Best Christmas Party Games: 40+ Fun Holiday Games

The Best Christmas Party Games the Whole Family Will Love

A Christmas party is not complete without some fun Christmas party games! We have put together 40+ of the best Christmas party games to make your Christmas party go with a bang. Whether it’s a family party with kids, adults party or work party, we have heaps of great Christmas party games to get your guests into the festive spirit. Read on for our favourite Christmas party games.

Fun Christmas Party Games for The Family

1. Pass the Stocking

This Christmas party game is a family favourite as even small children can play. As the host, put 5-10 random items in a stocking. Once it’s full, tie a ribbon around the top of the stocking so that no one can see inside. Sit in a circle and pass the stocking around to let everyone feel what’s inside. Give everyone a note card so that they can write down their guesses. The person who guesses the most correct items wins.

2. Santa Limbo

This Christmas party game is sure to get your guests laughing! Get guests to make a “Santa belly” under their shirt using a pillow. Place a limbo stick at a starting height. Ask guest to line up, and one by one try to limbo underneath (with the Santa belly). Slightly lower the stick on the next round and have those who made it through go again. Continually lower the stick until you have a winner!

As an alternative to a pillow, check out this Santa Belly that guests can take turns to wear! Add a Santa hat and you have a great costume for this party game!

3. 20 Questions – Christmas party game version

One player secretly selects a Christmas themed object. All other players ask “Yes” or “No” questions to guess what the object is. If no one guesses correctly after 20 questions, the player has won and picks a new object for the next round. If someone guesses correctly, they get to pick the Christmas object for the next round.

4. Find the Elf

For this game, think Easter Egg Hunt but with toy elves! Hide a variety of toy elves around the house. Give prizes based on how many of Santa’s friends each guest finds. This is a great game if you have small children in the family as everyone can join in!

5. One Handed Gift Wrap

This is hilarious and a great way to get your guests to know each other better!

Put guests into pairs. Tie one person’s right hand to their teammate’s left hand. The pairs will then try to wrap a gift using their free hands. Give a time limit of 1–3 minutes and then have a judge pick the best wrapped gift.

6. Who am I – Christmas party version

Write down a famous Christmas character on a post it note, then stick them on each other’s forehead. Once everyone has a post-it note on their forehead they try to guess what character they are by asking other people yes or no questions. The goal is to not be the last person with the post it note still on their heads!

7. Human Christmas Tree

This is a hilarious and fun Christmas party game that kids and adults love! Organize guests into small teams and ask each team to nominate a volunteer to be the “human Christmas tree”. Each team will first create their tree with green crepe paper, then decorate each “tree” with different Christmas decorations provided for the game. Set a time limit of 3-5 mins then judge the best dressed tree!

8. Human Snowman

This is another funny Christmas party game that kids and adults love! Organize guests into small teams and ask each team to nominate a volunteer to be the “human snowman”. Each team will first create their snowman by wrapping toilet paper around the volunteer. Next they need to dress their snowman with a hat, gloves, scarf etc. Set a time limit of 3-5 mins then judge the best snowman!

9. Reindeer Wrap

Another variation on the Snowman game above is Reindeer Wrap. Using brown crepe paper, wrap your volunteer from head to toe and add a reindeer headband. The first team with a completely wrapped and headbanded reindeer is the winner!

10. Holiday A-Z

Give out pieces of paper with the alphabet written vertically on each paper. Teams must then compete to fill in the entire alphabet list with a holiday word for each letter. The first team to complete their list wins.

11. Penguin Waddle

Another funny Christmas game, organize guests into teams of three or more. Set up cones 15 to 25 feet apart for each team. The first player puts a balloon between their knees and waddles like a penguin down to the cone and back. Then they pass the balloon to the next team member so they can go. If any team member drops the balloon, they have to start over! The first team to complete the relay wins.

12. Winter Pop

Organize guests into teams of 2-3 players. Players have to pop 10 balloons using just their hands with winter gloves on before the time runs out.

13. Name That Carol

Make a list of lyrics from Christmas carols. Read out 3-4 words from each song. As guests to write down the name of the carol (either in teams or as individuals). The person who names the most correctly, wins.

14. True Presents and a Lie

This Christmas game makes for a perfect ice breaker. Go around the group and have each person describe three weird presents they’ve received. Two the of presents should be true, and the last one should be a lie. Then the others guess which was a lie.

15. Marshmallow Munch

Place a jumbo marshmallow on the end of a string and tie it high up, just to the level of a child’s face. Repeat until there’s as many hanging marshmallows as there are players. Then get the kids try to eat the marshmallows with using their hands. First to finish, wins.

