There’s a lovely moment on an ordinary November evening when you turn a corner and the first Christmas lights are glowing. A shop window has become a miniature winter wonderland. Somebody’s front garden has acquired a reindeer. And suddenly the walk home from the shops feels a little more magical.
Turn that moment into a Christmas lights scavenger hunt for kids. All you need is a safe route, a grown-up and a few things to spot. There’s no shopping list, no special ticket and no printable to prepare. Use the ideas below for a short walk around your neighbourhood, a stroll through the town centre or a Christmas light trail you’ve already planned to visit.
How to play the Christmas lights spotting game
Choose five, ten or all twenty things from the list below. Read the clues aloud or let an older child keep track in their head or on a phone with a grown-up’s help. The first person to spot something describes it, and everybody gets to enjoy the discovery. There’s no need to race, cross roads to collect points or take photos of other people’s homes.
If you live somewhere without many outdoor decorations, a few festive shop windows, a decorated Christmas tree or the view from your own window work just as well. The game is about noticing, not finding every item.
For a quick version, give yourselves 15 minutes and try to find five things. For a longer outing, take a break for a warm drink and finish whenever everyone has had enough.
20 things to spot on your Christmas lights walk
The glowing classics
1. A Christmas tree covered in lights. Is it wearing tiny white stars, rainbow colours or a wonderfully mismatched collection of decorations?
2. A star shining above the street. It might be hanging over a shopfront, peeping from a window or sitting on top of a tree.
3. A wreath on a front door. Does it have red berries, a ribbon or a bow big enough for a present?
4. A reindeer. Look for antlers on a shop display, a garden decoration or a festive poster. No need to find a real one!
5. Something that twinkles. Find a light that seems to sparkle, pulse or shimmer. Can you describe its pattern without touching anything?
Colours and patterns
6. A display with three colours. Name the colours and invent a name for that combination, such as “Snowy Raspberry Sparkle”.
7. An all-white light display. Count how many different shapes you can see within it.
8. A candy-cane stripe. Red and white might be hiding on a sign, in a window or among the decorations.
9. A pair of matching decorations. Two stars, two bows or two snowflakes make a perfect spot-the-pair challenge.
10. A letter of the alphabet. Look for a glowing letter on a seasonal sign. Can your family make a Christmas word using letters spotted along the walk?
North Pole discoveries
11. Santa’s hat. It can be on a picture, a window display or a decoration. Bonus points for a particularly enormous pom-pom.
12. A sleigh. Find one standing still and imagine what would make it the perfect vehicle for Santa’s Christmas Eve journey.
13. A snowflake. Real or decorative, every one you spot can inspire a different snowy name.
14. A little North Pole helper. An elf figure, a picture or a festive storybook in a shop window all count.
15. A tiny scene inside a window. Look for a miniature village, a bakery, a train or a pretend snowy forest. Which character would you add to the story?
The unexpected finds
16. Something taller than a grown-up. Maybe a tree, archway or giant bauble. Estimate its height without going near the display.
17. A decoration shaped like food. A gingerbread person, biscuit, sweet or festive pudding earns a delighted “found it”.
18. A reflection of Christmas lights. Look in a puddle, shop window or safe reflective surface. Sometimes the lights seem to double.
19. A display that makes you smile. A wobbling snowman? A very serious-looking penguin? Your family gets to decide.
20. The most unexpected colour of the evening. It might be bright blue, purple or orange. When you get home, see whether everyone chose the same one.
Three ways to make the game more magical
For toddlers and preschoolers: choose a colour
Keep the game tiny. Ask your child to look for one red decoration, one star and one Christmas tree. Let them point instead of counting, and finish before chilly toes become the main event. If it’s easier, try the same activity while sitting by a window or looking at decorations in a shopping centre.
For children aged 6–9: tell a five-stop story
Choose five finds and turn them into a very short Christmas adventure. Perhaps a reindeer spots a missing star, follows a candy-cane path and discovers it beside a glowing tree. Each family member adds one sentence. The lights provide the setting; imagination does the special effects.
For older children: become a festive photographer
Give them a theme, such as “patterns”, “reflections” or “three shades of green”. Photograph decorations from safe public areas, avoiding identifiable strangers and other people’s private spaces. At home, choose three favourite pictures and create a mini gallery on your phone. No posting required.
Make it a low-cost Christmas tradition
One of the best things about this activity is that it can cost nothing. Try a familiar residential route with public decorations, check your local town centre’s Christmas switch-on information, or choose an organised light trail if your family wants a special treat.
If you plan a ticketed outing, check accessibility, sensory information, parking, age guidance and current opening dates before you leave. Some UK Christmas light events begin in November, while local displays may switch on later. VisitBritain’s guide to Britain’s winter experiences can help you explore what’s available, but the simple neighbourhood version is every bit as much a family tradition.
A gentle safety reminder: keep children close to an adult, use well-lit pedestrian routes, cross at safe places and never enter gardens or approach electrical decorations. Choose warm layers and reflective clothing for dark evenings. If someone finds busy lights or sounds overwhelming, choose a quieter street or try the game at home from the window.
A little North Pole magic for the journey home
Families who enjoy The Elf on the Shelf® Christmas tradition can bring a little extra story to the game. Before the Scout Elf returns, children might draw their favourite display or imagine which of the twenty clues would impress a tiny visitor from the North Pole. Scout Elves are big fans of everything that brings their families joy, so they’ll be extra excited to hear all about the cheer their families have experienced.
Once your Scout Elf is home for the season, children can tell their elf all about the lights they saw. Scout Elves are wonderful listeners, even though they don’t talk, and children should remember to look, not touch, to protect their elf’s Christmas magic. The grown-ups can keep all the outdoor adventuring to themselves.
For more simple Christmas moments, explore our UK Elf Ideas gallery or discover five ways to welcome your Scout Elf home. There’s plenty to enjoy before the very first elf sighting, too.
