35 Fun Christmas Games for Families, Adults, Kids, and Parties

The winter holidays are a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends, visit relatives, and spend more time together. You might be hosting Christmas dinner, inviting a few friends over, or organizing a bigger party with people you haven’t seen in months. I love these gatherings, especially when there’s time to relax, talk, and enjoy each other’s company without rushing anywhere.

Of course, after dinner, exchanging presents, and catching up on everyone’s news, you might feel like doing something different together. Children may be asking for an activity, or someone might suggest a little friendly competition. This is when having a few fun Christmas party games in mind can be useful!

And my favorite options are the ones that require no preparation or just a few things you already have at home. You could start with some funny Christmas Would You Rather questions, challenge everyone with Christmas trivia questions and answers, or organize a special round of Christmas movie trivia or Christmas song trivia. You can easily turn any of these into a family competition or a holiday party activity.

But there are plenty of other Christmas games worth trying, too. I’ve gathered 35 ideas for family gatherings, adult Christmas parties, children, office celebrations, and smaller groups. You’ll find Christmas charades ideas, guessing games, funny challenges, Minute to Win It Christmas games, creative gift exchanges, and a few activities that might become new family traditions.

I’ve included the rules, supplies, approximate playing times, and plenty of examples you can use right away. Some games take only five minutes, while others can keep everyone entertained for half an hour or longer. I’ve also included options for people who prefer to stay seated – or who need to (as I had to when I had my knee issue).

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What Are the Best Christmas Games for Families and Parties?

If you’re organizing a Christmas game night and want to choose quickly, here are some options I’d recommend based on your guests.

For families with children and adults: Christmas Charades, Guess the Gift, Christmas Who Am I?, Christmas Movie Detective, and Christmas Categories With a Catch.

For adult Christmas parties: Who Said That at Christmas?, Holiday Never Have I Ever, the Worst Christmas Gift Pitch, and the Secret Christmas Mission.

For young children: Santa Says, Snowball Toss, Find the Missing Decoration, and Santa’s Silly Christmas Story.

For office Christmas parties: Christmas Pictionary, Christmas Scattergories, the Holiday Sales Pitch, and Guess the Christmas Song.

For grandparents, seniors, and guests who prefer seated activities: Christmas Memories, Finish the Christmas Phrase, Christmas Trivia, and Name Five Christmas Things.

For groups that love quick challenges: Jingle Bell Toss, Christmas Cup Tower, Stack the Presents, and the Candy Cane Hook Challenge.

For two to four players, word games, guessing games, and trivia are good choices. For five to ten people, almost everything below can work. If you’re hosting more than ten guests, consider splitting everyone into teams so people aren’t spending most of the evening waiting for their turn.

Fun Christmas Games for Family Gatherings

1. Guess the Gift

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: Small household objects, wrapping paper | Best for: Families, children aged 6+, adults

Wrap six to ten everyday objects individually, making sure the wrapping hides their shapes reasonably well. You could use a whisk, a roll of tape, a small box of pasta, a wooden spoon, a pair of socks, a calculator, or an orange.

Each player picks up a wrapped object and tries to guess what’s inside without opening it. They’re allowed to feel its shape and weight and gently shake it, as long as nothing fragile is inside.

Everyone writes down their guesses before the presents are opened. Award one point for every correct answer.

For a second round, give players a clue about each mystery gift. For example, “You might use this when you’re hungry, but you can’t eat it” could describe a spoon. “People sometimes lose me just when they need me most” could refer to a roll of tape.

To make this Christmas guessing game harder for adults, include objects with similar shapes or weights. A small bag of rice and a bag of dried beans, for instance, might be difficult to distinguish through wrapping paper.

2. Christmas Charades

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: None, or paper with Christmas prompts | Best for: Families, teenagers, parties

One player acts out a Christmas word, character, movie, or activity without speaking. Their teammates have 60 seconds to identify it. If they guess correctly, they earn a point.

For younger children, start with recognizable Christmas activities such as decorating a tree, opening a present, building a snowman, riding in Santa’s sleigh, eating Christmas cookies, and hanging a stocking.

Easy Christmas charades ideas: Santa Claus, reindeer, snowman, Christmas tree, gingerbread man, ringing bells, wrapping presents, ice skating, hanging ornaments, and opening a Christmas card.

Medium Christmas charades ideas: Untangling Christmas lights, baking gingerbread cookies, carrying too many Christmas presents, decorating a gingerbread house, singing Christmas carols, searching for a missing gift, and putting a star on a tall Christmas tree.

Funny Christmas charades ideas for adults: Pretending to love an ugly Christmas sweater, discovering you’ve run out of wrapping paper, assembling a complicated toy on Christmas Eve, burning Christmas dinner, accidentally breaking an ornament, or trying to take a family Christmas photograph when nobody is looking at the camera.