16. Reindeer Antlers

Organise players into teams of 3-5. Each team is given a pair of nylon stockings, 8 balloons and a tube of red lipstick.

On ‘Go’, the teams race to inflate the balloons and then stuff them down the nylon stockings.

Once the balloons have firmly stiffened the stockings, one member puts them on their head like reindeer antlers.

Use a red lipstick to draw a shiny red nose of their face.

The first team to yell “Rudolph” and present their “reindeer” wins.

Check out this quick video to see this game in action.

17. Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells is a fantastic game for winding down a Christmas party. It is also fun for all ages.

You will need:

A large space, a chair, a bell, blindfold

The players sit in a circle. A chair is placed in the centre of the circle and the bells put underneath. A player is chosen to be Santa and sits on the chair. Santa is then blindfolded.

A player in the circle is chosen to be the thief. The thief must try to steal the bells without being heard. When Santa hears the bells, he must try to point at the thief before the thief returns to his/her place in the circle. If the thief succeeds, Santa has another turn while a new thief is chosen. If the thief is identified, they become the new Santa and the previous Santa rejoins the circle.

18. Marshmallow Stack

More marshmallows! Pick up a few bags of large marshmallows and place a coaster in the center of your table. Each guest takes a turn placing a marshmallow on the coaster until they have to start stacking them. It’s like Jenga: When the stack of marshmallows falls, that person loses.

19. Candy Cane Relay

Make your teams and get ready for some candy cane fun! Each team should have 3 or 4 players, and teams should be even. Each person gets a candy cane and each team gets one additional candy cane. Create a start line and a finish line, with half of each team behind the start and half behind the finish, with canes upside down. The first player on each time hangs the extra candy cane onto the hook of their candy cane, walks across the space, and the next person will use theirs to take the extra. They will then walk to the other side and hand it off in the same way to the next person. The first team to have each person walk the candy cane across the room and hand it off will win.

20. Candy Stick Baseball

 Select a player to be the batter and provide them with a candy cane stick. These are thicker than candy canes and do not have a hook in them. Split into teams, with a batter on each team, grab a marshmallow, and start hitting! Mark where each marshmallow lands and the one that goes the furthest wins.

21. Christmas Friendly Feud

This game can be purchased online, or you can make your own. Split into two teams, as evenly as possible, and choose a host. The host will ask the question at the top of the page and offer each person on the playing team a chance to answer, tallying the points for each answer that is on the page. The second team goes next with a new question, and you can do as many rounds as you want. The team with the most points wins.

22. Ornament on a Spoon

Grab a spoon for each person and place an ornament on your spoon. Pass it around the room, and each person who drops it, either while walking to the next person or transferring from their spoon to the next, are out. The last person standing wins.

Gift Exchange Christmas Party Games

Not all Christmas parties have a gift exchange, but many will. Keep the experience fun and new with this variety of gift exchange ideas. They require each guest to bring one gift and each person will go home with one. It may be necessary to keep children and adults separate for these games.

Santa’s Helper

Each guest brings one gift with them. After arriving at the party each person will fill out a card with their name, things they like, things they dislike, and one thing that they included on their Christmas list. All cards are put into a bowl and each guest will choose someone else’s name, then try to get the right gift for them. This twist can be added to any gift exchange.

Roll the Dice

In this version of the Christmas gift exchange, you can download a sheet online or create a list yourself of an action for each number that can be rolled, from 2 to 12. All Christmas gifts are placed in the middle of the circle and guests sit around them. The first person opens a gift then rolls the dice and does what they are directed, working around the circle. At the end of the game each person keeps the gift in their hand.

Never Have I Ever

Print off a list of Never Have I Ever statements and put them in a bag or a bowl. People stand in a circle with a wrapped gift at their feet, and the first person reads a statement. Those who have done the thing read will change places with someone else who has, and the person who read the paper will unwrap their gift and put it back on the floor. This continues until everyone has read a statement and each person then keeps the gift in front of them.

Scavenger Gift Hunt

Place wrapped gifts around the room. Great hiding spots include plants, behind cushions or pillows, in a cupboard, and under a chair. Each person keeps the gift they find.

Gift Card Exchange

Instead of each person bringing a wrapped gift, they bring a gift card. These can be included within Christmas cards or just on their own and placed throughout the branches of a Christmas tree. With many different personalities there are sure to be a large variety of cards, especially if each brings their own favourite or choose a place that they think no one else has heard of. Each person gets a gift card and will be encouraged to try something new with it.

