Fun ideas for families, offices, kids, adults, large groups & virtual parties

Christmas parties are weirdly high-pressure. You want everyone to laugh, talk, and not just sit there scrolling on their phones – but also not feel like they’re stuck in a forced “team building workshop.” The easiest way to fix that is to have a stack of games ready: some loud, some calm, some kid-friendly, some a little more unhinged for the adults later in the night.

This guide is built so a real human host can skim it and immediately think, “Yes, this would work at my place.” Every game comes with a short explanation, what you’ll need, how to run it, and a few little twists so you can adapt it for your crowd.

Warm-Up & Icebreaker Christmas Games
Classic Christmas Party Games With a Twist
Christmas Games for Kids & Family Gatherings
Office & Coworker Christmas Party Games
Christmas Party Games For Adults
Low-Prep & No-Prop Games (Last-Minute Lifesavers)
Virtual & Hybrid Christmas Party Games
Active & Outdoor Christmas Games
Printable & Quiet Games (for cozy nights in)

1. Warm-Up & Icebreaker Christmas Games

These are the games you play while people are still arriving, holding their first drink, and trying to remember everyone’s name. No complex rules. No props you’ll regret later.

1. Christmas Two Truths and a Lie

Everyone sits or stands in a loose circle. One by one, people share three “Christmas facts” about themselves – two that are true, one that’s completely invented. The facts should be specific, not generic: “I once got locked out of the house in a Santa suit,” “I’ve never actually seen snow,” “I still sleep with the teddy bear from my first Christmas.”

The rest of the group asks a couple of follow-up questions, then votes on which one they think is the lie. After the reveal, the storyteller gives a short explanation of the real memories. You end up with stories you never expected to hear from coworkers or family members you thought you knew.

You can play just one round or let it keep going until everyone has had a turn. For shy guests, you can let them prepare their three facts in advance so they don’t feel put on the spot.

2. “What’s Your Christmas Name?” Mixer

Before the party, create a simple chart: the first letter of someone’s first name gives them a word like Jolly, Grumpy, Sparkly, Sleepy, and their birth month gives them Elf, Reindeer, Snowflake, Cookie, etc. Combine them to get names like “Sparkly Reindeer”, “Grumpy Gingerbread”, or “Sleepy Snowman.”

As guests arrive, you figure out their Christmas name and write it on a sticker or name tag. For the first 30–45 minutes of the party, they’re only allowed to introduce themselves with that name. “Hi, I’m Chaotic Candy Cane.” People instantly ask, “How did you get that?!” and then you’ve got a conversation going.

To make it more interactive, add a simple challenge: if someone forgets and uses their real name, they have to do something silly – sing one line of a carol or share a quick Christmas confession. By the time food or drinks are served, everyone has already met a bunch of people in an easy, low-awkward way.

3. Ornament Speed Networking

This works brilliantly for office parties or big gatherings where not everyone knows each other. Prepare a list of short, specific prompts:

“Tell your partner about your most chaotic Christmas morning.”
“What’s a holiday tradition you secretly hate?”
“What’s the best gift you ever received and why?”

Set a timer for three minutes. Everyone finds a partner (ideally someone they don’t know well), and they both answer the same prompt. When three minutes are up, shout “Switch ornaments!” and they must find a new partner and move to the next question.

After four or five rounds, people have shared little personal stories with several different guests. The rest of the night feels more relaxed because they already have things to refer back to: “You’re the one who had that turkey disaster!” It’s networking without it feeling like networking.

4. Christmas Emoji Story Guess

Prepare a sheet or slides with Christmas movies, songs, and traditions described only using emoji. For example:

🎄🏠👦👿 might be Home Alone
⛄️❄️🎵 could be Frosty the Snowman
🎅📦🌍 might be Santa delivering gifts around the world

Split guests into small teams and give them a time limit to decode as many as they can. You’ll see people humming theme songs, arguing passionately over whether that emoji combo is Love Actually or The Holiday, and yelling “Of course!” when you reveal the answers.

This game is perfect when people are still drifting in because latecomers can just join a team mid-round, and you only need some printed sheets or a TV.

5. Holiday “Would You Rather?” Circle

Everyone stands or sits in a circle. One person starts with a Christmas “Would you rather?” question:

“Would you rather spend Christmas in a snowy cabin with no Wi-Fi or at home with perfect Wi-Fi but no decorations?”
“Would you rather only eat Christmas cookies for a week or only drink hot chocolate for a week?”

Either pass a soft toy around (whoever’s holding it answers) or let everyone shout their choices and the reasons. The fun is in the explanations: someone will give a very serious speech about why they refuse to live without Wi-Fi, or how they’ve thought far too much about hot chocolate.

This game warms people up for talking and laughing, and you can keep it going between other activities whenever there’s a lull.

6. Holiday Bingo Mixer

Instead of number bingo, create cards full of little social tasks or “spot this person” squares:

“Someone wearing an ugly sweater”
“Someone who hates eggnog”
“Someone who has already finished their Christmas shopping”
“Someone who has never seen Home Alone”

People mingle around the room trying to find someone who fits each square. When they do, that person signs their name in the box. First person to get a full row shouts “Merry Christmas!” and wins a small prize.

What makes this work is that it gently forces people to talk to many different guests, but the questions are light and often funny. You can also create a PG version for kids and a more specific one for coworkers.

7. Christmas Pictionary Names

Before the party, ask everyone (or just a handful of people) to write down random Christmas-related words on small pieces of paper – the more specific, the better. Things like “tangled fairy lights,” “burnt cookies,” “panic shopping on December 24,” or “grandma snoring in the armchair.”

Split into teams. A player from each team grabs a word and has 30–45 seconds to draw it on a whiteboard or big sheet of paper while their teammates guess. No letters, numbers, or talking allowed. If they get it right in time, the team scores a point.

As the game goes on, people get competitive and the drawings get worse, which somehow makes the guessing easier. Everyone ends up laughing at stick-figure Santas and abstract blobs that are apparently “unassembled IKEA toys.”

8. Christmas Compliment Chain

This works well for smaller, close-knit gatherings. Sit in a circle. One person starts by turning to the person on their right and giving them a specific compliment related to the year or the season: “I loved how you hosted Thanksgiving,” or “You’re the one who always remembers the little things.”

After receiving the compliment, that person turns to the next person and does the same, and so on until it comes back around. It sounds cheesy, but if you keep it short and genuine, it leaves everyone with a little emotional warm glow.

You can lighten it by mixing in one silly “Christmas superpower” with each compliment: “You’re incredibly thoughtful and also the only person I trust not to burn the cookies.”

9. Carol Humming Challenge

Divide the room into two or three teams. One player from a team pulls a carol title from a bowl and must hum the tune without words while their team guesses. If they get it right within 30 seconds, they score a point; if not, other teams can steal.

