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The holiday season is a magical time for families to come together and create cherished memories. Whether it’s gathering around the tree, sharing festive meals, or simply enjoying each other’s company, adding a dose of fun through games can make the season even more special. Christmas games are a fantastic way to bring the family closer, spark laughter, and keep the festive spirit alive. From classic favorites to creative new ideas, these 50 Christmas games for families are designed to ensure everyone, from kids to grandparents, has an unforgettable time. Perfect for cozy nights in or lively Christmas parties, these games promise hours of entertainment and joy.
1. Christmas Charades
Put your acting skills to the test with this classic game of charades, but with a holiday twist. Players act out Christmas-themed words or phrases—such as “Santa Claus,” “building a snowman,” or “decorating a tree”—without speaking, while others try to guess. It’s a hilarious and interactive way to get everyone involved and in the holiday spirit.
2. Holiday Pictionary
Unleash your inner artist with a Christmas edition of Pictionary. Participants draw festive scenes or items like “reindeer,” “mistletoe,” or “candy canes” within a time limit, while teammates guess what’s being drawn. This creative and fast-paced game is perfect for all ages and is sure to bring plenty of laughs.
3. Christmas Bingo
Transform the traditional bingo game into a holiday-themed version. Create or download bingo cards featuring festive images or words like “elf,” “stocking,” or “gingerbread man.” The first player to complete a row or pattern wins and gets to shout, “Merry Christmas!” This game is simple to set up and loved by kids and adults alike.
4. Pin the Nose on Rudolph
This game is a holiday twist on “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Blindfolded players take turns trying to pin a red paper nose onto a large picture of Rudolph. The results are often hilariously off-target, making it a great game for younger children and the entire family.
5. Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Turn your home into a festive treasure hunt! Hide holiday-themed items like ornaments, candy canes, or small gifts around the house, and provide players with a list of clues or riddles to find them. This interactive game is perfect for building excitement and getting everyone moving.
6. Holiday Trivia
Put everyone’s Christmas knowledge to the test with a trivia game! Prepare questions about holiday traditions, movies, songs, and history. For example, “In which country did the tradition of the Christmas tree originate?” or “What year was ‘Jingle Bells’ written?” This game sparks friendly competition and is a hit with families who enjoy a challenge.
7. Christmas Carol Karaoke
Get the family singing their hearts out with Christmas Carol Karaoke! Set up a karaoke machine or use a streaming app with holiday songs and let everyone take turns performing classics like “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” or “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” It’s a cheerful way to spread holiday joy.
8. Snowball Toss
Bring the snowy fun indoors with this simple game. Use white beanbags, cotton balls, or soft white balls as “snowballs” and have players toss them into buckets, hoops, or through holiday-themed targets. Keep score to add a competitive edge, or simply enjoy the fun of tossing “snow.”
9. Christmas Memory Game
Test your memory with this festive twist on a classic game. Arrange various holiday-themed items (e.g., ornaments, bells, small gifts) on a tray and let everyone observe them for a minute. Cover the tray, then see who can recall the most items. This is a great brain-teaser for all ages.
10. Elf on the Shelf Hide and Seek
Add some magic to hide-and-seek with the Elf on the Shelf. One person hides the Elf in a secret spot, and the rest of the family searches for it. To make it more exciting, offer clues or set a timer for added suspense.
11. Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest
Turn cookie decorating into a fun competition. Provide plain sugar cookies, colorful icing, sprinkles, and edible decorations. Everyone gets to create their masterpiece, and the group can vote on categories like “Most Creative,” “Funniest,” or “Most Festive.” This game doubles as a delicious treat once the decorating is done.
12. Holiday Movie Trivia
Challenge your family’s knowledge of iconic holiday films. Prepare trivia questions from classics like Home Alone, Elf, or The Polar Express. For example, “What’s the name of the department store in Miracle on 34th Street?” This game is a hit for movie buffs and guarantees plenty of nostalgia.
13. Candy Cane Relay Race
Divide into teams and use candy canes as batons in a relay race. Set up a simple course, and watch the hilarity unfold as players try to pass the slippery candy canes without dropping them. This game is great for high-energy family members.
14. Holiday Ornament Guess
Fill a large jar with small ornaments or other Christmas-themed items. Have each person guess how many are inside. The closest guess wins a prize. It’s a simple yet engaging game that works well as a conversation starter.
15. Christmas Tree Ball Sort
Provide colored ornaments and a set of bowls. Players must sort the ornaments by color using chopsticks or spoons. The fastest sorter wins. This game is both challenging and entertaining, perfect for kids and adults alike.
16. Reindeer Ring Toss
Use an inflatable antler headband or create one out of craft supplies. One person wears the antlers while others try to toss rings onto them. This game is as hilarious as it is fun and guarantees lots of laughter.
17. Christmas Stocking Guessing Game
Fill a Christmas stocking with various small items (e.g., candy, ornaments, toys) and let participants feel the stocking to guess its contents. The person with the most correct guesses wins. It’s a tactile game that sparks curiosity and excitement.
18. Christmas Dance Freeze
Play festive music while everyone dances around. When the music stops, players must freeze in place. Anyone caught moving is out. The last person standing wins. This high-energy game is great for kids who need to burn off some holiday excitement.
19. Gingerbread House Building Contest
Provide gingerbread house kits or bake your own pieces. Families or teams work together to build and decorate their gingerbread houses. Set a time limit to add some pressure, then admire everyone’s creations.
20. Christmas Wrapping Race
Provide a pile of oddly shaped items and a limited amount of wrapping paper. The challenge is to wrap the items as quickly and neatly as possible. The funniest or most creative wrapping can win a prize.