20 Questions, Gifting Version

In this Christmas twist on a classic game of 20 Questions, everyone gets a chance to take home their ideal gift. One at a time, people stand at the front of the group with the gift they brought (wrapped). Guests then get 20 questions shared among the group to ask about the gift, the person who guesses what the item is, or is closest, gets that gift. Once someone has received a gift, they cannot receive another, but they can still ask questions.

Guess the Gift

Fun for the whole family, this Christmas gift game will keep people guessing. A wrapped gift is provided by each guest, and it will fit a specific demographic of guest, for example some will be shopping for children and others for adults. Gifts can be separated based on age range if preferred. There will be a short description on a gift tag on each gift, and guests will try and guess what it is. You can decide they need to guess correctly before they open it, or each person gets the one that has a description best suited to their interest. Either way, guesses should be made out loud before any gift is open so everyone can share the fun.

Gift Matchmaker

For this party game idea, one person will be the gift matchmaker for someone else. Gifts will have descriptions on them, or one person will wrap them all and know what is in each. One at a time a guest will choose a gift, read the description or hints, and choose which person it will be best for.

December Dice Exchange

This version of the White Elephant Gift Exchange includes dice. Everyone will supply a wrapped gift and they are numbered. Each person will roll the dice and get the matching gift to the number they rolled. If someone else rolls the same number, they can roll again or they can take the first gift that matched that number.

Christmas Poem Gift Exchange

In this traditional Christmas gift exchange, each person holds a gift in their hands and sit in a circle. One person reads a poem that has directions within, and those directions are followed by passing the gifts right or left, exchanging across the circle, and more. At the end of the poem each person keeps the gift they are holding.

For more Gift Exchange Ideas check out our post here.

Gift Giving Party Games

Some prefer the joy of giving a gift to each guest, without the process of a gift exchange. They expect guests to not bring gifts for others, but simply to show up ready to enjoy the experience. These are all easy ways to present your guests with a gift they will love.

Grinch Punch Game

Create a Christmas Tree shape by placing cups standing up on a white cardboard or Styrofoam backing. Secure the cups, add a small gift, and then cover the top of the cup with green tissue paper and a heart. Each guest can “punch” through the tissue paper and keep the gift they find. This can be used as a prize for a game or just for attending.

Ping Pong Christmas Trivia

Read a trivia question for guests to answer, and whoever gets it right gets a chance to hit a ping pong ball across the table and keep whatever prize they land on.

Christmas Scavenger Hunts

Wrap up gifts and place them around the location. Provide each guest with a card that has clues or hints on where their gift his hidden and have them find it. Once they find the gift, it is there’s to keep. You can put names on the gifts to ensure each person gets the one you chose for them, or ensure all gifts are suitable for anyone in attendance.

Reindeer Hunt

Print reindeer hunt cards from the internet or grab your own images of cartoon reindeer and make cards with matching images. Each guest, both adult or child, is given a card and can use their phone or other way to show they have found each of the reindeer images that you have hidden around the space. For ease you can print multiples of each image and every guest can bring back a full set to claim their prize. In this game with no one losing, everyone gets a gift to take home.

Christmas Bingo

This traditional game is a fun way to add to a Christmas party or gathering. Print or make your own Bingo cards and choose a caller to announce which square to mark off. You can use movies, songs, tv shows, characters, or any other Christmas related items to play, and everyone who wins gets to choose their prize or claim a wrapped Christmas gift.

Christmas Gift Mad Libs

Create a mad libs sheet that describes each gift. They can use rhymes, stories, or poems but describe the use, purpose, or description of a wrapped present. Each person fills in their mad libs and gets the prize that is relating to that specific mad lib. Have everyone read them out loud and present them with their gift.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition

Ugly Christmas Sweater parties have had long periods of great popularity. Bring them back for the year by offering prizes for all types of ugly sweater. One prize can be for the ugliest Christmas sweater, one for a Halloween Christmas sweater, one for ugliest reindeer sweater, and so on until each person has received a gift for wearing their Christmas sweater. This is fun for everyone and suitable for the whole family.

Christmas Trivia

Ask a range of questions about Christmas past, the history of Christmas, Christmas stories, and even characters or beliefs in other countries. Those who get the most questions right will choose their gifts first, but each person who participates can get a gift before they leave.

Christmas Minute to Win It Games

Minute to Win It Games have become very popular for their ability to create a fun atmosphere, allow everyone to participate, and by taking only one minute each round there is time for everyone to participate. Try these Christmas Minute to Win it Games at your next Christmas party.

