200+ Festive December Riddles to Challenge Your Mind!

December brings festive cheer and family gatherings around the world. What better way to celebrate than with mind-bending riddles? This collection features over 200 holiday-themed brain teasers perfect for all ages. 

From Christmas classics to winter wonders, these riddles will challenge your thinking and spark laughter during the season’s celebrations.

Fun and Challenging December Riddles for Family Holiday Gatherings

• What has a bed but never sleeps, can run but never walks, and has a mouth but never talks? 
• 🏞️ Answer: A river
• I’m made of snow, have a carrot nose, and wear a hat on my head. What am I? 
• ☃️ Answer: A snowman
• I come with many colors, so beautiful and bright. I turn so many houses into a magical sight. What am I? 
• 💡 Answer: Christmas lights
• I’m a bird with a festive name though I don’t fly south for winter. What am I? 
• 🐦 Answer: A partridge
• I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I? 
• 🗺️ Answer: A map
• I’m white and cold, falling from the sky, but I’m not snowing. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Hail
• I’m tall when I’m young, short when I’m old, and I glow throughout my life. What am I? 
• 🕯️ Answer: A candle
• The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? 
• 👣 Answer: Footprints
• I’m full of keys but I can’t open any door. What am I? 
• 🎹 Answer: A piano
• I’m not a bird, but I can fly without wings. I’m not a river, but I can run without legs. What am I? 
• ⏰ Answer: Time
• What has an eye but cannot see? 
• 🧵 Answer: A needle
• I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I? 
• 🃏 Answer: A joke
• I have branches, but no fruit, trunk, or leaves. What am I? 
• 🏦 Answer: A bank
• I go all around the world, but never leave my corner. What am I? 
• 📮 Answer: A stamp
• I have hands but can’t clap. What am I? 
• ⏰ Answer: A clock
• I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I? 
• 7️⃣ Answer: Seven (take away ‘s’ and it becomes ‘even’)
• What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs? 
• 💰 Answer: A penny
• What building has the most stories? 
• 📚 Answer: A library
• What’s full of holes but still holds water? 
• 🧽 Answer: A sponge
• What belongs to you but others use it more than you do? 
• 📛 Answer: Your name
• What has many teeth but can’t bite? 
• 🪥 Answer: A comb
• I can travel around the world while staying in one corner. What am I? 
• 📫 Answer: A stamp
• I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens. I’m found in the paws of playful kittens. What am I? 
• 🧶 Answer: Yarn
• I can run but never walk, I have a mouth but never talk, I have a head but never weep, I have a bed but never sleep. What am I? 
• 🌊 Answer: A river
• The person who makes it doesn’t need it. The person who buys it doesn’t use it. The person who uses it doesn’t know they’re using it. What is it? 
• ⚰️ Answer: A coffin
• What gets wetter as it dries? 
• 🧖 Answer: A towel
• I’m light as a feather, but the strongest person can’t hold me for more than a few minutes. What am I? 
• 🫁 Answer: Breath
• What can fill a room but takes up no space? 
• 💡 Answer: Light
• I’m found in mistletoe and holiday pies. What am I? 
• 📏 Answer: The letter “I”
• What can you catch but not throw? 
• 🤧 Answer: A cold
• What has a ring but no finger? 
• 📱 Answer: A telephone
• The more you take away from me, the larger I become. What am I? 
• 🕳️ Answer: A hole
• Which word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? 
• 📏 Answer: Short (add “er” to make “shorter”)
• What has 13 hearts but no other organs? 
• 🃏 Answer: A deck of cards
• What can you hold in your right hand, but never in your left? 
• 👈 Answer: Your left hand

