Christmas Word Search — 12 Free Printable Puzzles
Twelve Christmas word search puzzles to print, from picture puzzles for five-year-olds to 25-word grids of carols and North Pole words for grown-ups. Every puzzle comes with its own answer key on page two, in US Letter and A4, and there is nothing to sign up for.
Jump to: Easy picture puzzles · Medium · Hard · All 12 in one PDF
Easy Christmas word search — picture puzzles
Four 10 × 10 grids with just eight words each, and every word has a picture beside it, so children who are still learning to read can match the picture and hunt for the letters. Words only run across and down.
Christmas Eve
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Tree, Star, Gift, Bell, Santa, Snowman…
Santa's Sleigh
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Sleigh, Deer, Moon, Star, House, Cookie…
Christmas Treats
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Candy, Cookie, Cake, Pie, Milk, Cocoa…
Merry and Bright
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Bell, Bow, Gift, Tree, Angel, Mitten…
Medium Christmas word search
Four 14 × 14 grids with 15 words each: decorations, Santa’s reindeer, the Christmas kitchen and Christmas morning. Words run across, down and diagonally (never backwards), which suits most children from about eight upwards.
Deck the Halls
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Wreath, Garland, Tinsel, Ornament, Lights, Star…
Santa's Reindeer
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid…
Christmas Kitchen
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Gingerbread, Cookies, Eggnog, Turkey, Pudding, Candy Cane…
Christmas Morning
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Presents, Wrapping, Stocking, Pajamas, Surprise, Family…
Hard Christmas word search
Four 18 × 18 grids with 25 words each, hidden in all eight directions, backwards included. Carol titles and two-word phrases are hidden without spaces. These are for older kids, teens and adults.
Christmas Carols
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Jingle Bells, Silent Night, White Christmas, Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, Frosty…
At the North Pole
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Workshop, Elves, Toymaker, Naughty, Nice, List…
Christmas Words
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Advent, Calendar, Celebrate, Christmas, December, Festive…
Cozy Christmas
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Blanket, Fireplace, Slippers, Candlelight, Cocoa, Marshmallow…
All 12 puzzles in one PDF
Printing for a class, a Christmas party or a long car journey? This single file holds all twelve puzzles in order (easy, medium, then hard), followed by the twelve answer keys at the back, so you can print pages 1–12 for the children and keep 13–24 for yourself.
How to use these puzzles
- Pick a level. Easy puzzles have eight words with a picture for each and only run across and down. Medium adds diagonals. Hard hides 25 words in every direction, including backwards.
- Download and print page 1. Each PDF is two pages: the puzzle, then the answer key. Print at Actual size (100%) and choose page 1 only if you do not want the answers going round the table.
- Circle or highlight. A highlighter is easiest for small hands; a pencil loop works for everyone else. Tick the box beside each word as it is found.
- Check with the key. Page 2 shows every word highlighted, with the full word list underneath.
Make your own instead
Want this week’s spelling words, the names of everyone in the class, or the family’s names for a Christmas Day puzzle? The word search maker hides any list you type in a grid of the size you choose, then downloads it as a PDF with an answer key, in the same Letter and A4 sizes as the puzzles above.
Questions people ask
Which puzzle suits which age?
The four easy picture puzzles work from about five, as long as someone reads the words aloud the first time; after that the pictures carry them. Medium grids suit roughly eight to eleven. The hard grids are aimed at teens and adults: 25 words in 18 × 18 letters, with backwards and diagonal words mixed in.
Is each word hidden only once?
Yes. Every grid was checked by the program that built it so that each word appears exactly once, in any direction. No word in a list sits inside another one either, so every find is a real find.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. The titles are red and green on screen and the easy puzzles have small colour pictures, but everything reads clearly in black and white. The grids and word lists are pure black.
Can I use these in my classroom or at a Christmas party?
Please do. Print as many as you need. They make good early-finisher work in the last weeks before the holidays, a quiet table activity at a party, and the easy picture puzzles double as a word-recognition activity for early readers.
Letter or A4: which should I download?
Every puzzle comes in both. US Letter is the standard in the US and Canada; A4 everywhere else. Pick the one that matches the paper in your printer and the grid will print square, with nothing cut off.
More Christmas puzzles and printables
- Winter word search — twelve more puzzles for snowy days, from snowmen to snow sports.
- Crossword puzzle maker — type Christmas words and clues, print a crossword with answers.
- Christmas coloring pages — trees, Santas and reindeer to color in.
- Christmas gift tags — 24 watercolor tags to print and cut out.
- Bingo card generator — make Christmas bingo cards with your own words.
- Word scramble maker — mix up festive words for older children.
- Sudoku generator — four difficulty levels for the quiet bit after lunch.
- Christmas SVG designs — free cut files for cards, shirts and ornaments.
See all free printable games →
