“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
What’s inside
- The Promise of a Child (p3, medium, ages 9+): 18 words, 15×15 grid. The prophets’ promise: Isaiah 7:14, 9:2, 9:6–7 and Micah 5:2.
- The Angel Visits Mary (p4, hard, teens & adults): 18 words, 15×15 grid. Words from Luke 1:26–38 (KJV spelling “favoured”).
- Joseph’s Dream (p5, easy, ages 6+): 13 words, 12×12 grid. Words from Matthew 1:18–25.
- The Birth of Jesus (p6, easy, ages 6+): 14 words, 12×12 grid. Words from Luke 2:1–7.
- Shepherds and Angels (p7, easy, ages 6+): 15 words, 13×13 grid. Words from Luke 2:8–20.
- The Wise Men Follow the Star (p8, medium, ages 9+): 19 words, 15×15 grid. Words from Matthew 2:1–12.
- Simeon and Anna in the Temple (p9, hard, teens & adults): 20 words, 16×16 grid. Words from Luke 2:21–40.
- Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love (p10, medium, ages 9+): 18 words, 15×15 grid. The four Advent words, from Romans 15:13, Luke 2:10–11, John 1, John 3:16 and 1 John 4:9–10.
- Answer keys (p11–14): every word highlighted in its grid, two puzzles per page, plus the answer to each bonus question
- Make your own Christmas word search (p15): a blank 12×12 grid with a word-bank box
- Start-here page (how to play, the three levels, an Advent plan, ideas for families and classes) and a closing page
A Christmas word finder for the whole family
The puzzles come in three levels. Easy (Joseph’s Dream, The Birth of Jesus, Shepherds and Angels): across and down only, 12–13-square grids with large letters, ages 6 and up. Medium (The Promise of a Child, The Wise Men Follow the Star, Advent): diagonals added, never backwards, ages 9 and up. Hard (The Angel Visits Mary, Simeon and Anna in the Temple): all eight directions, including backwards, for teens and adults.
Christmas word search for kids
The three easy puzzles use the words children hear in the nativity reading (manger, swaddling, shepherds, angel, Bethlehem). Each one ends with a simple bonus question, for example “What sign did the angel give the shepherds?”
Hard Christmas word searches for adults
“The Angel Visits Mary” (Luke 1:26–38, 18 words in a 15×15 grid) and “Simeon and Anna in the Temple” (Luke 2:21–40, 20 words in a 16×16 grid) hide their words in all eight directions, including backwards. Simeon and Anna is the largest grid in the pack.
An Advent word search plan
The 8 puzzles are in story order, so you can do two a week from the first Sunday of Advent (November 29, 2026) and finish on Christmas Eve: week 1 the promise and Gabriel, week 2 Joseph and Bethlehem, week 3 the shepherds and the wise men, week 4 Simeon and Anna and the Advent words (hope, peace, joy, love). Pair it with the free 25-Day Advent Reading Plan to read each passage first.
Word lists and theme verses
Here is the word list and KJV theme verse for every puzzle. Words keep KJV spellings (Saviour, Counsellor, favoured; Emmanuel in Matthew 1:23 and Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14).
1. The Promise of a Child (Medium)
Words (18), all from Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 9:6-7, Micah 5:2: Born, Child, Counsellor, David, Everlasting, Father, Government, Immanuel, Light, Mighty, Peace, Prince, Ruler, Shoulder, Son, Throne, Virgin, Wonderful.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
2. The Angel Visits Mary (Hard)
Words (18), all from Luke 1:26-38: Blessed, Conceive, Cousin, Elisabeth, Favoured, Gabriel, Galilee, Great, Handmaid, Highest, Jesus, Joseph, Kingdom, Mary, Nazareth, Throne, Virgin, Women.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
3. Joseph’s Dream (Easy)
Words (13), all from Matthew 1:18-25: Angel, David, Dream, Emmanuel, Ghost, Holy, Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Save, Sins, Son, Virgin.
