Which Christmas traditions made the list?

The answers stay with secular holiday traditions and recognizable decorations. It is gentle enough for a mixed-age gathering, but the long seasonal words still make a satisfying grid. SANTA, his SLEIGH and the REINDEER pulling it share space with the WREATH, the STOCKING and a CAROL.

Anchors around a nine-letter plant

The shortest decorations are useful anchors. Fill carol, candle and wreath first, then use their letters to tackle mistletoe, ornament and sleigh. CAROL and WREATH both cross MISTLETOE, the green plant hung in a doorway and the longest answer here, which also meets CHIMNEY, TINSEL and PRESENT. CANDLE links ORNAMENT, REINDEER and SLEIGH, while SANTA leads to STOCKING. CAROL and SANTA are the shortest, five letters each, while REINDEER, ORNAMENT and STOCKING come next after MISTLETOE with eight.

For a holiday party or the last school week

PRESENT is clued simply as a wrapped gift, and TINSEL as shiny strands draped over a tree, so younger solvers can follow along while an adult reads the clues. CHIMNEY is the roof opening Santa traditionally climbs down. It suits family gatherings, classroom parties and quiet evenings in December. The Christmas word search uses the same decorations, and the Nativity crossword tells the religious side of the season.

Online or under the tree

Work through the clues on this page, or download the puzzle as a single printable PDF. The finished grid has a PDF of its own, so whoever hands it out can keep it hidden. The printable crossword puzzles hub has every other theme.

Same theme, different puzzle: Christmas word search