The holiday season is synonymous with festive fun, laughter, and family time, and what better way to celebrate than by playing some exciting Christmas-themed “Minute to Win It” games? Inspired by the popular TV show, these challenges are designed to be quick, easy, and entertaining, offering tons of holiday cheer in just 60 seconds. Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party or simply looking for something fun to do with family, these games will keep everyone laughing and engaged.
In this article, we’ll take a look at 12 Christmas-themed Minute to Win It games that are sure to bring some extra holiday magic to your celebrations!
1. Jingle Bell Toss
Objective: Toss jingle bells into a container.
Materials: Jingle bells, buckets, bowls, or cups.
How to Play: Place a few buckets or bowls at different distances from the player. Each player has one minute to toss as many jingle bells as they can into the containers. For added difficulty, you can make the containers smaller or farther apart. The player with the most jingle bells in the container at the end of the minute wins!
Why It’s Fun: The jingle bells make a delightful sound, and everyone loves a good tossing game! This one works well for kids and adults alike, and it’s simple to set up with minimal materials.
2. Snowball Stack
Objective: Stack cups into a snowman-shaped tower.
Materials: White plastic cups.
How to Play: Using white plastic cups (to resemble snowballs), players must stack as many cups as they can in one minute to form a snowman shape—big at the bottom and smaller at the top. The catch? The tower must stay standing for at least three seconds after the last cup is placed.
Why It’s Fun: Building a tower in under a minute is a fun challenge, and the snowman shape adds a festive twist. The balance between speed and steadiness makes this game both tense and hilarious.
3. Candy Cane Hook
Objective: Hook as many candy canes onto a string or another candy cane as possible.
Materials: Candy canes, string or additional candy canes.
How to Play: Tie a piece of string to one candy cane and hang it in the air. Players use another candy cane, holding it like a hook, to hook it onto the string or another candy cane. The goal is to hook as many candy canes as possible within one minute.
Why It’s Fun: The holiday theme is strong with this one, and it adds a fun challenge that involves both dexterity and focus. Plus, there’s something satisfying about successfully hanging a candy cane on another!
4. Santa’s Beard
Objective: Create a beard using cotton balls.
Materials: Cotton balls, petroleum jelly.
How to Play: Players need to use petroleum jelly on their face (such as around their chin and cheeks) to stick as many cotton balls onto their face as possible within one minute. The player with the most cotton balls stuck to their face at the end wins.
Why It’s Fun: The idea of a homemade “Santa’s beard” is both comical and creative, making it a perfect game for both kids and adults to enjoy. Watching players try to pile on cotton balls in a short time is sure to lead to some laughs!
5. Christmas Tree Cup Stack
Objective: Stack green cups to build a Christmas tree.
Materials: Green plastic cups.
How to Play: Players have one minute to stack green plastic cups to form a Christmas tree. The stack should be cone-shaped, with the largest base and a pointed top, resembling a traditional Christmas tree. The player with the tallest and most symmetrical tree wins.
Why It’s Fun: The challenge here is to build a stable yet tall tree, and there’s something about using cups in such a creative way that feels extra festive! This game also allows for fun teamwork if played in pairs or groups.
6. Snowball Toss
Objective: Toss “snowballs” into containers.
Materials: Cotton balls or white ping-pong balls, containers.
How to Play: Players stand at a distance from a set of containers (such as bowls, cups, or baskets) and have one minute to toss as many “snowballs” (cotton balls or ping-pong balls) into them. To make it harder, increase the distance or reduce the size of the containers.
Why It’s Fun: This game is all about precision and accuracy, and it’s easy to play anywhere! The idea of tossing cotton balls like snowballs makes it perfect for a Christmas-themed party.
7. Reindeer Nose Knockdown
Objective: Knock over cups using a “reindeer nose.”
Materials: Red balloon, plastic cups.
How to Play: Tie a red balloon to a headband or a piece of string to create a “reindeer nose.” The player wears the balloon and uses it to knock over a stack of cups within one minute. The person who knocks down the most cups with their “reindeer nose” wins!
Why It’s Fun: This game is all about using an oversized “nose” to knock down obstacles, and it leads to plenty of giggles as players struggle to balance the balloon and knock over cups. The larger-than-life props make this one extra silly!
8. Gift Wrap Relay
Objective: Wrap a present in one minute.
Materials: Wrapping paper, tape, scissors, gift box.
How to Play: In one minute, players must wrap a gift box with wrapping paper. The catch is that they can only use tape, scissors, and wrapping paper—no help from others, and the wrapping must be neat! The player who finishes the best-wrapped gift in the shortest time wins.
Why It’s Fun: The rush of wrapping a gift under pressure can be chaotic and fun. Plus, everyone can laugh at the wrapping mishaps—whether it’s a crooked bow or extra tape!
9. Stocking Stuffing Challenge
Objective: Fill a Christmas stocking with small items.
Materials: A Christmas stocking, small toys, candies, or trinkets.
How to Play: Players must fill a Christmas stocking with as many small items as possible within one minute. The stocking can be hung up or placed on the ground, and players must stuff it using only their hands (no tools or helpers). The person with the most items in the stocking at the end of the minute wins.
Why It’s Fun: This game taps into the excitement of filling a Christmas stocking with goodies, and it’s a fast-paced race to see who can stuff the most items in the shortest time.
10. Elf Shoe Shuffle
Objective: Wear oversized elf shoes and race.
Materials: Elf shoes or oversized slippers.
How to Play: Players must wear oversized elf shoes (or any large shoes) and complete an obstacle course or race to a finish line. The player who completes the challenge the fastest without tripping or falling wins.
Why It’s Fun: This one adds a layer of physical comedy, as the oversized elf shoes make walking and running tricky. The slow-motion shuffle creates a lot of laughs, especially when players try to navigate the course without falling over.
11. Candy Cane Stack
Objective: Stack as many candy canes as possible.
Materials: Candy canes.
How to Play: In one minute, players must stack as many candy canes as they can, one on top of the other. The challenge is to build a tall tower without the candy canes toppling over. The tallest tower wins.
Why It’s Fun: Candy canes are a classic holiday treat, and stacking them adds a bit of tension as players race against the clock. The more candy canes they can stack, the more impressive the result!
12. Christmas Tree Ornament Transfer
Objective: Move ornaments from one bowl to another using a spoon.
Materials: Christmas ornaments, spoons, two bowls or containers.
How to Play: Players use a spoon to transfer Christmas ornaments from one bowl to another without using their hands. The player who successfully moves the most ornaments in one minute wins.
Why It’s Fun: The delicate nature of the ornaments makes this game both challenging and exciting. It’s a race against time, and the slower you go, the more likely it is that the ornaments will slip off the spoon!
Conclusion
These 12 Minute to Win It Christmas games are perfect for spicing up any holiday gathering. Whether you’re hosting a family get-together, throwing a Christmas party, or just looking for some fun ways to pass the time, these fast-paced games will create plenty of laughs and lasting memories.
Each game is simple to set up, requires minimal materials, and offers lots of opportunities for hilarious moments. So gather your friends and family, start the timer, and let the holiday games begin!
