A Christmas party has a problem most parties do not: the guests range from a 6-year-old nephew to a manager you see twice a year. The games below are chosen for that mix. None needs a board, a printer or a lot of explaining, and each one has a clear end so the host can move on to food.
Pick by crowd
| Crowd | Best three | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Family with kids | Ornament hunt, Christmas charades, wrapping race | Kids can win on their own and adults can help |
| Friends | Gift swap with steals, forbidden word, imposter | Talk, bluff and a bit of rivalry |
| Office | Carol humming, the left and right story, desk decorating | Nobody has to share anything personal or act alone in front of the boss |
Games for the whole family
1. Christmas charades
Two teams, one actor at a time, one minute per turn. The actor mimes a Christmas word for their team without a sound: “wrapping presents”, “building a snowman”, “hanging stockings”. It is the easiest game on this list to start, because everyone knows the words. We wrote a full list of ideas sorted from easy to hard in our Christmas charades guide, and the general rules are on the charades page.
2. Ornament hunt
Hide 20 unbreakable ornaments or paper stars around one room. Kids hunt while adults finish cooking; the one who finds the gold one (or the most) picks the first dessert. Setup takes five minutes and the game buys you fifteen.
3. Wrapping race
Pairs race to wrap the same size box, one partner wearing oven mitts and the other with one hand behind their back. Best wrapped and fastest each win a point. It takes ten minutes and the results are worth a photo.
4. Snowman relay
Teams of three or more wrap one teammate as a snowman with rolls of toilet paper in two minutes. Add a hat and a scarf at the end. Judges, usually the grandparents, pick the best snowman. Use cheap rolls; it is messy, which is the point.
5. Draw and guess, holiday words
One player draws a word, the others shout guesses until a one-minute timer runs out. No letters and no numbers. Put holiday words in a bowl (“sleigh”, “chimney”, “gingerbread house”) and mix in ordinary ones so it does not get too easy:
Easy things to draw
Easy words from the free draw and guess deck. Mix them with your own holiday words in a bowl.
- Cat
- Pig
- Bee
- Egg
- Cheese
- Rain boots
- Book
- Toothbrush
- Flower
- Car
- Helicopter
- Crown
More ideas are on our things to draw list.
Games for a party of friends
6. Gift swap with steals
Everyone brings one wrapped gift under an agreed price, often $15 to $25. Draw numbers. Player 1 opens any gift. Each next player either opens a new gift or steals one already opened; whoever is robbed opens a new one or steals from someone else. A gift is frozen after its third steal. With 12 people it takes 30 to 40 minutes, and the steals are the whole game.
7. Imposter with holiday words
Everyone gets the same secret word except the imposter, who only gets the category. Each player says one word about it in turn, then everyone votes. Holiday words make it harder than it sounds: if the secret word is “mistletoe”, a player who says “kiss” is fine and one who says “green” might be the imposter. Needs 4 or more, best with 5 to 8. Our imposter page has the full rules and a free word list by category.
8. Forbidden word
Two teams. One player describes the word on a card without saying it or any of the five words beneath it while their team guesses; one minute per turn. A good game for friends who like to talk fast. Cards from the free deck:
Forbidden word cards from the free deck
Medium cards from the free deck in the app. The describer may not say the top word or any of the five under it.
- Volcano Do not say: lava · erupt · mountain · hot · ash
- Treasure Do not say: gold · pirate · chest · map · buried
- Meme Do not say: funny · picture · internet · joke · viral
- Escalator Do not say: stairs · moving · mall · up · elevator
- Sandwich Do not say: bread · lunch · ham · cheese · lettuce
- Pajamas Do not say: sleep · night · bed · clothes · comfy
Rules and scoring: forbidden word.
9. Holiday two truths and a lie
Each player tells three short holiday stories: two true, one invented. “I once got a potato as a present.” “I have never seen snow on Christmas.” Everyone votes on the lie. It works with people who have just met, so it is a good first game. Rules and many more prompts are in our two truths and a lie guide.
10. Mild truths by the tree
Pass a phone or a bowl of questions and answer one each, with an easy pass rule. Keep it to light questions (“What is the worst gift you have ever received?”) and nobody feels put on the spot. Our mild truth or dare cards are written for ages 12 and up.
Games for the office party
Office games need to be short, need no personal sharing and must not make anyone perform alone.
11. Carol humming
Teams take turns: one player hums a Christmas carol, mouth closed, no words, while their team names it. Thirty seconds per carol. “Jingle Bells” is easy; “Good King Wenceslas” is not. Nobody has to sing well, which is why it works at work.
12. The left and right story
Everyone in a circle holds a wrapped gift. The host reads a short story full of the words left and right (“Santa looked left, then right, then left again…”). On each word, every gift moves one seat that way. When the story ends, you keep what you hold. Write your own story or ask a colleague to; five minutes, any number of people.
13. Two-minute desk decorating
Teams get a pile of office supplies and two minutes to turn one desk into a holiday scene. The rest of the room votes. Fast, visual and nobody has to say anything.
14. Finish the carol
The host reads the first line of a carol; teams write down the next line. One point for every word in the right place. “Deck the halls with boughs of holly…” is easy; the second verse of almost anything is not. No singing, no acting, nothing personal.
15. Holiday word bowl
The fishbowl game in three rounds with the same slips of paper: round 1 describe the word in any words, round 2 use only one word, round 3 act it out with no words. Each player writes three holiday words at the start. By round 3, everyone knows the words and the acting gets ridiculous. It needs 6 or more and takes about 30 minutes.
How to run the party
| Time | Game | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First 30 minutes | Ornament hunt for kids, two truths and a lie for adults | People are still arriving |
| Before the food | Christmas charades or carol humming | Everyone in one room |
| After the food | Gift swap with steals | Takes the longest; do it while people sit |
| Late | Imposter, forbidden word | For the ones who stay |
Tips that save a party
- Explain one game in one minute or pick another. Long rules kill the mood.
- Mix teams on purpose: kids with grandparents, new colleagues with old ones.
- Keep score on paper where everyone can see it; it is half the fun.
- For a gift swap, say the price limit twice in the invite.