Every Escape From Tarkov Christmas Tree Location and How to Find Them Fast

Escape From Tarkov went full tinsel for Winter 2025. Festive trees are back, Santa is wandering around handing out freebies, and yes, the best loot is sitting right where everyone wants to shoot you. Here is where to find every confirmed Christmas Tree, what to expect when you get there, and how to bump into Santa without getting your head taken off.

Where the trees are and what you are walking into

There are six Christmas Trees live right now. Each one is decked out, surrounded by loose goodies, presents, and collectible ornaments you can grab for your hideout tree. They are easy to spot and perfectly placed to get you third-partied if you do not plan your approach.

• Customs – Dorms courtyard
  Dead center between the two-story and three-story dorms. It is one of the spiciest spots on the map even without a neon holiday marker. Reshala and his guards can spawn here, and player traffic is constant. Loot sits low around the tree and in the nearby snow. If you spawn by Smuggler's Boat or the broken dorms wall, you can sprint to it fast and sometimes beat the rush.
• Interchange – Old Scav Camp
  Along the railway side near the old Scav Camp. Since the Interchange expansion, this zone sees way more foot traffic, so assume company. Gifts are scattered right around the tree; check the nearby furniture and the present piles in the clearing.
• Woods – Shoreline by Sawmill
  On the waterline just outside the Sawmill, on a little finger of land that juts into the lake. It is basically the same spot as past winters, so veterans will recognize it. Sturman and his guards can still be lurking around the compound, so do not get comfy. Woods quietly has some of the best holiday loot: gifts tossed on planks, in boats, near generators, even on nearby bodies.
• Reserve – Near Knight building by the train extraction
  In the open near Knight, close to the rail extract. Lots of regular trees here try to trick your eyes; only one is decorated. The loot is worth it, but you are in the open and in sightlines from the Dome and surrounding rooftops. Expect long-range pressure.
• Shoreline – Resort courtyard by Admin
  Planted right in the middle of the Resort near the Admin building. Compared to previous years, this is a much riskier placement. Almost every window around you can hide a scope. Check benches, ledges, and the base of the tree for presents. If you make it out, there are plenty of escape routes, but do not stroll in without a plan.
• Lighthouse – Sunken house on the road to Lightkeeper's Island
  On the shoreline near the half-submerged house along the path toward the Lightkeeper. This area already has weird spawns and awkward sightlines; the tree just paints a target on it. Use the shoreline road and Lightkeeper structures as reference points and expect very little cover while looting.

Quick note for the nerdy details crowd: several of these placements match or tweak previous years, but the risk profile is higher across the board. The good news is the trees themselves are generous, and you can lift ornaments straight off them for your hideout. There are also new craft recipes for the holiday tree this year making the rounds, so keep an eye on your Workbench and Hideout tabs.

Santa is back, and he is generous if you are not a jerk

Santa (Ded Moroz) is roaming almost every map: Customs, Woods, Lighthouse, Shoreline, Reserve, Interchange, Streets of Tarkov, Factory, and Ground Zero. Ground Zero is level-gated, so you need to be level 21+ to go meet him there. He does not show up on The Lab or The Labyrinth.

'SANTA IS BACK! 100% Spawn Rate on ALL MAPS (except for Labs/Terminal/Labyrinth)'

That 100 percent claim is floating around from community trackers; in practice, think extremely high spawn rates nearly everywhere, with no Santa in Labs or Labyrinth. Terminal is being name-dropped in those posts too, but the bottom line is simple: you will see him a lot, just not in those two places.

How he works: Santa is non-hostile by default. Walk up without firing, he will gesture, then drop a random item. It could be basic supplies or something rare. Once he gifts you, he wanders off. Yes, he is technically an event boss. No, you should not shoot him. Recent event rules removed the Scav karma penalty for attacking him, but that only turns free loot into fewer presents and a guilty conscience. Your call, obviously.

So: six trees, a roaming gift machine in a red coat, and a whole lot of crossfire. Hit the tree that fits your route, grab ornaments for your hideout, and if you spot Santa, holster the greed for five seconds and let him pay out.