Christmas Riddles with Answers
Nothing breaks up a long holiday dinner like a good riddle. These Christmas riddles cover Santa, snowmen, and everything under the tree. Easy ones for the kids, harder ones for the table.
Christmas riddles for kids
Trees dressed up in December and songs named Carol. Easy wins for the youngest at the table.
Christmas riddles with answers for adults
The harder entries hide their answers in wordplay. Old snowmen become water, eventually.
Holiday riddles for the classroom and the dinner table
Perfect for the last school week of December or the lull between dinner and dessert.
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1. I have needles but I never sew. Every December people dress me up. What am I?
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A Christmas tree.
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2. What do you call a snowman in July?
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A puddle.
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3. I get filled every Christmas Eve, but I am not a plate. I hang by the fire and hold your treats. What am I?
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A stocking.
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4. Which of Santa's reindeer has the shiniest nose?
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Rudolph.
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5. I fall from the sky but never get hurt. No two of me are ever alike. What am I?
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A snowflake.
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6. You can catch me under a doorway at Christmas, and I might cost you a kiss. What am I?
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Mistletoe.
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7. I am round, I hang from branches, and I shatter if you drop me. What am I?
Need a hint?
You find me on the tree, not under it.
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An ornament.
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8. What kind of music do elves listen to?
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Wrap music.
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9. I am a striped stick you can eat, shaped like a shepherd's hook. What am I?
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A candy cane.
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10. The more presents I cover, the less of me is left on the roll. What am I?
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Wrapping paper.
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11. I am a house you can eat, held together with icing. What am I?
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A gingerbread house.
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12. What does Santa use when his sleigh breaks down?
Need a hint?
It is a vehicle made for winter.
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A snowmobile.
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13. I count the days until Christmas, and behind each of my little doors there is often chocolate. What am I?
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An advent calendar.
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14. I ring but I am not a phone. You hear me on sleighs and in carols. What am I?
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A bell.
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15. How do Santa's elves take pictures of themselves?
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They snap elfies.
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16. I wear a scarf but have no neck, a carrot but I cannot see. Warm weather is my enemy. What am I?
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A snowman.
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17. Santa rides in me all night, yet I have no engine and no wheels. What am I?
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A sleigh.
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18. Where does Santa keep his suits?
Need a hint?
Say it out loud. It sounds like a place for clothes.
Show answer
In the Claus-et.
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19. I am a song sung door to door in December, and my name is also a girl's name. What am I?
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A carol.
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20. I am the night before the big day, and I share my name with the first woman in the Bible. What am I?
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Christmas Eve.
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21. What do elves learn first at school?
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The elf-abet.
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22. I sit on top of the tree and I also live in the night sky. What am I?
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A star.
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23. I am red and white, I come down chimneys, and cookies vanish when I visit. Who am I?
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Santa Claus.
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24. You leave me out for Santa with a glass of milk. What am I?
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Cookies.
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25. What falls in winter but never gets hurt and never makes a sound?
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Snow.
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26. I am green, I hate noise, and I once tried to steal a whole holiday. Who am I?
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The Grinch.
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27. I am a ball of snow that grows bigger the farther I roll. What am I?
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A snowball.
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28. Why did the Christmas cookie go to the doctor?
Need a hint?
Think about what cookies leave behind on the plate.
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Because it was feeling crummy.
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29. I am a circle of branches on your front door, with no beginning and no end. What am I?
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A wreath.
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30. I work all year in a toy shop, I am short, and my shoes curl at the toes. Who am I?
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An elf.
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31. I am a hot drink with marshmallows floating on top, perfect after sledding. What am I?
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Hot chocolate.
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32. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Need a hint?
It is also what happens to fingers left out in the cold too long.
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Frostbite.
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33. I have a bow but I cannot shoot, and ribbon but no hair. Kids shake me to guess what is inside. What am I?
Show answer
A present.
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34. I am the plant with red leaves that shows up in every store in December. What am I?
Need a hint?
My leaves are often mistaken for flowers.
Show answer
A poinsettia.
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35. Where do Santa and his elves live and build toys all year?
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The North Pole.
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36. I light up the house but I am not the sun. You string me along the roof and the tree. What am I?
Show answer
Christmas lights.
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37. What do you call an old snowman?
Show answer
Water.
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FAQ about Christmas Riddles with Answers
Are these Christmas riddles for kids or adults?
Both. The set runs easy to hard, so young kids get quick wins while the trickier wordplay keeps adults honest.
Can teachers use these riddles before winter break?
Yes, they are a favorite for December classrooms. No printing or prep needed, just open the page and read them aloud.
What topics do the Christmas riddles cover?
Santa, snowmen, carols, trees, and gifts all appear across the 37 riddles. Six include hints, and each answer reveals on tap.
Riddle fans in the family? Our Riddles for Kids page keeps them busy well past the holidays. And when October rolls around again, the Halloween Riddles with Answers are waiting.