The 2016 RYG Christmas Scavenger Hunt (video twist!)

Over the past few years one of our favorite family Christmas traditions has been to go on a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt. We grab our list of Christmas lights to find…and our cups of hot chocolate… jump into the car…and off we go for some time of joyful merriment. (Click here to get our 2015 Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt list, and here to get the 2014 List.)

Well this year we’re going to add a few twists to this fun family tradition. We’re still jumping into the car with our list and hot chocolate, but we’re going to amp up the fun a good bit:

• To spread the Christmas joy to more revelers and to add a degree of competition, we’re going to invite others to join us and break into teams.
• Like the Polaroid Scavenger Hunts Britt and I did as kids, to verify what each team actually saw…each team will need to present a photo taken from a team member’s phone.
• We’ll further leverage the ubiquitous smart phone and amp things up even further by going beyond the typical list of Christmas lights and decorations…and for bonus points have the teams video Christmas-themed challenges.

If you’d like to see what’s on The 2016 RYG Christmas Scavenger Hunt list this year, click here or on the image below.  If you don’t want to add any of the above twists, no worries…our list can still be used as a simple checklist.

Suggested Rules & Considerations

To keep all the teams moving in the same direction and to minimize the risk of the evening ending with unhappy little (and big) elves, consider the following potential rules and suggestions:

• Establish Team Captains and pick teams.
• All of a team’s pictures and videos need to be taken/stored on the same camera (to make sure the team stays together).
• If you’re using the RYG Scavenger Hunt List, fill in the blanks where indicated. Be especially creative with the complete blanks at the end of the Bonus | Video list.
• Each video has to be at least 10 seconds long.
• To add even more joviality, perhaps give extra points when a team member can be seen in any picture taken.
• Before the teams are released to go forth and conquer, establish how a tie will be broken and dispute resolved. This could simply be done by establishing a Game Governor or Rules Committee, e.g. a neutral party (someone not participating in Scavenger Hunt) or the Team Captains from the un-involved teams.
• Determine where and when all teams are expected to return…and how many points are deducted for every minute they are late.
• Calibrate watches.
• Onward and upward…making sure to be careful…drive safely…and not trespass!!!

I hope y’all have fun…we plan to.

Take care and Merry Christmas everyone,