Another round could focus entirely on Christmas movie titles. Home Alone, Elf, The Grinch, The Polar Express, and A Christmas Carol offer plenty of possibilities.

If you’re playing with children and adults together, let the younger players choose from the easier prompts. Nobody should have to act out a movie they’ve never seen.

3. Christmas Who Am I?

Players: 4 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: Sticky notes and a pen | Best for: Families, mixed-age groups, parties

Write a Christmas character or famous holiday figure on a sticky note and place it on a player’s forehead without showing them the name.

Everyone takes turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out who they are.

For example, someone might ask, “Am I a person?”, “Do I appear in a Christmas movie?”, “Do I wear a red outfit?”, or “Am I known for delivering presents?”

Use familiar characters such as Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch, Buddy the Elf, Kevin McCallister, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

For a harder game, include characters who aren’t the main stars of their movies, such as the Wet Bandits from Home Alone or the Conductor from The Polar Express.

Players can keep asking questions until they receive a “no”; then the next person takes a turn. The winner is whoever identifies their character in the fewest questions.

For younger players, you can allow simple hints if they get stuck.

4. The Christmas Gift Detective

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Families, teenagers, Christmas parties

This Christmas guessing game uses clues instead of actual presents.

One person thinks of a Christmas gift and reveals three clues, one at a time. Players can guess after each clue, earning three points for identifying the gift after the first clue, two after the second, or one after the third.

Mystery gift 1

Clue 1: People sometimes receive me even when they haven’t asked for me.
Clue 2: I usually come as a matching pair.
Clue 3: I keep your feet warm.
Answer: Socks.

Mystery gift 2

Clue 1: I can be used in several different places.
Clue 2: I’m often given when someone isn’t sure what present to choose.
Clue 3: I have a monetary value that the recipient can spend.
Answer: A gift card.

Mystery gift 3

Clue 1: I help you remember something.
Clue 2: I can contain photographs from many different years.
Clue 3: People sometimes give me to grandparents or other family members.
Answer: A photo album.

For a fun variation, make all the mystery gifts things nobody would expect to find under a Christmas tree, such as a garden hose, a frying pan, or a toilet brush.

5. Christmas Categories With a Catch

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Families, teenagers, adults

Choose a Christmas category and ask players to name something that belongs to it. Everyone takes a turn, but answers can’t be repeated.

Start with Christmas foods, holiday decorations, Christmas movie characters, presents people might receive, winter activities, or things Santa could carry in his sleigh.

After the first round, introduce a restriction.

For example, players might have to name Christmas foods without using the letter A, Christmas presents costing less than $20, or decorations that aren’t red or green.

Other challenges include naming Christmas movie characters whose names begin with different letters, Christmas foods you can eat without cutlery, or presents that would be difficult to wrap.

Give everyone five seconds to answer. Anyone who repeats an answer, names something that doesn’t belong in the category, or runs out of time leaves that round. The last player remaining wins.

I especially like a final round where players must name something that could go wrong during Christmas preparations. There’s plenty of room for inventive answers, and you might hear a few stories from previous holidays!

6. Christmas Movie Detective

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Families, adults, movie fans

Describe the plot of a Christmas movie without mentioning its title, character names, or actors. The other players have to work out which film you’re talking about.

For example:

“A child finds himself alone in a huge house and discovers that two strangers are planning to enter it.”

Answer: Home Alone.

“A grown man travels to New York to meet his father, but his unusual upbringing makes everyday situations rather confusing.”

Answer: Elf.

“Two women exchange homes for the holidays and find themselves living very different lives.”

Answer: The Holiday.

“A train takes a young boy on an extraordinary journey just before Christmas.”

Answer: The Polar Express.

A correct answer earns one point. For a harder round, ask players to describe a Christmas movie using only five words.

If everyone recognizes the movies quickly, use the Christmas movies quiz for a 25-question challenge with multiple-choice answers and instant feedback.

7. Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: Household decorations | Best for: Families, kids, mixed-age groups

You don’t have to hide dozens of objects to organize a Christmas scavenger hunt. Instead, ask everyone to find Christmas-related things already in the house.

Challenge players to locate a decoration that’s more than five years old, something shaped like an animal, an object that makes a sound, something with a star, something shiny, and an item that reminds them of a previous Christmas.

Give everyone five minutes. They can bring their objects to the host or point them out, depending on where the objects are and whether they’re safe to move.

For another round, use clues rather than naming the objects:

“Find something that lights up but isn’t a lamp.”

“Find something people hang up but don’t normally wear.”

“Find something that could break if you dropped it.”

If you’re playing with younger children, keep the objects easy to reach and use unbreakable decorations. You can also divide the family into pairs so grandparents and children work together.

Funny Christmas Party Games for Adults

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8. Who Said That at Christmas?

Players: 5 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: Paper, pens, a bowl | Best for: Adult Christmas parties, friends, family gatherings

Give everyone a piece of paper with the same unfinished Christmas sentence. They write their answer anonymously, fold the paper, and place it in a bowl.