The fun part is that many carols blur together when you’re nervous, so people end up humming something halfway between Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls. You’ll have whole groups accidentally humming along because they can’t help themselves.

To ramp up the chaos, introduce a rule after a few rounds: hum it as if you’re a robot, a tired parent, or a very dramatic opera singer.

10. Christmas Story Chain

Someone starts a story with one sentence: “It was Christmas Eve, and the power suddenly went out.” The next person adds another sentence, then the next, and so on. You go around the circle, building a wild, unpredictable Christmas tale together.

Encourage people to listen and build on what came before instead of just throwing in random stuff, but don’t over-police it. If reindeer suddenly learn to text or the turkey comes to life, roll with it.

This is especially fun for families with teens and kids because everyone’s sense of humor comes out. At the end, you can quickly recap the full chaotic plot and maybe even type it up later as a quirky family memento.

2. Classic Christmas Party Games With a Twist

These are familiar concepts (charades, trivia, relays) but tweaked so they feel fresh and not like corporate training disguised as “fun.”

11. Christmas Charades – “Real Life Edition”

Instead of simple prompts like “snowman” or “Santa,” write real-life Christmas situations on slips of paper:

“Realizing you forgot to defrost the turkey”
“Trying to untangle a giant knot of lights”
“Secretly re-wrapping a gift because you ripped the paper”
“Sneaking the last slice of pie when you think nobody’s looking”

Players act out the scenario silently while their team guesses. People crack up because they recognize the situations from their own lives. It’s oddly satisfying when someone nails “trying to assemble toys at 2 am.”

You can play in teams or as a big group, and kids can join if you adjust the scenarios to be a bit simpler.

12. Gift Wrap Relay Race

Set up two or more “wrapping stations” with paper, tape, and ribbon. Put a random object on each table – something awkward to wrap like a ball, a stuffed animal, a shoe, or a kitchen utensil.

Divide players into equal teams. When you shout “Go!”, the first person from each team runs to the table, wraps the object as quickly and neatly as they can, then runs back and tags the next teammate. They can add ribbon, bows, whatever they like. When everyone on the team has had a turn, the last person carries the finished package to a “judging table.”

You can score based on speed, neatness, and creativity. There’s always one bundle that looks like it survived a minor explosion. It’s chaotic, loud, and perfect for guests who like physical, silly games.

13. Jingle Bell Toss

Think of this as a Christmas-ified beanbag toss. You’ll need a bunch of small jingle bells and several containers: mugs, bowls, small gift boxes. Arrange them at different distances from a throwing line and write a point value on each one – the farthest or smallest container has the highest score.

Players stand behind the line and get, say, five bells each to try and land in the containers. The bells make a satisfying sound when they hit, and occasionally bounce out, which creates a lot of groans and cheers.

You can run this as a quick competition with a scoreboard or leave it set up as a “walk-up game” people play throughout the night. Kids love it; adults get secretly very competitive about it.

14. Christmas Song Lyric Scramble

Choose a bunch of well-known Christmas songs and print one key line from each. Cut the line into individual words, scramble them, and put each set in an envelope. Label the envelopes A, B, C, etc.

Divide into small teams. Give every team a handful of envelopes and a time limit. They must open each one, unscramble the words, figure out the line, and then write down the song title. For example, “bright / your / may / be / days / all” becomes “May all your days be bright” → White Christmas.

There will be heated debates over tiny words like “and” or “the,” and at least one team will insist the line is from a different song altogether. When you read the correct lyrics out loud, people spontaneously start singing, which is exactly what you want.

15. Holiday Price Is Right

Grab 8–10 Christmas-related items and record their prices from a real store or Amazon: a box of chocolates, a mid-range bottle of wine, a set of fairy lights, a wreath, a toy, a festive mug set. Display the items on a table or show photos on a screen.

Players, individually or in teams, write down their best guess for each item’s price. When everyone’s ready, reveal the real price and award the point to whoever was closest without going over. At the end, the winners can actually take some of the items home as prizes.

It’s surprising how passionately people will argue over whether a gingerbread house kit costs $12.99 or $18.99. It also gives you a chance to lean into jokes about inflation, bad budgeting, or impulse buys.

16. “Name That Christmas Smell”

Fill several small jars or cups with cotton balls scented with different Christmas smells: cinnamon, orange, pine, peppermint, vanilla, chocolate, and maybe something trickier like clove or fireplace smoke. Number each container.

Blindfold players (or ask them to close their eyes) and pass the jars around one by one. They sniff and quietly write down their guess for each number. You’ll hear hilarious attempts at describing scents: “This smells… warm?” or “Like if a bakery and a forest had a baby.”

At the end, reveal the answers and see who got the most right. It’s a cozy, low-energy game that still feels very on-theme, perfect for after dinner when people are a bit too full to jump around.

17. Christmas Movie Quote Challenge

Before the party, collect famous lines from Christmas movies – mix classics and newer ones. Write each quote on a card or slide and number them.

Read each quote aloud and have teams write down which movie they think it’s from. You can add a bonus point for naming the character as well. Some will be obvious (“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear”), while others are trickier.

This game works even for people who aren’t obsessed with Christmas films because they’ve usually absorbed enough from memes and TV reruns. It often turns into an impromptu “we have to rewatch that this year” list.

18. Christmas Carol Mash-Up

Pick two carols that everyone knows and mash them together. For example, sing the lyrics of “Silent Night” to the tune of “Jingle Bells,” or “Deck the Halls” to the melody of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Split into two teams. Each round, you assign a mash-up to one team; they have one minute to practice quietly and then perform it for the other group, who must guess which two songs were combined. The first few attempts are usually rough and hilarious, but that’s the whole point.

It’s surprisingly tricky to get your brain to cooperate when you’re trying to sing familiar words to the “wrong” music, which is why the performances end up with everyone doubled over laughing.

19. Ornament Guessing Jar

Fill a transparent jar with tiny ornaments, jingle bells, or even wrapped candies. Before the party starts, count them and write the number down somewhere safe. Place the jar where everyone can see it and make slips of paper available.

Throughout the night, guests write down their name and their best guess and drop it into a small box. Near the end of the party, reveal the actual number and announce who came closest. That person gets to take the jar home or win a nicer prize you’ve set aside.

It’s simple, background fun that doesn’t demand participation but adds a little extra anticipation throughout the evening. Kids hover near the jar trying to count, adults do quick mental math, and everyone gets curious.

20. Snowball Stack Challenge

Using cotton balls or lightweight ping-pong balls as “snowballs,” challenge players to see how many they can stack on top of each other in one minute using only one hand. They have to build straight up; no cheating with tape or leaning on other objects.

