By this point, we have all participated in at least one holiday-related Zoom. They have become one of those 2020 rites of passage. The reality is that, while we would love to gather as we traditionally do, this year has made it necessary to wait on that a bit. The problem is that Zoom can get extremely boring and those family meetings can sometimes feel pointless after three minutes of saying hello.

Let’s spice up that Christmas Zoom meeting this year with a scavenger hunt! This online activity is not so different from the traditional one and will keep everyone in the call active and sharing with each other! You will need someone to host and organize the game. This person will also call out the names of the items and determine the winners. There may also be prizes creatively shared. The idea is to have some fun together, share a bit, and keep people involved as the Zoom meeting carries on.

“Guest are given one minute to scour their homes, and the first person to procure the item in question gets three points” says Life Between Weekends. Any other players who find the item within the time get one point. At the end, the points are counted, and the person or team with the most points wins. It’s as simple and fun as that!

There are numerous resources online with ideas and lists to use. A simple search will reveal dozens of takes on this 2020-style virtual family gathering idea. Check out Pinterest, Etsy, and PlayPartyPlan to name a few. The Pioneer has also compiled a fun list to use or borrow from here as well. Have some fun with this, and make your own list of things to find, compile your own rules to suit age groups, and maybe come up with some clever trophies or titles for the winners.

The Pioneer 2020 Christmas Scavenger Hunt List

1. Your favorite Christmas movie DVD case (extra points for VHS tape)

2. A pair of flip flops

3. Your favorite hoodie (maybe explain why)

4. A penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter

5. One purple or pink candle

6. A shell

7. Something that is older than you are

8. The softest thing you own

9. The biggest book you can find (highest page count wins)

10. Perfume/cologne

11. Christmas cookies

12. A foreign coin (Canadian counts)

13. A statue

14. A shovel

15. Baby photos of at least two family members

16. Your go-to breakfast ingredient

17. A stapler

18. Your favorite tree ornament

19. A candy cane

20. A trophy of any kind