99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update guide
The Deer can be a bit of a jerk, that’s nothing new, but the creepy critter has taken things a step too far in the 99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update. It’s now after Santa’s elves, and if you’re willing to help them out they’ll shower you with presents and candy canes.
Distressed elves seem to spawn at random intervals, but you’ll be notified they’re out there with an “elves have appeared around the map” announcement at the start of a new day. For every elf you save, you get one present with a random item to help with survival and five candy canes. Candy canes serve as event currency, which you can exchange for rewards in the lobby’s elf shop.
There’s a lot to do in the Roblox survival crafting hit’s holiday event, but I’m here to explain how to save the elves, spend your candy canes, and every obstacle in between—so put in a good word for me with ol’ Saint Nick and get me on the nice list.
99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update details
Week 1 of the 99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update is live now, but you can expect parts two and three before 2026 rolls in. Nothing is confirmed for those future updates yet, but I reckon we’ll have to help the elves rebuild Santa’s Workshop in one of them.
Here’s the schedule for the next two Christmas updates:
- Week 2 begins on Saturday, December 20
- Week 3 begins on Saturday, December 27
You can also tame the friendly mammoths that spawn in the holiday village, which is a nice freebie for other wintery obstacles that make the game harder. Keep scrolling for details on how to save the elves, but with that said, I’ve got a few extra resources to check out for related help with the Christmas update:
How to save the elves in 99 Nights in the Forest
You can save the elves in 99 Nights in the Forest using tools from Santa’s abandoned sack of presents near the Missing Kids board. There are three types of elves to save around the map, all in need of rescuing with the ladder, ice skates, or shovel. I recommend buying one of those first since the Sled doesn’t do much for now. It just makes travel a bit faster (and cumbersome).
You can keep the ice skates and shovel, but it seems the ladder is a one-time-use item so keep a steady supply of coins coming by killing cultists and exploring the map.
|
Item |
Cost |
Discounted Cost |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ladder |
15 coins |
10 coins |
Used for saving elves stuck in trees |
|
Ice Skates |
20 coins |
15 coins |
Used for saving elves stranded on icy ponds |
|
Shovel |
20 coins |
15 coins |
Used for saving elves buried in snow |
|
Sled |
25 coins |
20 coins |
Allows for faster travel across snow |
Items from the Christmas shop are cheaper for players with the Santa’s Helper class equipped, but it’s only a five-coin discount. Elves in need of saving typically spawn in pairs of two or three, and I’ve found them in early areas of the map with only a Level 2 Campfire, but you’ll find way more with additional upgrades.
How to save elves stuck in trees 🪜🌲
When you see an elf frantically waving their arms around in panic, look up. Chances are there’s a second one somewhere nearby stranded in a tree top. They’re super easy to miss, and kind of hard to see without swinging your camera down and getting a good angle.
To save them, equip the ladder and line it up with the top of the tree (turning grid snap on helps here). If you’ve got it in the right place, climb to the top and interact with the elf for your present and batch of candy canes.
How to save elves on the ice ⛸️🧊
You can only save the elf in the middle of icy ponds by equipping the ice skates. I tried to slip and slide my way across, but it just doesn’t work. Also, if you get stuck too far out on the ice you become an easy target for The Deer at night.
Simply equip the skates and glide across the frozen pond and help the elf stand up for a present and five more candy canes. These are the easiest elves to spot and help, but for an added challenge, you can find another elf in the forest with a frozen obstacle course. If you can flawlessly complete three laps around her arena, she’ll give you a prize.
How to save elves buried in snow ⛏️🌨️
You can save the elves buried in snow by digging them out with the shovel. There’s always one buried somewhere around a second elf peacefully making snow angels—blissfully unaware their friend is frozen nearby.
I’ve seen random bushes or rocks cover the elves you need to dig up, so investigate the area around those happy snow angel guys carefully. If there’s no weird environmental hurdles, you should see a stray arm or leg peeping out from their snowy tombs. Free them for a present and more candy canes.
99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update shop rewards
It’s a temporary 99 Nights in the Forest class, but I recommend buying the Santa’s Helper role with your first 30 candy canes. You’ll get extra candy canes and make quick work of farming for more desirable goodies, like those new adorable pet skins.
A few Christmas rewards are unavailable for now, but they should unlock as the 99 Nights in the Forest Christmas event continues.
|
Item |
Cost |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Santa’s Helper |
30 candy canes |
Limited-time class |
|
Elf Scanner |
30 candy canes |
Displays elf locations on the map |
|
Present Machine |
50 candy canes |
Creates new presents periodically |
|
Santa’s Mailbox |
20 candy canes |
Furniture |
|
Festive Couch |
50 candy canes |
Furniture |
|
Christmas Decor |
10 candy canes |
Crafted item skins |
|
Christmas Bunny |
150 candy canes |
Tamed bunny skin |
|
Christmas Wolf |
350 candy canes |
Tamed wolf skin |