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
4. The Birth of Jesus (Easy)
Words (14), all from Luke 2:1-7: Augustus, Bethlehem, David, Decree, Firstborn, Galilee, Inn, Joseph, Manger, Mary, Nazareth, Swaddling, Taxed, World.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
5. Shepherds and Angels (Easy)
Words (15), all from Luke 2:8-20: Angel, Babe, Christ, Field, Glory, Heavenly, Host, Joy, Manger, Night, Peace, Pondered, Saviour, Shepherds, Tidings.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
6. The Wise Men Follow the Star (Medium)
Words (19), all from Matthew 2:1-12: Bethlehem, Child, Dream, East, Frankincense, Gold, Governor, Herod, House, Jerusalem, Jews, King, Myrrh, Priests, Star, Treasures, Wise, Worship, Young.
“Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
7. Simeon and Anna in the Temple (Hard)
Words (20), all from Luke 2:21-40: Consolation, Gentiles, Glory, Grace, Israel, Jerusalem, Law, Light, Moses, Nazareth, Prayers, Prophetess, Purification, Redemption, Salvation, Simeon, Spirit, Temple, Thanks, Wisdom.
“For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
8. Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love (Medium)
Words (18), all from Romans 15:13, Luke 2:10-11, John 1:1-14, John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10: Abound, Begotten, Believing, Darkness, Everlasting, Flesh, Grace, Hope, Joy, Life, Light, Love, Peace, Power, Tidings, Truth, Word, World.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Every word list was checked word by word against its KJV source passage.
How to use the printable
- Print at 100% (“Actual size”) on plain paper. For a large-print copy, print a puzzle page on tabloid (11 × 17 in) or A3 with “Fit to page”.
- Read the passage under the puzzle title (for example Luke 2:8–20) aloud.
- Circle each word and tick it off in the word bank. Then read the theme verse together and answer the bonus question.
- Check the answers on pages 11–14. Finish by making your own Christmas puzzle on page 15.
Christmas word search with answers
Every puzzle has a full answer key with each word highlighted in the grid (pages 11–14, two puzzles per page) and the answer to the bonus question with its Bible reference. Teachers can print the puzzles and keep the key pages for themselves.
Found every word? Now keep them in your heart.
Mary “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Keep memorizing Scripture with the Scripture Memory Cards ($7.99).
Want to read a whole passage slowly? Use the SOAP Bible Study Journal ($12.99), pray every day with the 30-Day Prayer Journal ($9.99), or get all three in the Starter Bundle ($24.99).
Related reading: Bible verses about Christmas · Advent · Christmas Day · angels · hope · peace · joy · love · Bible verses for kids
Also free: Christian Christmas coloring pages · Christmas Bible trivia · Christmas gift tags · Bible word search printable (10 more puzzles) · 25-Day Advent reading plan
Frequently asked questions
Is this Christmas word search printable really free?
Yes. All 16 pages are free to download and print for personal, family, classroom, homeschool and church use. Please share the page link rather than the file, and don’t resell it.
Is there an answer key?
Yes. Pages 11–14 show every word highlighted in each grid, plus the answers to the 8 bonus questions.
What ages are the puzzles for?
The three easy puzzles (across and down only, large letters) suit ages 6 and up. The three medium puzzles add diagonals and suit ages 9 and up. The two hard puzzles use all eight directions, including backwards, for teens and adults.
Are the words from the Bible?
Yes. Every word in every puzzle appears in its King James Version passage, such as Luke 2:8–20 for the shepherds or Matthew 2:1–12 for the wise men, so some spellings are British: Saviour, Counsellor, favoured.
Can we use it as an Advent activity?
Yes. The puzzles follow the Christmas story in order. Do two a week from the first Sunday of Advent and you’ll finish by Christmas Eve.
Is there a Christmas word search for adults?
Yes. “The Angel Visits Mary” (Luke 1:26–38) and “Simeon and Anna in the Temple” (Luke 2:21–40) hide 18 and 20 words in all eight directions, including backwards.
Do you have more Bible word searches?
Yes. The free Bible word search printable has 10 more puzzles, from Fruit of the Spirit to all 66 books of the Bible.
Free for personal, family, classroom and church use. Please share the page link rather than the file, and don’t resell. Scripture from the King James Version (public domain in the US).
