✦ 10 questions · free, no sign-up
Naughty or Nice Test
Ten quick questions, straight from the elf who keeps the list. It takes about a minute, and nobody ends up on the naughty list — the elves believe there's always time before Christmas.
How Santa's naughty or nice list actually works
The list has been the same idea for a hundred years: Santa keeps a record of how children have behaved, checks it twice, and it decides how Christmas Eve goes. What the stories rarely mention is that the list is never finished. The elves update it constantly, right up to the moment the sleigh leaves — which is exactly why no child should ever be told they've been written off.
This test is ten questions about the ordinary things the elves actually watch for: kindness offered without being asked, sharing, owning up when something goes wrong, being gentle with pets and smaller children. Not grades, not tidiness for its own sake — the small everyday decisions.
Every result is kind. The lowest band doesn't say a child has been naughty; it says Santa hasn't finished deciding and there's still time, with one specific small thing to try. Child psychologists have been saying for years that shame doesn't change behaviour and a concrete next step does, so that's how the results are written.
Examples
Stories video (15–30 sec)
Full video (60–90 sec)
The ten questions the elves ask
- 1Have you been kind to someone without being asked?
- 2Do you share your toys and treats with others?
- 3Do you tidy up after yourself?
- 4Do you listen when a grown-up asks you something?
- 5If something goes wrong, do you own up to it?
- 6Are you gentle with pets and smaller children?
- 7Do you remember to say please and thank you?
- 8Do you keep trying when something is hard?
- 9Do you go to bed without making a fuss?
- 10Do you help out at home?
🎅 The list is one thing. Santa saying your name is another.
A test result is fun for a minute. What children remember is the moment Santa says their name out loud, mentions the thing they actually did this year, and tells them they're on the list — in their own language. Personalized video in 29 languages.
More Christmas magic: Nice List Certificate✦Elf on the Shelf Ideas✦Letter from Santa
Naughty or Nice — FAQ
Is the naughty or nice test free?
Yes, completely — no account, no email, no download. Ten questions, a result, and a printable certificate at the end if you want one.
Can my child end up on the naughty list?
No. Deliberately. The lowest result says Santa hasn't finished deciding and suggests one small thing to try before Christmas. Telling a young child they're on the naughty list doesn't improve behaviour and can genuinely upset them, so this test never does it.
What age is this for?
It works best for ages 4 to 10. Younger children usually need a grown-up to read the questions aloud; older ones enjoy answering honestly and comparing with a sibling.
What does the score mean?
Each question is worth up to two stars, so twenty is the maximum. Fifteen and above is the top of the list, eight to fourteen is safely on it, and below eight means the elves are still watching — which, they insist, is not the same as a no.
Can I get a certificate with the result?
Yes. At the end you can open the free Nice List certificate, put your child's name on it and print it or share it. It takes a few seconds and costs nothing.
Does Santa really check the list twice?
According to the elves he checks it far more than twice — the famous line just scans better in a song. The practical version: it is reviewed constantly through December, which is why a result in early December is never the final word.