If you love to try new family activities during the holidays, these free printable Christmas scavenger hunt clues are so much fun.
This scavenger hunt game can be played on Christmas morning for a unique way to find the presents and create wonderful memories.
After the presents have all been found, you can continue the fun by playing one of these free printable Christmas games.
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How to Make Christmas Extra Special
I know as a mom, it’s important to make sure Christmas is extra special, and thankfully it doesn’t have to be hard or take a lot of effort. The internet helps make it easy because you can find awesome ideas and even free printables, like this Christmas scavenger hunt, to keep it simple.
There are lots of things we can do to make the holiday season merry for our families. Some simple ways I make December special at my house that you might want to try too are:
- I love to bake special treats, like these reindeer cookies, during December that I don’t make any other time of year. The kids love to come home from school to find something yummy in the kitchen waiting for them.
- Scheduling some extra movie nights is essential for us during December. We love to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story
and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. - Making homemade gifts to give to family and friends is another way we spend time together during December. We are making some Reindeer Hot Chocolate Gift Bags to hand out to my daughter’s friends this year.
- Sending out Christmas cards can be a family affair and our relatives love to see my kids signatures on the cards.
- It is fun to let each child pick something we can do as a family during December. They get so creative because we like to do activities on a budget.
- If we happen to get snow we love to get outside and have snowball fights, build forts and all just act like kids for a day.
and 
.Creative Ways to Use These Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues
Christmas scavenger hunts are extra fun because kids know there are usually gifts found during the hunt. These Christmas treasure hunt clues are easy riddles for the whole family.
There are lots of different ways you can play a scavenger hunt. You can use all of the suggestions below or just choose one.
Make it a Competition
Game time is always a priority at my house because my whole family is competitive and we all like to WIN! Solving riddles and puzzles gets my kids very excited.
If your family is also competitive, you can use the clues that aren’t specific to an individual and have everyone try to solve the riddle at the same time. Whoever solves it first, gets the prize/present (so make sure the gift is suitable for anyone).
Work Together as a Family
If your family isn’t competitive, you don’t have to make the hunt a competition. Everyone can work together to solve the riddle, making sure to use the clues that aren’t specific to an individual, so that there isn’t a single winner.
If you play this way, you’ll need to either make sure there’s enough prizes/presents for each individual family member or just have one family prize/present available at the location that solves the clue.
Make it Individual
Since each child is unique, you probably have different gifts for each child. You can choose which clues fit which child/present and give your kids the corresponding clues.
You can choose to have the kids solve their individual clues at the same time and either allow them to open their present immediately, or just gather them and bring them back to the family room and have them open the gifts there. Another option is to have them solve their clues one child at a time and everyone follows them around the house watching them find their presents.
How to Prepare the Clues
Just print these scavenger hunt clues off on white cardstock. Then, cut the cute ornaments out with scissors and attach a ribbon or twine if you like.
Place the riddle ornaments in the appropriate places around the house and yard based on the clues and hide items and gifts as you go.
You don’t have to use all of the clues โ just use the ones you need according to which way you’re going to play the game (see above Creative Ways to Use). Each one promises a special surprise with a hint as to where to find it.
Depending on how you choose to play the game, you can place a new clue with each item or give your child(ren) all the clues at once.
Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools for Printables
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Printer paper or cardstock: If youโre printing for one-time, quick use, print on regular printer paper. If you need the printout to hold up to being handled often or if you plan to laminate it to use it multiple times, choose cardstock.
Laminator: Laminating your printable is an inexpensive way to use it multiple times. Alternately, you can cover the printable with clear contact paper to achieve the same thing or place the printable in clear page protectors.
Cutter: You just need to use a good pair of scissors to cut out the ornament clues.
Hole punch: Punch a hole with an individual hole punch in the top of the clues where the “metal” part of the ornament is so you can add the ribbon or twine.
Ribbon or twine: Use pretty Christmas ribbon or twine to attach the ornament clues in the appropriate place.
