The 2024 Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Every hear I make a little scavenger hunt for my kids to find their advent calendars. It’s become tradition to share the clues for the treasure hunt here on the blog so you can join in! The 2024 Christmas Scavenger Hunt is finally here!
If I had to pick just one thing that I get asked about more than anything else as the holidays roll around, it would absolutely and unequivocally be our Christmas Scavenger Hunt. A few years ago, I started this little tradition and shared it with my community on Instagram, and it was an instant hit. Now, dozens of us do this with our kiddos every holiday season, and I always love hearing from you and seeing photos of your kids playing along.
What is the Christmas Scavenger Hunt?
We always give our kids a little themed advent calendar to use throughout the month of December. Usually it’s a LEGO one, and they have a blast all month long opening up the little boxes each day. We used to just hand them over on December 1st, but a few years ago I got a wild hair and decided to hide the advent calendars for them and create a little treasure hunt for them to find it.
They absolutely loved it, and it quickly became a beloved tradition in our home. Every December 1st, they wake up to a series of clues that slowly leads them around the house until they find their advent calendars hiding somewhere (wrapped, of course, because opening presents is fun).
I started sharing the clues for our Christmas scavenger hunt here on the blog, and now I get people asking me about it as soon as November 1st hits! Some of you also do it with your advent calendars, but I know people who have done it with bigger gifts, on Christmas morning, for a new ornament or trinket, or even just for a small surprise like a cup of hot cocoa! It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – that’s the beauty of it. Just the act of hiding clues around the house really is the tradition and the surprise. What they find at the end is secondary to the fun they’ll have on the hunt.
How Does the Christmas Scavenger Hunt Work?
It’s incredibly simple. I have already created a set of 9 clues for you. They’re simple enough that little kiddos should be able to figure it out, but still fun for older ones too (remember, I’ve got a 10 year old and a 6 year old, so I’m working with a big gap!). I try to keep the clues really generic, so that they lead to places that pretty much every house has.
All you have to do is download the PDF of clues and print them off. Cut them out and hide them around the house, and then soak up the magic! The download also includes a set of blank cards, in case you want to make your own clues (or if some of the ones I made don’t work for you).
Ideas for the Treasure Hunt
If you don’t do advent calendars or don’t want that to be a prize, here’s a list of other ideas of what your kids could find at the end of the Christmas scavenger hunt:
- Tickets to go see a movie
- A new pair of Christmas pajamas
- A cute mug and a hot cocoa packet
- Christmas cookies
- A new Christmas-themed book
- A Christmas t-shirt or sweater
- An ornament
- A nutcracker
- A coupon book (add things like “skip chores” or “go to bed 30 minutes late”)
You get the idea! Any fun little surprise at the end will do – I promise they’ll be thrilled.
The 2024 Christmas Scavenger Hunt {FREE PRINTABLE}
Now, let’s get to why you’re here. The clues!
All you need to do is click the button below to download the 2024 Christmas Scavenger hunt. That’s it! Then, just print it out and soak up the Christmas magic. You’re welcome.
If you want more clues, want to do more than one hunt, or just want some idea for creating your own Christmas scavenger hunt, you can catch up on previous years here:
Be sure to let me know if you give this a shot! There’s nothing I love more than being flooded with photos and videos of your sweet families trying this out during the month of December!