Live Christmas offers on TrySpree
Holiday offers members posted this season that are still running. Each links to a TrySpree page with the details and the brand's own page. Sweepstakes are left out; they are in sweepstakes.
No live offers right now. See the newest free samples.
Which Christmas freebies come back every year?
These have run in most recent years. Dates and details change, so check each one closer to the time.
| Who | What has usually been free | How you get it | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's | A free photo with Santa, plus kids crafts and activities | Reserve a time on the store's site from mid November | Photo packages cost extra; the free photo is a digital or small print |
| PetSmart and Petco | Pet photos with Santa on set weekends | Check your store's events page | Some years free, some years for a donation |
| The Home Depot Kids Workshop | A free ornament or holiday build kit for kids | Register online for your store's December workshop | Kits run out; register early |
| USPS Operation Santa | Kids' letters to Santa answered, and families in need matched with gift givers | Write or adopt letters through the USPS program | Adopting a letter means buying and mailing a gift |
| NORAD Tracks Santa | Live tracking of Santa's trip on Christmas Eve, with games before | Free website and app | None |
| Starbucks Red Cup Day | A reusable holiday cup | Order a holiday drink on the announced day in November | Needs a drink purchase |
Free toys for Christmas for families who need help
These programs give new toys to children when a family can't afford gifts. Sign up early: most close their lists by late November.
| Program | What families get | How to ask | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toys for Tots | New toys for children whose families can't afford gifts | Request through your local Toys for Tots campaign's site, usually October to mid December | Run by local volunteers, so rules and deadlines differ by county |
| The Salvation Army Angel Tree | Toys and clothes for kids, picked from their wish lists by donors | Sign up with your local Salvation Army, often in October and November | Short sign-up window; expect to show ID and your children's ages |
| Fire departments, churches and community centers | Toy giveaways and holiday toy drives | Call 211 or check your town's site in November | Many ask you to register ahead |
Christmas freebies TrySpree listed last year
What members posted for the 2025 holidays. Most have ended, but stores repeat their holiday events, so this shows who to watch this December.
Tips for Christmas freebies
- Book Santa photos the day bookings open. Weekend slots in December fill within days.
- Register for December workshops early. Ornament kits are the most popular of the year and run out first.
- Watch for "with purchase". Holiday cups, ornaments and gift sets are often tied to an order; the listing says which.
For gifts that cost nothing, see free samples by mail and free calendars.
Where can I get a free picture with Santa?
Outdoor stores have offered free Santa photos for years, with a reservation from mid November. Malls usually charge for photo packages, though you can often take your own picture in line. Pet stores run Santa pet photo days on set weekends.
How can I get free toys for Christmas?
If money is tight, sign up with Toys for Tots or your local Salvation Army Angel Tree in October or November; both give new toys to kids in families who need help. Calling 211 finds local toy giveaways. For everyone else, free kids workshops at hardware and toy stores send kids home with something they built.
What free Christmas activities are there for kids?
Free ornament and holiday build workshops at hardware and craft stores, story times and crafts at toy and department stores, letters to Santa through the post office, and tracking Santa online on Christmas Eve. Libraries and town halls run free holiday events too.
Are Christmas freebies really free?
Events, workshops and online activities are. Some "free" gifts need a purchase, like a free cup with a drink or an ornament with an order. Each listing on TrySpree says which kind it is.
When do Christmas freebies start?
Santa photo bookings and holiday drink promotions open in early to mid November. Kids workshops and store events run on December weekends. This page refreshes every hour as members post offers.
About TrySpree
TrySpree is a free sample site, running since 2013, where members share free sample offers from brands and TrySpree checks the links; it's free to use and supported by ads. See how offers are checked, or skip the survey sites with free samples without surveys.
More TrySpree guides
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- Free Makeup Samples by Mail: Ways to get makeup samples mailed or handed to you, which are free and which need an order, plus live makeup offers.
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- Companies That Send Free Samples: Which companies send free samples, how to email a company for free stuff (with a template), and the brands with a sample form open right now.
- Free Catalogs by Mail: Who still mails free print catalogs (seeds, clothing, gifts, hobby gear), how to request one, and catalog offers members found.
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- Veterans Day Free Meals and Freebies: Free meals, haircuts and other Veterans Day thank-yous for veterans and service members, what proof to bring, and live offers.
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- Black Friday Freebies: Which Black Friday and Cyber Monday freebies are really free and which need a purchase, plus live offers.