The year was 2017. November 30, 2017, to be more exact. TheRatHole.ca officially first went live a week earlier, but back then we were simply known as “The Rat Hole”. I had been reviewing comic books and games at another website for a few years and it had become my tradition there to spend December reviewing as many holiday things as I could. I knew when I launched this website, that this was a tradition that I wanted to not only continue but expand on. Some years, Christmas has been lean, and I’ve had to push the theme a bit. Some years, things have been bountiful with games aplenty and a team of helper elves. The point of my meandering down memory lane is that on November 30, 2017, I reviewed The Christmas Trivia Game from Outset Media and today I am reviewing… The Christmas Trivia Game from Outset Media. It’s a different version of the game, but I wish I had been paying attention so I could have released this on November 30, 2023. But It’s December now, which is still better than when I reviewed a Black Friday game in May…
You can still find the first version of the game out in the wild, in a box that matched several other family Christmas games from Outset. But a few years after that set of games was released, they began releasing a set of more compact versions of their trivia series. Including, obviously, this one and there are some definite advantages to this version of the game, to be sure.
First of all, I’ve been told there were a few errors in the original set. I don’t personally remember any errors, but it’s always a possibility in even the most well-researched trivia. Second of all –and I did notice this– the old version had some category crossover between questions. Lastly, the size. The box size was perfectly fine and was standard to many of Outset Media’s games. But it wasn’t the most convenient thing to just toss in a Santa sack heading to a party or on a road trip. At the end of the day, or even the end of 12 Days, none of that is a reason not to pick up the original.
The new edition has cut down from 220 cards to only 71 (including a card for the rules). In cutting down the number of questions, any confusing or debatable questions. As I mentioned earlier, most of the Outset Media trivia games have received a similar revamping. So please don’t go assuming that 2/3 of the original questions weren’t good questions, because they were. The changes also allowed them to cull out or move questions that might have belonged in other categories. Lastly, the size. The cards are now bigger than the originals, which allows longer questions to feel less cramped than before and makes the cards a bit easier to handle. Since there are fewer cards, the game also now fits in a much MUCH smaller tuck box. You can fit at least 6 of the new edition into the old box. Way friendlier for travel, and small enough to make for a perfectly acceptable stocking stuffer.
The game itself is super simple. Each card has four questions from four different categories. I like sharing trivia, so as I tell you about them, I’ll include a question. You’ll be able to find the answers all the way at the bottom of this review.
“Christmas Carols” is somewhat self-explanatory I think, but covers everything Christmas music. Who sang this? What song is that? What’s that song lyric? For example:
Q: From what store does Madonna want her tree decorated in Santa Baby?
Similarly self-explanatory, but more worldly in scope, “Holiday Traditions” tests your knowledge of the happenings everywhere that Christmas’ snowy hand reaches. For example:
Q: What country started the Christmas stamp tradition in 1898?
“Christmas Entertainment” picks up where “Christmas Carols” leaves off. If it’s pop culture, but not a song, it’s likely going to show up in this category. For Example:
Q: What was the name of the Grinch’s dog in Dr. Suess’ book How the Grinch Stole Christmas?
The final category, “North Pole,” is a catch-all. It encompasses anything and everything that could potentially be associated with Christmas. Even if the Christmas in question isn’t the seasonal one. For example:
Q: In what ocean would you find an underwater mountain range called Christmas Ridge?
I enjoy trivia. I have often said the most beneficial thing to come out of most Social Studies classes is the answers to bar room trivia contests. That opinion has shifted a bit in the past couple of years, mind you. But the point is I love trivia. Even I struggled with some of the questions in the earlier edition of the game, but another effect of paring the questions down as heavily as they did, is that the new edition seems a bit more generationally family friendly. What I mean by that is that there were a ton of questions that my parents knew dead but my nibblings were clueless about. In fact, I only just noticed as I did this review that both versions are recommended for ages 12+ but the current version is also flagged as family whereas the original was flagged for adults. (Not adult in the dirty way, of course.)
If you want something for a casual holiday gathering, The Christmas Trivia Game is an option that won’t take up a ton of space but will keep you occupied for hours.
Don’t forget to scroll down for the answers to the questions above. You can find all things Outset Media Games online at www.outsetmedia.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/OutsetMedia.
Don’t forget you can read all of our current and past holiday reviews at TheRatHole.ca/Christmas!