1.    Reindeer Dash

Level up the traditional three legged race by standing with one teammate in front of the other, and use ribbon, twine, or popsicle sticks glued together to connect the right legs of both people and the left legs. The person in the back will put their hands on the shoulders of the person in front, and they must walk across the space and cross the finish line before any of the other teams.

2.    Candy Cane Catch

String ribbon, or Christmas garland, between the backs of two dining room chairs. A member from each team will stand on the seat of the chair and drop a candy cane onto their garland. They keep trying until one stays, then let the next person go. The winning team, or if you are playing individual head to head then the person who gets the most to stay in one minute, wins.

3.    Christmas Catch

Tie a small basket around the waist of catchers, with the basket at the back. Then have team members stand a set distance behind them (shorter distance for kids and longer for adults) and have them throw Christmas ornaments into the basket for one minute. The team with the most wins. Make this more complicated by having the catcher moving around while the thrower tries to get ornaments in the basked of the opposite team, or have the throwing team member stand backwards and throw the ornaments through their legs.

4.    Elf Toss

Gather some small plastic elves and place a set of buckets a few feet away from the starting line. Have each participant throw an elf into each bucket. The team rotates through after each set of throws, and see which team gets the most elves in the bucket in one minute.

5.    Cotton Ball Snowman

Set up stations with cotton balls, string, googly eyes, small plastic carrot noses, and small twigs with a glue gun. Provide each participant with one minute to build a snowman, and the best snowman wins, the team to finish the fastest can also have a prize, or you can have competitions to see how many a team can make in one minute.

6.    Jingle Bell Box

Fill a few wrapped boxes with an assorted number of small bells. Make sure to record how many are in each! Let each participant shake the boxes and guess how many bells are in each box. Those who get the most right will win, and they have only one minute to guess for each box.

7.    Candy Cane Zipline

Provide each pair or partners with a 14 inch string. They will hang a candy cane on it and by only moving their hand up or down, they will send that candy cane to their partner. The team who passes their candy cane to the second player and back first wins. You can play multiple rounds of this and tally points or just do one round.

8.    Indoor Snowball Fight

Use marshmallows, white balloons, or white pompoms to allow children of all ages, even into adulthood, to toss them at each other. These are easy to clean up later and won’t hurt if someone gets hit in the head.

For more Christmas Minute To Win It games, check out our post here.

More Christmas Party Game Ideas

Holiday Puzzles

My family love a puzzle and these 2 are both beautiful Christmas scenes that really add some festive cheer to your table. Not strictly a party game, but a really nice activity to have set up on a table for the kids (and adults) to gravitate to if they need some quiet time during the festivities. These are 2 of my favourites.

Holiday Board Games

Another game option for those long winter evening or for a small party or gathering are some classic Christmas board games.

Holiday Pictionary

Divide into two teams. Write down Christmas themed words or phrases on papers. One player on each team must draw what is on their paper while their team attempts to guess what it is. The team with the most points wins.

Here are some ideas for what words or phrases to add to your Christmas Pictionary game:

• White Christmas
• reindeer
• Santa Claus
• nativity
• 3 wise men
• milk and cookies
• Jingle Bells
• Silent Night
• Christmas tree
• Ho Ho Ho
• mistletoe
• baby Jesus
• Frosty the Snowman
• gingerbread house
• North Pole
• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
• ugly Christmas sweater

Candy Board

Play shuffle board, but with candy canes and marshmallows! Use tape to mark the scoring lines on the table and use the candy canes to push their marshmallow and shoot it down the table to the scoring area. Tally the scores each round to see who wins.

Elf Monopoly

If you are having a small gathering or an evening with the immediate family, Monopoly has an Elf version that is perfect for Christmas.

Christmas Rush

Each player gets cards to start with, and they throw away the cards they don’t need, picking up a new one from the deck, until someone can announce their Christmas Rush as they gathered four of a kind. This game is great for the whole family and is a fun game for any age.

Rudolph Board Game

This family friendly game is based upon the traditional snakes and ladders game, but uses reindeer and other Christmas images.

Christmas Party Games Final Note

Whichever games you decide upon to entertain your guests, be sure to have a wonderful Christmas party! To make your party a success with little fuss use paper plates, they are great for an impromptu marshmallow toss but also for easy clean up after snacking, play Christmas tunes, and share your favourite traditions with friends, family, or coworkers.

About Author

Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mom of three. She started Darling Celebrations back in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating the special events in life.