Santa's sleigh is locked and the presents are trapped inside. This ready-made Christmas escape room uses decorations, wrapping paper and cookies you already have, and runs in about 45 minutes.
A holiday escape room is a great way to keep a family gathering lively between meals, or to give a class party a twist. These Christmas escape room ideas come together as a complete game plan: a story, seven linked puzzles made from festive things in your home, and a finale that ends with presents.
The story
The elves have locked the last bag of presents in a box before going on their break, and the key code is scattered around the house. Players have 45 minutes to find it before Santa leaves without the presents.
The final lock: a box, gift bag or suitcase closed with a four-digit or a five-letter lock. Inside: small gifts, chocolate coins or the real presents.
The seven puzzles
1. The letter from the elves
Start with an envelope addressed to the players. It explains the story and gives the first clue: "Our first secret hangs where the star sits on top".
2. Tree ornament count
At the top of the tree, players find a card: "Count our colored baubles: red, gold, green, silver". The four counts give the first four-digit code, which opens a small box under the tree.
3. Wrapping-paper jigsaw
Inside the box: a piece of wrapping paper cut into pieces, with the rest of the pieces hidden in stockings. Assembled, the back of the paper shows a word: COOKIE.
4. The cookie jar
The cookie jar holds a coded list of reindeer names with numbers. A key at the bottom of the list (A = 1, B = 2) turns the number code into a word: SLED, which leads players to a toy sled, a picture of one or a sledge in the garage.
5. Carol cipher
On the sled, a card shows the first line of a well-known carol with some letters underlined. The underlined letters spell the next hiding place, for example LAMP.
6. Snowflake UV message
Under the lamp: a paper snowflake and a small UV torch. Shining the torch on the snowflake reveals a number written in UV pen: one digit or letter of the final code.
7. Gift tag finale
Gift tags hidden throughout the earlier puzzles each carry one more character. Together they give the final code for the locked present box.
What you need
- A lockable box or bag and one or two combination locks
- Envelopes, card, a printer or nice handwriting
- Wrapping paper, a cookie jar, stockings, baubles of several colors
- A UV pen and torch (optional, but always a hit)
- A timer: a phone, an old kitchen timer or a countdown on the TV
Adjusting for ages
| Players | Adjust |
|---|---|
| Ages 5 to 8 | Use picture clues and a key instead of codes; 4 or 5 puzzles; an adult helper in the room |
| Ages 9 to 13 | All seven puzzles; give one hint card per puzzle |
| Teens and adults | Add a red herring, make the cipher harder and set a 30-minute limit |
| Mixed family | Pair younger and older players and make each puzzle need both |
For more on games for children, see our escape rooms for kids guide.
Running it on the day
- Set up while players are out of the room, ideally the night before.
- Keep the answer key and hint cards in your pocket.
- Read the elves' letter aloud with as much drama as you can manage.
- Give a hint when a team has been stuck for about five minutes.
- Keep candles and hot drinks out of the play area.
More holiday twists
- Grinch heist: the presents were stolen; follow the clues to the thief's hideout.
- Advent calendar: one puzzle behind each door for the last week before Christmas.
- Snow globe mystery: a tiny code written on the bottom of a snow globe.
- Office party: run it in teams with a printed version; see our printable escape room.
New to making games? Read the full guide on how to make an escape room at home and borrow more puzzles from our 30 escape room ideas.
Questions
How long should a Christmas escape room take?
About 30 to 45 minutes. Families have food and other plans, so keep it short and fun.
Can I run a Christmas escape room without locks?
Yes. Seal the final present in a box with ribbon and say players may open it only when they tell you the code.
What prize should be in the final box?
Small gifts, chocolate coins, a family treat or the start of the real present opening.
Is this suitable for a classroom?
Yes. Split the class into teams and give each team its own set of printed puzzles. Our classroom escape room guide has tips.
