

2. Which country is the first to celebrate the New Year each year?

• Answer: New Zealand

3. What is the name of the famous New Year's Eve celebration held in New York City?

• Answer: Times Square Ball Drop

Historical New Year's Facts

1. Which ancient civilization was the first to celebrate New Year's?

• Answer: The Babylonians

2. When did January 1st become the first day of the new year in the Gregorian calendar?

• Answer: 1582

3. Which Roman god is January named after?

• Answer: Janus

4. In which year did the famous "Y2K" scare happen?

• Answer: 2000

5. What significant event happened on New Year's Day in 1892 in the United States?

• Answer: Ellis Island opened as an immigration station.

Around the World

1. In which country do people throw old furniture out the window on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: Italy

2. What is the traditional New Year dish in Japan?

• Answer: Toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles)

3. What do people in Denmark do with old plates on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: They smash them against friends' doors.

4. Which country has a tradition of wearing red underwear for good luck on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: Italy and Spain

5. In which country do people celebrate New Year's by dropping ice cream on the floor?

• Answer: Switzerland

Fun Traditions and Customs

1. What do people often sing at midnight on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: "Auld Lang Syne"

2. What color is the iconic Times Square New Year's Eve ball?

• Answer: It changes colors! (The modern ball features LED lights)

3. What do many Americans eat for good luck on New Year's Day?

• Answer: Black-eyed peas

4. In Scotland, what is the tradition of "first-footing"?

• Answer: The first person to enter a home in the new year brings gifts for good luck.

5. What is the name of the New Year's Eve celebration in Scotland?

• Answer: Hogmanay

Famous New Year's Events

1. Which famous cartoon character debuted in 1929 on New Year's Day?

• Answer: Popeye the Sailor

2. In what year did the first Rose Parade take place?

• Answer: 1890

3. What year was the first New Year's Eve ball dropped in Times Square?

• Answer: 1907

4. Which city is known for its spectacular fireworks display over the harbor on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: Sydney, Australia

5. What is the name of the famous run that takes place in São Paulo, Brazil on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: The São Silvestre Road Race

New Year's Resolutions

1. What is the most common New Year's resolution?

• Answer: To exercise more

2. Which country popularized the idea of New Year's resolutions?

• Answer: The United States

3. According to research, what percentage of people actually keep their New Year's resolutions?

• Answer: About 8%

4. What is a common resolution related to finances?

• Answer: To save more money

5. What is a popular health-related New Year's resolution?

• Answer: To eat healthier

Pop Culture and New Year's

1. Which famous singer's song "Happy New Year" is often played during New Year's celebrations?

• Answer: ABBA

2. What New Year's Eve disaster movie starred Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine?

• Answer: The Poseidon Adventure

3. Which film features a memorable New Year's Eve scene with a kiss in Times Square?

• Answer: When Harry Met Sally

4. Who performed "Imagine" at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in 2020?

• Answer: Cyndi Lauper

5. Which animated character hosts an annual New Year's Eve special on TV?

• Answer: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (though this is more of a Christmas character, it's fun to include!)

6. Which famous cartoon character has a New Year's resolution to stop chasing a certain bird?

• Answer: Wile E. Coyote (trying to catch the Road Runner)

Kid-Friendly Trivia

1. What do kids in Ecuador do with a scarecrow they make for New Year's Eve?

• Answer: They burn it for good luck.

2. Which country's children get presents from the "Befana" on January 6th?

• Answer: Italy

3. What New Year's Eve tradition do children in Greece participate in?

• Answer: They hang onions on the door.

4. What do kids in Brazil do with flowers on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: They throw them into the ocean for good luck.

5. In which country do kids leave their shoes out on New Year's Eve to be filled with candy?

• Answer: The Netherlands

Quirky and Odd Traditions

1. What do people in Colombia carry around the block for good luck on New Year's Eve?

• Answer: An empty suitcase

2. Which country celebrates New Year's by diving into icy water?

• Answer: The Netherlands

3. What do people in Chile do at midnight on New Year's Eve for good luck?

• Answer: Eat a spoonful of lentils

4. What do people in the Philippines believe brings prosperity in the New Year?

• Answer: Wearing polka dots and having round fruits

5. In which country do people bake a coin into a cake for New Year's Day?

• Answer: Greece

These fun and fascinating New Year's trivia questions and answers will keep your celebration lively and full of laughter. Whether you're hosting a big party or just spending a quiet night with loved ones, these trivia questions are sure to add some sparkle to your evening.

Have a fantastic New Year, and may your new year be filled with joy, love, and lots of fun surprises!