The host reads the answers aloud, and everyone tries to identify who wrote each one.

Here are some prompts you can use:

“The worst thing to receive in my Christmas stocking would be…”

“If I could ban one Christmas tradition, it would be…”

“The strangest Christmas gift I could give my boss would be…”

“If Santa asked me to take over his job for a day, I’d…”

“The one Christmas food I could happily eat in July is…”

“If I had to spend Christmas with a fictional character, I’d choose…”

Players earn one point for each correctly identified answer. The host can keep score, but the game also works without a winner.

For close friends, you can use more personal prompts, such as “My most embarrassing Christmas shopping experience involved…”

9. The Worst Christmas Gift Pitch

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: Paper and pens | Best for: Adults, teenagers, office parties

Give every player two completely unrelated objects. Their mission is to convince everyone that the combination would make an extraordinary Christmas present.

For example, someone might receive a potato and a scarf. They could present their invention as a luxury winter clothing collection for vegetables, designed for people who believe potatoes deserve to stay warm, too.

Other combinations could include a toothbrush and a Christmas ornament, a flashlight and a spoon, a rubber duck and a notebook, or a kitchen sponge and a pair of sunglasses.

Players have one minute to think and 30 seconds to deliver their sales pitch.

After everyone has presented their invention, vote for the gift you’d actually be most tempted to buy. You can also award a separate point for the funniest product name.

For a group of friends, give one player a particularly strange object and see whether they can persuade anyone that it belongs on a Christmas wish list.

10. Holiday Never Have I Ever

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Adults, teenagers, family parties

Everyone holds up five fingers. One player reads a Christmas statement beginning with “Never have I ever…” Anyone who has actually done that thing lowers one finger.

Try these statements:

Never have I ever forgotten where I hid a Christmas present.

Never have I ever bought a gift for myself while shopping for someone else.

Never have I ever peeked inside a wrapped Christmas present.

Never have I ever pretended to love a Christmas gift.

Never have I ever eaten Christmas cookies before they were supposed to be served.

Never have I ever forgotten to buy a present for someone on my Christmas list.

Never have I ever given someone a present and then wished I’d kept it.

Never have I ever watched the same Christmas movie twice in one day.

The last person with at least one finger raised wins the round.

You can make the game more entertaining by inviting players to share the story behind an answer, but let them decide whether they want to. For office parties or groups who don’t know each other well, stick to lighthearted Christmas situations.

11. The Secret Christmas Mission

Players: 6 or more | Time: 20–40 minutes | Supplies: Small pieces of paper | Best for: Adults, friends, larger parties

At the beginning of the party, give everyone a secret mission. They must accomplish it during the gathering without revealing they’re participating in a game.

One person’s mission might be to persuade somebody to recommend a Christmas movie. Another could try to get three guests to mention their favorite holiday desserts.

Other missions include getting someone to say the word “snowman,” finding a person who dislikes a traditional Christmas food, convincing two people to sing a few seconds of a Christmas song, or getting someone to tell a funny gift-related story.

Keep the missions friendly and easy to complete through normal conversation. Guests shouldn’t be required to trick people into doing anything uncomfortable or embarrassing.

At the end of the evening, everyone reveals their mission and whether they succeeded. If you want to make things more competitive, award an additional point to anyone who correctly guessed another player’s secret task.

12. Christmas Two Truths and a Lie

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Adults, teenagers, friends and families

Each player shares three statements about Christmas experiences. Two must be true, and one must be invented.

For example:

“I once received exactly the same Christmas present from two different people.”

“I’ve spent Christmas Day on an airplane.”

“I once accidentally wrapped an empty box and gave it to someone.”

The other players can ask one or two questions before deciding which statement is false.

Everyone who correctly identifies the lie receives a point. The storyteller earns a point for each person they fool.

For a family gathering, encourage people to use stories from different years. You might discover that a relative once celebrated Christmas somewhere unusual or that an apparently ridiculous family story is completely true.

13. Christmas Hot Chocolate Taste Test

Players: 3 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: Small cups, several hot chocolate flavors | Best for: Adults, teenagers, small Christmas parties

Prepare several varieties of hot chocolate and pour small portions into identical numbered cups. Let the drinks cool to a comfortable tasting temperature before serving.

You could use traditional milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peppermint, cinnamon, white chocolate, and salted caramel.

Players taste each drink without knowing its flavor and write down their guesses. Award one point for each correct identification.

For a second round, ask everyone to rank the drinks from favorite to least favorite. Reveal the flavors and see which one received the most first-place votes.

If you’re serving a mixed group, check for allergies and dietary restrictions in advance, especially if you’re using milk, nuts, or flavored syrups.

You can also play this Christmas tasting game with cookies, chocolates, or seasonal snacks instead of drinks.

