As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Christmas jokes for kids are the easiest way to get the whole table giggling, whether you are tucking them into lunch boxes, reading them from cracker crowns or trading them on a long drive. Here are 36 clean, groan-worthy jokes sorted by theme: Santa, reindeer, elves, snowmen, trees and presents, plus a round of knock-knock jokes. Every one is short enough for a young reader to tell on their own.
Ways to use these jokes
- Lunch box notes: write one joke on a sticky note each day in December.
- Advent joke calendar: put a joke behind each door instead of a chocolate.
- Joke-off at dinner: each person reads one, and the biggest groan wins.
- Class party: let kids take turns reading jokes to warm up before games.
Santa jokes for kids
- Why does Santa go down the chimney? Because it soots him.
- What does Santa do in his garden? Hoe, hoe, hoe.
- What do you call Santa when he has no money? Saint Nickel-less.
- What is Santa’s favorite kind of music? Wrap music.
- Why does Santa have three gardens? So he can hoe, hoe, hoe.
- What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas? Sandy Claws.
- What did Santa say to Mrs. Claus when it started to rain? “Look, there’s some rain, dear!”
Reindeer jokes
- What do you call a reindeer with no eyes? No eye deer.
- What do reindeer say before telling a joke? “This one’s going to sleigh you.”
- Why did Rudolph do so well at school? He went down in history.
- What do you call a reindeer with bad manners? Rude-olph.
- How do reindeer keep track of the days? They check their calen-deer.
- Why did the reindeer cross the road? Because it was tied to the chicken.
Elf jokes
- What kind of photos do elves take? Elfies.
- What do elves learn in school? The elf-abet.
- Why are elves so good at keeping secrets? They are great at wrapping things up.
- What do elves eat for a snack? Elf-a-roni.
- How do elves greet each other? “Small world, isn’t it?”
Snowman jokes
- What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes.
- Where do snowmen keep their money? In a snow bank.
- How does a snowman get to school? By icicle.
- What did one snowman say to the other snowman? “Do you smell carrots?”
- What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire? Frostbite.
- What do snowmen like to do on the weekend? Chill out.
Christmas tree and present jokes
- Why was the Christmas tree bad at knitting? It kept dropping its needles.
- Why do Christmas trees love the past? Because the present is beneath them.
- What did the gingerbread man put on his bed? A cookie sheet.
- What did the stamp say to the Christmas card? “Stick with me and we’ll go places.”
- How do sheep say Merry Christmas? Fleece Navidad!
- What falls at the North Pole but never gets hurt? Snow.
Christmas knock-knock jokes
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Mary. Mary who? Mary Christmas!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Holly. Holly who? Holly-days are here again!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Elf. Elf who? Elf me wrap this present!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Lettuce. Lettuce who? Lettuce in, it’s freezing out here!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Snow. Snow who? Snow use, I forgot my name again!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Yule. Yule who? Yule never guess!
Make up your own Christmas jokes
Most Christmas jokes are built on a pun. Pick a holiday word, such as sleigh, elf, snow or wrap, and look for a word that sounds like it: sleigh and slay, elf and self, wrap and rap. Then ask a question where the answer uses the sound-alike word. Kids are often better at this than adults, and the worst jokes usually get the best laughs.
Funny Christmas games to play after the jokes
If the jokes get everyone laughing, keep it going with a silly game. Pie Face costs about $18 and ends every round with a splat of whipped cream, or a sigh of relief, which makes it a hit with kids 5 and up. For a stocking-size option, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a fast slapping card game that costs about $10.
More holiday laughs: try our Christmas riddles for kids and adults, our Christmas would you rather questions and, for next month, our Thanksgiving jokes for kids.
Christmas jokes for kids FAQ
What is a good Christmas joke for kids?
“What do you call a reindeer with no eyes? No eye deer.” It is short, silly and easy for kids to remember.
What is a funny Christmas knock-knock joke?
“Knock, knock. Who’s there? Lettuce. Lettuce who? Lettuce in, it’s freezing out here!”
Are these Christmas jokes clean for school?
Yes. Every joke on this page is family-friendly and safe for a classroom.
How do you write a Christmas joke?
Choose a holiday word, find a word that sounds like it, and build a question where the answer uses the pun.