21. Snowball Spoon Race
Use cotton balls or marshmallows as “snowballs.” Players must balance them on a spoon and race to the finish line without dropping them. This game is simple but provides plenty of giggles.
22. Christmas Balloon Pop
Fill balloons with small treats, jokes, or tasks. Each player pops a balloon to see what surprise they’ll get. It’s a mix of excitement and fun that kids especially love.
23. Christmas Song Scramble
Write down lyrics to popular Christmas songs, then cut them into strips. Mix them up, and have players race to put the lyrics back in order. This game is both challenging and entertaining.
24. Holiday Guess That Sound
Record or play sounds associated with Christmas (e.g., jingling bells, wrapping paper crinkling, a crackling fire). Players must guess the source of each sound. It’s a fun sensory game that works for all ages.
25. Santa’s Hat Pass
Play music while players pass around a Santa hat. When the music stops, the person holding the hat must complete a silly holiday-themed dare (e.g., sing a carol or pretend to be a reindeer). This game is guaranteed to get everyone laughing.
26. Christmas Puzzle Race
Give each team a Christmas-themed puzzle to complete. The first team to finish wins. This game encourages teamwork and is perfect for a quieter moment during the festivities.
27. Candy Cane Fishing
Set up a bucket with candy canes and tie a string with a hook (another candy cane) to a stick. Players must “fish” for candy canes using the hooked end. The one who collects the most candy canes wins.
28. Holiday Storytime Mashup
Take a classic Christmas story like The Night Before Christmas and let each player add a sentence to create a new, silly version of the tale. This game encourages creativity and is great for all ages.
29. Christmas Emoji Guess
Prepare a list of Christmas-related words or phrases written in emoji form. Players must decipher the emojis to figure out the phrase. For example, 🎅🎄🏠 might represent “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” This game is a hit with tech-savvy participants.
30. Holiday Sock Walk
Fill a pair of oversized Christmas stockings with small, hard-to-identify items. Players must wear the stockings on their hands and feel the items inside to guess what they are. The one with the most correct guesses wins.
31. Christmas Balloon Relay
Divide players into teams and have them race to push a balloon across the room using only their noses. This game is hilariously entertaining and perfect for all ages.
32. Holiday Heads Up!
Using holiday-themed cards or an app, players take turns holding a card on their forehead without looking at it. Others give clues to help them guess the word. It’s fast-paced and full of laughter.
33. Candy Cane Stack
Challenge players to stack as many candy canes as possible in a tower within a time limit. This game tests patience and balance skills and works great for kids and adults.
34. Christmas Word Scramble
Scramble letters from holiday-themed words like “mistletoe” or “reindeer” and have participants race to unscramble them. Offer prizes for the quickest answers.
35. Santa Limbo
Use a festive ribbon or garland as the limbo stick and see how low players can go while wearing a “Santa belly” made from a pillow. This game is a hilarious addition to any holiday gathering.
36. Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of festive photo challenges (e.g., “take a picture with a Christmas tree” or “pose as a snowman”) and have players use their phones to complete the tasks. Award prizes for the most creative photos.
37. Stocking Stuffer Relay
Set up stations with empty stockings and small items. Players race to fill the stockings, one item at a time, using only a spoon. The fastest team wins.
38. Holiday Freeze Tag
Play a classic game of freeze tag but add a festive twist by having the frozen players pose as snowmen until they’re “unfrozen.” It’s a great way to get everyone moving.
39. Christmas Chain Reaction
Divide into teams and give each group strips of paper to create the longest paper chain possible in a set amount of time. It’s a fun and crafty competition for all ages.
40. Gift Wrap Guessing Game
Wrap unusual household items in gift paper, and have players guess what’s inside just by feeling or shaking the package. The one with the most correct guesses wins.
41. Jingle Bell Obstacle Course
Set up a simple obstacle course, but players must carry a jingle bell on a spoon through the course without letting it fall. It’s a festive and challenging twist on a classic game.
42. Snowflake Crafting Contest
Provide paper and scissors and challenge everyone to make the most intricate or creative snowflake. Display the creations for everyone to admire.
43. Christmas Story Roulette
Write the titles of classic Christmas stories on slips of paper, and let players act them out in a charades-style game. This game combines storytelling and creativity.
44. Holiday “Would You Rather”
Prepare a list of holiday-themed “Would You Rather” questions (e.g., “Would you rather decorate 100 Christmas trees or bake 1,000 cookies?”) and let players debate their choices.
45. Santa’s Beard Challenge
Players apply shaving cream or whipped cream to their faces and toss cotton balls in the air, trying to catch them on their “beard.” The player with the most cotton balls stuck to their face wins.
46. Hot Cocoa Relay
Set up a station with cups, spoons, marshmallows, and cocoa mix. Teams race to prepare and serve a cup of hot cocoa as quickly as possible.
47. Christmas Ornament Balance
Give players a spoon and have them balance an ornament on it while racing to a finish line. The person who crosses first without dropping the ornament wins.
48. Gift Box Bowling
Stack empty gift boxes into a pyramid and use a soft ball to “bowl” them over. This game is easy to set up and perfect for younger kids.
49. Christmas Wrapping Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course where players must crawl under ribbons, hop over gift boxes, and dodge “snowballs” (cotton balls or soft balls). The fastest player wins.
50. Silent Night Whistle Challenge
Players take turns trying to whistle Christmas songs like “Silent Night” while others guess the tune. It’s surprisingly funny and entertaining when combined with the festive atmosphere.