Easy Christmas Games for Kids

14. Santa Says

Players: 3 or more | Time: 5–10 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Preschoolers and kids aged 3–8

Santa Says is played like Simon Says, but every instruction has a Christmas theme.

Children should only follow a command if it begins with “Santa says.” If the caller simply says “Jump like a reindeer!” without first saying “Santa says,” everyone should stay still.

Try commands such as:

“Santa says hop like a reindeer.”

“Santa says tiptoe like an elf.”

“Santa says pretend you’re wrapping a present.”

“Santa says freeze like a snowman.”

“Santa says wave to Mrs. Claus.”

Mix in instructions without the opening phrase to see who gets caught out.

Instead of eliminating children who make mistakes, let them become Santa’s helpers and suggest the next commands. This lets everyone keep participating until the end.

15. Snowball Toss

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10 minutes | Supplies: Rolled-up white socks or soft paper balls, a basket | Best for: Kids aged 4+, family parties

Make several pretend snowballs using rolled-up white socks or crumpled paper. Place a laundry basket a few feet away and mark a throwing line.

Each child receives five snowballs and tries to throw as many as possible into the basket.

For the second round, move the basket farther away. You can also introduce a challenge where children must throw using their non-dominant hand.

Older kids might enjoy competing in pairs, with one holding the basket and the other throwing.

Use soft, lightweight objects and keep the throwing area clear of fragile decorations. If you have children of different ages, let the younger ones stand closer to the basket.

16. Find the Missing Christmas Decoration

Players: 2–8 | Time: 5–10 minutes | Supplies: 6–12 unbreakable Christmas objects | Best for: Kids aged 4–10

Arrange several Christmas objects on a table. You could include a small stocking, a plastic ornament, a ribbon, a Christmas card, a miniature snowman, and a decorative star.

Let the children look at everything for 30 seconds. Then ask them to close their eyes while you remove one object.

When they open their eyes, they have to identify what’s missing.

For younger children, begin with five or six objects. Older children can try ten or twelve, and you can make things harder by removing two objects instead of one.

Another version involves changing the positions of two decorations. The children then have to explain which items moved.

17. Santa’s Silly Christmas Story

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Kids aged 5+, families

One person begins a Christmas story with a single sentence. Each child adds another sentence, and the story continues around the group.

You could start with:

“On Christmas Eve, Santa opened the workshop door and discovered a giant pink suitcase.”

The next child might say, “Inside the suitcase was a penguin wearing sunglasses.”

Another adds, “The penguin explained that all the reindeer had gone on vacation.”

After several turns, introduce a random word that the next person must use. Good options include marshmallow, dinosaur, bicycle, rainbow, popcorn, snowflake, and Christmas pudding.

The story doesn’t have to make sense, and that’s part of the entertainment.

If children are having trouble thinking of something, offer them two possible ideas and let them choose how the story continues.

18. Christmas Ornament Hunt

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: Small, unbreakable Christmas ornaments | Best for: Kids, siblings, family parties

Hide 15 to 20 plastic Christmas ornaments around a room before the game begins. Make sure they’re in places children can safely reach without moving furniture or climbing.

Give everyone five to ten minutes to find as many ornaments as possible.

For a Christmas ornament hunt with older children, assign different values to the colors. Red ornaments might be worth one point, gold ornaments two, and a special silver ornament five.

You can also hide a few ornaments with clues attached. For example, a card reading “Look near something you use when you’re cold” might lead children toward a blanket basket.

For younger children, keep ornaments visible and easy to find. A color-based hunt, where each child searches for a particular color, can help make the game fairer.

Don’t use glass ornaments or decorations with small detachable parts around toddlers.

Fun Christmas Games for Office Parties

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19. The Holiday Sales Pitch

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: Everyday office objects | Best for: Office Christmas parties, coworkers, teams

Divide colleagues into teams of two or three and give each team an ordinary office object. Their challenge is to turn it into a revolutionary Christmas product.

A stapler might become Santa’s emergency sleigh repair kit. A desk organizer could be advertised as the ultimate gift for an elf who keeps losing important documents.

Other possible objects include a paperclip, a notebook, a ruler, a coffee mug, and a calculator.

Give teams three minutes to prepare and one minute to present their product. Each presentation must include a product name, its main benefit, and a reason someone should buy it for Christmas.

At the end, everyone votes for the product they’d most like to receive.

For larger office Christmas parties, let several teams present their ideas before holding a final vote between the most popular inventions.

20. Christmas Pictionary

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: Paper and markers or a whiteboard | Best for: Offices, families, adults, teenagers

Split the group into two teams. One player draws a Christmas word or phrase while teammates try to guess it. The artist can’t speak or write letters and numbers.

Each round lasts 60 seconds, and a correct guess earns one point.

Easy Christmas Pictionary words: Santa, snowman, star, stocking, bell, sleigh, reindeer, candy cane, present, wreath, Christmas tree, and gingerbread man.