You’d think this would be easy, but the lighter the object, the more it wants to roll. People end up holding their breath, shaking with concentration while everyone around them is yelling encouragement or laughing at near-misses.

You can do this as a timed competition with rounds, or set it up as a side challenge where people can beat the “house record” throughout the evening.

21. Reindeer Antler Ring Toss

Buy or DIY inflatable reindeer antlers (or make them from cardboard and a headband) and some lightweight rings – glow sticks taped into circles work well. One person wears the antlers while another stands a few feet away and tosses the rings, trying to hook them on the antlers.

Rotate roles so everyone gets a chance to both throw and wear the antlers. If space allows, gradually increase the distance for extra difficulty. Keep score if your group is competitive, or just enjoy the ridiculous photo opportunities.

Kids adore this, but adults get into it just as much—especially after a drink or two when aiming becomes more questionable and more entertaining.

22. Candy Cane Fishing

Fill a bowl or basket with candy canes, all hooks facing up. Give each player a piece of string or ribbon with a candy cane tied on the end as a “fishing rod.” The goal is to hook as many candy canes as possible from the pile using only the hooked end of their “rod.” No hands allowed on the pile once the game starts.

Set a time limit—maybe 60 seconds per player—and count how many they successfully catch. They can keep their haul as a treat, or everyone’s candy canes go back into a communal bowl after tallying scores.

It’s one of those games that looks childishly easy until you try it and realize how slippery candy canes are when they’re all tangled together.

23. Gift Swap Story Game

Everyone brings a small wrapped gift (you can set a price limit or theme). Instead of doing the usual white elephant rules, you read a short story filled with the words “left” and “right.” Every time you say “left,” everyone passes their gift to the left; when you say “right,” they pass to the right.

You can find pre-written stories online or make your own silly one about Santa’s GPS malfunctioning and turning left or right at the wrong time. At the end of the story, whatever gift each person is holding is theirs to unwrap.

Because the passing is fast and confusing, people feel like it really was random, and there’s less over-thinking and less tension than in cutthroat swap versions.

24. Wrapping Paper Fashion Show

Gather leftover or cheap wrapping paper, tape, bows, and maybe some ribbon. Split guests into teams and ask each team to choose a “model.” They have 10–15 minutes to create a fashion look using only what you’ve provided: dress, skirt, cape, hat, whatever their imagination allows.

When time’s up, put on some upbeat Christmas music and do a mini runway show where each model struts their stuff while the crowd cheers. You can award silly titles like “Most Likely to Tear Before Midnight,” “Best Use of Tape,” or “Most Wearable (In Theory).”

There’s always one outfit that is genuinely impressive and another that is barely holding together, and both are equally entertaining.

25. Christmas Trivia Ladder

Prepare a mix of trivia questions: some about Christmas history and traditions, some about pop culture (songs, movies), some about random weird facts. Arrange them in increasing difficulty levels—easy, medium, hard.

Divide into teams. Each team starts at the bottom of the “ladder.” Answering an easy question correctly moves them up one step; a medium one moves them up two; a hard one three. But if they get a question wrong, they move down one step. Set a time limit or a target step at the top.

The ladder format makes the game feel more dynamic than simple point-scoring, and teams get to decide whether to play it safe or risk a harder question for a bigger jump. You’ll quickly discover which team has secretly been binging Christmas movies all year.

3. Christmas Games for Kids & Family Gatherings

These are the ones that work when you’ve got little cousins, grandparents, and everyone in between in the same room.

26. Snowball Spoon Relay (Indoor-Friendly)

Use cotton balls or ping-pong balls as “snowballs” and teaspoons as the spoons. Split everyone into teams and create a simple course across the living room—around a chair, past the sofa, maybe through the doorway and back. Each player has to walk the course balancing a snowball on their spoon, then gently pass the spoon to the next teammate.

If the snowball drops, they don’t start over; they just pick it up and keep going. That keeps kids from melting down and adults from arguing about rules. You can make later rounds harder by asking older kids to walk backwards, tiptoe, or spin once at the halfway point. It’s silly, noisy, and takes exactly as much energy as people feel like giving it.

27. Santa Says (Christmas Simon Says)

One person gets promoted to “Santa” and stands at the front of the room. Santa gives commands, but players should only follow them if the command starts with “Santa says…”: “Santa says, hop like a reindeer,” “Santa says, pretend to unwrap a present,” “Santa says, act like you’re stuck up a chimney.” When Santa forgets to say “Santa says” and someone still obeys, they’re out for that round.

Kids love the power trip when it’s their turn to be Santa, and adults end up playing along without even realizing it. You can easily keep rounds short and rotate Santas so lots of children get a turn. It’s a nice way to burn energy without needing any props, especially if everyone’s been sitting around after a big meal.

28. Pin the Nose on Rudolph

Print or draw a large Rudolph on poster paper, but leave off the red nose. Cut lots of red circles from card or felt, write each player’s name on one, and add a bit of tape on the back. Blindfold the first player, spin them lightly once or twice, and point them in Rudolph’s general direction.

Watching people confidently walk straight past Rudolph and stick the nose on a wall lamp never stops being funny. When everyone has had a turn, you step back and admire the “modern art” of floating red noses scattered all over the room. Kids will want to play multiple rounds, so it’s worth making plenty of extra noses.

29. Christmas Treasure Hunt

Hide small items around the house or garden—candy canes, stickers, tiny plastic snowflakes, whatever you have. Then write simple clues and either hand them out as a list or reveal them one at a time. “Where it’s cold and food sleeps” might send them to the fridge; “Where we keep our boots dry” might point to the shoe rack.

You can make this cooperative (everyone works together to find everything on the list) or competitive (each child gets a slightly different list). For younger kids keep hiding spots obvious and clues visual; for older kids make it trickier and add a time limit. At the end the found items can be swapped for a small prize bag or shared into equal piles so nobody feels left out.

30. Wrap the Elf

Pick one person in each group to be the “Elf” and hand the rest of that team a roll of toilet paper or crepe streamers plus a few ribbons. Set a timer for two or three minutes. Their mission is to wrap their elf from shoulders to shoes, leaving the face free, and then decorate them with bows or tinsel.

When time’s up, everyone stops, even if the paper is falling apart. Line up the elves and have a quick vote: funniest, most stylish, most likely to fall apart, most like a snowman. Kids love being wrapped almost as much as they love doing the wrapping, and the photos are always gold.

31. Build-a-Marshmallow Snowman

Lay out marshmallows of different sizes, pretzel sticks, toothpicks, and small sweets like chocolate chips or M&Ms. Each player gets a paper plate and ten minutes to build the best snowman they can. Some will go classic—three marshmallows stacked with a pretzel hat. Others will build entire snow families or snow-dragons with extra limbs.

