Free Christmas Scavenger Hunt Printable (Indoor, Outdoor & Clue Cards) 🎁

Looking for a Christmas scavenger hunt printable that you can print and play in five minutes?

This free set has an indoor hunt, an outdoor hunt, 16 cut-apart riddle clue cards for a gift hunt (with an answer key), a photo hunt for teens and adults, and a champion certificate. 7 pages total.

It’s part of our Christmas Games collection, and it works for classrooms, family gatherings, and a quiet Christmas Eve morning when the kids are up way too early.

Grab Your Free Christmas Scavenger Hunt 👇

Download the free PDF below and print only what you need. No email or signup.

What’s Included

Hunts and games:

• Indoor Christmas hunt: 16 things to find around the house, with icons and check boxes
• Outdoor Christmas hunt: 16 things to spot on a walk or in the yard
• 16 riddle clue cards: cut-apart clues for a Christmas gift scavenger hunt (two pages of 8)
• Clue answer key: a grown-up page listing the hiding spot for each clue
• Teen and adult photo hunt: 16 photo challenges for older kids and adults
• Champion certificate: a prize page for the winner

Features and Benefits

You can use this as a simple checklist hunt or as a full gift scavenger hunt with riddle clues. Both versions work with whatever you already have at home, so there’s nothing to buy.

The clues are generic on purpose, such as the fridge, couch, bed and mailbox, so they work in almost any house. Swap a hiding spot that doesn’t match your home using the answer key page.

Want more games for the same party? Add Christmas bingo, Christmas charades or Christmas pictionary.

Who It’s For

• Parents planning a Christmas morning or Christmas Eve gift hunt
• Teachers who need a low-prep classroom party activity
• Grandparents hosting a bunch of cousins
• Teens and adults who want a photo challenge at the family get-together
• Anyone who needs a quick activity on a snow day

How to Use It

1. Print the pages you want. Black and white works, but color is more fun.
2. Pick a hunt: indoor, outdoor or the riddle clue hunt.
3. For the indoor and outdoor hunts, give each player a page and a pencil and let them check items off.
4. For the riddle hunt, hide clue 1 where the child will see it, then hide clue 2 at the answer to clue 1, and so on. Hide the gift at the last spot.
5. Give the winner the champion certificate (and a prize!).

Indoor Christmas Scavenger Hunt

This one is easy to run anywhere. Players hunt for 16 things at home, such as:

• A stocking
• Something round and shiny
• A Christmas tree
• A candy cane or something sweet
• Santa (a figure, hat or card)
• A wrapped gift or bow
• Something that jingles
• Something white and fluffy
• A mug for hot cocoa
• An elf or Christmas toy
• A reindeer or deer picture
• Something shaped like a star
• A candle or twinkle light
• Something warm and cozy
• A cookie cutter or cookie
• Something green

Outdoor Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Take the hunt outside on a walk. Players check off each item they see. This one works well for a neighborhood light walk or a family trip after dinner.

• An evergreen tree
• A wreath or holly bush
• Christmas lights
• A pinecone
• A Santa decoration
• A reindeer decoration
• A snowman or snow
• A snowflake or frost
• A big red bow
• A star decoration
• Something striped red and white
• A stocking on display
• A bell or wreath bell
• Something green and red
• A smoking chimney
• Something with berries

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues (Riddle Cards)

The riddle clue cards are the heart of the gift hunt. Cut them apart, hide each one where the clue before it points, and let the kids follow the trail to the final gift. Here are all 16 clues and where each one points:

• Clue 1: I’m cold inside and I hold your snacks. Open my door and look in the back! (Answer: Fridge)
• Clue 2: Soft and cozy, you sit on me to watch your shows. Look under my cushions, then off you go! (Answer: Couch)
• Clue 3: I have a face but I cannot smile, and I tick-tock all the while. Look where I hang or stand. (Answer: Clock)
• Clue 4: You stand in me when it’s time to get clean. Look near the curtain where water streams! (Answer: Shower or bathtub)
• Clue 5: Your feet go in me, left and right. Look by the door where I wait tight! (Answer: Shoes)
• Clue 6: Turn my pages, one by one. Stories live on me till they are done. Look on my shelf! (Answer: Bookshelf)
• Clue 7: You lay your head on me at night. Look under my pillow, tucked in tight! (Answer: Bed)
• Clue 8: I keep your clothes tidy and neat. Open my drawers for your next treat! (Answer: Dresser)
• Clue 9: I spin and I splash and I wash your socks. Open my door, not the one with locks! (Answer: Washing machine)
• Clue 10: Lights twinkle bright and ornaments hang. Look near my star where the carols sang! (Answer: Christmas tree)
• Clue 11: Hang your coat on me by the door. Look in the pocket, there’s one clue more! (Answer: Coat closet)
• Clue 12: Your toys sleep in me when the day is through. Lift my lid, there’s one for you! (Answer: Toy box)
• Clue 13: I’m warm and I bake your cookies and bread. Ask a grown-up to look where I’m fed! (Answer: Oven (with an adult))
• Clue 14: I’m outside by the road with a flag that goes up. Look in my mouth, then give a hup! (Answer: Mailbox)
• Clue 15: Warm cocoa waits in my cup. Look in my cupboard and lift one up! (Answer: Mug cabinet)
• Clue 16: Merry Christmas! You made it to the end. Your gift is where stockings hang, my friend! (Answer: Fireplace or stockings)

The last clue ends at the fireplace or stockings. If you don’t have either, change the last hiding spot to wherever your gift will be and write the new spot on the answer key.

Teen and Adult Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt

Older kids and adults can play a photo version. Teams or individuals snap a photo of each item on the list and the player with the most photos wins. Good for family parties, church groups and Christmas outings:

• Take a photo with something red
• A selfie with a Christmas tree
• Find a nutcracker or Santa figure
• Take a picture of a wreath
• Spot a snowman (real or decoration)
• Capture a string of lights
• Photo with a candy cane
• A shot of a Christmas card
• Take a photo with a stocking
• Find a reindeer
• Capture something sparkly
• A photo of a gift with a bow
• A selfie with a mug of cocoa
• Take a picture of a star
• Photo of a pinecone or evergreen
• Group photo in Christmas colors

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Ideas

• Christmas morning gift hunt: Use the riddle clues to lead kids to their big gift.
• Classroom party: Give each pair a checklist and a timer. First pair to finish wins.
• Light walk: Take the outdoor list on a walk to see Christmas lights.
• Family teams: Split into teams and race through the house hunt.
• Photo hunt: Use the teen and adult page at a party. Most photos wins.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Prize Ideas

• Candy canes, chocolate coins or a small box of cookies
• Stickers, mini erasers or a small ornament
• A new Christmas book, movie night pick or hot cocoa mix
• Winner picks the Christmas movie, or goes first opening a gift
• The champion certificate (printed in this set)

Frequently Asked Questions

More Christmas Printables You Might Like

• Christmas bingo printable: picture bingo for the whole family
• Christmas emoji pictionary: guess the song or movie from emojis
• Christmas word search: three levels for different ages
• Christmas would you rather questions: fun questions for parties
• Christmas dot to dot: connect the dots for little ones

Browse the whole set in our Christmas Games collection.