Christmas parties come in every shape: a cozy family night, a big friends' party, an awkward office lunch or a classroom celebration. The right games turn mingling into memories. Below are our favorite Christmas party games, grouped by crowd, with tips on how to run them. Most need only paper, pens and a few dollar-store supplies.
👨👩👧 Family Christmas games
- Christmas movie charades. Write titles on slips: Elf, Home Alone, The Polar Express. Kids and grandparents can play on the same team.
- Pass the parcel. Wrap a small prize in many layers, with a tiny treat or a silly challenge in each layer. Pass it while music plays.
- Christmas bingo. Use carols, ornaments or movie moments. Christmas bingo cards(paid link) are cheap, or make your own.
- Gingerbread house contest. Teams of two or three, a time limit and a judge. Prizes for best design and best disaster.
- Snowball toss. Toss cotton balls or indoor snowballs(paid link) into buckets for points.
⏱️ Minute-to-win-it Christmas games
These 60-second challenges work for every age and are hilarious to watch.
- Candy cane hook. Hold a candy cane in your mouth and use it to pick up other candy canes.
- Ornament stack. Stack plastic ornaments into a tower.
- Unwrap the present with oven mitts. A classic.
- Jingle bell shake. Shake jingle bells out of a tissue box tied around your waist.
- Santa beard cotton ball race. Put petroleum jelly on your nose and move cotton balls to a bowl.
- Snowman stack. Stack marshmallows into the tallest snowman with toothpicks.
🎁 Gift exchange games
- White Elephant. Guests bring a wrapped gift and take turns choosing or stealing. See our White Elephant gifts under $25.
- Left-right story game. Everyone holds a gift while someone reads a story; each time it says "left" or "right," pass the gift that direction.
- Secret Santa reveal. Guests guess who their Secret Santa was before the reveal.
🍷 Games for adult parties
- Hidden traitor game. Some guests are secretly traitors; everyone else tries to find them through challenges and votes. It's perfect for groups of 8 to 20 and works well as the centerpiece of a party.
- Christmas trivia. Rounds on carols, movies, traditions around the world and "finish the lyric."
- Ugly sweater contest. Categories for ugliest, most creative and best DIY.
- Name that tune. Play two seconds of a Christmas song. Harder than it sounds.
- Fishbowl, holiday edition. Holiday characters and movies through three rounds of Taboo, one word and charades.
🏢 Office Christmas party games
Office games need to be inclusive, quick and work-appropriate.
- Guess the baby photo. Coworkers submit baby or childhood photos for a guessing board.
- Holiday scavenger hunt. Teams find items or take photos around the office.
- Desk decorating contest. Runs all week and builds excitement.
- Team trivia. Mix holiday questions with company trivia.
- Virtual-friendly games. Christmas Pictionary on a shared whiteboard or holiday emoji quizzes.
🏫 School and classroom party games
Keep it simple: freeze dance to holiday songs, Christmas bingo, a snowball toss and a coloring station for quiet kids. Printable activity packs make an easy station that runs itself.
🗓️ Planning tips
Pick one icebreaker, two or three quick games and one big game. Start the big game about an hour in, when everyone has arrived but before energy dips. Have small prizes: Christmas party favors(paid link), candy or a funny trophy. Assign a host who knows the rules. For New Year's Eve, these same games work well; just swap in countdown-themed prizes.
❓ FAQ
What are good Christmas party games for adults?
Hidden traitor games, Christmas trivia, name that tune, Fishbowl, an ugly sweater contest and White Elephant are favorites for adult parties.
What Christmas games can families play?
Christmas movie charades, pass the parcel, Christmas bingo, a gingerbread house contest and minute-to-win-it challenges work for all ages.
What are good office Christmas party games?
Guess the baby photo, team trivia, a holiday scavenger hunt, a desk decorating contest and Christmas Pictionary are inclusive and work-appropriate.
What is the left-right Christmas game?
Everyone holds a wrapped gift while a story is read aloud. Each time the story says left or right, players pass their gift in that direction. Whoever holds a gift at the end keeps it.
What are some quick Christmas minute-to-win-it games?
Candy cane hook, ornament stack, unwrapping a present with oven mitts, the jingle bell shake and the Santa beard cotton ball race.
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Updated October 22, 2026.