Once the building time is over, do a little “snowman exhibition” where everyone explains what they made. You can give funny awards—“Most likely to melt,” “Best use of pretzels,” “Snowman who looks like he’s had a long year.” Then everyone is free to eat their creation, which is usually the part kids have been waiting for.

32. Christmas Freeze Dance

Put on a playlist of Christmas songs and tell everyone to dance however they want. Every so often stop the music without warning; when the music cuts, everyone has to freeze exactly as they are. Anyone who moves during the freeze is out for that round or has to do a small forfeit, like making their best “ho ho ho.”

Because the freezes usually catch people mid-jump or halfway through some wild move, the positions are ridiculous. Young kids especially love spotting tiny movements: “I saw you wiggle!” You can tweak the rules so nobody fully “loses”—for example, instead of being out, they just move to the “snowbank section” and have to do slow-motion dance next round.

33. North Pole Obstacle Course

Using whatever you have around the house, create a mini obstacle course: jump over a “snowdrift” (pillow), crawl through an “ice tunnel” (two chairs with a blanket draped across), balance along an “icy bridge” (tape line on the floor), and ring a little bell at the end to signal you’ve reached the sleigh.

Time each participant individually or send kids through in pairs if you’ve got space. They will immediately ask for another round, so adjust the course each time—add a “throw a snowball at the target” station or make them carry a present without dropping it. Adults can join in or take the role of very dramatic head elf announcer.

34. Guess What’s in Santa’s Hat

Fill a big Santa hat with small household items: a toy car, a pinecone, a cookie cutter, a jingle bell, a spoon, a crumpled bow. Tie or hold the end so nobody can peek inside. One at a time, players close their eyes, slide a hand in, and feel around for a few seconds, then whisper or write down what they think they felt.

After everyone has had a turn, you reveal the contents one at a time. There’s always someone who confidently swears they felt “a frog” when it was clearly a spoon. For an extra twist with older kids, you can throw in one slightly weird object and award bonus points for getting that one right.

35. Christmas Story Dice

Take a set of blank dice or small wooden cubes and draw simple Christmas pictures on each side: tree, star, gift, snowman, cookie, fireplace, stocking, reindeer, etc. If you don’t have cubes, just make cards with these icons instead.

Players roll three or four dice and must tell a short story that includes all the symbols they rolled. You can keep it light and silly for younger children or challenge older ones to make it more dramatic or heartfelt. Families end up with mini stories about runaway gingerbread men or reindeer stuck on the roof, and you might accidentally create a new tradition of telling one story every year.

4. Office & Coworker Christmas Party Games

These are designed so colleagues can relax without anyone feeling forced to overshare or embarrass themselves in front of their manager.

36. Office Desk Scavenger Hunt (Holiday Edition)

Create a list of items people might realistically find in and around a typical office: a stapler, a mug with a joke on it, something red, something that smells nice, a piece of tech older than five years, a snack with holiday packaging, etc. Add a few “stretch” items like “something that jingles” or “object you’ve had on your desk all year.”

Split into small teams and give them a time limit to find or photograph as many items on the list as possible. Items can come from desks, common areas, or people’s bags—within reason. When time’s up, everyone gathers to show what they found, and you award points for each item, with bonus points for funny backstories. It gets people moving without being too rowdy.

37. “Who’s the Secret Elf?” Compliment Game

Before the party, assign each person a “Secret Elf” (basically Secret Santa, but with kind words instead of gifts). Ask everyone to send you a short, specific compliment or appreciation about their person: what they’ve done well this year, why they’re great to work with, a memorable moment. Keep it genuinely positive—this is not the place for backhanded jokes.

At the party, you read each message aloud without saying the name. The group guesses who it might be about, then you reveal the person and who their Secret Elf was. People get a moment of recognition that isn’t about KPIs or metrics, and the room usually goes very quiet in a good way when someone hears something unexpectedly kind.

38. Holiday Slide Deck Karaoke

Prepare a short, silly slide deck in advance: pictures of weird Christmas decorations, stock photos of overly happy office workers, graphs that go dramatically up or down with no labels, reindeer wearing sunglasses, that sort of thing. Don’t put any explanatory text on the slides.

Volunteers (or brave victims) come up one by one to give a “serious business presentation” based on slides they are seeing for the first time. You give them a vague title like “Q4 Reindeer Performance Review” or “Strategic Cookie Alignment for 2026” and then click through the deck while they improvise.

People who are quiet in meetings sometimes turn out to be comedy geniuses in this format. It’s important to keep the environment supportive: laughter is at the absurd situations, not at the person on stage. No recording if that would make people self-conscious.

39. Holiday “Roast & Toast”

This works best in teams that already have good rapport. Invite volunteers to prepare a very short “roast and toast” about a coworker. The first half is gentle teasing—quirks, catchphrases, funny habits in meetings. The second half is genuine appreciation: how that person makes work better, something important they did, a moment where they helped someone out.

You can structure it like a mini ceremony, going around the room or picking just a few people. The key is setting the tone clearly upfront: no cheap shots, nothing about deeply personal stuff, and everyone ends with warmth. People walk away feeling seen and valued, and the roasts give everyone permission to laugh at the year without bitterness.

40. Office Ornament Decorating Contest

Lay out plain ornaments (wooden discs, clear baubles, even cardboard circles) and art supplies: paint pens, markers, stickers, glitter, glue, bits of ribbon. Give everyone 20 minutes to decorate an ornament that somehow represents their role, their team, or a running joke from the year.

Once time’s up, hang all the ornaments on a “company tree” or pin board. Do a quick gallery walk, letting people explain what they made if they want to. Then have everyone vote anonymously on fun categories: “Most Cryptic,” “Most On-Brand,” “Best Use of Glitter,” “Ornament That Needs a Content Warning.” The tree becomes a little time capsule of in-jokes and memories.

41. Email Subject Line Makeover

Print out a bunch of actual subject lines from internal emails during the year (strip out anything confidential and remove names). Divide the room into teams and give each team a few lines at a time. Their task: rewrite each one as a funny or overly dramatic Christmas version.

For example, “Reminder: Submit Timesheets” might become “Santa Needs Your Time Magic,” and “Printer on 3rd Floor Out of Order” could morph into “The Grinch Stole Our Toner Again.” After a few minutes, each team reads their best rewrites aloud. You don’t need to crown an official winner; the laughs are the whole point.

42. Holiday Pitch-Off

Form small groups and tell them they have ten minutes to invent a ridiculous holiday-themed product or service. Maybe it’s a “self-decorating tree,” a “gingerbread-scented productivity app,” or “AI that writes your family Christmas letter.” Each team must come up with a name, a target audience, and a dramatic one-minute pitch.

When the time’s up, teams present shark-tank style to the rest of the room. Encourage silly props (a doodle on a flipchart absolutely counts) and over-the-top confidence. You can let everyone vote on most believable, most ridiculous, and “product I weirdly might buy.”

