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28 New Year trivia questions

New Year questions with answers and source links. Print the short round and complete key together.

28 questions · New Year trivia questions · answers included

New Year trivia questions

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  1. 1

    In what year did the Times Square New Year's Eve ball first descend?

    medium

    Answer

    1907.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  2. 2

    What materials formed the first Times Square ball?

    medium

    Answer

    Iron and wood.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  3. 3

    Which metalworker built the first ball?

    medium

    Answer

    Jacob Starr.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  4. 4

    Atop which building did the first ball descend?

    medium

    Answer

    One Times Square.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  5. 5

    What material replaced wrought iron in the 1955 ball?

    medium

    Answer

    Aluminum.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  6. 6

    During the 1980s, what fruit did the ball's red lights and green stem suggest?

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    Answer

    An apple.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  7. 7

    Which two wartime years had no ball lowering?

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    Answer

    1942 and 1943.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  8. 8

    What lighting technology marked the 2007 centennial ball?

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    Answer

    LED lighting.

    Source: Times Square Alliance https://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye-history-times-square-ball

  9. 9

    In Spain, how many grapes do people eat at midnight on New Year's Eve?

    medium

    Answer

    Twelve, one with each strike of the clock.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Grapes?oldid=1353442000

  10. 10

    In the Spanish twelve-grape tradition, what does each grape stand for?

    medium

    Answer

    One of the coming twelve months.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Grapes?oldid=1353442000

  11. 11

    In which Madrid square did the twelve-grape tradition start?

    medium

    Answer

    The Puerta del Sol.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Grapes?oldid=1353442000

  12. 12

    On New Year's Eve, how many times do most Japanese Buddhist temples ring their bell?

    medium

    Answer

    108 times.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joya_no_Kane?oldid=1347941643

  13. 13

    In Scottish folklore, what is the first person to enter a home on New Year's Day called?

    medium

    Answer

    The first-foot.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-foot?oldid=1352537383

  14. 14

    What is a first-foot believed to bring to a home?

    medium

    Answer

    Good fortune for the coming year.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-foot?oldid=1352537383

  15. 15

    What is the Scots word for the last day of the year?

    medium

    Answer

    Hogmanay.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogmanay?oldid=1379531854

  16. 16

    Which Scottish song is traditionally sung at midnight to say goodbye to the old year?

    medium

    Answer

    Auld Lang Syne.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne?oldid=1378217057

  17. 17

    Which poet wrote the words of Auld Lang Syne in 1788?

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    Answer

    Robert Burns.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne?oldid=1378217057

  18. 18

    What does auld lang syne roughly mean in standard English?

    medium

    Answer

    Old long since, or days gone by.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne?oldid=1378217057

  19. 19

    The month of January is named after which Roman god of gateways and beginnings?

    medium

    Answer

    Janus.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Day?oldid=1380007139

  20. 20

    Which ancient people made New Year promises during a 12-day festival called Akitu?

    medium

    Answer

    The Babylonians.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_resolution?oldid=1336017312

  21. 21

    In which year BC did the Julian calendar make January 1 the start of the year?

    medium

    Answer

    46 BC.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_resolution?oldid=1336017312

  22. 22

    In which California city is the Rose Parade held on New Year's Day?

    medium

    Answer

    Pasadena.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Parade?oldid=1378975645

  23. 23

    Which college football game follows the Rose Parade in the afternoon?

    medium

    Answer

    The Rose Bowl.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Parade?oldid=1378975645

  24. 24

    What are the Rose Parade's floats covered with?

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    Answer

    Flowers.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Parade?oldid=1378975645

  25. 25

    Who first organized the Times Square ball drop?

    medium

    Answer

    Adolph Ochs, then owner of The New York Times.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_Ball?oldid=1378168817

  26. 26

    At what time does the Times Square ball start to descend?

    medium

    Answer

    11:59 p.m.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_Ball?oldid=1378168817

  27. 27

    Since 1999–2000, which company has made the crystal panels on the Times Square ball?

    medium

    Answer

    Waterford Crystal.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_Ball?oldid=1378168817

  28. 28

    Many Christians go to what kind of church service on New Year's Eve?

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    Answer

    A watchnight service.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Eve?oldid=1379937203

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