List of Christmas Words

Christmas words such as angel, carol, gift, holly, joy, mistletoe, reindeer, stocking, tinsel, and wreath bring the season to mind. Use this list of Christmas words to find the right expression for a card, a story, a word game, or a festive activity. Browse by letter or explore the themed lists and meanings below.

Common Christmas Words

Advent, angel, bell, Bethlehem, candle, candy cane, carol, celebration, Christmas Eve, Christmas tree, December, decorations, elf, evergreen, family, festive, frankincense, garland, gift, gingerbread, goodwill, holly, hope, jolly, joy, manger, merry, mistletoe, nativity, Noel, North Pole, nutcracker, ornament, peace, poinsettia, present, reindeer, ribbon, Santa Claus, sleigh, snowflake, star, stocking, tinsel, tradition, wreath, wrapping paper, and Yule.

See more Christmas words from A-Z:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

See more lists of Christmas Words

Christmas Words from A to Z

Looking for Christmas words beginning with a particular letter? Select a letter for a longer list with definitions and examples. Some entries name Christmas traditions; others describe gifts, gatherings, food, or the winter season. The choices for Q, X, and Z are more limited, so a few are related words or terms from other languages.

• A: Advent, angel, anticipation.
• B: bell, Bethlehem, bow.
• C: candy cane, carol, Christmas.
• D: December, decorations, donkey.
• E: elf, Emmanuel, evergreen.
• F: family, festive, frankincense.
• G: garland, gift, gingerbread.
• H: holly, hope, hymn.
• I: icicle, incarnation, ivy.
• J: jolly, joy, joyful.
• K: kindness, king, Kringle.
• L: lantern, lights, love.
• M: manger, merry, mistletoe.
• N: nativity, Noel, nutcracker.
• O: ornament, offering, opening.
• P: peace, poinsettia, present.
• Q: quiet, quilt, quince.
• R: reindeer, ribbon, Rudolph.
• S: Santa, sleigh, stocking.
• T: tinsel, toy, tree.
• U: unwrap, unwrapping, unity.
• V: village, visit, Vixen.
• W: wassail, wreath, wrapping.
• X: Xmas.
• Y: Yule, Yuletide, Yule log.
• Z: zest, zestful, Zimtsterne.

Xmas is an abbreviation for Christmas. Zimtsterne are German cinnamon star cookies. Vixen is the name of one of Santa’s reindeer in Christmas stories.

Christmas Nouns

• Angel – A spiritual being often depicted as a messenger of God.
• Bell – A hollow instrument that rings when struck, often used in Christmas songs.
• Candle – A stick of wax with a wick, used for lighting.
• Elf – A small helper of Santa Claus in Christmas stories.
• Gift – Something given to someone else as a present.
• Mistletoe – A plant with white berries, traditionally hung as a decoration during Christmas.
• Reindeer – A real deer species that also appears pulling Santa’s sleigh in Christmas stories.
• Snowflake – An ice crystal, or a group of ice crystals, that falls as snow.
• Stocking – A large sock traditionally hung for Santa to fill with gifts.
• Tree – A decorated evergreen, central to Christmas celebrations.

Christmas Adjectives

• Cheerful – Full of joy and happiness.
• Frosty – Cold and covered with frost.
• Jolly – Happy and full of good cheer.
• Magical – Having a special or mysterious quality, often linked to fantasy.
• Merry – Lighthearted and joyful.
• Peaceful – Calm and without conflict.
• Sparkling – Shining with flashes of light.
• Warm – Full of friendliness and affection.
• White – Pure in color, often associated with snow.
• Wonderful – Inspiring delight or admiration.

Christmas Verbs

• Celebrate – To mark a special occasion with activities.
• Cheer – To shout for joy or encouragement.
• Decorate – To add adornments or ornaments.
• Give – To present something to someone.
• Light – To make something bright or visible, often with candles or lights.
• Rejoice – To feel or express great joy.
• Sing – To use one’s voice to make musical sounds.
• Sparkle – To shine with bright flashes of light.
• Wrap – To cover a gift in paper.
• Wish – To express a desire for something to happen.

Short Christmas Words

• Elf – A helper of Santa Claus in Christmas stories.
• Joy – A feeling of great happiness.
• Noel – Another word for Christmas, originating from French.
• Red – A color often associated with Christmas decorations.
• Snow – Frozen water vapor that falls in flakes.
• Star – A bright object in the night sky; a star shape is also a common Christmas decoration.
• Toy – An object for children to play with, often given as a gift.
• Yule – An old word for Christmas.
• Tree – A decorated evergreen central to Christmas celebrations.
• Wish – A hope or desire for something to happen.

CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) Christmas Words

For beginning readers, these short-vowel words follow a simple consonant–vowel–consonant pattern. Their Christmas connections come from how they are used; most are everyday words rather than Christmas-specific vocabulary. Toy belongs in the short-word list above, but it is not a simple short-vowel CVC word.

• Bag – A bag for carrying presents.
• Cap – A soft hat, such as a red Santa cap.
• Hat – A head covering worn for warmth or as part of a costume.
• Lap – The space across your upper legs when you sit down.
• Log – A piece of wood for a fire or a Yule log tradition.
• Nut – A food that may appear in holiday treats or beside a nutcracker.
• Pet – An animal that lives with a person or family.
• Red – A color often used in Christmas decorations.
• Run – To move quickly on foot, as reindeer do.
• Tin – A metal container used for cookies or sweets.

Christmas Rhyming Words

Use these rhyming pairs in a Christmas poem, a clue, or a message. The words do not all name Christmas objects, but they can help you write about the season.

• Bells / smells
• Bright / light
• Cheer / dear
• Cold / gold
• Fun / run
• Glee / tree
• Joy / toy
• Night / sight
• Snow / glow
• Star / far

Example: “A candle glows beside the tree; a little warmth for you and me.”

Christmas Compound Words

• Evergreen – A type of tree that stays green all year and is often used as a Christmas tree.
• Fireplace – A place for an open fire in a room, often a focal point during the holidays.
• Candy cane – A hooked sweet often used as a Christmas treat or decoration. (An open compound: two words written separately.)
• Gingerbread – A spiced cookie or cake often shaped like people or houses during Christmas.
• Nutcracker – A tool used to crack nuts, often seen as a decorative item during Christmas.
• Snowman – A figure made of snow, typically with a carrot for a nose and coal for eyes.
• Snowflake – An ice crystal or cluster of ice crystals with delicate patterns.
• Snowball – A ball of snow, often used in a playful fight.
• Snowstorm – A heavy fall of snow, often accompanied by strong winds.

Christmas Onomatopoeia

• Jingle – The sound of bells, as in “jingle bells.”
• Crackle – The sound made by a fire or Yule log burning.
• Clatter – A loud rattling noise, like Santa’s sleigh landing on the roof.
• Pop – The sound made by something like a Christmas cracker or popcorn garland.
• Snap – The sharp sound made by breaking a candy cane or Christmas cracker.
• Tinkling – The soft, high-pitched sound of tiny bells or Christmas ornaments clinking together.
• Whoosh – The sound of wind or sleighs moving quickly through the snow.
• Crunch – The sound of stepping on snow, creating a crisp, crushing sound.
• Rustle – The sound of wrapping paper or leaves moving in the wind.
• Plop – The sound of snow falling heavily onto the ground.

Unique Christmas Words

• Bûche de Noël – A French Christmas dessert resembling a log.
• Crèche – A model or scene depicting the Nativity.
• Eggnog – A sweet holiday drink made with milk or cream and eggs; some versions contain alcohol.
• Feliz Navidad – A Spanish phrase meaning “Merry Christmas.”
• Krampus – A figure in Alpine Christmas folklore, traditionally associated with Saint Nicholas.
• Lutefisk – A traditional Scandinavian Christmas dish made of dried fish.
• Pfeffernüsse – A spiced cookie popular in Germany and Scandinavia during Christmas.
• Poinsettia – A plant associated with Christmas, often recognized by its red leaflike bracts.
• Tannenbaum – A German word for Christmas tree.
• Wassail – A hot, spiced drink associated with Christmas.

Beautiful Christmas Words

• Candles – Small, wax lights used to bring warmth and glow to holiday settings.
• Cherish – To hold something dear or special, especially during the holiday season.
• Comfort – A sense of ease or relief, often found in holiday traditions.
• Glowing – Soft light, often referring to Christmas lights or candles.
• Grace – A simple, elegant quality, often evoked during Christmas time.
• Harmony – A sense of peace and unity.
• Luminous – Giving off light, used to describe Christmas decorations.
• Radiant – Bright and shining with joy.
• Serenity – A calm and peaceful state, often linked to the holiday atmosphere.
• Tranquil – Calm and quiet, often describing a peaceful holiday evening.