43. Desk Décor Show & Tell

If people decorate their desks or home offices for the season, give them a chance to show it off. In person, everyone can go on a quick walkabout; online, each person has 30 seconds to point their camera at their favorite decoration and explain why they chose it.

It sounds trivial, but decor often hides good stories: the ornament that’s moved offices three times, the plant that survived the heatwave, the goofy mug from a past team. It’s light, inclusive, and doesn’t put anyone under pressure to perform.

44. Holiday Bingo: Work Edition

Create custom bingo cards filled with work-related holiday things: “Someone on mute for 30 seconds,” “Reference to year-end madness,” “Ugly sweater spotted,” “Someone mentions the word ‘deadline’,” “Accidentally says ‘love you’ on a call,” and so on.

Hand the cards out at the start of the party or meeting and let people quietly mark them as the event unfolds. When someone gets a full row, they shout something festive like “Elf Alert!” instead of “Bingo.” It adds a layer of background fun without hijacking the actual event.

45. Silent Stocking Auction

Ask people to bring a small, wrapped item under a certain price limit or let the company provide a selection. Place each item in or in front of a numbered stocking. Everyone gets the same number of “holiday dollars” (fake money or tickets) to bid with.

Over a set time, people wander around and drop their bids into envelopes or cups in front of the stockings. At the end, you open each one, see who bid the highest, and they get that stocking. Because nobody knows who else is bidding what, there’s a nice mix of strategy and randomness, and even the people who “lose” tend to enjoy the suspense.

5. Adult / Drinking Christmas Party Games

(You can play most of these without alcohol too—just swap drinks for chocolates, sips of hot cocoa, or forfeits.)

46. Christmas Movie Drinking (or Treat) Game

Pick a well-known Christmas movie—Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday, whatever your crowd loves. Before you hit play, agree on a few triggers: take a sip whenever someone says “Merry Christmas,” whenever a character trips, whenever there’s a montage, whenever you see a ridiculously cozy living room.

Because Christmas films lean hard on clichés, the triggers go off way more often than people expect. You’ll end up half-watching the movie and half-waiting for the next “cue” to shout and sip. If you don’t want alcohol involved, use candy, popcorn, or sips of hot chocolate instead; the silly group ritual is what makes it fun.

47. Naughty or Nice Truth-or-Dare Jenga

Get a cheap Jenga set and write a prompt or dare on each block before the party. Color-code them: maybe green blocks are “nice” (wholesome questions or silly tasks) and red blocks are “naughty” (slightly more daring, but still within your group’s comfort level).

When players pull a block, they have to do what it says before placing it on top. Prompts can be things like “Tell us about your worst Christmas gift ever,” “Do your best Santa laugh for 10 seconds,” or “Swap a drink with the person on your left.” As the tower gets wobblier, everyone gets louder and more invested in whether it will fall— and more nervous about what they might have to reveal.

48. Drunk (or Sugar-High) Carol Karaoke

Set up a basic karaoke system or just use YouTube lyric videos. But instead of letting people pick any song, fill a bowl with Christmas carols and festive pop hits written on slips of paper. When it’s your turn, you draw at random—that’s the song you’re stuck with.

Add little twists to some slips: “Sing this in a dramatic opera style,” “Sing as if you’re very cold,” or “Duet with the person who arrived last.” The randomness cuts down on the usual karaoke paralysis (“What should I sing?”) and the themed twists keep the room from drifting into regular chart songs all night.

49. “Ho Ho Nope” – Christmas Never Have I Ever

Everyone sits in a circle with a drink. One person starts by saying “Ho ho ho, never have I ever…” followed by something Christmas-related: “…re-gifted a present,” “…fallen asleep in church on Christmas Eve,” “…lied that I loved a gift when I hated it.” Anyone who has done that thing takes a sip.

The trick is to keep the tone light and specific, not mean or exposing. People end up discovering strange overlaps: half the room has apparently stolen chocolates from an advent calendar. You’ll get mini-stories after almost every round, which is exactly what you want.

50. Reindeer Ring of Fire

If your group already plays Ring of Fire / King’s Cup, give it a Christmas skin. Spread cards around a drink in the middle as usual, but match each card value to a festive rule. Example:

2 – “You”: point at someone to drink.
3 – “Ho Ho Ho”: everyone must do their best Santa laugh; last one drinks.
4 – “Elves”: all people under a certain height drink.
8 – “Decorate”: the drawer must put on or add to a silly Christmas accessory.

You can tweak the rules to fit your crowd—swap in wholesome sips of hot cocoa or mocktails if needed. It’s chaotic and stupid in the best possible way, especially if everyone leans into the theme.

51. Christmas Cards Against… Everything

If you own Cards Against Humanity (or any similar party card game), make it festive by writing your own Christmas-themed white and black cards on scraps of card or paper and mixing them into the deck. Add prompts like “My family Christmas can best be described as ____” or “The real meaning of Christmas is actually ____.”

Because you know your group, you can tune how tame or wild the custom cards are. The mix of official cards and extremely specific in-jokes tends to produce answers that have everyone howling and saying “We cannot ever tell anyone outside this room about that combo.”

52. Festive Flip Cup Tournament

Clear a long table, split your guests into two teams, and give everyone a plastic cup with a small amount of drink in it—beer, cider, soda, whatever you’re using. On “go,” the first people in line chug their drink, set the cup near the edge of the table, and try to flip it so it lands upside down. Only when they succeed can the next person in their line start.

Dress it up with Christmas details: teams can be “Naughty vs Nice,” you can insist people wear Santa hats while playing, and perhaps the losing team has to belt out a carol as a group. It’s loud, competitive, and best played before anyone is too tipsy to coordinate their hands.

53. Ugly Sweater Catwalk & Roast

Ask everyone to wear their worst Christmas sweater. Halfway through the evening, pause everything and run a quick runway show: one by one, people strut down an improvised “catwalk” while someone does a playful “fashion commentary” over the music.

After each appearance, everyone gets a few seconds to shout compliments or soft roasts: “You look like you lost a fight with the decorations aisle!” Then you vote on categories: “Ugliest,” “Most likely to itch,” “Most grandma-core,” “Sweater that deserves its own Instagram account.” Winners can get tiny trophies or just eternal shame, depending on the vibe.

6. Low-Prep & No-Prop Christmas Games

These are gold when you realize you’ve invited more people than you own chairs for, and you do not have the energy for elaborate setups.

54. “First to Find…”

This is essentially a standing scavenger hunt run in real time. Everyone remains in the main party space. You shout commands like, “First to bring me something red,” “First person to show me a photo of snow on their phone,” or “First pair who can produce matching socks.”

