The holiday season is a time for celebration, and there’s no better way to spread joy and laughter than through Christmas party games. Whether you’re hosting a family gathering, a holiday office party, or a gathering with friends, games bring everyone together, encouraging interaction, laughter, and a healthy dose of competition. Best of all, these games are suitable for all ages — kids, teens, and adults alike — so everyone can join in on the holiday fun. From traditional Christmas classics to hilarious new twists, here are 18 fun and festive Christmas party games that will keep everyone entertained this holiday season.
1. Christmas Charades
Charades is a timeless game that never fails to get everyone involved. For Christmas Charades, create a list of holiday-themed prompts like “decorating a tree,” “riding in Santa’s sleigh,” or “singing Christmas carols.” Players take turns acting out the prompts without speaking, while the rest of the group guesses what it is.
How to Play:
- Write down Christmas-related words or actions (songs, movies, activities) on slips of paper.
- Players draw a prompt and act it out for their team or group.
- The team that guesses the most correct answers wins!
2. Christmas Bingo
This simple game is a crowd-pleaser, especially for larger groups. Create bingo cards with holiday-themed pictures or words (e.g., Christmas tree, snowman, mistletoe, presents). You can purchase pre-made cards or make your own for a personal touch.
How to Play:
- Distribute Christmas Bingo cards and markers to players.
- The caller announces the items or images, and players mark them off on their cards.
- The first player to complete a row or column shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize.
3. Holiday Trivia
Test your guests’ knowledge of all things Christmas with a festive trivia game. Create a list of questions related to Christmas movies, traditions, songs, history, and food. Trivia is a great way to get everyone talking and reminiscing about holiday memories.
How to Play:
- Prepare a list of Christmas trivia questions.
- Players can play individually or in teams.
- The person or team with the most correct answers wins!
4. Pin the Nose on Rudolph
A fun, holiday-themed version of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” this game is perfect for younger kids but can be hilarious for adults as well. Blindfold the players and have them try to pin a red nose on a large picture of Rudolph.
How to Play:
- Print or draw a large picture of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and cut out a red nose.
- Blindfold the players and spin them around before allowing them to pin the nose onto Rudolph.
- The player who gets closest to the correct spot wins.
5. Snowball Toss
This game involves tossing “snowballs” (cotton balls or white ping pong balls) into targets. The challenge lies in how far away the targets are and how many snowballs players can land in them in a set amount of time.
How to Play:
- Set up cups or bowls as targets.
- Players take turns tossing snowballs into the cups or bowls.
- The person who lands the most snowballs in the targets wins!
6. Christmas Carol Pictionary
A Christmas twist on the classic Pictionary, this game has players drawing holiday carols for their teams to guess. Think of it as a fun and festive way to test your artistic abilities (or lack thereof).
How to Play:
- Write down a list of Christmas carols or holiday songs.
- Players take turns drawing one of the songs while their team tries to guess it.
- The team with the most correct guesses wins.
7. Holiday Scavenger Hunt
A Christmas scavenger hunt is a great way to keep kids entertained and encourage movement during a party. Hide Christmas-themed objects (like ornaments, candy canes, and small toys) around the house or yard.
How to Play:
- Make a list of holiday-themed items to hide around the party area.
- Players or teams search for the hidden items.
- The person or team who finds the most items in the shortest amount of time wins.
8. Christmas Tree Decorating Contest
Set up mini Christmas trees and provide decorations like garlands, ornaments, and ribbons. Players or teams have a set amount of time to decorate their tree. The group votes on the best-looking tree!
How to Play:
- Provide a small tree (real or artificial) and a variety of decorations.
- Give each team or player a set amount of time (e.g., 10 minutes) to decorate their tree.
- The most creatively decorated tree wins.
9. Wrap the Mummy
This game is hilarious, especially for large groups. Players must wrap each other in toilet paper to create the best “mummy” costume. The person with the most creative (or funniest) mummy wins.
