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 2 of the 99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update is live now, but you can expect part 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 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 get bandages in 99 Nights in the Forest
- How to tame animals in 99 Nights in the Forest
- How to upgrade the taming Flute in 99 Nights in the Forest
- And if a new class will help, redeem new 99 Nights in the Forest codes
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 off 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.
How to decorate Christmas Trees in 99 Nights in the Forest
You'll need Christmas lights to decorate trees in the 99 Nights in the Forest North Pole biome. Find them by killing wolves tangled in the string lights, or by chopping down any trees you see outside of the North Pole biome where they've been sloppily wrapped around the base.
There are 12 trees to light up in the Christmas village, and every tree you decorate drops 3 candy canes.
You can only hang lights on trees that aren't covered in snow, so look for the 12 lush green pines in the North Pole that stand out. When you have a bundle of Christmas lights, approach the tree and hold the 'E' key to decorate it.
When you're done, Santa's elves celebrate by making the biome safe for you at night. The Deer can't attack you here, and you're free to decorate with all the holiday blueprints you've picked up along the way.
99 Nights in the Forest: What to buy with candy canes
Buy the Elf Scanner for 30 candy canes
The Elf Scanner only costs 30 candy canes, and if you're trying to farm the Christmas currency, then it's well worth the investment. It shows you where to find every elf on the map (even those in unexplored areas), saving tons of time when the little guys spawn in the deepest corners of the forest.
Once you've bought it from the Elf Shop, you can craft the Elf Scanner at a Level 2 Crafting Bench for only 10 scrap. Once you've made one, place it anywhere in your base to reveal all those elves in need of saving.
Buy the Santa's Helper class for candy cane farming
It's a temporary 99 Nights in the Forest class, but I also recommend buying the Santa's Helper role for 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.
Pair this with the Elf Scanner to make quick work of the Christmas event, though you won't really notice the class benefits until reaching perk level 3.
99 Nights in the Forest Christmas update shop rewards
A few rewards are unavailable for now, but they should unlock as the 99 Nights in the Forest Christmas event continues. I've bolded a few recommendations for what to buy, and I'll keep this updated as new rewards are added. Until then, here's everything you can exchange candy canes for:
Item |
Cost |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Santa's Helper |
30 candy canes |
Limited-time class |
Gifting Elf |
900 candy canes |
Permanent 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 |
Sleigh Seat |
200 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 |
Christmas Fox |
150 candy canes |
Tamed fox skin |
Rudolph Alpha Wolf |
350 candy canes |
Tamed alpha wolf skin |