Whoever completes the task first scores a point or wins a small treat. There’s no running allowed if you’re in a small space—speed walking or fast shuffling only. You can keep this going as long as people are enjoying it, and it doubles as a sneaky way to get everyone to mingle and move.

55. One-Word Christmas Story

Sit in a circle. You’re going to tell a Christmas story together, but each person only gets one word at a time. You start: “Once.” The next person says: “upon.” The next: “a.” And so on. The story will wobble between genius and nonsense, which is exactly what makes it work.

People tend to speed up, which leads to brilliantly weird sentences and sudden plot twists when someone panics and blurts out “cheeseburger.” If you want a slightly calmer version, upgrade it to one sentence per person instead of one word, but the one-word game always gets more laughs.

56. Guess the Christmas Rule

Pick one person to step out of the room while the group silently chooses a “rule” everyone must obey when speaking to that person. Examples: touch your nose before every sentence, always say “ho ho ho” instead of “yes,” or call them by a Christmas nickname.

The person comes back and starts chatting. Their job is to work out what the rule is. Because everyone over-acts their part a little, it doesn’t take too long—but it’s very funny watching them slowly realize everyone is scratching their head before they answer. Rotate the detective role so several people get a turn.

57. Five Things – Christmas Edition

Pick a person and a prompt like “Name five Christmas movies in ten seconds” or “Tell five things you might find in Santa’s sleigh.” They have to quickly list five items while the group counts down. As soon as they finish, they throw the prompt to someone else: “Okay, Anna—five Christmas smells!”

The game moves quickly and nobody has much time to overthink. It works especially well early in the night when people are still getting warmed up. You can keep it very PG or throw in silly prompts like “Five things you’d never want to get for Christmas but probably will.”

58. Accent Carol

Choose a carol everyone knows—say, Jingle Bells. Go round the group with each person singing just one line, but each time, someone calls out an accent or style: pirate, robot, dramatic Shakespearean, news anchor, whisper, opera.

The combination of a very familiar song and totally inappropriate delivery never fails. If your group is camera-shy, make a rule that nobody records; that way people feel safer going all in. This one plays well with kids and adults, but grown-ups tend to lean harder into the accents.

59. Santa’s List Categories

This is like “Categories” from drinking games, but family-friendly. Someone picks a category—Christmas songs, types of cookies, things you’d see at the North Pole. Going around the circle, each person must name an item that fits and hasn’t been said before.

When someone hesitates too long or repeats one, they’re out for that round. To keep it gentle, you can give each person one “lifeline” where the group helps them. This game is deceptively simple and particularly fun with mixed generations—kids will say wild things that adults then try to justify.

60. “Most Likely To…” Christmas Superlatives

On slips of paper, write a bunch of Christmas-themed “Most likely to…” prompts: “Most likely to be mistaken for Santa,” “Most likely to burn the cookies,” “Most likely to be found still wrapping gifts at 3 a.m.”

Pull one slip at a time and ask everyone to secretly vote by pointing at or writing down who they think fits it best. Reveal the “winner” and let them defend themselves or embrace the title. It’s a gentle way of poking fun that also shows how people see each other in a loose, affectionate way.

7. Virtual & Hybrid Christmas Party Games

Perfect for remote teams, long-distance families, or when not everyone can make it in person.

61. Zoom Christmas Scavenger Dash

On a video call, announce a household item or theme—“something red,” “your coziest blanket,” “a mug with a story,” “something that smells like Christmas.” Everyone has 20–30 seconds to sprint around their home, find something that fits, and come back to show it on camera.

Each round, people do a quick, one-sentence explanation of their item. You learn who hoards candles, who still owns ornaments from childhood, and who secretly loves novelty mugs. Keep a loose score if you want, but the best part is just seeing slices of each other’s lives.

62. Virtual Background Contest

Ask everyone to join the call with a custom festive background—maybe a cheesy stock photo, maybe a photo from their real house, maybe something they made themselves. Spend five minutes at the start of the call doing a “background tour” where each person explains their choice.

Then vote in the chat on different categories: “Most chaotic,” “Most peaceful,” “Background I wish I was in right now,” “Most likely to be AI-generated.” It’s low-effort for guests and makes your regular grid of faces look instantly more seasonal.

63. Online Christmas Quiz Night

Use a quiz platform or just share your screen and run the quiz manually. Mix in picture rounds (guess the Christmas movie from a still), audio rounds (name that carol from a short clip), and oddball facts (“Which country started the tradition of Christmas trees?”).

Split people into breakout rooms for team discussion or let everyone play individually and answer in a form. Remote workers get to flex their trivia muscles, and it doesn’t matter if someone’s audio is a bit laggy—they have time to type. To make it feel less corporate, throw in a “Guess which coworker” round using funny but harmless facts you collected beforehand.

64. Remote Secret Santa Show-and-Tell

Run Secret Santa the usual way with online wishlists or small mailed gifts, but instead of people unwrapping alone, schedule a short call where everyone opens their present live. Each person shows what they got, tries to guess who sent it, and the giver reveals themselves afterwards.

Encourage gifts that lend themselves to a story when opened—inside jokes, something linked to a hobby, or a little bundle of treats from the giver’s city. The call ends up full of little reactions and “Oh, that’s so you,” which is exactly the kind of connection that’s usually missing from remote-only interactions.

65. Christmas Meme Battle

Before the virtual party, ask everyone to find or create one Christmas-themed meme they love (keep it work-safe, obviously). During the call, share them one at a time—either by screen-sharing or dropping images in chat—and let people vote in a quick poll or just by using reactions/emojis.

You’ll end up with a mini “meme wall” of the group’s sense of humor. It’s quick, interactive, and doesn’t require anyone to perform on camera, which is nice for shy teammates.

66. Story Cubes on Camera

If you have physical story cubes (with little icons on them), roll them on camera. If not, use a simple online generator or just hold up hand-drawn symbols. Give everyone a minute to think of a short story that includes all the symbols—say, a snowflake, a clock, a present, and a plane.

Then invite volunteers to share their story in one or two minutes. You can keep it light and funny or challenge people to make something surprisingly heartwarming. It’s a laid-back creative activity that works even if people are multitasking at home.

67. “Who’s That Baby Elf?” Guessing Game

Collect childhood or baby Christmas photos from participants ahead of time—everyone sends one to the organizer. Make a simple slideshow, numbering each picture. On the call, share the screen and let people guess in chat which coworker or family member is which number.

After each reveal, give the person a moment to share a quick memory from that year if they want to. There’s something genuinely sweet about seeing colleagues with horrible 90s sweaters or sitting on a mall Santa’s lap looking deeply unimpressed.

68. Remote Christmas Escape Mini-Game

Create a very simple “escape room” plot in a shared slide deck or document: Santa is stuck in a snowstorm, the gifts are locked, whatever you like. Each slide has a puzzle—riddle, code hidden in a picture, word scramble.

