The short answer: a Christmas treasure hunt (many families call it a Christmas morning scavenger hunt) is a trail of clue cards hidden around the house. Each card points to the next hiding spot, and the last spot hides a present. You need 6 to 12 spots, one golden rule and about five minutes of hiding while the kids are asleep.
The golden rule: every card shows the next spot
This is the one thing that trips up grown-ups on Christmas Eve. A clue card never describes the place it is hidden in. It describes where to go next. The first card goes straight into your child's hands, and it sends them to Spot 1. The card waiting at Spot 1 sends them to Spot 2, and so on, until the last spot, where the present is waiting.
- In their handsCard 1shows Spot 1
- At Spot 1Card 2shows Spot 2
- At Spot 2Card 3shows the last spot
- At the last spotThe presentand a "You found it!" note
Plan the route in five minutes
- Pick 6 to 12 spots. Choose places at child height, in rooms your kids are allowed in. Six spots suits a three-year-old; twelve keeps a ten-year-old busy.
- Choose the last spot first. That is where the present goes, so it needs room for the gift and a hiding place kids won't stumble on early.
- Write the order down. Spot 1, Spot 2, and so on, ending at the last spot. A numbered list on a sticky note is enough.
- Stack the cards in route order. Take Card 1 off the top: it goes to your child in the morning.
- Walk the route and hide as you go. At each spot, hide the card that is now on top of the stack. At the last spot, hide the present instead. Your stack should be empty.
- Leave Card 1 where they'll find it. By the tree, on the breakfast plate, or in your hand when they come downstairs.
Two kids, two ages? Use one route and hide two cards at every spot: a picture clue for the little one and a riddle for the reader. They hunt together and arrive at the present together.
12 rhyming Christmas treasure hunt clues for around the house
Write these on index cards or copy them into your own template. They suit readers of about seven to ten. Swap in the spots that fit your home, and remember: each clue goes at the spot before the one it describes.
The pantry
Inside me, snacks and goodies hide,
with cans and jars lined side by side.
I'm like a tiny grocery store—
your clue is waiting past my door!
The cereal box
I rattle when you give a shake;
I'm breakfast when you first awake.
Peek in my top, but please don't pour—
there's more than cereal in store!
Slippers
We're soft and warm and come in twos;
we're not quite boots and not quite shoes.
We keep your toes all cozy, too—
reach in, and there you'll find a clue!
The bath towel
I'm soft and fluffy, flat and wide;
I dry you off from every side.
I hang and wait upon my hook—
unfold me gently, take a look!
The backpack
I ride to school upon your back
with books and pencils and a snack.
Unzip my little pocket wide—
your next clue's waiting there inside!
The pots and pans cupboard
Clang and clatter, bang and bong—
the pots and pans all sing my song.
Open my low door and look:
a clue is tucked inside a nook!
A houseplant
I live in soil inside a pot;
you give me water (not a lot!).
Look by my base, but please don't dig—
your clue is small, and I am big!
The game shelf
Dice that roll and spinners spin,
and little pawns that race to win.
Go where the family games are kept—
a clue's been waiting while you slept!
The Christmas cards
We traveled here by mail, you know,
with pictures of the ice and snow.
Your friends sent us with love and cheer—
find where we stand; your clue is here!
The hats and mittens
Two thumbs, no fingers, warm and snug,
we wait for snow and winter's hug.
Look where the hats and mittens stay—
your clue is tucked in there today!
Your chair at the table
I have four legs but never walk;
I hold you up through dinner talk.
You sit on me each time you eat—
your clue is waiting on my seat!
The Advent calendar
I count the days with tiny doors,
one each morning, never more.
Now every door is open wide—
your clue is waiting at my side!
Want them ready to cut out, with picture clues for little ones? The full Sagestead hunt has 20 more spots, from the tree to the cookie jar, none of them repeating the twelve above, in color and ink-saver. See the full hunt →
Clues for kids who can't read yet
For three- to six-year-olds the clue is the picture. A big, simple drawing of the stocking or the Christmas tree is all they need, with a two-line rhyme for you to read aloud. Keep the route short: six spots is plenty. Choose spots they can name: the tree, the fridge door, their bed, the (empty, dry) bathtub.
No drawing skills? Cut pictures from an old catalog, or take a photo of each spot on your phone and print it small. The point is that a non-reader can hunt on their own, which is exactly what makes them proud at the end.
Keep it safe and calm
- Every spot at child height. No climbing, no step stools, no reaching onto high shelves.
- Nothing near the fireplace, candles, space heaters, the stove or the oven.
- Skip the stairs as a hiding place, and ask for walking, not running, on the way down.
- Keep appliances off the list: no washer, dryer, dishwasher, oven drawer or the inside of the fridge. Tape a card to the fridge door instead.
- If the stockings hang on the mantel, lay one on a chair for the hunt.
- Keep the hunt indoors, and the front door locked.
- Tell older siblings the route, so no card ends up in a room that's off limits.
Make it feel like Christmas morning
Start with a story. A short letter from an elf, left with Card 1, turns a game into magic: who hid these, and why? Sign it with a name your kids will remember.
End with more than a box. Tuck a handwritten "ticket" in with the present: a movie night, baking cookies together, choosing tonight's dinner. Some kids end up loving the ticket most.
Make it a tradition. Print the cards on cardstock and keep them in an envelope with the ornaments. Next year, change the order of the spots and the same cards feel new.
The 4-spot mini hunt
Four spots, both clue sets, and the "You Found It!" card, from the real Sagestead hunt. The route is already planned for you on page one. Print it tonight and play it tomorrow.
- Picture clues for little ones
- Rhyming riddles for readers
- A ready-made route and safety notes
- Three blank cards to draw your own spots
