Merry Christmas Coloring Pages for Kids: Free Printable PDFs
While the kids wait to open their presents on Christmas morning, limit screen time with the help of our Merry Christmas coloring pages.
To celebrate this wonderful time of year, we’ve created a collection of cheerful holiday scenes featuring Santa, snowmen, reindeer, elves, Christmas trees, and more — all designed with simple, bold outlines perfect for little hands to color.
You too, moms! Coloring is great for stress relief, and you deserve some relaxing downtime during this busy season of the year.
Explore our collection of 40 Merry Christmas coloring pages below.
Getting Started is Easy
Just scroll down, pick your favorite Merry Christmas Coloring Page (or grab them all and create a coloring book … they’re free), click the image, and the high-resolution PDF will open in a new tab. From there, you can download it to your computer and print it as many times as you like.
Note: Our coloring pages are designed in standard US Letter size (8.5 x 11″), but they’ll also print perfectly on A4 paper, so no matter where you’re printing from (the US, UK, Europe, etc.), you’re good to go.
Terms of use: these printables are for personal use only. That means you can print them for yourself, your kids, your classroom, or even a coloring night with friends. But please don’t resell, redistribute, or modify them for commercial use.
40 Merry Christmas Coloring Pages
More Free Printables (don’t miss out)
Right now, Printable City is just getting started, and we’re working hard to create premium, high-quality printables for the whole family to enjoy – all beautifully designed and 100% FREE.
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And Just for Fun
Before you start coloring, check out these 10 fun facts about the phrase Merry Christmas, including where it come from and how it grew into a worldwide tradition.
Fun Merry Christmas Facts
1. The phrase Merry Christmas dates back to 1534.
It first appeared in a letter written by English bishop John Fisher while imprisoned in the Tower of London. Since then, the phrase has become a timeless way to spread holiday cheer, appearing in cards, songs, and greetings all around the world.
2. Merry Christmas became world-famous thanks to Charles Dickens.
When Dickens published A Christmas Carol in 1843, he helped revive Christmas traditions and made Merry Christmas a household phrase. The story’s joyful spirit and memorable characters helped cement the greeting in popular culture across England and beyond.
3. In the U.K., Happy Christmas is more commonly used.
Queen Elizabeth II preferred saying Happy Christmas in her annual broadcasts. Historically, merry carried connotations of rowdiness or drunkenness, so happy was seen as more refined. Today, both greetings are used, but Merry Christmas remains the more popular choice globally.
4. Merry Christmas was once considered too informal.
In Victorian England, upper-class families often used phrases like Compliments of the Season instead. Merry Christmas was embraced by everyday folks, making it the warmer, more approachable greeting we know today.
5. Santa didn’t always say Merry Christmas!
Early versions of Saint Nicholas and Father Christmas focused on religious blessings and goodwill. It wasn’t until the 1800s, with the rise of secular holiday traditions and printed greetings, that Merry Christmas became Santa’s signature phrase in stories, ads, and cards.
6. The first printed Christmas card featured the phrase Merry Christmas.
It was designed in London in 1843 by John Callcott Horsley for Sir Henry Cole. That same year, Dickens published A Christmas Carol, making 1843 a landmark year for festive greetings and holiday traditions.
7. Merry Christmas appears in hundreds of languages.
From Feliz Navidad in Spanish to Joyeux Noël in French and Mele Kalikimaka in Hawaiian, the phrase has been translated and embraced worldwide. No matter what the language, the message of warmth and celebration remains the same.
8. Merry Christmas was once banned by the Puritans in England.
In 1647, Parliament outlawed Christmas celebrations, viewing them as unbiblical and excessive. That included banning festive greetings like Merry Christmas. The ban was lifted in 1660, and the phrase slowly returned to public life.
9. NASA once broadcast Merry Christmas from space.
On Christmas Eve in 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts read from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the Moon. They ended the broadcast by wishing everyone on earth a Merry Christmas, marking one of the most touching holiday messages ever sent from space.
10. Merry Christmas is one of the most printed greetings in history.
Thanks to its use on billions of holiday cards, gift tags, and decorations, Merry Christmas has become one of the most reproduced phrases ever. Its popularity soared with the rise of commercial printing in the 19th century and continues today.
Final Thoughts About Our Merry Christmas Coloring Pages
We’ve had so much fun creating these Merry Christmas coloring pages, and we hope they bring plenty of festive cheer to your home this holiday season.
Once colored, you can use the finished pages to make homemade Christmas cards with the kids, or hang them on the cupboard door to show off their creative masterpieces. They can also be used for other fun DIY projects.
However you choose to use our coloring sheets, please share this article on social media below to help us grow and continue creating more free content like this.
P.S. if you, the kids, or someone else in the family likes to color, see our library of free printable coloring pages to enjoy all year round.
