The holiday season is a magical time, often filled with family gatherings, festive meals, and a sense of warmth and togetherness. Among the best ways to foster that spirit of camaraderie and fun are games. Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party, a family dinner, or a simple holiday get-together, Christmas games are a fantastic way to bring people together for laughter and joy.
In this article, we will explore a variety of DIY Christmas game ideas that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. These games are easy to prepare, don’t require expensive materials, and are perfect for creating memories that will last long after the holiday season has passed.
Here are some new and creative DIY Christmas game ideas that you can try this holiday season! These fresh games bring fun twists on old favorites or offer entirely new ways to enjoy family time during the holidays.
1. Snowman Bowling
How to Play:
- Set up a bowling alley using empty plastic bottles or cans as the pins. Decorate them to look like snowmen using white paint, markers, or stickers for a fun Christmas touch.
- Use a soft ball (or a DIY “snowball” made from rolled-up socks) to knock down the “snowman pins.”
- Players take turns rolling the ball, and the person who knocks down the most pins in a set number of turns wins.
Why It’s Fun: This combines the competitive spirit of bowling with the festive charm of snowmen. Plus, it’s an easy game to set up and suitable for kids and adults alike!
2. Christmas Memory Match
How to Play:
- Create a memory card game with Christmas-themed images. You can use pictures like Santa, reindeer, Christmas trees, ornaments, or gingerbread men. Print out two copies of each image.
- Shuffle the cards and lay them face down on a table.
- Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to find matching pairs.
- The player with the most matched pairs wins.
Why It’s Fun: Memory games are great for all ages and help keep kids engaged while adults can participate too. It’s an excellent game for winding down after a busy day of holiday activities.
3. Gingerbread House Relay Race
How to Play:
- This game is a fun, timed relay race involving decorating gingerbread houses.
- Set up several gingerbread house kits (or pre-made gingerbread pieces if you don’t want to bake them).
- Players race against each other in teams, decorating their houses with icing, candies, and other edible decorations.
- The twist: players can only decorate one part of the house at a time, passing it to the next team member to continue the decoration process.
- The team that finishes their gingerbread house first (or the most decorated within the time limit) wins.
Why It’s Fun: This game combines creativity and competition with the added bonus of tasty treats! It’s great for groups and gets everyone involved in the holiday spirit.
4. Reindeer Ring Toss
How to Play:
- Create or buy some reindeer antlers (you can make them from cardboard or foam). Alternatively, use a reindeer plush toy with antlers.
- Hang rings (these can be simple plastic rings or hoops made from pipe cleaners) and set a target distance.
- Players take turns tossing the rings, aiming to get them over the antlers.
- The player who lands the most rings over the antlers wins!
Why It’s Fun: This game is lighthearted and perfect for both kids and adults. It’s easy to make and set up, and the silly reindeer theme adds to the charm of the game.
5. Candy Cane Hunt
How to Play:
- Hide candy canes around the house or yard.
- Give each participant a bag or basket to collect the candy canes they find.
- Set a timer, and when it goes off, the hunt ends.
- The person who collects the most candy canes wins. For added difficulty, you could hide them in tricky places or assign different point values to different candy canes.
Why It’s Fun: This activity encourages kids to run around and explore, plus everyone loves finding those sweet treats! It’s simple to set up and can be enjoyed by all ages.
6. Santa Says
How to Play:
- This game is a holiday twist on the classic “Simon Says.” One person acts as “Santa,” and the other players must follow instructions only when the phrase “Santa says” is used.
- For example, Santa might say, “Santa says, hop like a reindeer,” and the players must hop around. If Santa says, “Hop like a reindeer,” without saying “Santa says” first, players must stand still.
- Players who follow commands without “Santa says” are out, and the last person standing wins.
Why It’s Fun: It’s an active game that keeps everyone on their toes, especially when you add silly commands like “wiggle like an elf” or “pretend to eat cookies like Santa!”
7. DIY Christmas Piñata
How to Play:
- Make a DIY Christmas piñata using a cardboard box, colorful paper, and tape. Fill it with holiday-themed treats such as mini candy canes, small ornaments, or little gifts.
- Blindfold players and take turns swinging at the piñata. The person who breaks the piñata (or comes the closest) gets to gather up the goodies inside.
- You can modify the difficulty level by changing the type of piñata (a simple paper bag one or a hanging one for more of a challenge).
Why It’s Fun: Who doesn’t love a piñata? The anticipation and excitement of trying to break it open bring lots of joy to a group, and the prizes inside make it extra special.
8. Christmas Hot Potato
How to Play:
- Use a soft, small Christmas-themed item as the “hot potato” (think small stuffed Santa, a plush snowman, or even a wrapped gift).
- Players sit in a circle and pass the hot potato around to Christmas music. When the music stops, the person holding the hot potato is out.
- Continue the game until only one player remains.
Why It’s Fun: This classic game gets a festive makeover. The quick pace and suspense of who will be “out” next keeps everyone entertained, and it’s fun for all ages.
9. Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest
How to Play:
- Bake a variety of cookies in Christmas shapes (e.g., stars, trees, snowflakes, reindeer) before the game starts.
- Provide various decorating supplies: icing, sprinkles, candy, and edible glitter.
- Each player decorates their cookie (or cookies) as creatively as possible.
- After decorating, everyone votes on the best cookie in different categories: most festive, funniest, or most creative.
- The winner of each category gets a small prize, like a Christmas ornament or a box of chocolates.
Why It’s Fun: Not only does this game bring out everyone’s inner artist, but it also provides delicious results. This is perfect for groups with different ages and skill levels, from little kids to adults who love to bake.
10. Christmas Movie Bingo
How to Play:
- Create bingo cards with common Christmas movie moments (e.g., someone says “Ho Ho Ho,” a snowstorm happens, Santa arrives, a Christmas song is sung, etc.).
- As players watch classic Christmas movies (like Home Alone, Elf, or A Christmas Carol), they mark off the squares when the events occur on screen.
- The first player to get five squares in a row calls out “Bingo!” and wins a prize.
Why It’s Fun: This is a relaxing, low-energy game that’s perfect for cozying up by the fire with a bowl of popcorn. It combines two favorite holiday activities: watching Christmas movies and playing games!
11. Christmas “Secret Santa” Gift Exchange Game
How to Play:
- Have everyone bring a small, inexpensive gift (like a holiday mug, a scented candle, or a fun ornament) to the game.
- Players take turns drawing a number to determine the order of the gift exchange.
- On their turn, a player can either choose a gift from the pile or “steal” a gift someone else has already opened.
- The game continues until everyone has a gift.
Why It’s Fun: This is a fun and slightly competitive spin on the traditional Secret Santa gift exchange. The stealing aspect adds a layer of excitement and surprise!
These new and creative Christmas games will bring excitement and laughter to your holiday gatherings. Whether you’re playing a competitive game, enjoying some artistic cookie decorating, or participating in a fun scavenger hunt, these ideas are sure to bring everyone together to create lasting memories. Get ready for hours of holiday fun, and don’t forget to capture those funny moments!
