Christmas Song Word Search Trivia Quiz

Answer: Santa Baby

The word 'Santa' can be found on the bottom-left to top-right diagonal, while 'Baby' is in the second column.

The song 'Santa Baby' was written in 1953 by Philip Springer and Joan Javits for Eartha Kitt. Her original version was released in time for that year's Christmas season and made it into the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It proved to be somewhat controversial due to the nature of its lyrics where a woman asks Santa Claus for an increasingly extravagant list of presents, including a brand new convertible car, a yacht and the "deed to a platinum mine". The song has been covered by a long list of famous names such as Madonna (1987), Kylie Minogue (2000) and Michael Buble (2011 - under the revised title of 'Santa Buddy').

Answer: When a Child Is Born

'When' and 'A' appear in the fourth column, 'Child' is in the fourth row, 'Is' is in the third column and 'Born' appears on the second row.

The most commonly played version of 'When a Child is Born' is Johnny Mathis' 1976 hit which claimed the coveted title of the UK's Christmas Number One. The song was based on Italian composer Ciro Dammicco's earlier instrumental work 'Soleado' with lyrics by Austrian songwriter Fred Jay. The song doesn't directly reference Christmas, but does describe the birth of a child providing hope for a changed and better life in the future, with a particular emphasis on how the colour of that child's skin is irrelevant in comparison to their ability to impact the world around them.

Answer: Jingle Bells

'Jingle' can be found reversed on the third row and 'Bells' goes up diagonally from the bottom row.

'Jingle Bells' was written in the mid-19th century and originally appeared under the title of 'A One Horse Open Sleigh' - a phrase that appears throughout the song but is less well-known than the popular line from the chorus that forms its modern title. It was written and composed by an American church organist named James Lord Pierpoint who later went on to serve in the Confederate army during the US Civil War. 'Jingle Bells' has an upbeat tempo and is really about people having fun in snowy weather rather than Christmas, but has nonetheless become a staple song on holiday playlists.

Answer: Little Saint Nick

'Little' is in the second column, 'Saint' is on the third row and 'Nick' goes down diagonally from second row.

The first verse of 'Little Saint Nick' starts with the lines "Well, way up North where the air gets cold; There's a tale about Christmas that you've all been told"... so hopefully everyone will have found the title of this song in the grid given that apparently we've all been told about it! The song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and first released by their band the Beach Boys in December 1963. Saint Nicholas is of course another commonly used name for Santa Claus that is likely derived from the real-life 4th century Saint Nicholas of Bari; the Beach Boys must have thought he came from more feline origins though, because in 'Little Saint Nick' they described him as "a real famous cat all dressed up in red"...

Answer: In Dulci Jubilo

'In' appears on the second row, 'Dulci' is on the main bottom-right to top-left diagonal and 'Jubilo' can be found on the fifth row.

'In Dulci Jubilo' is a traditional Christmas carol which is believed to originate from Germany and date back to the early 14th century. The original lyrics were written in a mix of medieval German and Latin (the title being the Latin for 'sweet rejoicing') and have been attributed to a Dominican friar named Heinrich Seuse but have been added to over the centuries, including one verse that has been tentatively identified as the work of Martin Luther. However, if you're familiar with Mike Oldfield's 'In Dulci Jubilo' that appears on a lot of compilation albums of popular Christmas music (and made it into the top ten on the UK Singles Chart in 1975) then you might be surprised to discover it has lyrics at all, as that is an instrumental version.

Answer: Sleigh Ride

'Sleigh' and 'Ride' can both be found going up a column (the third and sixth respectively).

With an introduction that includes the "clip-clopping" sound of a horse, 'Sleigh Ride' is a fun song about a group of friends heading out for a trip across a snowy landscape in a horse-drawn sleigh complete with "jingling, ring-ting-tingling" bells. Originally composed as an instrumental in the late 1940s by Leroy Anderson, the lyrics were added in 1950 by Mitchell Parish and it has since been covered by a range of artists, with arguably the most famous of those being a 1963 version by the Ronettes.

Answer: Frosty the Snowman

'Frosty' can be found on the bottom-right to top-left diagonal, 'the' goes up diagonally from the third row and 'Snowman' is displayed backwards on the fifth row.

Created by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson, 'Frosty the Snowman', "the jolly happy soul" with "a button nose and two eyes made out of coal", was first sung about by Gene Autry in 1950. However, this upbeat festive song has also been covered by a whole litany of famous names, including Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and Loretta Lynn. A particularly popular version also appeared on 1970's 'The Jackson Five Christmas Album'.

Answer: Feliz Navidad

'Feliz' goes up the fourth column while 'Navidad' goes along the third row.

'Feliz Navidad' is the Spanish for 'Merry Christmas'. The well-known Christmas song with this title was written and released by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano. Although it has been a popular addition to Christmas albums for years, it didn't achieve prominent chart success until the "download era". It made its first appearance in the US Billboard Hot 100's top ten in December 2020 - fifty years after its first release! The lyrics are in both Spanish and English and pretty easy to memorise since they largely consist of just "Feliz Navidad" and "I wanna wish you a merry Christmas".

Answer: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

There are quite a few 'I's in the grid so any of them would do for the first word. 'Saw' is at the start of the first row, 'Mommy' is on the sixth row, 'Kissing' is on the top-right to bottom-left diagonal, 'Santa' goes up diagonally from the fifth row and 'Claus' can be read going up the first column.

Without wishing to ruin Christmas for anyone who still believes in Santa Claus, songwriter Tommie Connor's 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' is really about a father kissing his wife while dressed up as Santa and unaware that his young son has crept out of bed to try and get a "peep" at the festive mythical hero. The first hit version was by 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd in 1952, but like many other popular Christmas songs it has been covered numerous times over the following decades - including an appearance on the Jackson Five's 1970 Christmas album.

Answer: Auld Lang Syne

All the words here appear on the diagonal - 'Auld' going upwards to the right from the first column, 'Lang' going down to the right from the second column and 'Syne' going down to the left from the final column.

'Auld Lang Syne' is a Scottish folk song traditionally performed to welcome in the New Year, particularly by large groups of people holding hands with their arms crossed. The tune is that of a traditional folk song and the lyrics are a poem by Scotland's National Bard, Robert Burns. While many people are familiar with the first verse and chorus, there are actually four further verses that rarely get sung as people just choose to repeat the words that they know. I've added all the lyrics below for reference in case anyone is particularly keen to manage the full version next New Year!

"Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?"

Chorus:
"For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne."

"And surely you'll buy your pint cup!
and surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne."

Chorus

"We two have run about the hills,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne."

Chorus

"We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne."

Chorus

"And there's a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o' thine!
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne."