12 Fun Christmas Games With Friends To Make Your Party Unforgettable
Playing fun party games is the quickest way to put everyone at the party in the holiday mood. From active games to charades and gift exchange games, we have picked the most fun and entertaining activities to make your Christmas gathering memorable.
Good party games can break the ice and get the conversation between guests flowing. They can make your Christmas gathering more engaging, turning it from an ordinary friendly gathering into a festive celebration full of laughter and joy. Below, you will find Christmas party games for friends to spark up every type of gathering and create memories that will last for years.
Easy Christmas Party Games for Friends Everyone Will Love
Easy Set-Up Christmas Games
Wrap the gift
Gift-wrapping is an essential skill during the holiday season, so why not run a contest at the party? There are countless variations of the game. You can wrap the gifts of unusual shapes, such as a table lamp, football, or coffee maker. Guests can compete individually or in groups, and the first one who wraps the gift completely and puts a ribbon on it wins.
Another variation includes tying one guest’s right hand to the left hand of another person. After that, they work together to wrap one gift using their free hands.
Name that tune
Guessing the Christmas tunes is another popular activity for any group size. Create a playlist of Christmas songs and assign a DJ who will play songs one by one. Find out who in your group can guess the holiday songs after a few seconds!
You can add an extra twist to the game and create a theme for the game. For example, play songs from Christmas movies, children’s Christmas songs, or any songs about winter.
Board game tournament
If your group comprises board game enthusiasts, end the year with a major Christmas game tournament! Encourage everyone to bring their favorite game and organize a series of games in your group, or play multiple games simultaneously in smaller groups. The winners then compete with each other to determine the best board game player of the night.
Christmas board game ideas for adults
- What Do You Meme? Merry Dissmas – if your guests are in the mood for roasting
- Christmas Monopoly – play the Christmas edition of the popular game
- Masters of Mystery Christmas – for a Christmas-themed murder mystery party
- The Gin Game – test your gin knowledge and create classic cocktails
Movie drinking game
Set up an adult-only Christmas movie gathering. Choose one of the hallmark Christmas movies and then identify phrases or actions when everyone will take a sip of a cocktail or a shot. For example, you can drink every time someone says Santa or Christmas, or someone gives a gift or kisses someone, etc.
Holiday Who Am I?
Write the names of popular Christmas characters or Christmas-related items on Post-it notes. Each player puts a note on the other player’s forehand so that they won’t see what’s written on it. Then, players ask each other questions to understand what character is written on their forehead (Am I a movie character? Do I exist in real life?). You can play this game as a separate activity or mingle it with other games. The first player who guesses their character wins.
Christmas memory game
This game is a fun icebreaker that can also stretch everyone’s brain. Put an assortment of Christmas items on a tray. Use Christmas décor and ornaments, candy, bells, toys, and so on. Show them to all guests for 30 seconds and then give everyone one minute to write down items they have remembered. The player who recalls the most items wins.
Gift Exchange Games
Secret Santa exchange
Secret Santa is a beloved gift exchange tradition for families, coworkers, and friends. The idea is simple: participants draw names and bring one personalized present for the assigned person. Thus, you can save on gifts and have a lot of fun guessing your Secret Santa.
To optimize the Secret Santa preparation and ensure that everyone receives a gift, use the MySanta online generator. It will draw names for you in seconds and each participant can talk to their Santa anonymously. Plus, you can set exceptions for couples.
White Elephant
If you want to add a competitive twist to your gift exchange, organize the White Elephant game. All guests bring wrapped gifts of the same value (hilarious and humorous gifts are welcomed). Then, players take turns and choose any gift from the pile, or steal the open gift from another player. You can customize the White Elephant rules, set the gift theme, and decide how many gift swaps are allowed.
Competitive Christmas Games
Cookie decorating contest
Decorating Christmas cookies or a gingerbread house can bring back to life your lovely childhood memories. Plus, it is a great creative outlet. You can set the theme for decoration (such as Winter Wonderland, Santa’s helpers, or one of the animated Christmas movies), ask everyone to recreate a particular design or use specific colors.
Blindfold Christmas drawing
This fun activity works well in large groups. Hand everyone a white paper plate (you can get such plates at Costco) and a marker. Each player holds their plate at the top of their head. One player gives instructions, and everyone draws the Christmas-related items or scenes while holding the plate on their head. You can ask them to draw a Christmas tree with décor, a reindeer, Santa, or anything else. The most accurate drawing wins.
Spoon-and-ornament race
Split guests into teams and set up the obstacle course in the house or outdoors. Each player holds the ornament on a spoon and does an obstacle course, and then passes the ornament to the next player. If someone drops the ornament, they have to start the course again. The first team where all participants have completed the course.
Christmas charades
This active game is great for groups of any size. Separate participants into teams and act out popular holiday phrases, movies, characters, and more. Players cannot talk or use letters when doing the acting. The person who guesses the charade acts out next. The first team that earns twenty points wins.
These fun activities will liven up any party, get your guests interacting and mingling, and put everyone in festive spirit. Plan through the other aspects of the holiday (such as décor, theme, and food and beverages to make your celebration truly memorable.
FAQs
What are some good icebreakers for friends who are meeting for the first time?
For friends who haven't met before, pick icebreakers that are low-pressure but will encourage everyone to tell a little about themselves. You can play "Two Truths and a Lie" - a game where each guest shares two true statements and one false one, and everyone has to guess the lie. Or, ask everyone to share one beloved holiday memory or something they enjoy most about Christmas. These games will subtly help people to start communicating.
What games work well for outdoor Christmas parties?
For outdoor Christmas gatherings, choose active games where you can take advantage of the open space. If it snows in your area, make snow angels, build a snowman, and split into teams to play snowballs and enjoy the winter charm. Organize a festive Scavenger Hunt where players will work in teams to find Christmas-themed items and win the grand prize.
How do I make sure everyone is comfortable joining in on the games?
When planning activities for your Christmas party, choose a variety of sit-down and active games so that everyone is comfortable participating. Explain the rules clearly and offer the alternative roles to guests, such as helping organize the game if they don't want to participate.
What games can we use for a virtual Christmas party with friends?
If you meet with friends over a video call, play a Christmas Trivia with facts about Christmas, popular movies, and holiday-related activities. Host a virtual bingo featuring popular holiday themes. You can also host a virtual Secret Santa using the MySanta service and exchange personalized presents by mail. These games will put everyone in a festive mood and help you stay connected even in the distance.