How to Play:
- Divide players into pairs.
- One person in each pair is the “mummy,” and the other has to wrap them in toilet paper.
- The team that finishes first, or creates the funniest mummy, wins.
10. Christmas Would You Rather?
This is a great conversation starter and gets people talking about Christmas traditions. Players ask each other Christmas-related “Would You Rather?” questions and choose between two silly or difficult holiday options.
How to Play:
- One player asks another holiday-themed “Would You Rather?” question (e.g., “Would you rather have snow every Christmas or no snow at all?”).
- The other player answers, and then it’s their turn to ask someone else.
- This game can go on for as long as you like, and it’s perfect for laughs and discussions.
11. Christmas Memory Game
A classic memory game with a holiday twist, this game is great for guests of all ages. Simply create a set of Christmas-themed cards, then place them face down and let players take turns flipping them over.
How to Play:
- Prepare a set of Christmas cards with matching pairs of holiday images.
- Lay the cards face down in a grid.
- Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to match the pairs.
- The person who finds the most matching pairs wins.
12. Holiday Freeze Dance
This is a simple but fun game that works great for kids, teens, and adults. Play Christmas music and have everyone dance around the room. When the music stops, everyone must freeze.
How to Play:
- Play holiday music like “Jingle Bells” or “Feliz Navidad.”
- Everyone dances while the music plays, but when the music stops, everyone must freeze.
- The last person to stop moving or who moves after the music stops is out.
13. Jingle Bell Toss
In this game, players try to toss jingle bells into various containers. You can use buckets, cups, or bowls of different sizes for an added challenge.
How to Play:
- Set up various containers (such as cups or baskets) at different distances.
- Players take turns tossing jingle bells into the containers.
- The player who lands the most jingle bells in the containers wins.
14. Santa Hat Ring Toss
This game is a great way to engage partygoers and encourage a little healthy competition. Players aim to toss rings over a Santa hat’s brim or onto a large bell in the center of a ring.
How to Play:
- Place a Santa hat on a table or hang it from a post.
- Players take turns tossing rings or hoops over the brim of the hat.
- The player with the most successful tosses wins.
15. Christmas Gift Relay Race
This is a fun and active game that involves wrapping gifts. Teams compete to wrap a present as quickly as possible while wearing mittens or using only one hand.
How to Play:
- Divide into teams and provide each team with a gift, wrapping paper, scissors, and tape.
- The catch? Players must wrap the gift while wearing mittens or using only one hand.
- The first team to wrap their gift properly wins.
16. Christmas Carol Lip Sync Battle
For this game, players perform a lip sync rendition of a popular Christmas carol. Encourage over-the-top performances for maximum hilarity.
How to Play:
- Choose a Christmas carol for each player or team to perform.
- Players lip-sync the song, adding their own flair (dancing and dramatic facial expressions encouraged!).
- The group votes on the best performance, and the winner gets a prize.
17. Reindeer Antler Ring Toss
Create reindeer antlers using a headband and bendable pipe cleaners or pool noodles, and then toss rings (like hoops or hula hoops) onto the antlers.
How to Play:
- Players take turns tossing rings or hoops over reindeer antlers.
- The player who lands the most rings on the antlers wins.
18. Snowman Bowling
Set up a “snowman” using stacked white cans or plastic bottles, and use a small ball to bowl them over.
How to Play:
- Arrange white cans or bottles in the shape of a snowman.
- Players take turns rolling a small ball to knock over the snowman.
- The person who knocks over the most “snowman” pins wins!
Conclusion
From classic games like Christmas Charades and Christmas Bingo to more unique challenges like Snowball Toss and Wrap the Mummy, these 18 fun Christmas party games are sure to keep your guests of all ages entertained. Whether you’re hosting a family-friendly gathering or an adults-only bash, these games offer something for everyone. So, gather your friends and family, bring out the holiday spirit, and let the fun and laughter begin!