Easy-to-Solve December Riddles for Kids with Answers and Pictures

• I’m round, made of glass, and filled with snow. Shake me up and watch it blow! What am I? 
• 🔮 Answer: A snow globe
• I have a round red belly and a long white beard. I bring presents to good children once a year. Who am I? 
• 🎅 Answer: Santa Claus
• I’m green and grow on a tree. People decorate me with pretty things. What am I? 🎄 Answer: A Christmas tree
• I pull Santa’s sleigh across the sky. I have antlers and a shiny nose. What am I? 🦌 Answer: A reindeer
• I’m cold and white, I fall from the sky. I’m fun to play with when piled up high. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• I’m hung by the chimney with care. St. Nicholas fills me with treats so rare. What am I? 
• 🧦 Answer: A stocking
• I’m round, I’m red, and hang on a tree. I make Christmas pretty as can be. What am I? 
• 🔴 Answer: An ornament
• I jingle and jangle and sound very sweet. I’m often found on a sleigh or in beats. What am I? 
• 🔔 Answer: Bells
• People wrap me up in paper and put me under a tree. Children are excited to open up to me. What am I? 
• 🎁 Answer: A present
• I’m made of three balls of snow, one stacked on top of another. What am I? 
• ☃️ Answer: A snowman
• I’m a small sweet treat that’s shaped like a cane. I’m red and white and taste minty plain. What am I? 
• 🍭 Answer: A candy cane
• I’m a little helper dressed in green. I work for Santa making toys, though I’m rarely seen. What am I? 
• 🧝 Answer: An elf
• I’m a special star placed at the very top of a tree. What am I? 
• ⭐ Answer: A tree topper
• I’m a bird that appears in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song. I lay eggs in a tree. What am I? 
• 🐦 Answer: A partridge
• I’m a sweet bread shaped like a house. I’m decorated with icing and candy. What am I? 
• 🏠 Answer: A gingerbread house
• I’m a fruit that people use to make Christmas pudding. I’m small, black, and dried. What am I? 
• 🍇 Answer: A raisin
• I’m a plant with red leaves that people hang up at Christmas. What am I? 
• 🌿 Answer: Poinsettia
• I eat traditional food on Christmas Day. I’m big and have wings but I don’t fly. What am I? 
• 🦃 Answer: A turkey
• I’m made of chocolate and shaped like a calendar. You open one part of me each day in December. What am I? 
• 📅 Answer: An advent calendar
• I’m a fruit used to make Christmas pudding. I’m orange and my name sounds like a part of your head. What am I? 
• 🍊 Answer: A clementine
• I’m hot, brown and sweet. You drink me on cold winter days. What am I? 
• ☕ Answer: Hot chocolate
• I light up the night during winter celebrations. I’m made of wax and have a flame. What am I? 
• 🕯️ Answer: A candle
• I’m a vehicle that flies in the sky on Christmas Eve. I’m guided by animals with antlers. What am I? 
• 🛷 Answer: Santa’s sleigh
• I’m a frozen spike that hangs from roofs in winter. What am I? 
• 🧊 Answer: An icicle
• I’m a winter activity where you glide across ice wearing special shoes. What am I? ⛸️ Answer: Ice skating
• I’m a winter hat that keeps your head warm. I’m often made of wool. What am I? 
• 🧢 Answer: A beanie/winter hat
• I’m a small frozen crystal that falls from the sky in winter. No two of me are exactly alike. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• I’m at a place where Santa lives with Mrs. Claus and the elves. What am I? 
• 🏠 Answer: The North Pole
• I’m a circular decoration made of evergreen branches and hung on doors. What am I? 🎍 Answer: A wreath
• I’m a tasty treat often left out for Santa on Christmas Eve. What am I? 
• 🍪 Answer: A cookie
• I’m a popular Christmas song that you sing to others. What am I? 
• 🎵 Answer: A carol
• I’m a warm piece of clothing that you wear around your neck in winter. What am I? 🧣 Answer: A scarf
• I’m a small green vegetable that some children don’t like to eat, but is traditional at Christmas dinner. What am I? 
• 🥦 Answer: Brussels sprouts
• I’m something people do to tree branches and house roofs to make them look festive. What am I? 
• 🎭 Answer: Decorating
• I’m a special meal families eat together on Christmas Day. What am I? 
• 🍽️ Answer: Christmas dinner

