The holidays are all about laughter, fun, and festive cheer — and Christmas riddles are the perfect way to bring everyone together. Whether you’re hosting a classroom game, a cozy family night, or a Christmas party with friends, these brain teasers will keep everyone smiling. From Santa and snowmen to reindeer and presents, here are 80 Christmas riddles (with answers) that range from clever to downright hilarious!
1. What do you call an old snowman?
Answer: Water.
2. What do you get if you cross Santa with a detective?
Answer: Santa Clues.
3. What do you call a snowman with a six-pack?
Answer: An abdominal snowman.
4. What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
Answer: Tinselitis.
5. Why did Santa go to music school?
Answer: Because he wanted to improve his “wrap” skills.
6. What falls at Christmas but never gets hurt?
Answer: Snow.
7. What do you call Santa when he takes a break?
Answer: Santa Pause.
8. What do you get if you cross a Christmas tree with an iPad?
Answer: A pineapple.
9. Why did the ornament go to school?
Answer: To get a little brighter.
10. What do you call a kid who doesn’t believe in Santa?
Answer: A rebel without a Claus.
11. What type of photos do elves take?
Answer: Elfies.
12. What does Santa use to keep his suit wrinkle-free?
Answer: Claus-tarch.
13. What do you call a snowman in the summer?
Answer: A puddle.
14. What does Mrs. Claus say to Santa when there are clouds in the sky?
Answer: “It looks like rain, dear.”
15. Where does Santa go when he’s sick?
Answer: To the elf-care center.
16. What’s Santa’s favorite snack?
Answer: Ho-ho-hos.
17. What do you call a snowman party?
Answer: A snowball.
18. What do you call a cat on the beach during Christmas?
Answer: Sandy Claws.
19. What kind of music do elves like best?
Answer: Wrap music.
20. What do you get if you cross a bell with a skunk?
Answer: Jingle smells.
21. Why was the snowman looking through the carrots?
Answer: He was picking his nose.
22. What did Adam say to his wife on December 24th?
Answer: “It’s Christmas, Eve!”
23. What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
Answer: Claustrophobic.
24. Why did Santa put his clock in the freezer?
Answer: He wanted to see time fly.
25. What do you call Santa’s helpers?
Answer: Subordinate Clauses.
26. Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing?
Answer: They always drop their needles.
27. What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
Answer: Frostbite.
28. What’s a snowman’s favorite game?
Answer: Ice Spy.
29. What did one snowman say to the other?
Answer: “Do you smell carrots?”
30. What’s Santa’s favorite kind of potato chip?
Answer: Crisp Pringles.
31. Why did the gingerbread man go to the doctor?
Answer: He was feeling crummy.
32. What do elves learn in school?
Answer: The elf-abet.
33. Why don’t crabs celebrate Christmas?
Answer: Because they’re shell-fish.
34. Why was the math book sad at Christmas?
Answer: It had too many story problems.
35. What kind of ball doesn’t bounce?
Answer: A snowball.
36. What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
Answer: Frosted flakes.
37. What do you get if you cross a Christmas tree and a dog?
Answer: A bark tree.
38. What’s the Grinch’s least favorite band?
Answer: The Who.
39. How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?
Answer: Nothing — it was on the house.
40. Why do reindeer wear bells?
Answer: Because their horns don’t work.
41. What do you call Santa when he acts up?
Answer: Krisp Kringle.
42. What do you get if you cross an apple and a Christmas tree?
Answer: A pineapple.
43. What do you call a broke Santa Claus?
Answer: Saint Nickel-less.
44. Why was the turkey banned from the Christmas band?
Answer: Because he kept gobbling up all the notes.
45. What do you get when you cross Santa with a duck?
Answer: A Christmas quacker.
46. What do snowmen call their offspring?
Answer: Chill-dren.
47. Why did the snowman turn yellow?
Answer: He heard the reindeer were coming.
48. Why do mummies like Christmas so much?
Answer: Because of all the wrapping.
49. What do you get when you cross an elf and a singer?
Answer: Elfis Presley.
50. Why is it so cold at Christmas?
Answer: Because it’s Decembrrrrr.
51. What kind of motorbike does Santa ride?
Answer: A Holly Davidson.
52. What did the ocean say to Santa?
Answer: Nothing, it just waved.
53. What do you call a dog who works for Santa?
Answer: Santa Paws.
54. Why did Santa’s helper see the doctor?
Answer: Because he had low “elf” esteem.
55. How do snowmen travel around?
Answer: By icicle.
56. Why did Santa’s workshop shut down?
Answer: Elf shortage.
57. What do you call a snowman who tells tall tales?
Answer: A snow-fibber.
58. What do you call a greedy elf?
Answer: Elfish.
59. Why did Rudolph get a bad report card?
Answer: He went down in history.
60. What’s the best Christmas present?
Answer: A broken drum — you just can’t beat it.
61. What do you call an elf who wins the lottery?
Answer: Welfy.
62. How do sheep say Merry Christmas?
Answer: Fleece Navidad.
63. Why does Santa always carry an umbrella?
Answer: Because of rain, dear.
64. Why do reindeer like Beyoncé?
Answer: Because she slays.
65. What do you call a snowman with a temper tantrum?
Answer: A meltdown.
66. What did the gingerbread man put on his bed?
Answer: A cookie sheet.
67. Why don’t snowmen eat carrots?
Answer: They’re afraid they’ll pick their nose.
68. What kind of bug hates Christmas?
Answer: A humbug.
69. Why did Frosty call his dog “Fido”?
Answer: Because it was “Fido the snow!”
70. What did Santa say when he stepped into a big puddle?
Answer: It must have reindeer.
71. What do you call an elf wearing ear muffs?
Answer: Anything you want — he can’t hear you!
72. What kind of candle burns longer — a red one or a green one?
Answer: Neither. They both burn shorter.
73. What did one Christmas tree say to another?
Answer: “Lighten up!”
74. What do snowmen take when the sun gets too hot?
Answer: A chill pill.
75. What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?
Answer: A Christmas quacker.
76. What kind of music does Santa listen to on Christmas Eve?
Answer: Wrap music.
77. What do you call a reindeer that tells jokes?
Answer: Comet-ian.
78. What did the Christmas tree say after a long day?
Answer: “I’m feeling pine.”
79. Why did Santa go to art school?
Answer: He wanted to learn how to draw his sleigh.
80. What do elves do after school?
Answer: Their gnome-work.
Christmas riddles are an excellent way to add humor and playfulness to your celebrations. Whether you’re testing your family, classmates, or coworkers, these riddles are sure to spread smiles and spark laughter. Share them around the tree, during dinner, or at your next holiday gathering — and keep the Christmas spirit alive with a bit of wit and wordplay!
