Christmas
Games
20+ game ideas for parties, families, and adults - plus free online quizzes and trivia you can play right now.
Play Online
Jump straight into a game - no downloads, no sign-ups. Pick one and start playing.
Christmas Quiz
50 questions · 5 categoriesMultiple-choice questions with instant scoring - pick a difficulty and test your festive knowledge.
Christmas Trivia
120+ questions · 8 categoriesOver 120 trivia questions and answers across 8 themed rounds - perfect for quiz nights.
Would You Rather
55 dilemmas55 festive dilemmas that spark hilarious debates - no wrong answers, just strong opinions.
Word Search
3 puzzles · 3 difficultiesFind hidden Christmas words in the grid - 3 themed puzzles at 3 difficulty levels with a built-in timer.
Bingo
3 themes · 3 difficultiesAuto-caller bingo with 3 festive themes - dab called items on your card and race to shout Bingo!
Charades
90 prompts · 3 themesAct out Christmas prompts with a countdown timer - 3 themed sets, team scoring, and printable prompt lists.
Left Right Game
3 stories · printableRead a Christmas story aloud - every LEFT and RIGHT triggers a gift pass. 3 themed stories with printable cards.
Scavenger Hunt
20 ideas · 20 riddles20 themed scavenger hunt ideas for indoors, outdoors, adults, and kids - plus 20 riddles and printable checklists.
Party Games
16 games · 4 categories16 crowd-tested party games for icebreakers, large groups, team nights, and office celebrations.
Whether you're hosting a Christmas party, looking for family games to play on Christmas Day, or need a quick activity to break the ice, this page has you covered. We've gathered the best Christmas games - from high-energy party classics to calm family favourites and competitive adult game nights - plus free online quizzes and trivia you can play instantly on any device.
Every game below includes a full "How to Play" guide, recommended player count, and tips to keep things fun. Use the quick-jump links above to find exactly what you need, or browse through all 20 ideas for Christmas games for inspiration.
Christmas Party Games
Crowd-tested games that work for office parties, friendsgivings, and any gathering of 6 or more. High energy, easy rules, maximum laughter.
Christmas Charades
4–20 playersAct out Christmas movies, songs, and traditions without speaking - the classic party game with a festive twist.
Split into two teams. One player draws a card and acts out the Christmas-themed prompt (movie, song, character, or tradition) without speaking or mouthing words. Their team has 60 seconds to guess. Alternate between teams. First team to 10 points wins. For harder rounds, restrict to "movies only" or "songs only."
Christmas Bingo
4–30 playersFill your card with festive icons and phrases - great for mixed ages and large groups.
Give each player a bingo card with a 5×5 grid of Christmas items (snowflake, candy cane, reindeer, etc.). The caller draws items at random and announces them. Players mark matching squares. First to complete a full row, column, or diagonal shouts "Bingo!" and wins a prize. For longer games, play "blackout" - fill the entire card.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
4–20 playersRace to find hidden items, complete photo challenges, and solve festive riddles around the house or neighbourhood.
Prepare a list of 15–20 items to find or tasks to complete (e.g., "something with a snowflake on it," "take a selfie with a Christmas tree," "find a candy cane"). Split into teams. Set a time limit of 30–45 minutes. Teams photograph each found item as proof. Award 1 point per item and 3 points for bonus challenges. Most points wins.
Gift Exchange Game
6–20 playersA chaotic twist on Secret Santa - steal, swap, and strategise to get the best wrapped gift.
Each player brings one wrapped gift (set a budget, e.g. £10). Sit in a circle and draw numbers. Player 1 picks and opens a gift. Each subsequent player can either open a new gift OR steal an already-opened one. If your gift is stolen, you pick or steal again. A gift can only be stolen 3 times before it's "frozen." The game ends when all gifts are opened.
Name That Christmas Tune
4–20 playersPlay a few seconds of a Christmas song and race to name it - bonus points for artist and year.
Prepare a playlist of 20–30 Christmas songs. Play just the first 3–5 seconds of each song. Teams write down the song title (1 point), artist (1 point), and year (1 bonus point). After all songs are played, tally the scores. For a harder version, play instrumental-only versions or start songs from the middle.
Two Truths & a Christmas Lie
4–12 playersShare two true Christmas facts and one lie - everyone else guesses which is fake.
Each player takes a turn sharing three "Christmas facts" - two are true, one is a lie. Example: "Rudolph was created for a department store ad" (true), "Jingle Bells was written for Thanksgiving" (true), "The first Christmas tree was in France" (lie - it was Germany). Everyone else votes on which statement is the lie. Award a point for each correct guess, and a point to the speaker for each person they fool.