How to Get the Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues
You’re welcome to download and print the clues pictured above. They come in a printable PDF.
Fill in the form below to print these scavenger hunt clues off for your holiday themed scavenger hunt game.
Printable FAQs
Fill in the form above. After you submit the form, you’ll receive an email from “Wondermom Wannabe” with a direct link to the printable. If you do not see the email in your inbox within a few minutes, check your spam folder.
The most likely place will be in your computer’s Downloads folder. You can also select “Downloads” in your browser menu to see a list of your downloads, then simply select “Show in folder” below the file name to see where it is stored on your computer.
You’ll need a program that supports PDFS, likeย Adobe Acrobatย (which is free). Open the program, click File > Print. Select your printer and set the number of copies you want to print. Double check your print preview, then click print.
Make Your Own Hunt
I’ve created the printable clues to make it easy for you to have a Christmas scavenger hunt, but you can make your own version instead to make the game personalized for your own family.
You can be as simple or as fancy as you want. You can write the clues on small pieces of paper or print them on blank cards, then decorate them with drawings or stickers. It’s up to you!
Here are some tips to create a treasure hunt:
- Use popular Christmas characters and terms as inspiration for your clues (e.g. With some help from an elf, Santa placed a treat for you on the bathroom shelf!)
- Place the first clue card somewhere out in the open where it will be easily spotted or initiate the game by handing the clue to the youngest family member.
- Each clue should guide the seeker to the next clue, except for the last clue which will guide them to the prize (perhaps the Christmas tree).
- Have fun with it! Lead the participants all over the house with the clues.
- Recruit your older kids and teens to help with the clue writing and hiding
Prize Ideas
If you want to provide special surprises with each clue, here are some suggestions:
- Candy canes
- Small toys
- Cookies or candy
- Stickers or temporary tattoos
Additional Christmas Fun
Keep the Christmas fun going strong with some of these other fun printables and activities.
- Countdown to Christmas Ideas – Awesome collection of countdown to Christmas ideas and advent calendar ideas! From fun for kids to beautiful decor, there’s an idea for everyone.
- Christmas Word Search for Kids – This Christmas Word Search is the perfect way to spark joy and keep little minds engaged during the holiday season.
- Printable Christmas Maze for Kids – A printable Christmas maze for kids is a fun indoor activity for restless kids who are excited about the holidays. This is perfect for class parties!
- Christmas Tic Tac Toe – The kids will have a blast challenging you with this Christmas Tic Tac Toe game! Who will be the winner? You’ll have to play to find out!
- Mason Jar Lid Snowman Ornament – Transform mason jar lids into adorable DIY snowman ornaments! This easy Christmas craft upcycles spare lids into charming holiday decorations. Perfect winter craft for kids or unique handmade gifts!
- Christmas Would You Rather Questions – Excited to play a fun and insightful game this coming holiday? Check out our list of Christmas would you rather questions for all ages here!
Thank you very much for all of your effort and thoughtfulness!
You’re welcome! That’s so kind of you to say, you made my day!
Thank you !!!
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Thank you
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Thank you so much for helping make Christmas fun
You’re welcome! Thanks for leaving me such a nice comment.
A wonderful idea
Thank you! I’m glad you like it. Thanks for commenting.
I cannot get access to the free christmas scavenger hunt printable. It will not let me confirm
Unfortunately some email providers automatically put my confirmation email in spam. When that happens, the link in the email to click to confirm won’t work. If you can find it in your spam, go ahead and mark it not spam and move it to your inbox. I can’t send you a second confirmation email, so I had to go ahead and unsubscribe you from my email. If you are still interested in the printable, subscribe to my email again. Since you’ve already marked one of my emails as “not spam,” this confirmation email should go to your inbox and you should be able to confirm it now. If you need anymore help, let me know.
These are so creative and cute! I wish I’d found your blog before Christmas! I like the activities paired with each ornament! This reminds me of a scavenger hunt site I use to create scavenger hunts! It’s really cool because it has riddles for each clue and has a tool that automates the process!