Medium Christmas Pictionary words and phrases: Gingerbread house, Christmas pudding, Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, snow globe, ice skating, advent calendar, Santa’s workshop, and Christmas dinner.

Hard Christmas Pictionary ideas: Secret Santa, Christmas Eve, last-minute shopping, tangled Christmas lights, an ugly Christmas sweater, missing Christmas presents, and a reindeer stuck in traffic.

For a funny round, ask everyone to draw with their non-dominant hand. You might be surprised by how difficult it becomes to draw a recognizable reindeer!

This is also one of the easiest virtual Christmas games for Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Players can use a shared whiteboard while teammates guess aloud or in the chat.

21. Christmas Scattergories

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: Paper and pens | Best for: Office parties, adults, teenagers

Choose a letter and several Christmas-related categories. Players have 90 seconds to come up with an answer for each category, with every answer beginning with the chosen letter.

For example, if the chosen letter is C, a player might write cookies for Christmas food, candles for decorations, caroling for an activity, and a camera for a Christmas present.

Here are twelve Christmas Scattergories categories to use:

Christmas foods and desserts; Christmas decorations; Christmas movies; holiday songs; things Santa might carry; gifts under $20; winter clothing; Christmas activities; things you’d find in a stocking; items sold at a Christmas market; fictional Christmas characters; and reasons someone might be on Santa’s naughty list.

When time runs out, compare answers. A valid answer earns one point if it’s unique. If two players choose the same answer for a category, neither scores for it.

Letters such as B, C, M, P, and S are good starting choices. You can make the game harder with less common letters or unusual categories.

For an office Christmas party, add categories such as things found on a desk, office party food, workplace gifts, and things that might go wrong during a holiday meeting.

22. Guess the Christmas Song

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–20 minutes | Supplies: Optional phone or speaker | Best for: Office parties, families, music lovers

Play the first few seconds of a popular Christmas song and ask teams to identify its title. For a harder game, they can also name the singer associated with the recording.

Choose recognizable holiday songs such as Last Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, All I Want for Christmas Is You, Feliz Navidad, and White Christmas.

If you don’t want to play recordings, read three clues about a Christmas song instead.

For example:

Clue 1: This song features an animal that’s different from the others.
Clue 2: The animal becomes very useful on a particular night.
Clue 3: It has a glowing red nose.
Answer: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Or:

Clue 1: This Christmas song is associated with a famous American singer.
Clue 2: The singer is Bing Crosby.
Clue 3: The title describes the kind of snowy holiday many people dream of.
Answer: White Christmas.

One point goes to the first team to identify the song correctly. You can award a bonus point for naming the singer if you’re using recordings.

If you want to turn this into a longer music competition, choose a mix of familiar carols, classic hits, and newer Christmas songs so different generations have a chance to score.

Minute to Win It Christmas Games

These Christmas Minute to Win It games use 60-second challenges, so you can play several in succession. They’re good for families, office Christmas parties, and larger gatherings where some guests enjoy competing while others prefer cheering everyone on.

23. Jingle Bell Toss

Players: 2 or more | Time: 1 minute per round | Supplies: Small bells, six cups | Best for: Adults, teenagers, older children

Arrange six plastic or paper cups on a table in two rows. Give each player ten small jingle bells and mark a throwing line a short distance away.

Players have 60 seconds to toss as many bells as possible into the cups.

For a more competitive game, assign different point values. The nearest cups could be worth one point, while the cups farther away are worth three.

At the end of the minute, add up the points. The highest score wins.

You can replace the bells with larger soft objects if you’re playing with younger children, since small bells can be a choking hazard.

24. Stack the Christmas Presents

Players: 2 or more | Time: 1 minute per round | Supplies: Small empty gift boxes | Best for: Families, office parties, kids aged 6+

Give each player eight to twelve small empty boxes in different sizes.

The challenge is to build the tallest freestanding tower before the timer reaches 60 seconds. The tower must remain standing for five seconds after the player stops touching it.

Players can rearrange the boxes as often as they like during the minute.

For another round, require everyone to use only one hand. You can also give players identical sets of boxes and see who can build the tallest tower without it collapsing.

Use lightweight boxes with nothing breakable inside.

25. Candy Cane Hook Challenge

Players: 2 or more | Time: 1 minute per round | Supplies: Wrapped candy canes, two containers | Best for: Adults, teenagers, older children

Each player holds a candy cane by its straight end and uses the hook to pick up other wrapped candy canes from one container and move them into another.

They can’t touch the candy canes they’re transferring with their fingers.

If a candy cane falls, it must return to the starting container. The player who transfers the most candy canes in one minute wins.

For a harder version, increase the distance between the containers or ask players to use their non-dominant hand.

Choose sturdy, individually wrapped candy canes and discard any that break during the challenge.

26. Christmas Cup Tower

Players: 2 or more | Time: 1 minute per round | Supplies: 15 paper or plastic cups per player | Best for: Adults, kids aged 7+, office parties

Give each player 15 cups. They must build a pyramid with five cups on the bottom row, then four, three, two, and one at the top.

