12 Christmas Poems for Kids & How to Write Your Own

The holidays are a perfect time to bring poetry into family life. Christmas poems can spark imagination, teach rhythm and rhyme, and offer gentle moments of wonder, even amid the chaos of holiday prep.

Whether used at bedtime, in the classroom, or as party entertainment, Christmas poems for kids give children a gift of language they can carry forward. In this article, you’ll find ideas for how to use Christmas poems with kids, a curated collection of poems, tips for generating your own with AI, and printable poem cards to share.

Have a question about one of these poems or want help analyzing them? Ask QuillBot’s AI Chat for answers.

12 Christmas poems for kids

Here are twelve Christmas poems for kids—some classics and some originals. These poems are organized by age range, with more complicated poems for older children and simpler rhymes for toddlers.

Christmas poems for kids ages 12+

Older children and preteens can handle longer poems with storylines, symbolism, or moral lessons. These are excellent for classroom readings or writing inspiration.

1. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore

“A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which is also known as “The Night Before Christmas,” is perhaps the most famous Christmas poem of all. Some of the language may be challenging, but the poem also serves as the perfect opportunity to broaden children’s Christmas vocabulary.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

—”A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore (1823)

2. “Little Tree” by E.E. Cummings

This poem describes children decorating and comforting their Christmas tree, which is personified as a child. The work of E.E. Cummings allows you to introduce older children to free-form poetry and inspire them to play with grammar and typography in their own writing.

little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see    i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don’t be afraid

look      the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms
and i’ll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won’t be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you’re quite dressed
you’ll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they’ll stare!
oh but you’ll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we’ll dance and sing
“Noel Noel”

—”Little Tree” by E.E. Cummings (1923)

3. “Christmas Carol” by Sara Teasdale

“Christmas Carol” mentions the different people who came to visit the newborn baby Jesus. Its simple rhyme scheme is good for kids, and its imagery helps teach the Nativity story. Plus, you can encourage children to look up words like “ermine,” which they probably won’t know.

The kings they came from out the south,
All dressed in ermine fine;
They bore Him gold and chrysoprase,
And gifts of precious wine.

The shepherds came from out the north,
Their coats were brown and old;
They brought Him little new-born lambs—
They had not any gold.

The wise men came from out the east,
And they were wrapped in white;
The star that led them all the way
Did glorify the night.

The angels came from heaven high,
And they were clad with wings;
And lo, they brought a joyful song
The host of heaven sings.

The kings they knocked upon the door,
The wise men entered in,
The shepherds followed after them
To hear the song begin.

The angels sang through all the night
Until the rising sun,
But little Jesus fell asleep
Before the song was done.

—“Christmas Carol” by Sara Teasdale (1911)

4. “The Oxen” by Thomas Hardy

The themes of this poem—faith and doubt—are apt for older children who may feel as though they are growing beyond certain Christmas beliefs. Hardy’s speaker recalls a folk belief that at midnight on Christmas Eve, oxen kneel in their stalls in honor of Christ’s birth. The speaker says he accepted this story as a child. Now, as an adult, he doesn’t believe in legends like this—but still hopes they might be true.

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
“Now they are all on their knees,”
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
“Come; see the oxen kneel,

“In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,”
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.

—“The Oxen” by Thomas Hardy (1915)

Christmas poems for kids ages 7–11

This age group enjoys rhyme, repetition, and humor. Choose poems that are lively but still convey meaning.

5. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Anonymous

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a nursery rhyme for kids that originated in England. It was later made into a Christmas carol. This poem is good for children because of its predictable structure, clear imagery, and playful use of repetition.

The first day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

The second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The fourth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The fifth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The sixth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The seventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The eighth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The ninth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The tenth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Twelve fiddlers fiddling,
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

—”The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Anonymous (first published 1780)

6. “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” by Emily Huntington Miller (adapted by Hanby?/McCaskey?)

“Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” was first published in 1865 as a poem titled “Lilly’s Secret” by Emily Huntington Miller. Later, it was turned into a Christmas song with lyrics that may have been adapted by Benjamin Hanby or John Piersol McCaskey.

