New Year’s Trivia

Test your knowledge of fun facts related to the New Year and celebrations around the world. 

1. When did the New Year’s Eve Ball first drop in New York’s Times Square?
   a) 1707
   b) 1807
   c) 1907
   d) 1947
2. The first New Year’s Eve ball consisted of which materials?
   a) Iron and wood
   b) Glass and foam
   c) Crystal and steel
   d) Yarn and wool
3. What country embraces the tradition of jumping off a chair at midnight on New Year’s Eve to avoid bad luck in the New Year?
   a) Italy
   b) Spain
   c) Denmark
   d) Poland
4. In Italy, which practice do people embrace to bring good luck and love in the New Year?
   a) Wearing red lipstick
   b) Eating red pasta
   c) Wearing red socks to bed
   d) Wearing red underwear
5. Which American city is home to the delightful New Year’s Mummers Parade?
   a) Manhattan
   b) Philadelphia
   c) Detroit
   d) San Francisco
6. Which iconic landmark opened on January 1,1892?
   a) Ellis Island
   b) The Golden Gate Bridge
   c) The Empire State Building
   d) Space Needle
7. Who currently hosts Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC?
   a) Ryan Seacrest
   b) Eli Manning
   c) Jim Cramer
   d) Drew Carey
8. In Spain, which fruit do people eat 12 of when midnight strikes?
   a) Mandarin orange segments
   b) Grapes
   c) Blueberries
   d) Raspberries
9. Which historical figure was not born on New Year’s Day?
   a) Paul Revere
   b) Betsy Ross
   c) J. Edgar Hoover
   d) Donald J. Trump
10. In which country are people encouraged to hit themselves on the back with braided and decorated cornel cherry branches on the morning of January 1?
    a) England
    b) Bulgaria
    c) Turkey
    d) Greece
11. In Brazil, which practice is traditional at midnight?
    a) Singing “Happy Days Are Here Again” in Portuguese
    b) Going into the sea and jumping seven waves for good luck
    c) Eating seven bite-sized chocolate candies
    d) Leaving shoes outside to step into good luck
12. How do you say “Happy New Year” in French?
    a) Bonne année
    b) Frohes neues Jahr
    c) Feliz Ano Novo
    d) Felice anno Nuovo

Answer key:

1. C
2. A
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. A
8. B
9. D
10. B
11. B
12. A