Once the pyramid is complete and stands without support, players have to dismantle it and return all the cups to a single stack.

The fastest player to complete both tasks wins. Anyone who doesn’t finish within 60 seconds can still score based on how many stages they completed.

For another round, use red and green cups and require the colors to alternate across each row.

This challenge can also be played while seated at a table, making it suitable for family gatherings where not everyone wants to stand.

Christmas Games for Seniors and Seated Group Activities

These Christmas games can all be played from a chair, and you can remove the time limits whenever the group prefers a more relaxed pace. They’re suitable for grandparents, multi-generational family gatherings, and anyone who enjoys conversation or guessing games more than physical challenges.

27. Christmas Memories: Real or Invented?

Players: 3 or more | Time: 15–20 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Seniors, grandparents, adults, families

Each player tells a short Christmas story. It can describe something that genuinely happened or an entirely invented event.

The other players may ask two questions before voting on whether the story is true or made up.

Someone might describe a Christmas when they forgot to buy an important ingredient for dinner. Another could tell a story about receiving an unusual present from a neighbor or getting caught in a snowstorm while visiting relatives.

Everyone who guesses correctly earns one point. The storyteller receives one point for each player they manage to fool.

For a family gathering, you can encourage older relatives to share stories from their childhood. Younger family members might discover customs or experiences that are completely unfamiliar to them.

This game can also work without scoring if everyone would prefer to spend more time talking about the memories.

28. Finish the Christmas Phrase

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Seniors, families, mixed-age groups

One player says the beginning of a familiar Christmas expression, song title, or holiday phrase. Everyone else tries to complete it.

Try these:

“Merry Christmas and a…” — Happy New Year.

“Jingle…” — Bells.

“The Twelve Days of…” — Christmas.

“Rockin’ Around the…” — Christmas Tree.

“Home for the…” — Holidays.

“A partridge in a…” — Pear tree.

Once everyone has completed a few familiar phrases, introduce a round with funny endings.

For example, ask players to finish “All I want for Christmas is…” with something they wouldn’t normally put on a Christmas wish list.

Or try “Santa checked his list and discovered…” and invite everyone to invent their own ending.

For a mixed-age group, include phrases and song titles that people from different generations are likely to recognize.

29. Christmas Trivia: The Family Challenge

Players: 2 or more | Time: 10–30 minutes | Supplies: None, or a phone or tablet | Best for: Adults, seniors, families, large groups

Choose a host and divide the players into teams. The host reads Christmas trivia questions aloud, and every team gets a chance to answer.

You can organize rounds about Christmas traditions, familiar songs, holiday movies, food, Santa Claus, or celebrations from around the world.

Here are some Christmas trivia questions and answers for a quick round:

Question: What is traditionally hidden inside a Christmas pudding in some British households?
Answer: A coin.

Question: Which Christmas ballet features the Sugar Plum Fairy?
Answer: The Nutcracker.

Question: Which popular Christmas song was recorded by Mariah Carey in 1994?
Answer: All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Question: In Home Alone, where is Kevin’s family traveling when they accidentally leave him behind?
Answer: Paris.

Question: What is the name of the red-nosed reindeer?
Answer: Rudolph.

For an international round, ask about holiday customs such as Iceland’s thirteen Yule Lads or the Christmas gift-giving traditions associated with La Befana in Italy. You can find more subjects in these unusual Christmas traditions from around the world.

Give one point per correct answer. If you have children and adults competing together, mix easy questions with a few that require more thought, and let teams discuss their answers.

You can also use the interactive Christmas quiz for adults if everyone would prefer multiple-choice questions and immediate feedback.

30. Name Five Christmas Things

Players: 3 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Seniors, adults, families, small groups

One person announces a Christmas category. The next player has to name five things that belong to it.

Start with familiar categories, such as five Christmas foods, five things you might find on a Christmas tree, five famous Christmas movie characters, or five gifts that could fit inside a stocking.

For adults, try more unusual categories:

Five things you wouldn’t want to receive from Secret Santa.

Five reasons someone might be late for Christmas dinner.

Five things you might accidentally forget to buy before Christmas.

Five Christmas decorations that aren’t red.

Five things you might see at a Christmas market.

Players can earn one point for completing a category within 20 seconds.

For a more relaxed game, remove the time limit and allow everyone to contribute answers. You can also turn this into a team game where family members help each other complete a category.

Christmas Gift Exchange Games

Before playing any gift exchange game, agree on a spending limit and make sure everyone knows whether presents can be swapped or stolen. A $15–$25 budget is one possible starting point for an adult party, but the amount should suit your group.

31. White Elephant Christmas Gift Exchange

Players: 6 or more | Time: 20–40 minutes | Supplies: One wrapped gift per player, numbered slips of paper | Best for: Adults, offices, family parties

White Elephant is one of the most popular Christmas gift exchange games, especially for groups that enjoy a little friendly competition.

