Away in a Manger vs Snow Day!: 500 Piece Christmas Puzzles
By Cobble Hill Puzzles | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Product Reviews
Compare Away in a Manger and Snow Day!, two 500 piece Christmas puzzles. See which suits your holiday mood, table time, and gift list.
Quick answer
Choose Away in a Manger if you want a quiet, reverent nativity scene for your holiday table. Choose Snow Day! if your group prefers playful winter animals and a lighter mood.
Theme sets the mood, not the difficulty
Both puzzles have 500 pieces, so the main difference is the scene you want to spend an evening with. Away in a Manger is a nativity image by artist Liz Goodrick-Dillon, built around the Christmas story. Snow Day! is a playful ski-hill scene with furry friends, and the catalog description leans into fun with three exclamation points. Pick the theme that matches your gathering: reflective and traditional, or light and wintry.
What the catalog does and does not tell you
The supplied records list piece count, artist for Away in a Manger, price, and a short description, but they do not include finished dimensions, piece shape, or estimated build time. That means you cannot compare the two on table footprint or difficulty from the catalog alone. If those details matter for your space or group, treat them as open questions and check the box or product page before you buy.
Price and value at a glance
The catalog shows Away in a Manger at USD 12.05 and Snow Day! at USD 12.95, with comparison prices of USD 17.99 each. The gap is small, so let theme and audience decide rather than chasing the lower price. Both are listed as 500 piece puzzles in the same category, so the value question is really about which one your household will actually finish and keep.
Trade-offs to weigh before you choose
- Reverent vs playful theme: Away in a Manger gives you a nativity scene with a stated artist and a devotional focus. Snow Day! gives you a ski-hill animal scene built for fun. You cannot get both moods in one box, so decide which tone your holiday evening needs. If your group includes young children who prefer animals, Snow Day! is the easier sell.
- Artist credit vs open description: Only Away in a Manger names its artist in the supplied catalog. Snow Day! is described by theme and mood but not by artist. If you follow a particular illustrator, that is a real reason to lean toward Away in a Manger.
- Catalog gaps are the same for both: Neither record supplies finished size, piece shape, or build-time estimates. Do not assume one is easier or smaller based on the theme. Check the box or listing for those specs if your table is tight or your group is new to puzzling. Measure your table before buying if space is limited.
Product facts
- Away in a Manger | 500 piece: A 500 piece nativity puzzle by artist Liz Goodrick-Dillon, created to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The explicit artist credit and religious theme make it easy to choose for a traditional or church-group setting.
Away in a Manger | 500 piece - Snow Day! | 500 piece: A 500 piece winter scene described as furry friends ready to patrol the ski hills, with a playful three-exclamation title. The lighthearted animal theme signals a casual, family-friendly build rather than a solemn holiday scene.
Snow Day! | 500 piece
Which puzzle fits your holiday?
Best for
- A quiet Advent evening or church-group activity with a traditional nativity focus
- A family that wants a light, wintry animal scene for a casual build
- Shoppers comparing two 500 piece holiday puzzles at a similar price
Not for
- Puzzlers who need confirmed finished dimensions before buying
- Groups looking for a larger piece count or a longer project
- Anyone who wants a non-holiday theme