Short and Sweet December Riddles for Children’s Winter Break Activities

• I’m white and cold and fall from the sky. I disappear when the sun is high. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• I go up and down hills but never move. What am I? 
• 🛤️ Answer: A road
• I help you glide on ice with ease. Strap me to your feet, if you please. What am I? ⛸️ Answer: Ice skates
• I am a month with a special day, when gifts are given and children play. What month am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: December
• I live in the North Pole and have a big white beard. Who am I? 
• 🎅 Answer: Santa Claus
• I’m made of snow with a carrot nose. What am I? 
• ☃️ Answer: A snowman
• I jingle all the way on Santa’s big red sleigh. What am I? 
• 🔔 Answer: Bells
• I’m red and white and shaped like a hook. What am I? 
• 🍭 Answer: A candy cane
• I’m wrapped up nicely with a bow on top. What am I? 
• 🎁 Answer: A present/gift
• I’m a special green tree that comes inside for Christmas. What am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: A Christmas tree
• I’m a tiny worker who makes toys at the North Pole. What am I? 
• 🧝 Answer: An elf
• I light up the tree with colors so bright. What am I? 
• 💡 Answer: Christmas lights
• I’m hung by the chimney with care. What am I? 
• 🧦 Answer: A stocking
• I pull Santa’s sleigh through the night sky. What am I? 
• 🦌 Answer: A reindeer
• I’m round and colorful and hang on the tree. What am I? 
• 🔮 Answer: An ornament
• I’m a drink that’s hot and tastes like chocolate. What am I? 
• ☕ Answer: Hot cocoa
• I’m a cold month when winter begins. What month am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: December
• I’m a special day at the end of December when families gather. What day am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: Christmas Day
• I’m the color of Santa’s suit. What color am I? 
• 🔴 Answer: Red
• I help keep your hands warm in the winter. What am I? 
• 🧤 Answer: Mittens/gloves
• I’m a small house made of cookies and candy. What am I? 
• 🏠 Answer: A gingerbread house
• I’m a bird that’s often seen on Christmas cards. I’m red with a yellow beak. What am I? 
• 🐦 Answer: A cardinal
• I’m a circular decoration made of branches that hangs on doors. What am I? 
• 🎍 Answer: A wreath
• I’m the night before Christmas. What am I? 
• 🌙 Answer: Christmas Eve
• I’m used to sending holiday wishes to friends and family. What am I? 
• 📬 Answer: A Christmas card
• I’m a frozen spike that hangs from roofs in winter. What am I? 
• 🧊 Answer: An icicle
• I’m what you do when you slide down a snowy hill. What am I? 
• 🛷 Answer: Sledding
• It’s a fun winter activity where you throw packed snow. What am I? 
• ⛄ Answer: A snowball fight
• I’m something warm you drink with marshmallows floating on top. What am I? 
• ☕ Answer: Hot chocolate
• I’m the day that comes after Christmas. What am I? 
• 📅 Answer: Boxing Day
• It’s the last day of December. What am I? 
• 🎆 Answer: New Year’s Eve
• I’m in a cold place where Santa lives. What am I? 
• 🏔️ Answer: The North Pole
• I’m a game you play by building shapes in the snow. What am I? 
• 👼 Answer: Making snow angels
• I’m what falls from the sky and creates a white Christmas. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• I’m a warm drink made from apples and spices. What am I? 
• 🍎 Answer: Apple cider

December Riddles and Trivia Questions for Teenagers and Young Adults

• I start with D, end with R, and have 8 letters. I celebrate it once in December. What am I? 
• 🕎 Answer: December (the month itself)
• Born once a year with just a breath, I live until spring steals all my depth. Cold and fluid, silent and bright, I am winter’s great white height. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• In December, I’m eagerly awaited, but in January, I’m often hated. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• I have arms but can’t hug, a face but can’t smile, numbers but can’t count. In December, I’m crucial. What am I? 
• ⏰ Answer: A clock (for countdown to New Year)
• I’m bright and festive, warm and comforting. I come in various forms and flavors in December. Often, I’m paired with a certain dark drink. What am I? 
• 🍪 Answer: Christmas cookies