Jolly old Saint Nicholas,

Lean your ear this way,
Don’t you tell a single soul
What I’m going to say.
Christmas Eve is coming soon,
Now you dear old man,
Whisper what you’ll bring to me,
Tell me if you can.

When the clock is striking twelve,
When I’m fast asleep,
Down the chimney, broad and black,
With your pack you’ll creep.
All the stockings you will find,
Hanging in a row,
Mine will be the shortest one,
You’ll be sure to know.

Johnny wants a pair of skates,
Susie wants a sled,
Nelly wants a picturebook,
Yellow, blue and red,
Now I think I’ll leave to you
What to give the rest;
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus,
You will know the best.

—“Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” by Emily Huntington Miller, adapted by Hanby?/McCaskey? (first published 1865)

7. “The Christmas Eve Toy Shop Fiasco”

This poem is an original, written with assistance from QuillBot’s AI writing tools. It details how a clumsy elf creates havoc in Santa’s workshop, only to be saved by Mrs. Claus.

In Santa’s workshop, bright and neat,
With candy canes and cookie treats,
An elf named Pip danced all around—
He tripped and toppled to the ground!
His curly shoes flew off his feet.

He bumped a stack of building blocks,
He knocked down several music clocks,
A mountain of dolls began to fall—
Crash! Bang! Oh no, Pip dropped them all!
His jingle hat spun off in shock.

The reindeer peeked in through the door,
While Pip sat tangled on the floor.
Stuffed bears rolled by in woolly pairs,
A train went zooming down the stairs—
What havoc, toys galore!

“Oh dear!” said Pip, “I’ve made a mess!
Tomorrow’s Christmas—what a stress!”
He sniffled as he tried to sweep,
But toys and ribbons made a heap—
He feared he’d failed the Christmas test!

But Mrs. Claus walked in with cheer,
Her smile wide from ear to ear.
She winked and sprinkled magic bright—
The toys lined up, the shop looked right!
And gave Pip cocoa to calm his fear.

8. “Memories on the Christmas Tree”

Another original, this poem is about a family coming together to decorate their Christmas tree. As they hang each ornament, they remember the special people and happy moments connected to them.

Beneath the twinkle of Christmas lights,
Our family gathers, hearts so bright.
We open up the ornament box,
And memories sparkle like tiny rocks.

A snowman from Grandma, round and white,
Reminds us of her hugs so tight.
We laugh and place him on a branch,
And wish for one more snowy dance.

A shiny star from Uncle Lou,
Glitters gold and feels brand new.
We share the story of his cheer—
And feel his spirit drawing near.

Each ornament holds tales we know,
Of love and joy from long ago.
With every decoration hung,
Our family’s song is freshly sung.

Christmas poems for kids ages 3–6

For preschoolers and early readers, choose poems that are short, musical, and full of visual imagery. Repetition and rhythm help with language development. The poems below are all originals, created with help from QuillBot’s AI writing tools.

9. “Too Many Cookies”

Santa’s suit was feeling tight,
So he made a plan one winter night—
“This Christmas Eve, I’ll try my best,
To eat just one cookie, and not the rest!”

He tiptoed in with jolly cheer,
But saw the treats and paused in fear.
“Thank you, friends, for every plate,
But so many cookies? I’d better wait!”

Santa smiled and left a note,
With a happy little thankful quote:
“I love your cookies, every bite!
But one is plenty for me tonight!”

10. “Teddy’s Christmas Return”

Beneath the tree with sparkling lights,
So many presents, red and white,
A Christmas morning of pure delight.

Boxes big and ribbons bright,
Shiny paper, oh what a sight!
The child’s eyes are wide and bright.

Trains and puzzles, dolls and blocks,
Shoes and sweaters, cozy socks,
Toys that fill up a whole toybox.

But in the corner, what’s that there?
A fuzzy, soft, and friendly bear!
The child blinks and stops to stare.

Teddy! Lost before and gone so long,
Now returned where you belong.
Hugs are tight, and the love is strong.

Of all the gifts that Christmas day,
Only one could make them say:
“My teddy bear is back to stay!”

11. “A Light on the Hill”

Upon the dark and silent hill,
A shepherd girl could see
A tiny light that shone so still,
And wondered what it could be.

She peeked inside, her eyes grew wide,
A baby soft and small—
With mother and father by His side,
The greatest gift of all.

