Christmas scavenger hunt: how to plan one at home
One big present and a long wait makes for a flat morning. A trail of clues turns the same gift into twenty minutes of laughing in pajamas.
Start the night before
The hunt itself takes twenty minutes. Setting it up takes about the same. Do it once everyone has gone to bed, with the cards printed and a roll of tape nearby.
Hide the cards in reverse order. Put the final card and the present where it belongs first, then work backwards to the first clue. You will never lose your place that way.
Choose spots that make sense on Christmas morning
People wake up groggy, so pick places they will pass anyway: the kitchen, the sofa, the tree, the coffee machine. A first stop near the kettle gets everyone moving.
Six to eight spots is plenty for adults. If you are planning for a house full of people, go for ten and make the clues a bit trickier.
One gift or many
The classic version ends at one big present. Another version hides a small gift at every spot, so the hunt becomes the whole morning.
For a couple, try one wrapped gift at the end and a single chocolate or a handwritten note at each stop along the way.
12 free sample clues
Take any of these. Each leads to one spot in a normal home, and the answer is under each clue.
Baubles and tinsel and a twinkling star, look through the branches; the clue isn't far.
Leads to: Christmas treeI'm a big knitted foot with no one inside. I hang by the fireplace and fill up overnight with little surprises.
Leads to: StockingNo start and no end, just a circle of green, the prettiest thing the front door has seen.
Leads to: WreathMy lesson is waiting, one sweet treat at a time. Count up to twenty-four, but only open today's door.
Leads to: Advent calendarSwing open a door that glows when it's wide, with eggs in a row and shelves inside.
Leads to: FridgeSouvenirs from trips and a gift from afar, and the faded one is the best by far.
Leads to: Mug cupboardLift up the seat where you flop to rest, for a card is tucked in, snugly dressed.
Leads to: Sofa cushionsGreen, rooted in soil and thirsty when forgotten, I wait for a drink. Look among my leaves.
Leads to: HouseplantDusty jackets and stories untold, wait for someone brave and bold.
Leads to: BookshelfEveryone feeds me and nobody thanks me. I'm emptied weekly and full again by Wednesday. Look where worn clothes go to wait.
Leads to: Laundry basketSmall and slim with its buttons in rows, it changes the channels wherever it goes.
Leads to: TV remoteIt has two slots but it isn't a bank, and it pops out its slices with a clunk and a clank.
Leads to: ToasterTips from people who have hidden a few
- Tuck cards under, not inside. Nothing should be easy to knock into the bin.
- Walk your route in the dark before bed. If you trip over it, so will they.
- Skip the oven, the fireplace and anything that needs a ladder. Keep every spot safe.
- Put a pen and a spare card in your pocket. Someone always wanders off with a clue.
- Keep the cheat sheet. It lists every card and where it goes, in order.
Questions
How many clues should a Christmas scavenger hunt have?
For adults, six to eight is a good length and takes about fifteen minutes. A longer hunt of ten or more suits a lazy morning with plenty of coffee.
Can I do a Christmas hunt for adults?
Yes. Pick riddles instead of rhymes and use the tricky setting. Make the final prize something they would actually want.
What should the last clue lead to?
The tree is the obvious choice. A stocking by the fireplace, the sofa or the bed they are sleeping in on all work too.
Do I need to buy anything besides a printer?
Tape and scissors. Card stock looks nicer, but plain paper works fine.
Ready in about five minutes.
Pick your spots, choose the look, and preview every card before you pay.
Make your Christmas huntMore guides: Birthday scavenger hunt, Clue ideas by room.