Religious Christmas Words

• Advent – The period leading up to Christmas in Christian tradition.
• Bethlehem – The town where Jesus was born.
• Christ – The central figure of Christmas, Jesus Christ.
• Emmanuel – A name for Jesus meaning “God with us.”
• Gabriel – The angel who announced the birth of Jesus to Mary.
• Messiah – A title for Jesus, meaning the anointed one.
• Nativity – The birth of Jesus Christ.
• Shepherd – A person who tends sheep, often featured in the Nativity story.
• Savior – A title for Jesus, referring to his role in Christianity.
• Star – The Star of Bethlehem, which guides the wise men in the biblical Christmas story.

Christmas Words in Other Languages

• Feliz Navidad – “Merry Christmas” in Spanish.
• Joyeux Noël – “Merry Christmas” in French.
• Buon Natale – “Merry Christmas” in Italian.
• Frohe Weihnachten – “Merry Christmas” in German.
• Feliz Natal – “Merry Christmas” in Portuguese.
• God Jul – “Merry Christmas” in Swedish.
• Nadolig Llawen – “Merry Christmas” in Welsh.
• Mele Kalikimaka – “Merry Christmas” in Hawaiian.
• Kala Christougenna – “Merry Christmas” in Greek.
• Glædelig Jul – “Merry Christmas” in Danish.

Christmas Phrases for Cards

• “Wishing you a season of joy and love.”
• “May your days be merry and bright.”
• “Warmest wishes for a joyful Christmas.”
• “May peace and happiness fill your home this holiday season.”
• “Wishing you love, light, and laughter this Christmas.”
• “May the magic of Christmas fill your heart.”
• “Sending you love and best wishes for a joyous Christmas.”
• “Wishing you a Christmas filled with peace and happiness.”
• “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”
• “May the spirit of Christmas bring you joy and love.”

Christmas Idioms

• “Deck the halls” – To decorate a space for Christmas.
• “Good things come in small packages” – A reminder that even small gifts or things can be valuable.
• “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” – Be grateful for the gifts you receive without criticizing them.
• “The more, the merrier” – The idea that having more people involved or participating brings more joy.
• “Cold hands, warm heart” – A saying that cold hands do not mean a person lacks kindness.
• “‘Tis the season” – A shortened form of “’Tis the season to be jolly,” used to express the holiday spirit.
• “Lit up like a Christmas tree” – Someone or something that is very brightly decorated or full of energy.
• “Christmas comes but once a year” – A phrase to encourage generosity and kindness during the holiday season, as it’s a special, rare time.
• “All my Christmases have come at once” – Used when something very fortunate happens, like multiple good things happening at the same time.
• “Christmas came early” – Refers to an unexpected surprise or good fortune occurring before the expected time.
• “Dressed up like a Christmas turkey” – Refers to someone who is overdressed or excessively dressed up for an occasion.
• “Bah, humbug” – An expression used by someone who dislikes or disapproves of Christmas, made famous by Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.
• “To be on the naughty list” – A reference to Santa’s naughty list in Christmas stories, often used jokingly about misbehavior.
• “Like a kid on Christmas morning” – Used to describe someone who is very excited or eagerly anticipating something.
• “The proof is in the pudding” – Refers to the idea that something can only be judged by its results or outcomes, often heard around Christmas when traditional holiday puddings are served.

Christmas Writing Prompts

1. “Write about your favorite winter tradition or celebration, and why it’s special to you and your family.”
2. “If you could create your own winter holiday, what would it be called? What would you celebrate, and how would people participate?”
3. “Write about the best gift you’ve ever given to someone, and how it made you feel to share it.”
4. “Imagine Santa’s reindeer are too tired to fly on Christmas Eve. What happens next?”
5. “Describe a winter day from the perspective of a snowflake as it falls to the ground.”
6. “If you could give one special gift to anyone in the world, what would it be and why?”
7. “What would happen if you woke up on Christmas morning and found that your presents were missing?”
8. “Write a story about a Christmas where everyone can only give homemade gifts.”
9. “Santa accidentally leaves a magical item at your house. What is it, and what does it do?”
10. “You find a hidden door in your home that leads to the North Pole. What do you discover?”

Choosing Words for Cards, Stories, and Games

For a card, start with a feeling such as joy, peace, hope, or love, then add a personal wish. For a story, combine a setting word such as hearth or village with a detail such as pine, candlelight, or gingerbread. For an alphabet game, agree in advance whether phrases, names, and words from other languages count.

For vocabulary that focuses on snow, cold weather, and the season beyond Christmas, see our winter words list.

Christmas Learning Resources