Family Christmas Games
Games every generation can enjoy together - from grandparents to toddlers. Simple rules, no special equipment, and plenty of bonding moments.
Christmas 20 Questions
3–10 playersOne person thinks of something Christmas-related and everyone else has 20 yes-or-no questions to guess it.
One player thinks of a Christmas-related person, place, or thing (Santa, a candy cane, the North Pole, etc.). Other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions: "Is it something you can eat?" "Is it a person?" After 20 questions, each player makes a final guess. The person who guesses correctly thinks of the next item. If nobody guesses, the thinker wins the round.
Christmas Pictionary
4–12 playersDraw Christmas-themed words and phrases while your team races to guess - no letters or numbers allowed.
Split into teams. One player draws a Christmas-themed word (snowman, Christmas pudding, Rudolph, etc.) on paper or a whiteboard. No letters, numbers, or speaking allowed. Their team has 60 seconds to guess. Alternate between teams each round. Keep score - first team to 15 points wins. Make it harder with abstract concepts like "Christmas spirit" or "winter wonderland."
Christmas Story Chain
3–10 playersBuild a hilarious Christmas story one sentence at a time - each person adds to what came before.
Sit in a circle. The first person starts a Christmas story with one sentence: "It was Christmas Eve and Santa realised he'd left all the presents at home." The next person adds a sentence continuing the story. Keep going around the circle. The only rule: each sentence must logically follow the previous one (however absurdly). After 3 full rounds, the last person must end the story. Read the whole story back for laughs.
Ornament Hunt
2–10 playersHide ornaments around the house and let the kids (or competitive adults) race to find them all.
Before the game, hide 20–30 small ornaments (plastic baubles, candy canes, small decorations) around a room or the house. Give each player a bag. Set a 5-minute timer. Everyone hunts for ornaments simultaneously. Count them up at the end - most ornaments wins. For younger kids, use colour coding: "find only the red ornaments." For adults, hide them in devious spots.
Guess the Gift
3–10 playersWrap random household objects and let players feel, shake, and smell (but not peek) to guess what's inside.
Wrap 8–10 random household objects in wrapping paper (a banana, a shoe, a book, a mug, etc.). Number each parcel. Players handle each wrapped gift - they can shake, squeeze, and sniff but not unwrap. Write your guesses on a numbered list. After everyone has guessed, unwrap the gifts one by one. Most correct guesses wins. Use increasingly odd objects for harder rounds.
Christmas Games for Adults
After the kids are in bed, these games bring the competitive edge, strategic thinking, and occasional chaos that grown-ups crave.
White Elephant
6–20 playersThe ultimate gift-stealing game - bring a wrapped mystery gift and scheme your way to the best one.
Each player brings one wrapped gift (funny, useful, or intentionally terrible - set your own rules). Draw numbers to determine order. Player 1 opens a gift. Each subsequent player can open a new gift OR steal a previously opened one. If your gift is stolen, you open a new one or steal from someone else (but not the person who just stole from you). Each gift can be stolen a maximum of 3 times. The game ends when all gifts are opened. Player 1 gets a final chance to swap.
Secret Santa
5–30 playersDraw names, set a budget, and buy a thoughtful gift for your assigned person - the classic workplace tradition.
Write each participant's name on a slip of paper. Everyone draws a name (redraw if you get yourself). Set a budget (£10–£25 is standard). Buy a gift for your assigned person - the fun is in finding something personal without revealing your identity. On the exchange day, sit in a circle and take turns opening gifts. The recipient tries to guess who their Secret Santa is before the reveal.
Christmas Drinking Game
4–12 playersWatch a Christmas movie and drink when classic tropes appear - snow falling, someone says "Christmas miracle," etc.
Pick a Christmas movie (Elf, Home Alone, and Love Actually all work perfectly). Before pressing play, agree on drink triggers: sip when someone says "Christmas," sip when it snows on screen, sip when there's a musical montage, take two sips for a kiss under mistletoe. Add movie-specific rules: for Elf, sip every time Buddy eats sugar; for Home Alone, sip every time a burglar gets hurt. Pace yourselves - some movies trigger more than you'd expect.
Most Likely To (Christmas Edition)
4–12 playersRead a "most likely to" prompt and everyone points at who they think fits - the person with the most fingers pointed drinks or earns a point.
Sit in a circle. One person reads a Christmas-themed prompt: "Most likely to eat all the mince pies," "Most likely to cry during a Christmas film," "Most likely to still believe in Santa." On the count of three, everyone points at the person they think fits best. The person with the most fingers pointed at them gets a point (or takes a sip). Rotate the reader each round. After 15–20 prompts, the person with the most points wins (or loses, depending on perspective).
Naughty or Nice
4–12 playersConfess anonymous holiday sins and vote on whether each one lands on the naughty or nice list.
Each player anonymously writes 2–3 "confessions" on slips of paper - things they've done at Christmas (e.g., "I re-gifted a present I received last year," "I eat the chocolate from the advent calendar early"). Put all slips in a bowl. The host reads each confession aloud. Everyone votes: Naughty or Nice? After voting, try to guess who wrote it. Award points for fooling the group and for correct guesses.
Quick Christmas Games
Need a game right now? These require zero setup and under five minutes - perfect for filling gaps between dinner courses or while waiting for guests.
Christmas Word Association
3–10 playersSay a Christmas word, and the next person instantly says a related word - hesitate and you're out.
Sit in a circle. The first player says a Christmas-related word: "Snowman." The next player instantly says a word associated with it: "Carrot." Then: "Nose," "Rudolph," "Reindeer," and so on. You must respond within 3 seconds. If you hesitate, repeat a word, or say something unrelated, you're out. Last person standing wins. For a harder version, ban obvious words like "Santa," "tree," and "present."
Christmas Emoji Game
3–10 playersSpell out Christmas movies, songs, or phrases using only emojis - others race to decode them.
One player types a Christmas movie, song, or phrase using only emojis on their phone (e.g., 🏠🔑 = Home Alone, ❄️👨 = Frosty the Snowman). Show the screen to the group. First person to correctly guess wins the point. Take turns being the emoji creator. After 10 rounds, the person with the most points wins. Prepare a few in advance if you want the game to move quickly.
Stocking Relay Race
4–10 playersRace to fill a Christmas stocking with small items using only one hand - drop anything and start over.
Place a pile of small items (candy, baubles, small toys) on a table and an empty stocking 3 metres away. Split into teams. One at a time, each player grabs one item, runs to the stocking, and drops it in - using only one hand. If you drop the item, go back and start your turn over. Each player gets one item per run. Set a 2-minute timer per team. The team with the most items in their stocking wins.
Candy Cane Hook
2–10 playersHook candy canes out of a pile using only a candy cane in your mouth - the simplest game that somehow gets wildly competitive.
Place a pile of candy canes on a table. Each player holds one candy cane in their mouth (by the straight end). Using only the hook of your mouth-held candy cane, try to pick up candy canes from the pile - no hands allowed. You have 60 seconds. Each successfully lifted candy cane earns a point. If you drop one, it goes back in the pile. Most candy canes hooked wins. It's harder than it sounds.
The Best Christmas Games for Every Occasion
The secret to a great Christmas game is matching it to the moment. A chaotic round of charades works brilliantly at a party with 15 colleagues, but falls flat with three people on the sofa after dinner. Conversely, a quiet round of 20 Questions is perfect for a family evening but won't cut through the noise at a large gathering. That's why we've organised this page by occasion - party games, family games, adult games, and quick games - so you can find exactly what fits.
Every game on this page has been chosen because it actually works in practice. No elaborate setup, no expensive equipment, and no rules that take longer to explain than the game itself. If you need something right this second, start with the "Quick Games" section - those are designed for zero preparation and under five minutes of play.
How to Organise a Christmas Game Night
A dedicated Christmas game night is one of the best ways to actually enjoy the holiday season with friends or family. Here's the simple formula: pick 4–5 games from this page, arrange them from high-energy to calm (start with charades, end with 20 Questions), and budget about 15–20 minutes per game. That gives you a solid 90-minute evening that keeps everyone engaged without dragging.
For prizes, keep it festive and low-stakes: selection boxes, novelty socks, Christmas crackers, or simply the title of "Game Night Champion" written on a makeshift trophy. The best game nights aren't about expensive prizes - they're about getting people to put their phones down, laugh at each other, and create memories that get referenced for years. And if energy dips mid-evening? Pull out the Christmas emoji game or word association - they're instant revivers.
Christmas Party Games That Actually Work
We've all been to parties where someone suggests a game and the room goes quiet. The difference between a Christmas party game that falls flat and one that has everyone shouting comes down to three things: simple rules (explain in under 30 seconds), immediate fun (no long setup or practice rounds), and a bit of competitive tension (teams, timers, or stakes).
The party games for Christmas on this page hit all three marks. Christmas Charades and Name That Tune are reliably brilliant because everyone knows the format - just add a festive theme. Gift Exchange works because there's real strategy in deciding when to steal. For a deeper dive into party-specific games - icebreakers, large group activities, team competitions, and office-friendly options - see our dedicated Christmas party games guide. If you want something more active, our Christmas scavenger hunt ideas page has 20 themed hunts, riddles, and printable checklists. And for groups that want something digital, our Christmas Quiz and Christmas Trivia pages work perfectly on a projector or shared screen.