The holiday season is here, and Christmas parties are the perfect excuse to gather loved ones, share laughs, and make joyful memories. Adding games to your party lineup brings everyone together, whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers. This year, skip the classic charades and spice things up with these unique, crowd-pleasing Christmas games that everyone will love!
The Best Christmas Party Games for 2024
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1. Christmas Carol Pictionary
Pictionary gets a festive twist with Christmas carols! Divide players into teams, and have one person from each team draw a holiday song on a whiteboard or paper while the rest of the team guesses. It’s fun to see how creative people can be when they’re trying to sketch out “Jingle Bells” or “Deck the Halls”!
Game Tip: Create a list of popular holiday songs ahead of time, and make the clues progressively harder as the game goes on. Or if you don’t know many Christmas carols, you can buy an already-made game on Etsy. Here’s an example from Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1097021916/family-xmas-charades-game-carols-and?click_key=fe25d68994eecf49575a7cb0da43ba3b3b024a43%3A1097021916&click_sum=8ca105b1&ref=search2_top_narrowing_intent_modules_top_rated-1&pro=1&sts=1.
I also made a Christmas Charades game and listed it on Etsy. For this game you can play it in 2 ways: act it out OR you can draw it out like in Pictionary. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1579997651/christmas-charades-christmas-charades
2. Santa Hat Ring Toss
Transform an ordinary Santa hat into a hilarious party game by turning it into a ring toss challenge! Set up several Santa hats on a table or the floor, each marked with points, and give players rings to try tossing onto the hats. The higher the points, the further back the hats should be!
Game Tip: Use glow sticks as rings for a fun twist in a dimmed or cozy holiday setting!
3. Christmas Movie Emoji Quiz
With holiday movie classics in everyone’s minds, challenge your guests with a Christmas Movie Emoji Quiz. Prepare a list of popular Christmas movies and translate each one into a series of emojis. Players have to guess the movie title based on the emojis shown, like 🎅🎄🛷 for Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.
Game Tip: Make a list of 10 to 15 movies for the game, and give small prizes to those who get the most correct answers! Again if you don’t have time to make this game yourself, Etsy has tons of fun games to choose from.
4. The Wrapping Paper Relay
For a game that will get everyone moving (and laughing!), try the Wrapping Paper Relay. Divide players into teams, and give each team wrapping paper, scissors, and tape. Each team selects a “gift” (a person on their team) to be wrapped as quickly as possible! The first team to “wrap” their teammate entirely in gift wrap wins.
Game Tip: Make the game more challenging by adding specific requirements, like including a bow on top or making sure the “gift” can still walk after being wrapped!
5. Christmas Bingo
Bingo is a party classic for a reason! Make your own Christmas-themed Bingo cards with festive images or phrases like “sleigh ride,” “eggnog,” and “mistletoe.” Play until someone gets five in a row, or keep the fun going by filling the whole card.
Game Tip: Give the winner a small holiday-themed prize, like a mini ornament or a pack of hot chocolate, to add an extra layer of fun.
Another fun way to play Christmas Bingo, is Christmas Movie Bingo. During this game, you create Bingo cards with different actions or items that are typically in Christmas movies, for example: reindeer, Santa, elves, etc. Then you watch your favorite Christmas movies and mark off the objects as they appear. Whoever gets 5 in a row wins. If you don’t want to make your own Bingo cards. I sell this game in my Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1560112574/christmas-bingo-printable-christmas
6. Guess the Christmas Smell
This sensory game is all about smelling those iconic Christmas scents! Place familiar holiday smells (like pine, cinnamon, peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog) in individual jars. Blindfolded players take turns sniffing each jar and guessing the scent. It’s tougher than it sounds, and it’s sure to bring out some laughter!
Game Tip: Use cotton balls soaked in holiday-scented essential oils, or put holiday spices in small containers to create the scents. Make sure to label them to reveal later!
7. Pass the Present (Hot Potato Style)
This game is a spin on the classic “Hot Potato.” Wrap a gift box in multiple layers of wrapping paper, with a small prize (like candy or a toy) between each layer. Players pass the present around in a circle while holiday music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the gift removes a layer of wrapping paper. The person who unwraps the last layer wins the grand prize!
Game Tip: Vary the speed of the music to add excitement. Slow down for suspense, then speed up to keep people on their toes!
8. Ugly Sweater Contest
If your Christmas party includes an ugly sweater dress code, then an Ugly Sweater Contest is a must! Create categories like “Most Creative,” “Funniest,” and “Best DIY,” and let everyone vote on the winners.
Game Tip: Have holiday-themed prizes for each winner—like a candy cane trophy, a cozy holiday mug, or a mini wreath.
9. Holiday Minute-to-Win-It Challenges
Minute-to-Win-It games add an element of fast-paced fun to any Christmas party. You can try several quick challenges, such as:
- Marshmallow Stacking: See how many marshmallows each player can stack in 60 seconds.
- Candy Cane Pickup: Using only one candy cane, players try to hook and pick up as many candy canes as they can.
- Ornament Balance: Players see how many small ornaments they can balance on a popsicle stick held in their mouth.
Game Tip: Use a timer and set up stations so players can rotate through different challenges.
10. Christmas Trivia
Test your guests’ holiday knowledge with Christmas trivia! Prepare questions about holiday movies, songs, traditions, and history. You can even include questions about your own family’s or friend group’s holiday memories for a personal touch.
Game Tip: Split guests into teams and offer small prizes for the winning team. This game is great for sparking holiday nostalgia and is fun for all ages! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1569330024/christmas-trivia-christmas-trivia-bible
11. Christmas Escape Rooms
Printable escape rooms are perfect for a Christmas party. An escape room is a series of puzzles that you solve to complete a mission. For a fraction of the price of a typical escape room at $25-30 per person, you can simply buy a printable Escape Room Kit, download, print, and play! No cutting weird shapes or stuffing envelopes. This is also an excellent option for a last-minute party since you will have your printable escape room immediately after purchase! Kids can complete the puzzles individually or in small groups, making it a great activity for classrooms, youth groups, or team-building exercises. There are many Christmas Escape Rooms on Etsy and other platforms. Some are geared towards kids and some for adults. I created a few Christmas Escape Rooms. Click on the link to check them out. Have fun. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1577481832/christmas-escape-room-kids-christmas https://www.etsy.com/listing/1589093748/christmas-escape-room-kit-christmas
Final Thoughts
These Christmas party games are perfect for bringing everyone together and creating laughter-filled moments that make the holidays special. Whether it’s a large family gathering or an intimate get-together with friends, adding a few of these games will keep the Christmas spirit alive. So grab your Santa hat, pour some hot cocoa, and let the games begin—because this season is all about joy and sharing it with those who matter most.
Happy holidays, and may your Christmas party be the merriest one yet!
