16 Wonderfully Fun Christmas Party Games For All The Family To Enjoy

These 16 Christmas party games for family gatherings include conversation starters, seated games, drawing challenges and quizzes. Choose a few that let kids, teens and adults play together, with partners or mixed-age teams where reading or general knowledge would otherwise give older players an advantage.

You do not need to fill the whole evening with games. One short icebreaker, one team challenge and a quieter activity after dinner can be plenty.

Choose games for your family gathering

For a seated group: Start with This or That, Movie Match or Who Is Most Like Santa? For mixed-age teams, try Pictionary, Charades or a Movie Trivia Quiz. Keep a Christmas Maze available for anyone who wants a quieter activity.

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Ask what people would like to play, let anyone pass a turn and offer reading help. Keep drawing and quiz sheets in large, clear print, and read prompts aloud when useful. Seated play should be an ordinary option, rather than a special exception.

Optional print-and-play Christmas games

The paid BHLS Christmas Games Bundle contains 22 printable games, including the 16 featured below. The product listing specifies US Letter-size PDF files. The previews here show examples of the games; they are not free downloads.

The DIY rules and adaptations below are suggested ways to play at home. If you use the printable pack, follow the instructions and answer sheets supplied with it.

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Choose the games that fit your guests. The bundle provides ready-made sheets; most of the conversation, drawing and guessing formats can also be adapted with your own prompts. For a few quick skill challenges between rounds, browse my Minute to Win It games for groups.

Here are the featured games, with practical ways to include different ages.

16 Christmas party games for families

1. Christmas Find the Guest Bingo

Find The Guest Bingo is a brilliant icebreaker to get everyone shaking off their shyness at mingling with people they’ve not seen in a year. 

Each guest has to find someone matching the unique Christmas-themed prompts on their bingo card.

Setup and play: Play with four or more people. Use a printed bingo sheet or write six prompts, such as ‘has baked Christmas cookies’ or ‘likes the same Christmas movie as you.’ Players ask each other questions and write a name next to each match. Decide whether one person may fill more than one square, then stop after five minutes and compare discoveries.

For a mixed-age family: Pair a younger child with a reader, and let seated guests answer questions while others come to them. Skip personal or sensitive prompts; discovering things about each other matters more than finishing first.

2. Christmas This or That

This or That is a deceptively simple game that gets everyone involved choosing between two options.

This is another great icebreaker game and a way to get to know newer family members.

There is also a game of Christmas Would You Rather, along similar lines. 

Setup and play: Play with two or more people and no supplies. Read one festive choice at a time: colored lights or white lights, a Christmas movie or a board game, hot chocolate or apple cider. Everyone chooses an answer and can explain why. Play five to ten rounds without scoring.

For a mixed-age family: Let children point to one of two picture cards or say their choice aloud. Keep everyone seated if that suits the room. For more conversation starters, browse our Christmas Would You Rather questions for families.

3. Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game

There are lots of ways to play gift exchange games. In fact, I’ve got a whole list of gift exchange themes you can browse.  If you are bringing a present, browse our White Elephant gifts under $25 people will want to keep.

Also read: Christmas gift exchange games for families and adults.

But if you want to add a little fun but keep the planning on the down-low, this Christmas Gift Exchange Dice game is the way to go. 

Guests roll to swap, pass, or unwrap gifts following fun rules. It’s a great way to mix things up and keep everyone engaged in the exchange.

Setup and play: Use one wrapped gift per player, one die and a small table or circle of chairs. Agree the gift budget and rules first. For a simple DIY version, give everyone a gift; roll 1 or 2 to pass all gifts left, 3 or 4 to pass them right, and 5 or 6 to keep them. Each player rolls once, then everyone opens the gift they finish with.

For a mixed-age family: Adults can help younger children roll and pass. Tell guests in advance that gifts may move to someone else, and keep personally addressed presents separate. If you use the bundle sheet, use its printed rules instead of this house-rule version.

4. Christmas Movie Match Game

Who doesn’t love a Christmas movie huh?! Well, this game plays on this fact and turns it into a game. 

How well does your family know their Christmas movies? See who can match the iconic movie character to the equally iconic Christmas movie. 

And if Christmas movies really are a thing with your family, we’ve also got a Christmas Movie Trivia Quiz… 

Setup and play: Use four or more players in mixed-age teams, pencils and a matching sheet. Teams match Christmas movie characters to movie titles. Allow five minutes, then check the answers and give one point per correct match. For a DIY round, use five to ten films your family actually knows and prepare the answer key beforehand.

For a mixed-age family: Put movie enthusiasts and occasional viewers on the same team. Read the choices aloud and let a younger player be the answer caller. Keep the round short so guests who have not seen the films can enjoy the next game.

5. Christmas Movie Trivia Quiz 

So, everyone in your family thinks they know Christmas movies. But do they KNOW Christmas movies?!

Test their holiday movie knowledge with questions on all the Christmas classics. 

For a free quiz that includes a movie and TV round, try our 50 Christmas trivia questions and answers. It also covers songs, traditions and easy questions for kids, with printable round sheets and an answer key.

Also read: 44 Showstopping Christmas Desserts

Setup and play: Prepare ten questions and a checked answer key, or use the supplied quiz. Divide four or more players into mixed-age teams. Read each question aloud, allow about 30 seconds for discussion and award one point per correct answer. Give every team the same questions and time.

For a mixed-age family: Mix straightforward questions with a few harder ones, and draw on films from different decades. Let teams confer instead of asking one guest to perform alone. Agree a shared win if the scores tie.

6. Finish the Christmas Carol Lyric

And to appease those who know their carols more than their Christmas movies ( or at least think they do…)

Challenge the whole family’s carol knowledge with this game! Players try to complete famous lyrics, and it’s almost guaranteed to lead to a holiday singalong.

Setup and play: Play with two or more people using your own carol prompts or a ready-made sheet. A host reads or sings the start of a familiar line and players supply the missing words. Use five to ten prompts and award one point for each correct completion, or turn it into an unscored singalong.

For a mixed-age family: Offer two possible answers for younger children and allow spoken answers from anyone who does not want to sing. Choose songs your guests recognize and keep the volume comfortable.

7. Christmas Billboard No. 1 or Not?

If some of your family are more into Christmas pop than carols, this Christmas BillBoard No. 1 Or Not Game is going to be right up their street.

Put their pop knowledge to the test with this festive music trivia game!

See if they can guess if the well known Christmas songs on the list ever reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Warning, there might be tears!!

Setup and play: Use the printed game and its answer sheet for the specific songs and chart answers. In teams of two or more, mark whether each listed Christmas record reached No. 1, then compare with the supplied key. Give one point per correct answer.

For a mixed-age family: Pair different generations so music knowledge is shared. For a DIY version, specify the Billboard chart and cutoff date on your sheet and verify the answers first; ‘No. 1’ can mean different charts. Keep this as an optional quiz rather than assuming everyone follows US music charts.

8. Christmas Pictionary

Pictionary is a modern-day classic. Use these ready-made festive prompts to get the game motoring along.

There are some classic Christmas prompts and also a set of super funzies Christmas song and movie prompts.  

Never played Pictionary before? Here’s how to play…

Split players into teams. Each team takes turns drawing a word or phrase from a prompt card, while their teammates try to guess what it is, without any speaking, letters, or gestures from the artist.

Each team has a limited time (usually one minute) to guess correctly and earn a point. The game continues with teams alternating turns, and the first team to reach a set number of points wins.

Setup and play: For four or more players, divide into two mixed-age teams and use paper, markers and prompt slips. Draw an easy festive object, such as a stocking, snowman or gift, while teammates guess. Give each team 60 seconds and one point for a correct guess; play the same number of turns per team.

For a mixed-age family: Let a child choose an object prompt while an older player takes a movie or song prompt. Players may draw seated, work as a pair or be the guesser. No letters or numbers in the drawing.

9. Christmas Charades

Ahhh charades… the ultimate parlour game that never gets dull!! Well, it can be dull… but not if you use the 30 Christmas Charades prompts we’ve put together. 

Just remind all the players that they can’t utter a word as they act out their clues. 

Setup and play: Divide four or more players into mixed-age teams. One player silently acts out a festive prompt while teammates guess. Give each team one minute, award one point for a correct answer and alternate turns. Easy DIY prompts include wrapping a gift, building a snowman and decorating a tree.

For a mixed-age family: Read a prompt privately to a child who needs help. Allow seated gestures and paired acting; a player can choose to guess instead. Avoid prompts that require balancing, jumping or crawling.

10. Christmas Candy Dice Game

Candy dice is a stalwart of many a kids’ and teens’ party. It’s a great little game, that doesn’t take much set up… you just need to remember to provide the candy!

Oh and you’ll need dice to hand too.

Players roll the dice to collect or swap counters or festive treats. Choose pieces appropriate for the ages playing.

Setup and play: Play with three or more people, a die and counters or individually wrapped treats. For a DIY round, give each player five counters. Roll 1 or 2 to pass one left, 3 or 4 to pass one right, 5 to keep your counters and 6 to take one from a central bowl. If a player has no counters to pass, skip that action. Give everyone three rolls, then compare totals.

For a mixed-age family: Use large tokens instead of candy around very young children, and check food restrictions before choosing treats. Keep the game separate from eating and give everyone an equal take-home treat afterward. Use the pack’s own rules if playing from its sheet.

11. Christmas Maze Game

A Christmas maze gives children something quiet to do at the table or between group games. Keep pencils and a few sheets ready for anyone who wants a break.

Setup and play: Give each player a printed maze and a pencil. Let them trace the route from start to finish at their own pace. You can use a maze from the paid bundle or draw a simple maze yourself. This is a quiet activity, not a game that needs a winner.

For a mixed-age family: A child can work with an adult or trace with a finger first. Keep it available between group games, and do not turn the calm corner into a timed competition.

12. Pin the Nose on Rudolph

Perfect for kids (and competitive kidults!), this game is a Christmas version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Blindfolded players try to place Rudolph’s nose in the right spot. Silliness and much mirth guaranteed. 

Setup and play: Use a Rudolph picture, one paper nose per player and removable tape. Mark a nearby starting point, let each player place their nose on the picture and compare which is closest. If players choose to wear an eye covering, have a helper guide them straight to the picture; no spinning is needed.

For a mixed-age family: Offer an eyes-open version and place the picture within reach of seated players and children. Use a soft paper nose with tape, rather than a pin.

13. Who is Most Like Santa?

The Who Is Most Like Santa? game in the paid bundle gives guests a festive way to compare their holiday habits and start a conversation.

It’s a sweet way to instigate some family stories and delight in holiday memories.

Setup and play: Read five friendly prompts, such as ‘likes giving gifts’ or ‘wears something red.’ Each player gives themselves one point for every statement that fits. At the end, compare scores or invite everyone to share a favorite Christmas habit.

For a mixed-age family: This simple DIY points version avoids voting on people’s appearance, weight or spending. Everyone can answer aloud, and sharing a story is optional. Follow the supplied sheet if you prefer the printable game.

14. Christmas Scattergories

Christmas category games are great to whip out as little filler games. Hand them out in the lull after a big festive meal or even have them at the table for between courses. 

There is also a bunch of other word games in the Christmas Games Bundle, including an A-Z Race where players have to write a festive word for each letter of the alphabet, a Christmas Word Search and a Christmas Word Scramble.

Setup and play: Play with three or more people using paper, pencils and a festive category list. Choose one letter, then allow two minutes to write an answer for each category starting with that letter. Try ‘Christmas food,’ ‘something you wrap’ and ‘a winter item.’ Award one point for each valid answer that no other player or team wrote.

For a mixed-age family: Use mixed-age teams and let an adult write down a child’s suggestions. For a simpler round, remove the starting-letter rule and accept any answer that fits. Decide together which answers count before adding scores.

15. Merry Christmas Around the World Quiz

Ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated in other countries? This quiz is a fun way to learn about different traditions while testing everyone’s holiday knowledge. Play in teams to add a bit of friendly competition!

Setup and play: Use the printable quiz and answer sheet, or prepare a short set of questions with verified answers. Play in mixed-age teams, read questions aloud and give one point for each correct response. After each answer, pause to share anything guests know about that tradition.

For a mixed-age family: Give younger players multiple-choice options. Treat this as a chance to learn together rather than a test of anyone’s background, and do not expect one guest to explain a whole country’s traditions.

16. Christmas What’s On Your Phone?

Now you might leap to conclusions and imagine that this game is just for tweens and teens! But I can guarantee that it’s just as much fun for adults to play.

In this modern take on a scavenger hunt, players score points based on holiday items they have on their phone, like a Christmas wallpaper or a photo with Santa.

Also read: Awesome Group Games For Teens At Christmas

Setup and play: Play with three or more people, phones and a prompt sheet. For a short DIY round, award one point each for a Christmas wallpaper, a holiday photo the player wants to share, a festive song in a playlist and a holiday date in their calendar. Count each category once; the highest total wins.

For a mixed-age family: Players keep their own phones and may skip a prompt. Do not inspect private messages, passwords or personal information. Let someone without a phone team up with another player, or offer a paper alternative such as naming a holiday song.

You can choose just a few of these games for your gathering. There is no need to play the whole list.

For ready-made sheets, the paid 22-game Christmas bundle brings the printable versions together in one pack. Check the product details before buying.

A simple 30-minute family games plan

First five minutes: Play This or That together so everyone can join without getting up or finding supplies.

Next ten minutes: Choose Pictionary or Charades in mixed-age teams. Explain one round before you start and rotate the drawing or acting role.

Final fifteen minutes: Play a short Movie Match or Trivia round, then leave the maze sheets out for anyone who wants quiet time. Stop earlier if people are ready for food or another activity.

For a more active gathering, choose one or two ideas from our family Christmas minute-to-win-it games. If you are planning a separate children’s or teen party, browse our Christmas party games for kids or Christmas party games for teens.

Planning the rest of your celebration? Explore our Christmas games and activities for kids, teens and adults.