Split people into small breakout groups and give each group a copy of the deck. They have to work through the puzzles in order and message you when they think they’ve solved the final one. You don’t need professional puzzles; a handful of clever but solvable tasks is enough to give people that satisfying “we did it” feeling.

69. Global Christmas Traditions Show & Tell

For remote teams across different regions, this one is pure gold. Ask each person to bring one Christmas or year-end tradition from their country, culture, or family. It might be a specific food, a song, a superstition, or a unique party game.

During the call, give each person a few minutes to explain and, if possible, show something on camera—an object, a recipe, a photo, a short clip of music. You end up with a mini world tour of December traditions, and people walk away with new ideas to borrow for their own celebrations.

8. Active & Outdoor Christmas Games

These are for when you’ve got space – a backyard, a park, or actual snow if you’re lucky.

70. Snowman Building Challenge (or Sandman if You’re in a Warm Place)

If you have real snow, split everyone into teams and give them a time limit—say, 20 minutes—to build the most impressive snowman they can. You can set categories beforehand: tallest snowman, most fashionable, weirdest concept, most realistic. People grab sticks, scarves, carrots, whatever they can find.

No snow? Do a “sandman” at the beach or a “box-man” indoors using cardboard boxes and tape. The point is to create something vaguely humanoid and then overthink its personality. At the end, walk around voting on each creation, and let teams explain what on earth they were trying to achieve. The explanations are honestly half the entertainment.

71. Reindeer Relay Race

Mark out a simple relay course and divide players into teams of “reindeer.” Each team gets a sack or pillowcase to use as Santa’s toy bag. One at a time, reindeer must run the course while carrying the sack—on their back, in front, or between two teammates like they’re dragging a sleigh.

You can add silly rules to each lap: hop on one leg, run backwards for part of it, or stop halfway and shout “Ho ho ho!” before continuing. This gets people moving and laughing, and it’s easy to keep kid-friendly or turn into a chaotic adult race if that’s your vibe.

72. Candy Cane Hunt

Think Easter egg hunt but with candy canes or small wrapped treats. Hide them all over your garden, house, or community space—some obvious for kids, some sneakier for older players. Establish a maximum per person so one determined adult doesn’t clear the whole field.

When you say go, everyone scrambles to collect as many as they can. At the end, you can let people keep their haul or have them trade in extras for small prizes or privileges (choosing the next game, picking the playlist). It’s simple, but it never really stops being fun to discover a candy cane tucked somewhere unexpected.

73. Snowball Target Practice (or Soft-Ball if No Snow)

If you’ve got snow, build a simple target on a wall or fence—three circles with different point values, or a big cardboard Santa. Players make snowballs and take turns aiming at the sections. If there’s no snow, you can use foam balls or even rolled-up socks.

Keep score casually or go full scoreboard. People start off gentle and then suddenly tap into their inner competitor, adjusting stance and taking it way too seriously. Kids love the physical part; adults secretly love that it finally gives them permission to throw things.

74. Human Christmas Tree

Each team chooses one person to be the “tree.” Give the rest of the team a basket of decorations: tinsel, ribbon, paper stars, ornaments, tape, anything that isn’t going to break or hurt. Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and let them decorate the person as if they’re a full-sized tree.

When time’s up, trees stand in a line while everyone admires the chaos. You can vote on “Most glamorous tree,” “Tree most likely to shed tinsel everywhere,” and “Tree that looks like it’s questioning its life choices.” It’s extremely good for photos and reels.

75. Christmas Capture the Flag

If you have a group that likes active games, run a Christmas version of Capture the Flag. Each team hides a “present”—a wrapped box or bright object—on their side of the field. The goal is to sneak onto the other side, grab their present, and bring it back without being tagged.

The Christmas twist can be as simple as requiring everyone to wear Santa hats or as extra as giving each team a theme (elves vs reindeer) with matching colored scarves. It burns off a ton of energy and gives teens and grown-ups a chance to run around instead of just hovering near the snacks.

76. Caroling Flash Mob (Friendly Version)

This one is half game, half mini-event. Pick a simple carol everyone knows, practice it once or twice, then head out for a quick “flash mob” performance somewhere appropriate—front yard for neighbors, lobby of an apartment building, or even just bursting into song when a specific cue happens at your own party.

The “game” part is agreeing on the cue. Maybe when someone says “eggnog,” everyone has to freeze for a second and then start singing the carol from wherever they are. People around you will be confused for about two seconds and then start smiling or filming, and your group walks away with a shared little memory.

9. Quiet & Printable Christmas Games

These are the cosy ones for the end of the night, or for people who don’t love noisy, physical games.

77. Christmas Would-You-Rather Cards

Print or write a stack of Christmas-themed Would-You-Rather questions on cards and put them in a bowl on the table. Examples: “Would you rather only watch one Christmas film forever or never watch one again?” “Would you rather decorate ten trees in one day or wrap 100 presents in one night?”

Pass the bowl around. When someone draws a card, they read it aloud and answer, then toss it to whoever they want to answer next. The pace is slow, everyone can stay curled up on sofas or chairs, and the conversation often takes funny detours into personal stories and grievances about glitter.

78. Christmas Crossword or Word Search Night

Create or download a Christmas-themed crossword and/or word search. Print enough copies for everyone or one per team. Hand them out with pens and give people a time limit, or just let everyone pick away at them while they sip something warm and chat.

It’s surprisingly soothing, especially for family gatherings where some people just want a quiet activity. Kids can team up with grandparents, and you can have a little prize for the first completed sheet or for the neatest handwriting.

79. Holiday “Who Am I?” Guessing Game

Write a bunch of Christmas-related people or characters on sticky notes: Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty, “overworked mall employee,” “person who forgot to defrost the turkey.” Stick one on each player’s forehead or back without them seeing it.

People move around asking yes/no questions: “Am I human?” “Do I live at the North Pole?” “Do people like me?” Once they think they know who they are, they can guess. If they’re wrong, they must keep asking questions. It’s quiet enough to do in a living room, but you still get a lot of giggles when someone realizes they are, indeed, “leftover Brussels sprout.”

80. Christmas Acrostic Challenge

Write the word “CHRISTMAS” or another phrase like “SILENT NIGHT” down the side of a page. Players must use each letter as the start of a word or line to create a poem, list, or a mini story. For example, every line could be something they’re grateful for, or one thing they love about the holidays.

Give it ten minutes, then invite people to read theirs aloud if they want. Some will go funny, some will go unexpectedly thoughtful, and the mix of tones gives the room that soft, end-of-night feeling.

81. Ornament Memory Tray

Put 10–20 small Christmas items on a tray—ornament, candy cane, tiny snowman, ribbon, cookie cutter, etc. Let everyone look at the tray for 30–60 seconds, then cover it with a cloth or remove it from the room. Players must write down as many items as they can remember.

