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25 Christmas Games to Play With Family and Friends

Choose from 25 Christmas games for family and friends, including seated, active, low-prep, and gift-exchange ideas with simple rules.
Opened Runtime9 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team
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For a mixed-age gathering with little setup, start with Christmas charades, a tray memory game, bingo, or a team quiz: each can be played with household supplies or simple printables, and guests can take turns rather than perform. The ideas below are grouped by how they feel to play, with suggested supplies and rules so you can choose games that fit your space, ages, and appetite for movement.

Guessing and performance games

1. Christmas charades

Players: Suggested range 4–30; the cited guide suggests ages 6 and up. Gather: Paper prompts, a bowl, and a timer. Write Christmas songs, objects, characters, or activities on slips. Players take turns silently acting out a prompt while their team guesses; the guide gives a one-minute round as an example. These are adaptable planning suggestions, not guarantees. MadBright’s Christmas charades guide supplies the suggested age, group size, and example timing. For younger children, let them draw a prompt or act alongside a partner.

2. Christmas Pictionary

Players: Teams work well, but no fixed count is required. Gather: Paper or a board, markers, and festive prompts. One player draws a prompt without writing its name while teammates try to guess it. A Christmas Pictionary listing describes the format as a holiday word-drawing game and mentions a tabletop easel pad; ordinary paper works too. Homemade Heather’s Christmas game page includes Pictionary among its holiday activities. Let children draw with a partner or choose an easier prompt.

3. Guess the Christmas song

Players: Individuals or teams. Gather: A list of carols or access to short musical excerpts. Hum a tune, whistle it, or play a brief excerpt and let the group name the song. The carol-dice activity includes humming and whistling as ways to perform a carol. The NSPCC’s Christmas games page describes that activity. Give every player a pass option; a team can also nominate one volunteer to hum.

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4. Guess the holiday film

Players: Individuals or teams. Gather: A list of Christmas films and a few clues for each. Describe a character, setting, or plot point without naming the film, then let players guess. Use your own summaries rather than reciting dialogue. Make clues simpler for children or let them choose between two possible answers.

5. Christmas “Who am I?”

Players: Any group size that can take turns. Gather: Character names on cards or slips of paper. Give each player a festive character card without letting them see it. They ask yes-or-no questions until they identify the character. Keep the list familiar and suitable for the youngest guests; players who dislike being in the spotlight can answer questions as a team.

Music, memory, and knowledge games

6. Christmas carol dice game

Players: Take turns individually or play as a group. Gather: One die and a list of familiar carols. Assign a performance rule to each face—for example, hum, whistle, dance, sing fast, or sing normally. Roll, choose a carol, and follow the instruction. The NSPCC describes using a die to assign actions including humming, whistling, dancing, and singing fast. See the NSPCC’s Christmas games instructions. Make dancing optional and allow a player to choose a non-performance role, such as rolling the die.

7. What’s missing from the Christmas tray?

Players: The NSPCC suggests 2–10 players for its related tray-memory game. Gather: A tray, at least ten small objects, a cloth or other cover, paper, and pens. Let everyone study the objects for 30 seconds, cover the tray, then remove one item and ask what is missing. The NSPCC’s related version asks players to write down what they remember after viewing the objects. The NSPCC gives the player suggestion and viewing time. For younger children, use fewer objects and let them answer aloud.

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8. Christmas trivia

Players: Individuals or teams. Gather: Questions on Christmas songs, traditions, films, or seasonal facts, plus paper if teams will write answers. Ask one question at a time and award a point for each correct answer if you want a score. Include easy questions as well as harder ones so different ages can contribute. Printable trivia is one format listed by Party Game Ideas. Younger players can answer with help from a teammate.

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9. Christmas bingo

Players: One caller and any number of cardholders. Gather: Bingo cards and markers; use holiday words or pictures. Call out an item, and players mark it if it appears on their card. Agree on a winning pattern before starting. You can use a printable card or make your own; Christmas bingo is listed among the printable formats at Party Game Ideas. Picture cards make it easier for younger children.

10. Christmas memory match

Players: Individuals or teams. Gather: Pairs of matching holiday picture cards. Lay them face down, then let players turn over two at a time and try to find a pair. Keep the matched cards and let the next player take a turn. Reduce the number of pairs for a shorter or easier game. Party Game Ideas lists Christmas Memory Match as a printable game format.

Seated paper and conversation games

11. Christmas word search

Players: Solo or collaborative. Gather: A festive word-search sheet and pencils. Players find and circle the listed words; they can work quietly or solve it together around a table. The holiday game catalog at Party Game Ideas includes word-search activities. Choose a larger-print or simpler puzzle for younger guests.

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12. Name that Christmas thing

Players: Any group that can take turns. Gather: Nothing beyond a category. Choose “carols,” “holiday foods,” or “winter objects,” then go around the group with each person naming one answer. No repeats; a player who cannot think of one can pass or sit out a round. Let younger players answer with help from a teammate.

13. Christmas would-you-rather

Players: Any group size. Gather: Seasonal either-or questions. Ask a light question—such as whether someone would rather decorate cookies or make paper snowflakes—and let each person answer or pass. Keep choices welcoming to guests with different traditions and levels of Christmas observance. Players can simply point to one of two written options if they do not want to speak.

