Holiday Riddles
Holiday riddles for the whole season are here, from Santa and his elves to menorahs, dreidels, and New Year fireworks. They work wonderfully as holiday riddles for kids at class parties and family dinners. And if you want a full page of Christmas riddles, we have a separate collection devoted to December 25.
Christmas riddles about Santa, elves, and treats
The opening run covers the December icons: a glowing red nose, a stocking hoping to get stuffed, and the gingerbread man daring you to catch him.
Hanukkah and New Year riddles
Menorahs, spinning dreidels, the Times Square ball drop, and fireworks all get their own riddles, so the whole season is covered, not just one holiday.
Holiday riddles for kids: quiz and emoji rounds
The final stretch turns into a party game with multiple choice questions, emoji picture riddles, and type-in answers that young solvers can handle on their own.
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1. I visit every home in a single night, but I only use the chimney as my door. Who am I?
Need a hint?
Ho, ho, ho!
Show answer
Santa Claus.
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2. My nose glows so bright that I get to lead the whole sleigh. Who am I?
Need a hint?
The other reindeer used to laugh at me.
Show answer
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer.
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3. I wear lights and ornaments, but I'm not a person, and I only come indoors in December. What am I?
Need a hint?
There's a star on my head.
Show answer
A Christmas tree.
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4. I hang by the fireplace all December, hoping to get stuffed. What am I?
Need a hint?
Check inside me on Christmas morning.
Show answer
A stocking.
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5. Catch me if you can! I'm sweet, spiced, and shaped like a little person. What am I?
Need a hint?
Run, run, as fast as you can.
Show answer
A gingerbread man.
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6. I'm a circle of green that hangs on your front door for the whole season. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm often decorated with a red bow.
Show answer
A wreath.
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7. I'm striped red and white and shaped like a shepherd's hook. What am I?
Need a hint?
I taste like peppermint.
Show answer
A candy cane.
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8. I'm small, I love making toys, and I work all year at the North Pole. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm one of Santa's helpers.
Show answer
An elf.
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9. I hide surprises under paper and bows, and people shake me to guess my secret. What am I?
Need a hint?
You'll find me under the tree.
Show answer
A present.
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10. Stand under me during the holidays and you might just get a kiss. What am I?
Need a hint?
I hang from the ceiling or a doorway.
Show answer
Mistletoe.
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11. We jingle all the way, wherever the sleigh goes. What are we?
Need a hint?
There's a very famous song about us.
Show answer
Sleigh bells.
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12. I'm a creamy holiday drink with a name that sounds like it belongs in a henhouse. What am I?
Need a hint?
A sprinkle of nutmeg finishes me off.
Show answer
Eggnog.
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13. I hold nine candles and I shine for eight special nights. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm lit during Hanukkah.
Show answer
A menorah.
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14. I spin and spin during Hanukkah, and I have four letters on my sides. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm a spinning top.
Show answer
A dreidel.
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15. I drop once a year in New York City while millions of people count down and cheer. What am I?
Need a hint?
Ten, nine, eight...
Show answer
The Times Square ball.
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16. I bloom in the night sky with a bang when the new year begins. What am I?
Need a hint?
Look up at midnight.
Show answer
Fireworks.
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17. I'm the guest of honor at the holiday table, but I never eat a single bite. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm served on a big platter.
Show answer
The turkey.
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18. Shake me and watch a tiny winter storm fall inside me. What am I?
Need a hint?
I fit right in your hand.
Show answer
A snow globe.
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19. I travel far and wide every December, carrying warm wishes from family and friends. What am I?
Need a hint?
I arrive in the mailbox.
Show answer
A holiday card.
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20. Santa uses me as a front door, even though I'm full of smoke the rest of the year. What am I?
Need a hint?
I sit on top of the roof.
Show answer
The chimney.
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21. Open one of my little doors each day in December. Sometimes chocolate hides behind them. What am I?
Need a hint?
I count down the days until Christmas.
Show answer
An advent calendar.
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22. We knock on your door in the cold, then fill the street with song. Who are we?
Need a hint?
Fa la la la la.
Show answer
Carolers.
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23. I'm the holiday dessert everyone jokes about giving away again next year. What am I?
Need a hint?
I'm dense, sweet, and surprisingly heavy.
Show answer
A fruitcake.
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24. I'm a wooden soldier with a very strong jaw, and I star in a famous ballet. What am I?
Need a hint?
Tchaikovsky wrote music about me.
Show answer
A nutcracker.
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25. Millions of people make me on January 1 and forget all about me by February. What am I?
Need a hint?
This year I'll definitely go to the gym...
Show answer
A New Year's resolution.
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26. I'm shiny and stringy, and I drape myself all over the tree. What am I?
Need a hint?
I sparkle in the light.
Show answer
Tinsel.
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27. What did the gingerbread man use to make his bed?
A cookie sheet. Bakers use one every time they tuck cookies into the oven.
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28. Which reindeer has a shiny red nose?
Rudolph's glowing nose guides the sleigh on foggy nights.
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29. What falls all winter at the North Pole but never gets hurt?
Snow falls all season long and lands softly every time.
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30. What kind of music do wrapped presents listen to?
Wrap music. Say it out loud and you'll hear it.
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31. How many nights does Hanukkah last?
Hanukkah lasts eight nights, with one more candle lit each evening.
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32. ❄️ + 🌎
Need a hint?
Shake it and watch.
Show answer
A snow globe (snow + globe).
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33. 🍬 + 🦯
Need a hint?
It hangs on the tree and tastes like peppermint.
Show answer
A candy cane (candy + cane).
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34. 🥚 + 🥛
Need a hint?
It's a classic holiday drink.
Show answer
Eggnog (egg + a mug of creamy milk).
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35. 🦌 + 💡
Need a hint?
He leads the sleigh.
Show answer
Rudolph (a reindeer with his own light).
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36. 🌰 + 💥
Need a hint?
It's a wooden soldier from a famous ballet.
Show answer
A nutcracker (nut + crack).
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37. I'm a plant with red berries and pointy green leaves, and my name rhymes with 'jolly'. What am I?
Show answer
Holly
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38. Santa makes me and then checks me twice. What am I?
Show answer
His list
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39. In what month does the new year begin?
Show answer
January
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40. The nine-branched candle holder lit during Hanukkah is called a menorah.
True. The Hanukkah menorah, also called a hanukkiah, holds eight candles plus the helper candle called the shamash.
Your score
FAQ about Holiday Riddles
Which holidays do these riddles cover?
Christmas gets the biggest share, with Santa, reindeer, and tree riddles, but Hanukkah's menorah and dreidel and the New Year countdown are here too. It is one page for the whole festive season.
Are these holiday riddles kid friendly?
All 40 are family safe and most are written for kids. The emoji riddles and multiple choice questions near the end are the easiest, while a few of the longer riddles give grown-ups a fair challenge.
How can I use these at a holiday party or in class?
Read them aloud between activities, print a few onto gift tags, or run the multiple choice block as a team quiz. Every answer reveals on tap, so the host never gets stumped.
Want to go deeper on December itself? Our Christmas Riddles for Kids page is all December 25, and the Winter Riddles collection keeps the fun going long after the decorations come down.