When you reveal the tray again, there’s always a collective groan at the objects everyone forgot (“How did I not remember the giant red bow?”). You can do another round by removing a couple of items and asking people to spot what’s missing.

82. “Best & Worst of the Year” Reflection Cards

Cut small cards and on each one write a prompt related to the year, not just Christmas: “A moment you were proud of this year,” “A small thing that got you through a hard day,” “A ridiculous problem that makes you laugh now.” Mix in a couple of festive ones too.

Pass the stack around. Each person draws a card and answers honestly, in as much or as little detail as they like. It turns into a gentle group reflection without the intensity of sitting everyone down for a formal round of “share your feelings.”

83. Christmas Doodle Challenge

Give everyone a small blank card and a pen. Set a one-minute timer and shout a prompt: “Draw your ideal Christmas tree,” “Draw your mood right now as a snowman,” “Draw the worst gift you can think of.” When time’s up, everyone holds up their doodle.

No artistic talent required; in fact, the worse the drawing, the better. You can let people try to guess what each doodle is supposed to be, or just go around quickly and have each person explain their masterpiece in a sentence or two.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Real questions people ask when planning Christmas parties

1. What are the best Christmas party games for mixed-age groups?

The safest bets are games where nobody feels too old or too young: Christmas Bingo, Charades, Pictionary, Ornament Guessing Jar, Freeze Dance, and scavenger hunts. These work because they’re simple, don’t embarrass anyone, and can be scaled up or down depending on the crowd. If you expect both kids and older relatives, avoid games that involve a lot of running or inside jokes that only adults will understand.

2. How many games should I plan for a Christmas party?

A good rule is 2–3 main games and 2 backup quick games. Most parties flow better when games fill gaps instead of dominating the whole night. Start with an icebreaker as people arrive, play one bigger game when everyone has settled, and bring out the rest only if the energy dips.

3. What Christmas party games require no prep at all?

If you’re hosting last-minute, go for:

Five-Things
One-Word Story
Christmas Would-You-Rather
Guess the Christmas Rule
Most-Likely-To (Christmas edition)
“First To Find…” mini scavenger dash

All of these work instantly without needing props, printing, or organizing teams.

4. What are some Christmas party games that aren’t cringe for adults?

Adults usually hate games that feel forced or childish. Good bets include:

Holiday Price Is Right
Christmas Movie Quote Challenge
Trivia Ladder
Ugly Sweater Catwalk
Drunk (or Cocoa) Carol Karaoke
Secret Elf Compliment Game

These get people laughing naturally without pushing anyone into awkward situations.

5. How do I make Christmas games work for big groups (20–50 people)?

Use team-based games or games with simultaneous participation:

Relay races
Pictionary with large teams
Bingo
Trivia
Guessing jar
“First to Find…” challenges
Charades (with rotating groups)

Avoid games where only one person acts while everyone watches — big groups get bored fast.

6. What are the best Christmas party games for the office?

Offices need games that are fun but still HR-safe. These work every time:

Office Ornament Decorating
Holiday Pitch-Off
Bingo (work edition)
Slide Deck Karaoke
Secret Elf Compliment Game
Desk Scavenger Hunt

Stay away from games where coworkers have to sing solo, share personal stories, or act out embarrassing scenes unless the team is extremely comfortable.

7. What are some Christmas games that don’t require much space?

Small apartment? No problem. Try:

Christmas Crossword or Word Search
Ornament Memory Tray
Trivia night
Card-based guessing games
Story Chain
Lyric scramble
Pictionary on a small whiteboard

Avoid anything that needs running, throwing, or large props.

8. What if my group doesn’t know each other well? (Mixed friends + coworkers)

Use light, structured games that break awkward silence without forcing intimacy:

Emoji Story Guess
Would-You-Rather
Ornament Speed Networking
Bingo Mixer
Christmas Name Game (“Sparkly Reindeer,” etc.)

These create instant talking points and help strangers warm up quickly.

9. What are the best games for a virtual Christmas party?

People online need fast, visual, low-pressure activities:

Zoom scavenger dash
Virtual background contest
Online trivia quiz
Meme battle
Guess the baby-elf photo
Small breakout-team challenges

Avoid long games where one person speaks for a long time — attention drops fast on video calls.

10. How do I keep Christmas party games from feeling childish?

The trick is in framing. Use humor, competition, and adult-friendly prompts. Turn simple games into “tournaments,” add fun categories, or lean into office/family inside jokes. Also, keep rounds short. Adults don’t hate games — they hate games that drag on or make them feel silly for too long.

11. What should I do if people don’t want to play games at all?

This happens more often than hosts admit. If the vibe isn’t right, switch to background games instead of group ones:

Guessing jar
Ornament decorating table
Trivia sheets
Ongoing score challenges (like mini ring toss)
Photo booth corner

People can participate casually without pressure, and the night still feels fun.

12. How do I choose the right game for my Christmas party?

Ask yourself:

How many people?
How well do they know each other?
Do you have space to move?
Do you want loud or calm energy?

If the party is loud with lots of food/drinks → choose active games.
If everyone is cozy and full → choose trivia or printable games.
If kids are around → keep it simple and physical.
If it’s office → stick to safe, team-based activities.

13. What Christmas games work best for kids of different ages?

Games with simple roles but flexible difficulty:

Freeze dance
Treasure hunt
Build-a-snowman challenge
Rudolph nose game
Marshmallow snowmen
Santa Says

These allow older kids to help younger ones without getting bored.

14. Can I turn Christmas games into traditions every year?

Yes — and people actually love it. Pick one easy, fun thing and repeat it every year, like:

Snowball Toss Championship
Christmas Trivia Cup
Annual Ugly Sweater Catwalk
Family or office ornament contest
Over time, the game becomes something people look forward to, not just something to fill time.

15. How can I include people who don’t celebrate Christmas?

Focus on winter themes instead of specifically Christmas ones. Use neutral games like:

Winter trivia
Cookie decorating
Cozy scavenger hunt
Snowman building or drawing
Hot chocolate tasting
End-of-year reflection cards

You can still have a fun, inclusive seasonal party without centering any one tradition.

By the time everyone heads home, nobody’s going to remember whether you ticked off every game on a list – they’ll remember who couldn’t stop laughing during charades, who took the snowball toss way too seriously, and that one weird story that came out during a question game. So don’t stress about running the “perfect” party. Pick a few games that feel right for your crowd, read the room, and let the night be a bit messy and fun.

If you want to bottle a little of that, you can always grab your phone, record a quick group shoutout or a few personal messages, and send them later as short video surprises through MessageAR. It’s low effort, but it feels like the kind of thing people actually save instead of just forgetting by New Year.

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