Christmas Riddles With Answers
Updated · Best Riddles With Answers editorial team
Quick answer: Here are 42 Christmas riddles with answers for family dinners, classroom parties, cards and crackers. Start with the easy ones about Santa, stockings and snowmen, enjoy the festive wordplay, and try the hard set for number puzzles built on the twelve days of Christmas. Every riddle is clean and family friendly.
Easy Christmas Riddles
I come from the forest, but I stand in the living room covered in lights and baubles. What am I?
A Christmas tree.
I wear red, I have a white beard, and I slip down the chimney with a sack of gifts. Who am I?
Santa Claus.
I hang by the fireplace and wait to be filled with small gifts. What am I?
A Christmas stocking.
I am the reindeer with a glowing red nose, and I lead the sleigh on foggy nights. Who am I?
Rudolph.
I am wrapped in paper and tied with a bow, and I am opened on Christmas morning. What am I?
A present (a gift).
I am built from snow, with a carrot nose and eyes of coal, and I melt when the sun comes out. What am I?
A snowman.
I sit at the very top of the Christmas tree, often shaped like a star or an angel. What am I?
The tree topper.
I am a ring of leaves and red berries hung on the front door. What am I?
A wreath.
I am a striped sweet shaped like a hook, and I am red and white. What am I?
A candy cane.
I am baked in the shape of a little man, with icing buttons and a story about running away. Who am I?
A gingerbread man.
I am small, I have pointed ears, and I make toys in Santa's workshop. Who am I?
An elf.
I carry greetings and wishes, and I am sent in the post to friends and family. What am I?
A Christmas card.
Trickier Christmas Riddles
In the song, how many reindeer pull Santa's sleigh before Rudolph joins them?
Eight: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.
I am the day after Christmas in the United Kingdom and many other countries. What am I?
Boxing Day.
What is the middle letter of the word Christmas?
S. Christmas has nine letters, and the fifth one is S.
What do you call someone who is afraid of Santa?
Claustrophobic (Claus-trophobic).
What kind of music do elves like best?
Wrap music.
Which of Santa's reindeer might you expect to see on Valentine's Day?
Cupid.
What do you call a snowman in July?
A puddle.
What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
It's Christmas, Eve!
What is a snowman's favourite kind of dance?
A snow ball.
What do you get when you cross Santa with a duck?
A Christmas quacker.
I am a plant with bright red leaves that brightens homes at Christmas time. What am I?
A poinsettia.
Why does Santa have three gardens?
So he can go ho, ho, ho.
Hard Christmas Riddles
In the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, how many gifts are given in total over all twelve days?
364. Day n brings n(n + 1)/2 gifts, and the daily totals 1, 3, 6 up to 78 add to 364.
In the same song, how many birds are given in total? Count partridges, turtle doves, French hens, calling birds, geese and swans.
184. Partridges 12, doves 22, hens 30, calling birds 36, geese 42 and swans 42.
In the same song, how many gold rings does the singer receive in total?
40. Five rings arrive on each of days 5 to 12, which is eight days, and 5 x 8 = 40.
In the same song, how many lords a-leaping are given in total?
30. Ten lords come on each of days 10, 11 and 12.
If the first day of Christmas is 25 December, which date is the twelfth day?
5 January. Day 1 is 25 December, so day 12 is 11 days later.
Four elves, Alf, Bo, Cy and Di, wrap gifts in red, green, blue and gold paper, one colour each. Alf does not use red or green. Bo does not use blue. Cy uses red or blue but not blue. Di does not use gold or green. Who uses green?
Bo. Cy is red, so Di is blue, which leaves gold for Alf and green for Bo.
Five friends each give one present to each of the others. How many presents are given?
20, because each of 5 friends gives 4 presents.
A box has 12 candy canes. Someone eats a third of them, then a quarter of what is left. How many are left?
6. A third of 12 is 4, leaving 8, and a quarter of 8 is 2, leaving 6.
Six elves make six toys in six hours. How many toys do twelve elves make in twelve hours?
24. Each elf makes one toy every six hours, so each makes two in twelve hours.
Santa spends 20 seconds at each house. How many houses can he visit in one hour?
180, because an hour has 3,600 seconds and 3,600 / 20 = 180.
Quick-Fire Christmas Riddles
What does Santa say when he laughs?
Ho, ho, ho.
Where does Santa live?
The North Pole.
What songs do people sing at Christmas?
Carols.
What shiny strands are draped over the tree?
Tinsel.
What creamy drink is made with eggs and spice at Christmas?
Eggnog.
What rich fruit dessert is served after Christmas dinner?
Christmas pudding.
What is the night before Christmas called?
Christmas Eve.
What calendar counts down the days to Christmas?
An advent calendar.
How to Use These Christmas Riddles
Christmas riddles work well in crackers, on place cards and during the long wait for dinner. Print a few on slips of paper, pass them round the table and let each guest read one aloud. The easy riddles suit young children, and the wordplay riddles get groans and laughs from the grown-ups.
For a party game, split into teams and award a point for each answer. The twelve days puzzles are a good challenge for the older group, since the counting takes patience. Keep a little prize ready, such as a chocolate, and stop while everyone is still having fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good Christmas riddles for kids?
Short object riddles about Santa, snowmen, stockings and candy canes suit younger children best. Use simple clues and let them guess, and read the answer with the picture if possible.
Can I put these riddles in Christmas crackers?
Yes. Short riddles and the quick-fire set fit on a small slip of paper. Print the question on one side and the answer on the other, or pair each with a funny punchline.
How many gifts are given in The Twelve Days of Christmas?
364 gifts are given in total over the twelve days. On day n the singer receives n(n + 1)/2 gifts, and the daily counts of 1, 3, 6 and so on add up to 364.
How do I run a Christmas riddle game?
Read a riddle aloud, give each team thirty seconds, and award a point per correct answer. Mix easy and hard riddles so every age group can score, and finish with the quick-fire set.
