2025 Winter Holiday Hunt

It's December, and we're hosting a special Winter Holiday Hunt!

We've scattered a stand of evergreen trees around the site. You'll solve the clues below to find the evergreen trees and gather them all together.

  • Decipher the clues below and visit the corresponding LibraryThing pages to find an evergreen tree. Each clue points to a specific page right here on LibraryThing. Remember, they are not necessarily work pages!
  • If there's an evergreen tree on a page, you’ll see a banner at the top of the page.
  • You have a little more than three weeks to find all the evergreen trees (until 11:59pm EST, Tuesday January 6th).
  • Come brag about your stand of evergreen trees (and get hints) on Talk.

Win prizes:

  • Any member who finds at least two evergreen trees will be awarded an evergreen tree badge. Badge: ().
  • Members who find all 15 evergreen trees will be entered into a drawing for one of five LibraryThing (or TinyCat) prizes. We'll announce winners at the end of the hunt.


P.S. Thanks to conceptDawg for the European goldfinch illustration!

ConceptDawg has made all of our treasure hunt graphics in the last couple of years. We like them, and hope you do, too!

Sign in or sign up to participate.

Evergreen tree 1

Originally published in 1902,

This origin story was something new,

A children’s fantasy featuring old Kris Kringle,

In which tradition and invention intermingle. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 2

These songs are sung this time of year,

To celebrate and bring good cheer,

From The First Noel to Silent Night,

This music always brings delight. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 3

This book reimagines Snow White

As a princess on the moon.

A series retelling fairy tales,

Strong young women are a boon. (Lucy)

Evergreen tree 4

What is this place, where can it be?

No land beneath, just ice o’er sea,

Far to the north, here can be found,

That jolly old elf, of some renown. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 5

This thriller starring Hans and Bruce

Causes annual debate, ending in truce;

On holiday’s eve, in fear, hostages shrink;

Is this a Christmas movie? What do you think? (Lauren)

Evergreen tree 6

Eight candles for eight nights,

To mark the Festival of Lights,

To read all about it, where should you look?

This number will guide you to the books. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 7

Spectral tales, but not for Halloween,

This holiday collection can be seen,

On that page where free books are won,

Come take your chance and join the fun. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 8

This protagonist of a series

Whose author’s initials are D.K.

The character’s name fits the season.

The setting and name contains a bay. (Lucy)

Evergreen tree 9

A pagan winter festival,

It stretches over twelve days,

Beginning with winter solstice,

It’s celebrated in many ways. (Lucy)

Evergreen tree 10

Smugglers and spooks, and carolers, oh my!

This Christmas at the inn, suspense is running high,

The second in a children’s series full of fantasy and fun,

For some seasonal magic, this is the one! (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 11

This little spinning top, is sometimes made of clay,

Or wood or other matter—but always made to play,

A game to mark the season, the Festival of Lights,

(Though children need no reason, when having fun’s in sight),

On its sides in Hebrew, a miracle is spelt,

So give this top a little whirl, and gather up the gelt. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 12

Looking for reads for the yuletide season?

Holiday books that will give you a reason

To curl up and indulge in some festive bliss,

This community-curated collection won’t miss. (Abigail)

Evergreen tree 13

From the world of Potter (not the one with a wizard’s hat):

A tale of mice clicking thimbles, and a naughty house cat–


The fate of a sick old clothier is saved by benevolent stitchers

Who sew the Mayor’s jacket, once released from cups and pitchers


“No more twist!” they cry, one buttonhole left undone–

Til returned by convicted kitty, in the Christmas Morning sun. (Lauren)

Evergreen tree 14

A saint in the snow

Listens to the woods,

The animals know,

So brave on paws and hooves.


A sister understands,

Finds a bonnet on the ground,

A bear child in a saint’s hands,

So the sister isn’t found.


If, pinning this down, you feel wary,

You may find you better remember

The writer wrote of magicians and a fairy

And published that older book one September. (Zeph)

Evergreen tree 15

If ever there was a better tradition

That fit with LibraryThing members’ ambition,

Consider me flummoxed,

Consider me shocked—

A pile of books, loved ones, hot choc?


What more could you want?

What more could you need?

Iceland’s figured it out—so take heed. (Kristi)