She felt a warmth within her heart,
As angels sang above,
She knew this child would play a part
In bringing peace and love.

The humble girl knelt down in awe,
Her worries drifted far—
For in that stable, what she saw
Was brighter than a star.

12. “Santa’s New Helper”

Santa was busy, his mind in a fog,
So he called for some help—a clever young dog!
With a wag of his tail and a bark loud and clear,
He gathered the reindeer, from far and from near.

The reindeer had wandered, some left and some right,
They twirled and they tumbled, what a silly sight!
But the dog ran around, herding all through the night,
Keeping the reindeer together, all snug and tight.

He nipped at their heels and he danced in the snow,
Rounding up his horned friends from high and from low!
With a woof and a grr and a leap and a bound,
All of the reindeer were soon safe and sound.

Santa laughed loudly, his cheeks red and bright,
“Good boy!” he praised in the magical night.
Now each Christmas season, with a wag and a cheer,
Santa’s dog helper makes sure his reindeer are near!

Creating Christmas poems for kids with AI

You don’t have to be a poet to write Christmas poems that kids will love. QuillBot’s AI poem generator can help you generate ideas, create rhythm, and find rhyming words in just a few clicks.

Here are some tips for using AI to create Christmas poems for kids:

• Have a clear idea: Before turning to AI, brainstorm some ideas for your Christmas poem. What will it be about—Santa, snowmen, presents, cookies? The more developed your idea, the better the output will be.
• Write a detailed prompt: Include your poem’s subject, the rhyme scheme, the number of stanzas and lines, and the tone and mood. You can also include any elements you want the poem to have (e.g., “vivid imagery” or “words that rhyme with ‘star’”).
• Iterate on your prompt: If the output isn’t quite what you expected, edit your prompt and regenerate the poem. Iteration helps the AI get closer to what you want.
• Edit for rhythm and readability: Even though AI can generate poems in a flash, it often still struggles with the more human elements, like readability and rhythm. Read the poem aloud, and make adjustments to the rhyme scheme or number of syllables. Also, edit to make sure there aren’t too many difficult words.
• Create accompanying images: Want to print your poem or use it in a classroom presentation? Engage children with images that accompany your poems. QuillBot’s AI image generator can create an image based on the subject of your poem.
• Ask AI for other words: QuillBot’s AI Chat can generate a list of rhyming words (e.g., “Tell me words that rhyme with ‘star’”), and QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you find synonyms for the words in your poem.

How to use Christmas poems for kids

Here are practical, fun ways to incorporate poems into different parts of your holiday routines:

• In the classroom: Christmas poems for kids can help your students get into the festive experience. Display a poem on the board for morning reading each day leading up to Christmas, or have kids memorize and perform poems individually or in groups. You might also ask your students to write their own holiday poems, in which case sharing some Christmas poems may help inspire them.
• At bedtime: Many children love a story at bedtime to help them relax. Why not mix in a bit of poetry, too? Reading or reciting a short festive poem before bed helps children get into a cozy Christmas mood before drifting off to sleep.
• At Christmas parties: You can use Christmas poems at kids’ holiday parties, too. Have a poem recital or play a guessing game where you read out one line of a poem and kids have to guess the next. You could also remove some words from poems to create a Mad Libs to play with children at a party.
• With elf on the shelf: Veteran parents will know that it’s always a good idea to have extra elf on the shelf ideas on hand. Print out Christmas poems to use in your elf setups, or handwrite a poem to make it look like your elf wrote it.

Frequently asked questions about Christmas poems for kids

Where can I find short Christmas poems for kids?

You can find many short Christmas poems for kids online, but you can also write your own with some help from AI.

Use QuillBot’s AI poem generator to generate poem drafts you can customize for your kids. Simply come up with an idea, plug it into the generator, and edit for readability and rhythm.

What’s the Twas the Night Before Christmas poem?

The “Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem is actually titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” It was written by Clement Clarke Moore and first published in 1823.

“A Visit from St. Nicholas” is one of the most famous Christmas poems for kids, although many adults also enjoy it. The poem has also been recited in many Christmas films.

Want to learn more about this poem? Ask QuillBot’s AI Chat.