• Most active at night, I guide one’s flight. My bright red feature shows the way. Without me, presents wouldn’t arrive on the big day. Who am I? 
• 🦌 Answer: Rudolph
• I’m neither a liquid nor a solid. I dance in December’s air and adorn everything I touch. No two of me are alike. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• I’m a countdown loved worldwide. I start 24 days before a big celebration. What am I? 
• 📅 Answer: An advent calendar
• I’m born in mountains, but valued in valleys. I stood tall in my home for about a month before meeting my end. What am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: A Christmas tree
• What comes at the end of December and the start of January, but nowhere else in the year? 
• 📏 Answer: The letter “Y”
• I have a spine but no bones, a face but no eyes, and with me, you journey to imaginary worlds. During winter breaks, people spend more time with me. What am I? 
• 📚 Answer: A book
• I’m known by various names globally. Some see me as Father Christmas, others as Kris Kringle. Who am I? 
• 🎅 Answer: Santa Claus
• In a year, I get attention only once, specifically in December. I’m all about reflection and anticipation. What am I? 
• 📅 Answer: New Year’s Eve
• I’m made up of 31 boxes, filled with events, some known and others unexpected. The last box is notably celebrated. What am I? 
• 📆 Answer: December calendar
• To some, I’m a symbol of hope, to others, a tradition. I illuminate December nights and last for eight days. What am I? 
• 🕎 Answer: Hanukkah menorah
• I’ve been a December tradition for many cultures for centuries. I involve evergreen plants, light, and gathering around a source of warmth. What practice am I? 
• 🔥 Answer: Winter solstice celebration
• I’ve been sold over 50 million times since 1942, often played during December gatherings. My name is also a weather phenomenon. What song am I? 
• ☃️ Answer: “White Christmas”
• What northern atmospheric phenomenon is often associated with December and is named after a Roman goddess? 
• 🌌 Answer: Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
• What word connects December holidays, a constellation visible in the northern winter sky, and a hunter in Greek mythology? 
• ⭐ Answer: Orion
• In December 1903, something historic happened on a beach in North Carolina that forever changed transportation. What was it? 
• ✈️ Answer: The Wright brothers’ first successful powered flight
• In some southern hemisphere countries, what holiday is celebrated on December 26th, involving cricket matches? 
• 🏏 Answer: Boxing Day
• What major music award nominations are typically announced in December? 
• 🎵 Answer: Grammy nominations
• December 21st or 22nd marks what significant astronomical event in the northern hemisphere? 
• 🌞 Answer: Winter solstice (shortest day of the year)
• What’s the birthstone traditionally associated with December? 
• 💎 Answer: Turquoise or tanzanite
• What famous physicist, known for the theory of relativity, was born on December 14th? 
• 🧠 Answer: Nostradamus
• What charitable tradition, often involving a red kettle, became popular in December 1891? 
• 🔔 Answer: Salvation Army bell ringers
• What flower is nicknamed the “Christmas flower” and was introduced to the United States from Mexico in the 1820s? 
• 🌺 Answer: Poinsettia
• In Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” what’s the first name of Scrooge? 
• 📚 Answer: Ebenezer
• What historic peace treaty ending World War I was signed on December 1, 1918? 📜 Answer: Treaty of Versailles (preliminary armistice)
• What December holiday was created in 1966 and is based on African harvest festivals? 
• 🌍 Answer: Kwanzaa
• In Norse mythology, the December event Yule is associated with which god? ⚡ Answer: Odin
• In finance, what’s notable about the “December Effect” in stock markets? 📈 Answer: Stock prices often rise (the “Santa Claus rally”)
• What popular Christmas decoration was originally made from strands of silver? 🎄 Answer: Tinsel
• What major technology innovation was first demonstrated on December 9, 1968, and included the mouse and hypertext? 
• 💻 Answer: The “Mother of All Demos” (first computer mouse demo)
• What historical event began on December 16, 1773, involving tea and Boston Harbor? 
• 🍵 Answer: The Boston Tea Party