Everyone brings one wrapped gift within the agreed spending limit. The gifts are placed together, and players draw numbers to determine the order.

Player one chooses a present and opens it.

Player two can either open another wrapped gift or steal the present that player one has already opened.

If someone has their gift stolen, they can open another wrapped present or steal a different opened gift. They can’t immediately steal back the gift just taken from them.

Continue until everyone has a present. To prevent endless swapping, establish a limit of three steals per gift. Once a present reaches that limit, it becomes frozen and can no longer be stolen.

After the final player finishes their turn, player one can have one last opportunity to swap, provided their chosen gift isn’t frozen. This optional rule helps balance the disadvantage of going first.

For an office Christmas party, choose practical, funny, or universally useful presents rather than personal items.

32. Christmas Gift Story Swap

Players: 6 or more | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: One wrapped gift per player | Best for: Families, adults, office parties

Everyone sits in a circle holding one wrapped gift. A host reads a Christmas story containing the words LEFT and RIGHT.

Every time the host says LEFT, players pass their presents one place to the left. Whenever they hear RIGHT, they pass their gifts one place to the right.

When the story ends, everyone keeps the gift they’re holding.

Here’s a short story to use:

“Santa had just LEFT the workshop when he realized he’d forgotten his Christmas list. He turned RIGHT at the snowy road, then LEFT toward the village. One reindeer wanted to go RIGHT, but Santa was certain the workshop was on the LEFT.

After another RIGHT turn, Santa spotted a familiar house. He LEFT the sleigh beside the gate and walked RIGHT up to the front door. Just as he reached it, he remembered that he’d LEFT his hat behind.

He turned LEFT, then RIGHT, and hurried back to the sleigh. Luckily, the hat was RIGHT where he’d LEFT it. Santa put it on, looked LEFT toward the village, turned RIGHT toward the first house on his delivery route, and continued his journey.”

The story is meant to produce several exchanges, but the final distribution of presents will depend on your group size and the order of passes.

For more movement, create a longer story or read a second one. Keep the passing directions clear, and make sure everyone starts with exactly one present.

33. Roll the Dice Christmas Gift Exchange

Players: 4 or more | Time: 15–25 minutes | Supplies: One wrapped gift per player, one die | Best for: Adults, families, small parties

Everyone begins with one wrapped present. Players sit in a circle and take turns rolling a die.

Each number has a different action:

Roll 1: Exchange gifts with the person on your left.

Roll 2: Exchange gifts with the person on your right.

Roll 3: Exchange gifts with any player you choose.

Roll 4: Everyone passes their gift one place to the left.

Roll 5: Everyone passes their gift one place to the right.

Roll 6: Keep your present and skip the exchange this turn.

Continue for a set number of rounds. Three turns per player is enough for a short game, while five or six can make the exchanges more unpredictable.

When the final round ends, everyone opens whichever present they’re holding. No gifts are opened before then, and each person finishes with exactly one.

For larger groups, use two dice and let two parts of the circle play at the same time, provided the groups don’t exchange presents with each other.

If you’re playing with children, use presents of similar value and suitability so nobody ends up with something clearly intended for a different age group.

Christmas Games for Small Groups and Couples

34. Christmas Word Chain

Players: 2 or more | Time: 5–10 minutes | Supplies: None | Best for: Couples, small families, video calls

Start with a Christmas-related word. The next player must name another holiday-related word beginning with the final letter of the previous word.

For example:

Santa → Angel → Lights → Snowman → Noel → Lantern.

Players have five seconds to answer, and nobody can repeat a word already used during the round.

Anyone who can’t think of a valid answer loses the round. Start again with a new word and continue until someone wins three rounds.

To make the game harder, limit the answers to Christmas foods, decorations, songs, or holiday activities.

It’s also a useful Christmas game for a video call because players don’t need to share a screen or prepare anything.

35. The Christmas Ornament Mystery

Players: 2–6 | Time: 10–15 minutes | Supplies: One unbreakable Christmas ornament | Best for: Couples, kids aged 6+, small groups

One player hides a small Christmas ornament somewhere in an agreed room while everyone else waits outside.

The ornament must be at least partially visible from a normal standing or seated position. It shouldn’t be hidden inside drawers, behind heavy furniture, or anywhere unsafe.

When the other players return, they may ask three yes-or-no questions before making a guess.

For example:

“Is it above eye level?”

“Is it near something red?”

“Can I see it from the doorway?”

The person who correctly identifies the ornament’s location earns a point and becomes the next person to hide it.

For a harder round, hide two similar ornaments and ask players to find the one that matches a particular clue.

You can also play this as a seated Christmas game by hiding the ornament somewhere visible from the players’ chairs.

How Many Christmas Games Should You Plan for a Party?

