A Christmas puzzle has a shelf life. In December, a crackling fire and a sleigh flying over the rooftops feel just right; in March, nobody wants Father Christmas on the dining table. Before you buy a Christmas jigsaw puzzle, think less about the picture and more about the calendar: how many evenings are left until the 25th, and who will be sitting at the table.

When to start your Christmas puzzle

Each product page shows the estimated time, and that is where the planning starts. At an hour a night, a 500 takes less than a week, a 1000 just over a week and a 1500 close to two.

If you want the puzzle growing on the table all month as part of the decorations, start on the first weekend of December, 5 and 6 December in 2026.

If the plan is to do it together on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, pick a 500. With several people helping it's done in an afternoon, and nobody ends up staring at half a puzzle when dessert arrives.

Now the practical part. To arrive before Christmas, order by 18 December within Portugal and by 11 December for the rest of Europe. We ship from Portugal: about 5 days to Spain and about 7 to the rest of Europe after dispatch. If you want to start early in the month, don't wait for the deadline.

Christmas puzzles for adults, 1000 and 1500 pieces

This year Clementoni released a series of traditional Christmas illustrations, the Christmas Collection, all with a poster in the box to use as a guide. The ones we recommend most for people who already do puzzles:

• Christmas by the Fire, 1000 pieces in portrait format (50 x 70 cm): tree, fireplace, a golden retriever asleep on a red pouffe and a white cat in the armchair. If there are dogs or cats in your home, this is the one.
• Ye Old Christmas Shoppe, 1000 pieces (70 x 50 cm), the inside of an old toy shop with nutcrackers, a gingerbread house and a cuckoo clock. There are so many different objects that you end up building it in islands, each with its own colour.
• Have a Cozy Christmas, 1500 pieces, 84.5 x 59.5 cm. This is the project for the whole holiday: fireplace, snowy windows, presents, a dog and a cat on the sofa. Check first that you have a free table for it until New Year.
• Impossible Jolly Christmas, also 1000 pieces, for anyone who has done plenty and wants to suffer a little. It's a collage of vintage decorations from edge to edge, with no sky, no floor and no obvious place to start.

Outside Clementoni, Educa's Antique Xmas is another 1000 piece option.

And an idea for anyone who doesn't want Father Christmas on the table at all: Educa's Winter in Hallstatt, 1500 pieces, a photograph of the Austrian village under snow with the houses reflected in the lake. It takes time, because the reflections in the water are confusing. But it has one advantage over the others: it still makes sense in January.

To do as a family: the 500 piece puzzles

The four 500 piece puzzles in the Christmas Collection finish at 49 x 36 cm and fit at one end of the Christmas Eve table without taking anyone's seat. Old Toy Shop is a toy shop window on a snowy night. Train Station with Snowman has a red steam train, Father Christmas in the cab and two snowmen. Midnight Sleigh Ride is portrait, with the sleigh taking off under the full moon. Christmas Magic Moments shows a village square with carol singers, a lit-up tree and children building a snowman.

The box says 12 and up. With younger children at the table, splitting the work goes well: the little ones look for edge pieces and the brightest areas (the red of the train, the tree lights), the adults take the sky and the snow.

There are more options, from several brands, in our Christmas puzzles 2026 collection, and the adult ones only in Christmas puzzles for adults.

And after the 25th?

Two options. The first is to take it apart carefully and put it back in the box: a Christmas puzzle is one of the few you'll happily do again the following year, because eleven months have gone by. The second is to glue and frame it, and hang it every December like another decoration. We explain how in our guide how to frame a puzzle.

Christmas puzzle FAQ

What's the last day to order for delivery before Christmas?

18 December for Portugal and 11 December for the rest of Europe. Once your order ships you'll get a tracking number and can follow it on our order tracking page.

Can the puzzle be gift wrapped?

Yes. There's a gift wrap option on the product page for 2 €.

Which is the hardest Christmas puzzle?

Impossible Jolly Christmas, no question. If you want a big challenge with a picture that helps you along, the 1500 piece Have a Cozy Christmas is better balanced.

Is it worth buying several?

If you're buying presents for several people, yes: the cart takes 5 € off from 5 puzzles and 10 € off from 8.