Laugh-Out-Loud Funny December Riddles for Kids and Adults Alike

• What do you call a snowman with a six-pack? 
• 💪 Answer: An abdominal snowman
• Why don’t mountains ever get cold in December? 
• ⛰️ Answer: They wear snow caps
• How does a snowman get to work in the winter? 
• 🚗 Answer: By icicle
• What do you call a reindeer with no eyes? 
• 🦌 Answer: No-eye deer (no idea)
• What kind of bug hates December? 
• 🐞 Answer: A humbug
• Why was the little boy so cold in December? 
• ❄️ Answer: He was left out in the cold
• What do you call Santa when he stops moving? 
• 🎅 Answer: Santa Pause
• What did the gingerbread man put on his bed? 
• 🍪 Answer: A cookie sheet
• How do Christmas trees get on the internet? 
• 🎄 Answer: They log on
• Why did Frosty the Snowman want a dozen carrots? 
• ☃️ Answer: He wanted to pick his nose all year long
• What do you call an old snowman? 
• ⏰ Answer: Water
• What does Santa suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney? 
• 🔥 Answer: Claustrophobia
• What do you call a penguin in the desert? 
• 🐧 Answer: Lost
• What does December have that no other month has? 
• 📅 Answer: The letter D
• What falls in winter but never gets hurt? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• What did the snowman say to the other snowman? 
• ☃️ Answer: Do you smell carrots?
• What did one snowman say to the other snowman? 
• ⛄ Answer: It smells like humans out here
• Why are Christmas trees so bad at knitting? 
• 🎄 Answer: They always drop their needles
• What’s the best Christmas present in the world? 
• 🎁 Answer: A broken drum — you can’t beat it!
• What’s a snow angel’s favorite dessert? 
• 👼 Answer: Ice cream
• What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? 
• 🧛 Answer: Frostbite
• Why do reindeer like to eat candy canes? 
• 🍭 Answer: They’re deer-licious!
• What did one December turkey say to the other?
•  🦃 Answer: I’m stuffed!
• What do you call a chicken in the snow? 
• 🐔 Answer: A chilly chicken
• Why does Santa have three gardens? 
• 🌱 Answer: So he can ho-ho-ho
• What do you call Santa’s little helpers? 
• 🧝 Answer: Subordinate Clauses
• How does a sheep say Merry Christmas? 
• 🐑 Answer: Fleece Navidad
• What do you call an elf that runs away from Santa’s workshop? 
• 🏃 Answer: A rebel without a Claus
• What do elves learn in school? 
• 📚 Answer: The elf-abet
• What’s the Grinch’s favorite music genre? 
• 🎵 Answer: Wrap music
• What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time? 
• 🐱 Answer: Sandy Claws
• Why did the Christmas cookie go to the doctor? 
• 🍪 Answer: Because it was feeling crummy
• Why was the December snowman sad? 
• ☃️ Answer: Because he had a meltdown
• What do you get when you combine a Christmas tree with an iPad? 
• 📱 Answer: A pineapple
• Why did the ornament go to therapy? 
• 🎭 Answer: It had too many hang-ups