For a one-hour Christmas game night, three or four games should give everyone plenty to do. You could begin with Christmas Charades, follow with Guess the Gift, play a few rounds of Christmas Categories, and finish with trivia.

For a children’s Christmas party, shorter games may be more suitable. Santa Says, Snowball Toss, and Find the Missing Decoration can each take around ten minutes, leaving time for food, presents, and other activities.

If you’re planning a larger gathering, you don’t have to organize every game consecutively. One activity before dinner and another afterward may be enough, especially when guests also want time to talk.

And for families who enjoy making a whole day of the celebrations, there are plenty of other things to do in December that can be combined with a Christmas game night, including at-home activities and free seasonal experiences.

Christmas Games

I hope these 35 Christmas games give you some new ideas for spending time with family and friends during the holidays. You don’t need to organize an elaborate party or buy special equipment to have a fun evening together. A few questions, some ordinary household objects, and people who are willing to join in can be enough.

Personally, I like having different types of games to choose from. Sometimes a funny guessing game sounds appealing, while another evening might be better suited to Christmas trivia or a quiet activity around the table.

And I’m curious: Does your family have a Christmas game you play every year? Have you ever invented one of your own? I’d love to hear about your favorites in the comments!

 

Christmas Games: Frequently Asked Questions

What are some good Christmas games for family gatherings?

Good Christmas games for family gatherings include Christmas Charades, Guess the Gift, Christmas Who Am I?, Christmas Scavenger Hunt, Christmas Categories, and family trivia. They work with different ages and can be adapted for groups of various sizes. If children and grandparents are playing together, include a mix of guessing games and activities that don’t require physical speed.

What are the best Christmas party games for adults?

Some of the best Christmas party games for adults are Who Said That at Christmas?, Holiday Never Have I Ever, the Worst Christmas Gift Pitch, Christmas Two Truths and a Lie, and the Secret Christmas Mission. They work well for groups of friends and adult family gatherings, and most require little preparation.

What Christmas games can you play without buying anything?

Christmas Charades, Christmas Word Chain, Christmas Categories, Santa Says, Christmas Movie Detective, Holiday Never Have I Ever, and Name Five Christmas Things can all be played without buying supplies. Games that involve writing answers or drawing usually require only paper and pens.

What are some fun Christmas games for kids?

Fun Christmas games for kids include Santa Says, Snowball Toss, Find the Missing Decoration, Santa’s Silly Christmas Story, and the Christmas Ornament Hunt. Younger children generally enjoy short activities with familiar Christmas objects and characters, while older children may prefer team challenges and timed competitions.

What Christmas games are good for seniors?

Christmas trivia, Finish the Christmas Phrase, Christmas Memories, Name Five Christmas Things, and Christmas Word Chain are all suitable seated games for seniors and mixed-age gatherings. They can be played without standing, rushing, or handling small objects. Adjust the difficulty and time limits to suit the people participating.

What are the best Christmas games for an office party?

Christmas Pictionary, Christmas Scattergories, Guess the Christmas Song, and the Holiday Sales Pitch are good choices for office Christmas parties. They can be played in teams, work for colleagues who don’t know each other particularly well, and don’t require anyone to disclose personal information.

What are Minute to Win It Christmas games?

Minute to Win It Christmas games are challenges that players try to complete within 60 seconds. Examples include Jingle Bell Toss, Christmas Cup Tower, Stack the Christmas Presents, and the Candy Cane Hook Challenge. They’re popular at family parties and office celebrations because you can organize several short rounds and keep score.

What Christmas games can you play with two people?

Two people can play Christmas Word Chain, Christmas Categories, Christmas Movie Detective, Guess the Gift, Christmas trivia, and the Christmas Ornament Mystery. You can alternate turns, keep score over several rounds, or play without declaring a winner.

What Christmas games work for large groups?

Christmas Charades, team trivia, Christmas Pictionary, White Elephant, the Left-Right Gift Swap, and Christmas Scattergories can accommodate large groups. For parties with more than ten people, dividing guests into teams helps reduce waiting time and allows more people to participate.

What are easy Christmas games for preschoolers?

Santa Says, Snowball Toss with soft objects, Find the Missing Decoration, and simple Christmas Charades are good games for preschoolers. Use recognizable objects and actions, keep instructions short, and avoid complicated scoring or games involving small detachable parts.

What are some fun virtual Christmas games for Zoom?

Christmas Pictionary, Christmas Trivia, Christmas Word Chain, Guess the Christmas Song, and Christmas Categories can be played over Zoom or other video calling platforms. Players can give answers aloud, use the chat, or draw on a shared whiteboard. These activities don’t require everyone to be in the same location.

How long should Christmas party games last?

Many Christmas party games work well in rounds lasting five to twenty minutes. For a one-hour game night, plan three or four different activities. A larger party may benefit from shorter games spread throughout the gathering, while a smaller group can spend longer on the activities everyone enjoys.

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