Holiday Trivia Hosting Tips from an Emmy Award-Winning TV Host

Holiday trivia hosting is a different discipline than regular trivia hosting. The standard rules of pacing, competition, and engagement still apply, but layered on top of them is something that other events do not carry: the expectation of celebration. People show up to a holiday event wanting to feel something. The host’s job is to deliver that feeling while running a tight, competitive, entertaining game.

Scott Topper has hosted over 500 virtual events for companies of every size, including hundreds of end-of-year holiday celebrations. As an Emmy Award-winning TV and radio host, he has spent decades creating festive energy in live settings. Here is what he has learned about making virtual holiday trivia feel like a genuine party.

Set the Festive Tone Immediately

“The first 30 seconds of a holiday event are different from any other event,” Scott says. “People need to feel the holiday spirit before the first question. The music, the energy, the greeting, everything needs to signal that this is a celebration, not a meeting.”

Scott opens every holiday event with a burst of festive energy. Holiday music plays as people join. The greeting is warm and celebratory rather than businesslike. The first words out of the host’s mouth should make people smile and feel like the party has already started.

“I treat the opening like a holiday broadcast special,” Scott explains. “Think of how TV holiday specials open. There is music, warmth, excitement. That is the feeling I create in the first 30 seconds. By the time the first question appears, people are already in the holiday mood.”

About Your Host: Pop Culture Expert and Radio Host Scott Topper

Scott’s broadcasting background is especially relevant for holiday events. As a pop culture expert and radio host with an Emmy Award on his shelf, Scott has years of experience producing holiday-themed broadcasts that balance entertainment with genuine warmth. That dual skill set, the ability to run a tight show while creating an emotional atmosphere, is what makes his holiday events stand out.

“Holiday radio is some of the most demanding broadcasting there is,” Scott says. “You are creating a mood for an entire community. Every song choice, every comment, every transition contributes to or detracts from that mood. Virtual holiday events work the same way. Every question, every reaction, every moment between rounds is either building the festive atmosphere or breaking it.”

Balance Competition With Celebration

“The biggest mistake hosts make with holiday trivia is leaning too hard into competition,” Scott says. “Yes, it is a game. Yes, the score matters. But if the competitive intensity overwhelms the festive atmosphere, you have lost the point. This is a holiday party first.”

The balance comes from pacing. High-energy competitive rounds alternate with warmer, more nostalgic moments. A rapid-fire scoring round followed by a holiday music listening moment. A heated team debate followed by a question that makes everyone smile. The rhythm creates an experience that feels complete rather than relentlessly competitive.

“I read the room constantly to gauge this balance,” Scott explains. “If the competition is getting too intense and people are more stressed than festive, I slow things down with a beautiful holiday song clip or a feel-good holiday fact. If the energy is getting too relaxed and people are drifting, I introduce a high-stakes round that snaps attention back. The oscillation between competition and celebration is what makes the event feel like a party.”

Honor Every Holiday

“Inclusivity in holiday trivia is not about checking boxes,” Scott says. “It is about genuinely celebrating the richness of the season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, winter solstice traditions from around the world. Each one has fascinating trivia material, and including it makes the event richer for everyone.”

The approach matters as much as the content. Questions about non-majority holidays should be presented with the same enthusiasm and depth as questions about majority ones. No “token question” energy. Genuine curiosity and celebration.

Pop culture expert and radio host Scott Topper integrates multi-holiday content throughout the event rather than isolating it in a single round. “If all the Hanukkah questions are in one round and all the Christmas questions are in another, it feels segregated. When every round has a mix, it feels like a unified celebration of the whole season. That integration sends a message that all traditions are equally part of the party.”

Use Music as an Emotional Tool

“Holiday music is the most powerful tool in the holiday trivia host’s toolkit,” Scott says. “Not just for Name That Tune rounds. Between rounds, during transitions, while scores are being calculated. The right holiday song playing softly in the background maintains the festive atmosphere even during the logistical moments of the event.”

The selection of music matters. Upbeat songs like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” maintain energy during competitive rounds. Gentle songs like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” create warmth during reflective moments. The host curates the musical backdrop with the same intentionality as a film score.

“I think of the music as the emotional connective tissue of the event,” Scott explains. “The questions are the skeleton. The competition is the energy. But the music is what makes it feel like the holidays. Without it, you have a quiz in December. With it, you have a celebration.”

Create a Memorable Closing

“The last five minutes of a holiday event are the most important five minutes of the entire year’s team building,” Scott says. “This is the moment people carry into the holidays. It needs to be warm, celebratory, and meaningful.”

Scott closes every holiday event with a combination of final competition, results announcement, and a genuinely heartfelt holiday moment. After the winning team is crowned and celebrated, there is a brief moment where the host acknowledges the team, the year, and the spirit of coming together.

“I end every holiday event by telling the team that what they just experienced, the laughing, the competing, the celebrating together, is exactly what the holidays are about. It sounds simple, but when it comes at the end of a genuinely fun experience, it lands emotionally. People leave feeling good about their team and ready for the holidays.”

Make It Unforgettable

Our Holiday Trivia Game Show is where all of these hosting techniques come together. Sixty minutes of professionally curated holiday trivia covering every tradition, hosted live by Emmy TV and Radio Host Scott Topper. Every round is paced for maximum festive energy, and every moment is designed to make your team’s holiday celebration the best of the year.