December Winter Wonderland Riddles and Logic Puzzles for Elementary School

• I’m a house with no doors or windows. Warm on the inside, covered in snow. What am I?
•  🥚 Answer: An igloo
• I have a head, a tail, but no body. I help you stay upright on ice in winter. What am I? 
• ⛸️ Answer: An ice skate
• If two snowmen exchanged their carrot noses and one snowman also gave the other his coal eyes, how many items were exchanged in total? 
• 🧮 Answer: 3 items (1 carrot + 1 carrot + 1 pair of coal eyes)
• I turn everything I touch into ice. I make the trees sparkle in the moonlight. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Jack Frost
• A December family has a mom, dad, and 6 daughters. Each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the family? 
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Answer: 9 people (mom, dad, 6 daughters, and 1 son who is a brother to each sister)
• When Santa was 8 years old, his little sister was half his age. Now that Santa is 100, how old is his sister? 
• 🧓 Answer: 96 years old (When Santa was 8, she was 4, so she’s always 4 years younger)
• If it takes 4 elves 4 hours to make 4 toys, how long would it take 8 elves to make 8 toys? 
• ⏱️ Answer: 4 hours (Each elf can make 1 toy in 4 hours)
• I’m made of snow, but I’m not cold. I have a carrot, but I can’t eat it. I have coal, but I can’t burn it. What am I? 
• ☃️ Answer: A snowman drawing or picture
• Santa places presents under a Christmas tree in this pattern: 1 present on day 1, 3 presents on day 2, 5 presents on day 3, and 7 presents on day 4. How many presents will be under the tree on day 5? 
• 🎁 Answer: 9 presents (the pattern adds 2 more each day)
• I have points but I’m not sharp. I appear in December skies. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• If every elf makes 2 toys each hour, how many toys will 5 elves make in 3 hours? 🧝 Answer: 30 toys (5 elves × 2 toys × 3 hours)
• I disappear when it’s warm but reappear when it’s cold. You can walk on me but I might crack. What am I? 
• 🧊 Answer: Ice
• Three children are building snowmen. Each snowman needs 3 snowballs. If they’ve made 18 snowballs so far, how many complete snowmen can they build? ⛄ Answer: 6 snowmen (18 ÷ 3 = 6)
• What falls from the sky in December but never gets hurt? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• If there are 12 candies in a candy cane jar and Mom eats 1/3 of them, how many candies are left? 
• 🍭 Answer: 8 candies (12 – 4 = 8)
• I help reindeer fly and snowmen come alive. I’m found in many winter stories. What am I? 
• ✨ Answer: Magic
• If 5 children are sharing 15 candy canes equally, how many will each child get? 
• 🍬 Answer: 3 candy canes each (15 ÷ 5 = 3)
• Every time it snows, Katy builds a snowman that’s 3 feet tall. If it snowed 4 times in December, how tall would all her snowmen be if stacked on top of each other? 📏 Answer: 12 feet (3 × 4 = 12)
• I’m made of water but I’m dry. I’m in every December sky. What am I? ☁️ Answer: A cloud
• Santa’s workshop has 3 windows on each of its 4 walls. How many windows are there in total? 
• 🪟 Answer: 12 windows (3 × 4 = 12)
• I dance and twirl as I fall from the sky, but when you try to catch me, I quickly say goodbye. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• If you have 24 chocolate treats in an advent calendar and eat one each day starting December 1st, what date will you eat the last chocolate? 
• 📆 Answer: December 24th
• I’m a winter visitor that loves seeds. I’m black, white, and gray. Who am I? 
• 🐦 Answer: A chickadee
• What has a foot on each side and one in the middle, and is very useful in December’s coldest days? 
• 🧦 Answer: A pair of warm socks
• There are 8 reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. If Rudolph joins them, how many reindeer will be pulling the sleigh? 
• 🦌 Answer: 9 reindeer
• I can be thrown but I’m not a ball. I can hurt if I hit you but I melt quickly. What am I? ⛄ Answer: A snowball
• It takes 3 elves 2 hours to wrap 12 presents. How long would it take 6 elves to wrap 12 presents? 
• 🎁 Answer: 1 hour (twice as many elves = half the time)
• What has branches and needles but isn’t a pine tree? 
• 🧵 Answer: A sewing kit
• If you build a snowman with 3 differently sized snowballs, in how many different ways can you stack them? 
• 🧩 Answer: 6 ways (3! = 6 different arrangements)
• I can fall from the sky, but I don’t get hurt. I can cover the ground, but I’m not dirt. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: Snow
• If a snowflake doubles in size every minute and takes 10 minutes to cover a garden, how long would it take to cover half the garden? 
• ⏲️ Answer: 9 minutes
• I’m a room that you can’t enter or leave. What am I? 
• 🍄 Answer: A mushroom
• What goes up when the December rain comes down? 
• ☂️ Answer: An umbrella
• What is always coming in December but never arrives? 
• 📅 Answer: Tomorrow
• If there are 2 pairs of mittens in a drawer, and 3 more pairs are added, how many individual mittens are in the drawer? 
• 🧤 Answer: 10 mittens (5 pairs × 2 mittens)

