New year and fresh starts quiz

Twelve questions for the first team meeting back. Light enough for January, and a decent excuse to talk about what everyone wants from the year.

Free to use with your own team, courtesy of WorkplaceHero - workplacehero.co.uk

Question sheet

  1. 1. Which song is traditionally sung at midnight on New Year's Eve in the UK?
    • A. Danny Boy
    • B. Auld Lang Syne
    • C. Jerusalem
    • D. Loch Lomond
  2. 2. 'Auld lang syne' roughly translates as what?
    • A. Old long since
    • B. All good things
    • C. One more year
    • D. Never forget
  3. 3. In Spain, what do people traditionally eat at midnight on New Year's Eve?
    • A. Twelve grapes
    • B. A bowl of lentils
    • C. Twelve olives
    • D. A slice of cake
  4. 4. Which city is famous for dropping a giant ball in Times Square?
    • A. Chicago
    • B. Boston
    • C. New York
    • D. Toronto
  5. 5. Hogmanay is the new year celebration in which country?
    • A. Ireland
    • B. Wales
    • C. Scotland
    • D. Iceland
  6. 6. What is 'first footing'?
    • A. The first person to enter a home after midnight
    • B. The first walk of the year
    • C. The first goal of the season
    • D. The first day back at work
  7. 7. Which month is named after the Roman god of doorways and beginnings?
    • A. March
    • B. January
    • C. June
    • D. August
  8. 8. Roughly what share of new year resolutions are typically abandoned by February?
    • A. About one in ten
    • B. About a quarter
    • C. About four in ten
    • D. About eight in ten
  9. 9. The Chinese new year falls on a date set by which calendar?
    • A. Solar
    • B. Lunisolar
    • C. Gregorian
    • D. Julian
  10. 10. Which country is usually first in the world to welcome the new year?
    • A. New Zealand
    • B. Kiribati
    • C. Australia
    • D. Japan
  11. 11. In Denmark, what do people traditionally do at midnight for good luck?
    • A. Jump off a chair
    • B. Throw water out of a window
    • C. Ring a bell twelve times
    • D. Light a candle in every room
  12. 12. Which goal-setting acronym is most often used at work in January?
    • A. FAST
    • B. SMART
    • C. CLEAR
    • D. GROW

Answer sheet (for the quizmaster)

  1. 1. B - Auld Lang Syne
    The words come from a Robert Burns poem.
  2. 2. A - Old long since
  3. 3. A - Twelve grapes
    One grape per chime, one for each month ahead.
  4. 4. C - New York
  5. 5. C - Scotland
  6. 6. A - The first person to enter a home after midnight
  7. 7. B - January
    Janus, who looks both backwards and forwards.
  8. 8. D - About eight in ten
    Surveys consistently put it near eighty per cent - specific goals fare better.
  9. 9. B - Lunisolar
  10. 10. B - Kiribati
    Kiribati's Line Islands are in the earliest time zone on earth.
  11. 11. A - Jump off a chair
    Jumping into the new year, often from the sofa.
  12. 12. B - SMART
    Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound.