Fun Christmas Games and Activities for Groups
'Tis the season for holiday parties! If you're hosting a get-together this year, make it extra special with one (or more) of these festive Christmas games and activities. From ice-breakers to competition-style games, there's something here for everyone.
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Jingle Bell Toss
This game is perfect for groups of all sizes and can be played both indoors and outdoors. All you need is a set of jingle bells (one per person) and two buckets or baskets. Divide the group into two teams and have each team line up at the other end of the room/yard from their respective bucket/basket. On the signal, player 1 from each team will race to their bucket/basket, grab a jingle bell, and then toss it into the other team's bucket/basket. Player 2 cannot start running until Player 1 has returned to their spot in line. The first team to reach 10 points wins.
Christmas Jingle Bells
Red BucketsJingle Bells
Charades
This Christmas Charades game is perfect for larger groups. You'll need two pieces of paper and a pen for each player as well as some small prizes (e.g., candy bars, movie passes). On one piece of paper, write down Christmas-themed songs; on the other piece of paper, write down Christmas movies. Fold up each piece of paper separately and put them into two hats or bowls.
To play, have one player from each team start by drawing a piece of paper from one of the hats/bowls. Without showing anyone else on their team, that player must communicate what is written on their piece of paper using only charades (no verbal clues!). The first team to guess correctly gets a point; play continues until all items have been guessed or time runs out (whichever happens first). The team with the most points at the end wins.
If you're looking for an added challenge, try this variation: Instead of having teams, have all players compete individually. The player with the most correct guesses at the end wins.
Rudolph Says
This is a great game for kids but can be enjoyed by people of all ages. To set up, you'll need some holiday-themed music as well as some small prizes such as candy bars or stickers.
When it's time to play, have all players stand in a circle with their hands behind their backs. Start playing the music and have players walk around the circle (in either direction). When the music stops, everyone must freeze in place. The player who is standing in front of Rudolph ("It") begins by saying "Rudolph says..." followed by an action such as "hop on one foot," "spin around," etc.; all players must then perform that action along with It until Rudolph says something else or moves to another spot in the circle (at which point a different player becomes It).
Any player who does not perform an action correctly or does not perform an action quickly enough is out for that round; play continues until only one person remains (the winner)
Reindeer Antlers Sequined HeadbandReindeer Antlers Headband ChristmasChristmas Rudolph Reindeer Antlers
Holiday Scavenger Hunt
This game is great for groups of all sizes but works best if you have at least two teams. You'll need some holiday-themed items such as candy canes, gingerbread cookies, wrapping paper, etc., as well as some small prizes such as candy bars or stickers.
Before hide hiding all of items around your house/yard), make sure to create two identical lists, one for each team. Also make yourself a list of all hiding spots so you can give teams a hint if they can not find an item. As you do not want teams wandering around searching aimlessly.
To play, divide players into teams and give each team a list; teams must then search for all hidden items on their list within a set period of time (e.g., 30 minutes). The first team to find all hidden items wins.
You could also make this into an individual scavenger hunt by hiding different objects around your house/yard and giving each player their own individual list; whoever finds all hidden objects first wins.
Gift Wrapping Contest
This is a fun game for those who enjoy wrapping gifts. Divide into teams and see who can wrap a present the quickest. You can also add in a bonus challenge, such as seeing who can make the most creative looking package.
Christmas Wrapping PaperRecyclable Christmas Wrapping PaperChristmas Wrapping Paper
Christmas Gift Exchange Games
Most people love playing these gift exchange games during the festive season. These games work well with parties of any size.
Secret Santa
This is a game where each person draws the name of another player from a hat. They then need to buy a small gift for that person, without them knowing who it is from. At the party, everyone gets to open their presents and try to guess who their Secret Santa was.
To help you choose the perfect Secret Santa gift, these Secret Santa Gift Questionnaires are so helpful.
For this game, everyone will need to bring a gift to the party and place them in a pile. To start, have everyone choose a gift from the pile (but not the gift they brought to the party). Then taking turns, players will roll the dice and follow the instructions on the sheet. Keep playing until all of the gifts have been unwrapped.
White Elephant
This is a game where everyone brings a wrapped gift to the party. Each person then takes turns picking a present from under the tree. Once they have opened the present, they can either keep it or trade it with someone else for another present.
Gift Grab
To play this classic Christmas game, you'll need a wrapped gift for each player. As you do not know who will end up with the gift try to make it something that everyone would want. Before the party, put all of the gifts in a central location (a table works well).
When it's time to play, have all of the guests sit in a circle. One player starts by choosing a gift from the pile and unwrapping it in front of everyone. The next player can either choose a new gift from the pile or "steal" the previous player's gift. If they choose to steal, that player must select another gift from the pile. Play continues until all gifts have been opened.
This game is similar to the traditional pass the parcel game but with a fun twist. The ball is wrapped is plastic saran wrap and each layer contains a small prize. When it is your turn, you must try to unwrap as many layers as you can before your turn is over. You get to keep any gifts that you uncover.
Add the fun challenge cards to each layer to add extra excitement to the game
Printable Christmas Games for Groups
Printable games are great for groups because you can just print off as many copies as you need and they're ready to go. Here are some great ideas for printable Christmas games:
Christmas Trivia
Test your guests’ knowledge of all things Christmas with a trivia game. You can find printable Christmas trivia questions or make up your own. Here are some fun ideas.
This fun human bingo game is a great icebreaker and works well with groups of any size. Playing the game is simple, you must try to find people who match the statements in each square. The first person to get 5 in a row (bingo) wins.
Who doesn't love a good game of Pictionary. Whatever your artistic talents, this game is sure to be a hit. Draw a Christmas-themed object, person, or place and see if people can guess what it is.
Christmas Emoji Pictionary
For a new twist on an old game, these Christmas Emoji Pictionary games will test your brain! Your teens and tweens will love these games. Try to guess the Christmas words or phrases by using the emoji.
No matter what type of party you're throwing this holiday season, there's sure to be a game on this list that's perfect for your group! So go ahead and spread some holiday cheer—your guests are sure to love these fun Christmas games and activities!
More Fun Christmas Game Ideas:
There's no need to let the fun stop just because Christmas is over! These candy cane game ideas are perfect for keeping the party going all season long. So grab your friends and get ready to have some serious holiday fun!
These cute Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes are the perfect festive treat! They are a perfect treat for any Christmas Party or Family Gathering. Yum!