Challenging December Riddles for High School Students and Teachers

• In December’s icy grip, I’m formed from a molecule’s bends. Though called “flake,” no two of me are alike. My hexagonal shape depends on Hydrogen’s bonds with Oxygen. What scientific wonder am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• I grow shorter as December progresses, but return to my full length before the New Year. What phenomenon am I? 
• 🌞 Answer: Daylight hours (shortest on winter solstice, then gradually increase)
• Five friends exchanged gifts in December. Each person gave exactly one gift and received exactly one gift. If no one gave a gift to the person who gave them a gift, how many different possible gift arrangements exist? 
• 🎁 Answer: 44 arrangements (derangements of 5 people)
• I’m formed through sublimation, grow dendritic arms in colder air, and fall at roughly 1-4 mph. Scientists classify me in 35 different types. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A snowflake
• In Euler’s classic problem from 1735, seven bridges span a December river in Königsberg. Can one walk across each bridge exactly once? Why or why not? 
• 🌉 Answer: No, it’s impossible because more than two landmasses have an odd number of bridges connected to them (graph theory)
• A December clock strikes 6 with 6 chimes that take 30 seconds. How long will it take the same clock to strike 12 with 12 chimes? 
• ⏰ Answer: 66 seconds (each chime takes 5 seconds, plus 5 seconds of silence between each pair of chimes)
• I’m a paradox of thermodynamics in December: the colder it gets outside, the more energy is required to remove heat from inside me. What appliance am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: A refrigerator/freezer
• A December forest has pine trees that increase 8% in height every year. If a pine tree is currently 10 feet tall, how tall was it 3 years ago? Round to the nearest tenth. 
• 🌲 Answer: 7.9 feet (10 ÷ 1.08³ = 7.938)
• Three December hikers have one flashlight for a dangerous night crossing over a bridge. The bridge can only hold two people at once, and anyone crossing needs the flashlight. The hikers walk at different speeds: 5, 10, and 20 minutes to cross. When two cross together, they move at the slower person’s pace. What’s the fastest time they can all get across? 🔦 Answer: 35 minutes
• In December I’m at my lowest point from your perspective, yet still 91 million miles away. My apparent path that day forms what geometric concept? 
• 🌞 Answer: The winter solstice sun path forms an analemma
• If the probability of a white Christmas in a certain city is 30%, what is the probability of having at least one white Christmas in the next three years? Express as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number. 
• ❄️ Answer: 66% (1 – 0.7³ = 0.657 or about 66%)
• In a logic grid puzzle: Four friends receive different December gifts. Their names are North, South, East, and West. The gifts are a scarf, mittens, a hat, and a sweater. Given these clues: North didn’t receive the scarf; East received either the hat or the mittens; South received the sweater; West didn’t receive the mittens. What did East receive? 🎁
•  Answer: The hat (through deductive reasoning)
• I represent the Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees. I cause December to be summer in Australia but winter in Canada. What astronomical term am I? 
• 🌍 Answer: The obliquity of the ecliptic
• In December, water’s unique property allows frozen lakes to have ice on top while liquid water remains below. What physical property makes this possible? 
• 🧊 Answer: Water’s maximum density occurs at 4°C, not at its freezing point
• During December, an icicle forms at the rate of 3 cubic inches per hour with a circular cross-section. If its length increases at 2 inches per hour, what is the radius of the icicle after 5 hours? Use π = 3.14 and round to two decimal places. 🧊 Answer: 0.69 inches
• What temperature is the same on both the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales?
•  🌡️ Answer: -40 degrees
• In the Northern Hemisphere, December has the longest nights of the year. At what latitude would the longest night of the year last exactly 24 hours? 
• 🌌 Answer: The Arctic Circle (approximately 66.5° N)
• A December flight leaves Los Angeles at noon and arrives in New York at 8 PM local time. The flight takes 5 hours. What causes this temporal discrepancy? 
• 🕒 Answer: Time zones (3-hour difference between LA and NY)
• In a December game, 10 players sit in a circle. Starting with player #1, every third player is eliminated until only one remains. Which player will be the last one standing? 
• 🎲 Answer: Player #4 (this is the Josephus problem with n=10, k=3)
• December’s Saint Lucia’s Day festival traditionally features a procession where the lead person wears a crown of candles. If each person in the procession holds one candle and there are 24 people, with the lead person having an additional 7 candles in their crown, how many total candles are there? 
• 🕯️ Answer: 31 candles (24 + 7 = 31)
• A snowfall in December leaves snow with a mean depth of 12 inches and a standard deviation of 3 inches. Assuming a normal distribution, approximately what percentage of the area has snow deeper than 15 inches? 
• 📊 Answer: About 16% (one standard deviation above the mean)
• In a certain December, the 1st falls on a Monday. In what other months of the same year will the 25th fall on the same day of the week as December 25th? 
• 📅 Answer: April and July
• Using only mathematical operations, how can you make the equation true: 25 _ 4 _ 3 _ 2 _ 1 = 30, where each blank must be filled with +, -, ×, or ÷? 
• 🧮 Answer: 25 – 4 × 3 ÷ 2 + 1 = 30
• A December ice storm leaves a perfectly symmetrical layer of ice on a spherical ornament, increasing its radius by 0.5 cm. If the ornament’s original radius was 3 cm, by what percentage did its volume increase? Round to the nearest percent. 🔮 Answer: 59% ([(3.5³ – 3³) ÷ 3³] × 100 = 59)
• In the crystalline structure of an ice crystal forming in December, what is the geometric angle between the hydrogen bonds that gives snowflakes their hexagonal symmetry? 
• 📐 Answer: 120 degrees
• If Santa travels longitudinally, always heading east at the equator, maintaining a constant ground speed, and completes one full trip around the Earth on December 24-25, during how many different hours will it be midnight at his location? 
• 🌐 Answer: 24 hours (he crosses each time zone once)
• A December blizzard deposits snow at a rate of 2 inches per hour for 3 hours, then 1 inch per hour for 4 hours. If snow compacts by 20% after 24 hours, how deep will the snow be the next day? 
• ❄️ Answer: 8.8 inches ([2 × 3 + 1 × 4] × 0.8 = 8.8)
• What is the minimum number of socks you must take from a drawer containing 6 black and 8 white socks (without looking) to be certain of having a matching pair? 🧦 Answer: 3 socks
• In December’s shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere, what causes the apparent path of the sun to be an analemma rather than a perfect circle? 
• 🌞 Answer: The Earth’s elliptical orbit and axial tilt
• December 31, 1999, was a Friday. What day of the week was January 1, 2001? 
• 📆 Answer: Monday
• In a finite mathematical group representing winter symmetries, what is the order of the dihedral group that represents the symmetries of a snowflake? 
• ❄️ Answer: 12 (6 rotational and 6 reflectional symmetries)
• Using binary representation, if we assign December = 1100 in 4-bit format, which month would be represented by 0110? 
• 💻 Answer: June (the 6th month, as 0110 in binary = 6 in decimal)
• A December night sky shows the Orion constellation prominently. If Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion, is approximately 640 light-years away, and its light travels at 186,000 miles per second, how long ago (in years) did the light we’re seeing leave the star? 
• 🌠 Answer: 640 years
• What’s the probability of randomly selecting 5 people who were all born in December, if births are equally distributed throughout the year? 
• 🎲 Answer: (1/12)⁵ or about 0.0000402
• The winter solstice occurs in December in the Northern Hemisphere. If the Earth’s axial tilt were to change from 23.5° to 30°, how would this affect the duration of daylight on the solstice at 45°N latitude? 
• 🌓 Answer: Daylight hours would decrease (shorter day)

December Holiday-Themed Riddles and Word Games for Groups and Parties

• What 8-letter word can you find in “DECEMBER HOLIDAYS” that means “to commemorate”? 
• 🎭 Answer: Celebrate
• I’m hidden in SNOWFLAKE and MISTLETOE, but not in REINDEER or PRESENTS. What letter am I? 
• 📝 Answer: The letter “E”
• Unscramble these letters to find a December activity: TIGKANS 
• ⛸️ Answer: SKATING
• What word can follow “snow” to make 5 different compound words or phrases? ❄️ Answer: Ball (snowball), man (snowman), flake (snowflake), fall (snowfall), storm (snowstorm)
• I have a wick, I’m made of wax, and I’m often found on a menorah. What 6-letter word am I? 🕯️ Answer: CANDLE
• What 6-letter word contains ‘DEC’ and means “to trim or adorn”? 
• 🎭 Answer: DECORATE
• Change one letter in COLD to make a word meaning “valuable metal.” 
• 💰 Answer: GOLD
• What’s the missing seasonal word? MERRY : CHRISTMAS :: HAPPY : _____ 
• 🎆 Answer: NEW YEAR
• What Christmas-themed word can be made from the letters in “PRESENT” if you add a “T”? 
• 🎄 Answer: SERPENT
• Take the letters in “TINSEL” and rearrange them to make a word meaning “to pay attention.” 
• 👂 Answer: LISTEN
• What do these words have in common: GIFT, SNOW, STAR, TREE? 
• 🎁 Answer: They can all follow “Christmas” (Christmas gift, Christmas snow, etc.)
• I’m a 10-letter word associated with December celebrations. Unscramble: SADECILNET 
• 🕯️ Answer: CANDLESTICK
• I can be found in CHIMNEY but not in FIREPLACE, in WINTER but not in SUMMER. What am I? 
• ❄️ Answer: The letter “N”
• Find the December-related word that can be formed using only the letters from “NORTH POLE” 
• 🎄 Answer: THRONE
• What 4-letter word can be placed in front of these words to make new ones: BALL, MAN, SHOE, BOARD? 
• ❄️ Answer: SNOW
• Using only the letters in “DECEMBER TWENTY FIFTH”, create a 5-letter word meaning “frozen water.” 
• 🧊 Answer: ETHER
• What 7-letter word, associated with the winter season, contains these letters: S _ A _ O N? 
• ❄️ Answer: SEASON
• Every answer to this riddle rhymes with “light”: I shine in December nights (1), I’m the opposite of wrong (2), I’m a bird’s movement (3), I’m what you do in a boxing match (4). 
• 💡 Answer: 1) bright, 2) right, 3) flight, 4) fight
• I become shorter as December progresses in the Northern Hemisphere. What 3-letter word am I? 
• 🌞 Answer: DAY
• When you say my name, I disappear. What 7-letter word am I? 
• 🤫 Answer: SILENCE
• Rearrange the letters in “SANTA” to get something you might hang on a wall. 
• 🖼️ Answer: SATAN
• Change one letter in SHINE to create a word that means “cold precipitation.” 
• ❄️ Answer: SHINE → SNOW
• I have a cake but I’m not a baker. I have a log but I’m not a lumberjack. I have a pole but I’m not a firefighter. What am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: CHRISTMAS (Christmas cake, Yule log, North Pole)
• Take the first letter of December, the second letter of Winter, the third letter of Christmas, and the fourth letter of Holiday. What common December word do they spell? 
• 🎭 Answer: DISH
• Add “-MAS” to the end of these clues to find December-related words: 1) A religious holiday (CHRIST___), 2) Something on a tree (X___), 3) The day after Christmas (BOX___) 
• 🎁 Answer: 1) CHRISTMAS, 2) XMAS, 3) BOXING
• Find the winter item that’s hidden when these words are combined: NO + SEA ☃️ Answer: NOSE (for a snowman)
• What holiday word matches this pattern, where each letter is replaced by its position in the alphabet? 16-18-5-19-5-14-20 
• 🎁 Answer: PRESENT (P=16, R=18, etc.)
• In December, find me in FROST but not in SNOW, in GIFTS but not in TOYS, in NIGHT but not in DAY. What letter am I? 
• 📝 Answer: The letter “T”
• Unscramble the letters to find a holiday tradition: ROALSC 
• 🎵 Answer: CAROLS
• What 4-letter word connects these December items: wrapping ___, Christmas ___, ___ lights? 
• 📦 Answer: TREE
• I contain the letters C-A-N-D-Y rearranged, plus one more letter. I’m often hung on a door in December. What 6-letter word am I? 
• 🎄 Answer: CANDY + W = WREATH
• Make a new word by changing exactly one letter in each: COLD → __ → __ → WARM 🌡️ Answer: COLD → CORD → CARD → WARD → WARM
• Riddle me this: First, think of December’s big holiday. Replace the first letter with ‘T’, the holiday becomes something to wear. What’s the original holiday and what’s the new word? 
• 👔 Answer: CHRISTMAS → TIE
• I’m a 5-letter word found inside “MISTLETOE” that means “to rest.” What am I? 😴 Answer: SLEEP
• What connects these words: pine, ginger, gift, star, candy? 
• 🎄 Answer: They can all be followed by “tree” (pine tree, gingertree, etc.) or all are Christmas-related

Conclusion

As we’ve explored throughout this collection of over 200 festive December riddles, the power of puzzlement brings both joy and cognitive stimulation during the holiday season. These brain teasers not only provide entertainment for gatherings around the fireplace or virtual.

Celebrations but also offer a delightful way to preserve traditions while exercising our problem-solving abilities. From winter wonderlands to holiday heroes, from twinkling lights to festive foods, each riddle category invites us to see December’s magic from fresh, mind-bending perspectives.