It’s that time of year! Christmas is filled with family, fun and lots of celebrations. Whatever your holiday plans, add something truly memorable with the Best Free Christmas Escape Room! If you’ve never done an escape room before, or even if you are an experienced player, this holiday themed game is perfect for families, groups, or simply an exciting game to play around the holidays.

The holidays tend to be busy, so finding easy activities to keep kids engaged and learning can be challenging. This escape room game is easy to set up and uses materials that you probably already have around your home for the holidays.

If you love this game, and want to try another one, check out the DIY hands-on Christmas Escape Room Game with puzzles you can create, like a tissue paper tree and musical button. Also, check out another Printable Christmas Escape Room Game that can be played at a table, and perfect for the classroom or home.

So get ready for your latest Christmas adventure with this unique, exciting and free Christmas escape room game!

Free Christmas Escape Room Materials

There are a few materials that you need in order to do this escape room, however, most of the game is simply the printable clues. It is best that you print the clues onto sturdy paper and print in color. Directions on how to download the printables are provided at the end of this post.

Most of the clues require minimal preparation. You can simply print and they’re ready. Full set up instructions are included below. However, if you want a hard copy of the set up and solutions, a printable resource is available. A link to the product is available below the activity description.

Puzzle Locations

The puzzles need to be set, or hidden in the following items/locations. As long as you have each of these items to place a clue in, you can play this game virtually anywhere.

• Stocking
• Christmas Tree
• Christmas Cards
• Santa Hat
• Candy Canes (x10)
• Wreath
• Green Gift (present wrapped in green)

You can choose to hide the puzzles to make the game more challenging; however, if you have younger children playing, you can leave the clues in a visible location.

If you don’t have ten candy canes, there are printable images of candy canes included in the free printable. If you use these candy canes, make sure to follow the (included) printing instructions carefully.

For all escape rooms, the game is best prepared with lots of themed decorations. Grab a bunch of Christmas decorations to make the game extra special.

You can also choose if you want to set a time limit for the game. I suggest one hour to complete, but if you have younger, or inexperienced players, you can give more, or unlimited, time.

The set up instructions, solutions as well as a basic idea of how the game is intended to be played is included below.

Escape Room Clue #1

As players enter the escape room, they immediately notice a welcome letter. From this letter they discover that Santa has lost his magic and can’t get to homes and deliver presents until it is found. It is the players job now to help save Christmas.

Players read the note and notice that there are some markings around the border of the page. However, there is no suggestion what these markings mean. Within the note, players also notice that there are some extra letters that don’t seem to fit. These letters also stand out because they are written in fancy font.

Looking closer at these letters, and putting them together, players notice that they create the word, “STOCKING“.

Players have solved their first clue and race to find a stocking!

Family Game Clue #2

Players find a stocking with the second clue inside! When they open the clue they notice the same markings from around the border of the welcome letter. This clue, however, also includes a letter corresponding to each marking.

Players look closely at the first marking. It looks like an L. The letter C on the clue also has an L closest to it. Each letter of the alphabet has a marking to match.

Once each of the markings from the border are found, players notice that they spell out, “CHECK THE CHRISTMAS TREE CAREFULLY.” Players race to the Christmas tree!

Holiday Escape Room Clue #3

In the Christmas tree, a rolled up clue is found!

When this clue is opened, players notice that there are a few numbers printed on what appears to be a 100s chart. Looking closely at the chart, players notice that the numbers that are printed on the chart appear to be in the correct spot each block was a number between 1 and 100..

There are a list of numbers at the bottom of the page. The instructions on the page tell players to shade each numbers.

Players may write all of the numbers to fill in the chart to make it easier, or they may count each time to solve the clue. It’s up to them how they choose to solve it.

Once all of the numbers are shaded, players look at the chart and notice that the shaded boxes seem to create shapes, or letters! The letters that are shaded spell, CARDS. Players know to search the Christmas cards next.

Free Christmas Escape Room Puzzle #4

Players find the cards in the room. Inside one of the cards, there is the fourth puzzle.

Upon opening the puzzle, players discover a picture clue. Players need to look at each picture and decide what the image is trying to show.

Once all five images have been solved, players are left with the next clue, which tells players to, “LOOK IN THE SANTA HAT“. Players search for a Santa hat next.

The picture puzzles can be solved the following way:

L+ Book – B = Look, Inside/ in the door = in, Rudolph THE red-nosed reindeer = the, S ANT A = Santa, H + Cat –C = Hat.

Free Printable Escape Room Clue #5

Once the Santa hat is found, players look inside and find a poem that suggests to search for ten hidden candy canes throughout the room. If you don’t have real candy canes to use, an alternative set up is described below.

This puzzle works well for players to solve as a group. If you have young children playing, this is a great clue for them to work to solve with minimal help. Kids love a great game of hide and seek!

As players find the candy canes, they also notice that there is a piece of paper wrapped to each cane. Once all ten candy canes are found, players remove the paper. Players also notice that the pictures on the pages seem to match up, like a puzzle.

When all of the images are put together, players find an image of a wreath.

Players will find, and search a wreath for their next clue.

Optional Set Up for Clue #5

This candy cane clue is often the most popular. Kids love searching for candy canes and it’s a fun treat for kids to take away from the game. However, if you don’t have real candy canes to give, the resource also includes ten printable candy canes.

You can print this page double sided so that the wreath prints on the back. When printed you can cut the candy canes out and hide the pictures around the room (in place of real ones).

Free Christmas Escape Room Game Clue #6

Inside the wreath is another clue! When players unroll it they notice some familiar songs! This clue includes three popular Christmas songs and a short poem.

Players need to read the songs and figure out which word is missing from each.

Hopefully players are familiar with the songs. However, if you think players will need some help with this clue, a great suggestion is to have music playing while players solve the puzzles. Play the three songs from the list and play them on repeat.

When players get to this clue, they will recognize that they have been listening to these songs. They can then listen carefully to figure out what the missing words are in each song.

The three songs are, Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and O Christmas Tree. The missing words from the songs, and the final poem create the clue, OPEN THE GREEN GIFT.

Players have solved all of the clues, but in order to complete the game, they must find the green gift and open it!

Escape Room Completion Certificate

Players search the room to find one green gift. This clue works really well if you already have wrapped gifts under the tree, or in the room. Other gifts will make the green gift blend in until the last clue reveals it to be special.

Players find and open the green gift. Inside players discover that they have solved the Best Free Christmas Escape Room Game and saved Christmas. Inside the box players will find a completion certificate. You can print as many copies of the certificate as you need for players.

The green gift is also a great opportunity to give kids a special Christmas gift. You can put any gift inside the box for players to find and open.

Download the Free Printables

Grab the free printable puzzles featured above by clicking the grey lock box below. When you subscribe through Grow you will also unlock the other freebies on this site.

When you have finished subscribing, the resource with all of the puzzles featured above will download for you right away.

*Please note that the free printables are only the puzzles. The set up instructions and solutions are not included in the resource, but are described above in the activity. However, a copy of these instructions and answers are available for $5 for any readers who wish to have a hard copy to help when preparing the game. Link below.

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Set Up and Solutions

If you would like a hard copy of the information above about how to set up your escape room and the solutions, you can purchase a copy. Click the image below for more information.