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14. Two truths and a Christmas story

Players: Small or large groups taking turns. Gather: Nothing, or paper for notes. A player shares three claims or short stories about the holidays, with one invented; everyone guesses which one is made up. Invite fictional stories so nobody has to disclose personal memories. For a less performative version, have players write their three statements and let the group vote.

15. Christmas drawing pass

Players: Small groups work well; add pages for larger gatherings. Gather: Paper and pens. Each player starts a festive drawing, folds the page to hide most of it while leaving a small section visible, then passes it to the next person to continue. Unfold the page at the end to see the result. For young children, keep the page visible and take turns adding one detail.

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Movement and quick challenges

16. Snow shovel

Players: One at a time or in a relay. Gather: Lightweight white pom-poms, two bowls, and a spoon. Move the pom-poms from one bowl to the other using only the spoon. Add a one-minute limit if you want a timed challenge. Homemade Heather describes this Christmas challenge; the timer is a simple way to set a round, not a guarantee of how long it will take. Use larger, non-choking items around very young children and supervise play.

17. Marshmallow mug toss

Players: Take turns individually or compete in teams. Gather: Six mugs and large marshmallows. Place the mugs on a table and have players toss marshmallows toward them from an agreed line. Decide whether the goal is to land one in each mug or score by successful tosses. The six-mug setup is described in Homemade Heather’s Christmas challenge ideas. Younger players can move closer to the table.

18. Face the cookie

Players: One player at a time, with others watching or timing. Gather: Cookies and a timer if you want a timed round. Place a cookie on the forehead and try to move it to the mouth using facial movements only—no hands. The game appears as a timed challenge in Homemade Heather’s Christmas games. Offer a different challenge to anyone who does not want to perform or handle food.

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19. Wrap-a-present relay

Players: Teams. Gather: Empty boxes, wrapping paper, and tape; prepare paper in advance. Each team wraps a box, and the host decides whether speed or neatness determines the winner. Keep scissors out of the timed relay if children are participating. A younger or less mobile guest can be the team’s tape dispenser or judge.

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20. Christmas scavenger hunt

Players: Individuals, pairs, or teams. Gather: A written list of festive objects to find around the home. Set boundaries and a time limit, then ask players to find or photograph each item rather than remove it. Avoid placing small objects where young children could reach them unsupervised. Give younger players picture clues or pair them with an adult.

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Gift exchanges and group games

21. Roll-the-dice gift exchange

Players: Party Game Ideas describes its version for groups of 8–15. Gather: A die and one wrapped gift per participant, if following a gift-per-person format. Before starting, assign each die face an action such as pass left, pass right, keep, or unwrap; explain the rules, then take turns rolling and follow the result. The publisher describes a roll-the-dice gift exchange and its group range at Party Game Ideas. Agree on a spending limit or use inexpensive household items, and make taking part optional.

22. Left-right story gift pass

Players: A seated group. Gather: A wrapped gift and a story containing the words “left” and “right.” As someone reads the story aloud, pass the gift left or right whenever either word is heard. Whoever holds it at the end keeps it, if that is the group’s agreed rule. Gift Experts describes a left-right story game with rules. Use a short story and read slowly enough for children to follow.

23. White elephant exchange

Players: A group of people who have each brought or contributed a wrapped gift. Gather: Gifts and clearly agreed rules. Players select gifts in turn; depending on the rules, a later player may open a new gift or take one already opened. Decide in advance whether and how often a gift can be taken, when the exchange ends, and whether anyone may opt out. No single set of rules is required, so choose a version that avoids pressure and fits the group.

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24. Christmas team quiz

Players: Teams of any practical size. Gather: Short question rounds and paper for written answers. Mix topics such as songs, traditions, films, and seasonal facts. Teams write answers before the host reveals them, which gives quieter guests a way to contribute without speaking for the group. Quiz and trivia printables appear in Party Game Ideas’ game catalog. Let children join a team with adults or give them a separate easier round.

25. Choose-and-pass icebreaker

Players: The Gift Experts guide describes a no-points choice game for two or more people. Gather: A list of seasonal either-or questions. Ask a question, invite each person to answer or pass, then move on without keeping score. The format is described by Gift Experts. Keep questions light and allow nonverbal answers, such as pointing to one of two options.

How to choose a game for your gathering

  • For little setup: Try charades, name-that-thing, would-you-rather, or the carol dice game. Paper prompts and one die are enough for several options.
  • For a seated group: Choose bingo, memory match, a word search, trivia, or the drawing pass game.
  • For mixed ages: Pick team games, make prompts easier for younger children, and let guests pass or take a helper role instead of performing.
  • For movement: Snow shovel, the mug toss, or a scavenger hunt adds activity; clear the area and set age-appropriate boundaries first.
  • For gift exchanges: Decide the gift rules and whether participation is optional before the game begins.
  • For printable options: Party Game Ideas lists Christmas bingo, charades, trivia, and memory match as printable formats; its roll-the-dice exchange is described for 8–15 players. See the publisher’s Christmas games catalog.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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