How to Have Fun at Home: Holiday Games and Activities

You can bake cookies together, play favorite board games, or go ice skating. But that's just three options — we've gathered 15 ideas to suit every taste.

How to Get Everyone Involved in Games?

Holiday activities bring lots of positive emotions to everyone, but sometimes family and friends may not show interest. Not only is it essential to suggest exciting ideas, but also to create the right atmosphere to make participating in games desirable and joyful.

Create a Festive Atmosphere

Don’t forget to set the holiday mood — this is key to a successful celebration. Decorate your home, watch favorite holiday movies, or dance to festive tracks with your loved ones. Choose what works best for you, or do it all — what matters most is that you and your family feel the magic of the holidays approaching.

Family traditions are great for boosting holiday spirits. You can explore popular traditions or create new ones. In our article, we’ve gathered traditions that will delight both kids and adults.

Choose a Game Everyone Likes

If you’re the only Monopoly fan in your group, it's better to save it for another time. Find out what games everyone else enjoys and pick the one mentioned most often. Here are three more ways to decide on an evening activity:

• Hat with Notes: Create a list of games in advance and let everyone pick two options from it. Use a holiday hat to draw the notes and count the results.
• Voting: Choose popular games and introduce each one with a brief description. After each description, ask participants to vote on who’s in for playing it. You can also hold a vote in a group chat in messaging apps. In either case, you'll easily pick an option that satisfies the most people.
• Rock, Paper, Scissors: The quickest way to choose a winner. Each participant suggests a game, then pairs compete in Rock, Paper, Scissors. Finalists compete with each other, and the winner chooses the evening’s game.

Pick Prizes or Themed Rewards

Small delightful rewards offer extra motivation to join in holiday activities. They can be cute surprises bought in a store or simple certificates that you design and sign yourself. Don’t shy away from selecting funny or even slightly silly gifts — they’ll surely boost everyone’s spirit.

Here we have some ideas for simple prizes.

Themed Entertainment

If you’re not quite feeling the holiday spirit, create it yourself — there are plenty of holiday activities for this. We've gathered five of the most entertaining options.

Game: Secret Santa

Secret Santa is one of the most atmospheric holiday activities for any group, whether friends or family. It not only helps save on budget but also allows everyone to receive a thoughtful surprise from a loved one. In this game, each person secretly selects a gift for the name they draw and presents it on a designated day. To maintain the mystery until the end, suggest participants try to guess who their gift came from.

Organizing a draw with traditional slips can take a lot of time, especially with a large family or group of friends, so we recommend using the MySanta service. It allows you to carry out the draw quickly, create a wishlist, view your recipient’s preferences, and chat anonymously.

Try our MySanta app

You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.

Start

Holiday Movie Quiz

As the holidays approach, it's a must to host a movie marathon with your favorite comedy films or childhood cartoons. To make this time more engaging, invite family or friends to participate in a quiz. Prepare various questions — funny, tricky, and unexpected — to keep the game exciting and unpredictable. Reward the winner with a “medal” or a small prize.

Creating Greeting Cards

On New Year’s, it’s customary to exchange wishes and warm words — doing so with greeting cards is best. Invite family to create cards together: purchase cardboard, stickers, ribbons, and other decoration items, and get everyone involved in the fun. To make it easier, find inspiration online, print examples, and keep them handy.

Guess the Melody

If you and your family enjoy watching music shows, this activity is sure to be a hit. Choose short clips from popular holiday songs and challenge others to guess the title or artist. You could even organize a real tournament: split into teams and create different stages. For example, translate the song’s lyrics into another language, then back to English, or describe the song using emojis.

Baking Cookies Together

Turning cooking into a fun family activity is a great idea. Invite your loved ones to gather in the kitchen and bake holiday treats: sugar cookies, gingerbread, or chocolate chip cookies. You can buy colorful icing to add festive designs — this pastime will delight not only kids but also adults.

To make the process cozier, light candles and play some holiday music. In the end, you won’t just enjoy delicious treats but also create warm memories that will last a lifetime.

5 Great Board Games

During the holiday break, large gatherings are common, making board games the perfect addition to festive get-togethers. In this list, we’ve included both simple games and those that require strategy and planning.

Monopoly

This classic economic game is well-known to many. In it, each player becomes an entrepreneur: buying, selling, and trading properties. The goal is to become the richest player, outpacing opponents. A game of Monopoly can last quite a while, making it unsuitable for children but great for an entertaining time with friends or relatives.

Did you know this game is over 90 years old?

Fun Fact: It was created by American Charles Darrow. After his project was turned down by a company due to design errors, Darrow decided to go it alone, making cards and wooden houses himself. He sold 5,000 copies in a department store, and the first Monopoly cost just two dollars.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

This fast-paced card game is the perfect choice for a fun and easygoing evening. The rules are simple: take turns drawing cards from the deck, and if it matches the correct sequence, quickly slap it. This game focuses on speed and attention, making it a great mood booster for all ages.

Magnetic Battle

Magnetic Battle can be played with two people or a small group. It’s an exciting strategic game where participants take turns placing magnets on the board, ensuring they don't attract each other. You can experiment with different strategies to edge closer to victory and confuse your opponent. The unpredictability of each game makes every round genuinely engaging and interesting.

Codenames

Codenames is a fast-thinking word association game perfect for any group size. Players split into teams and try to guess their words based on one-word clues given by their spymaster. The key is to make connections and avoid the opponent’s words — or worse, the assassin! It’s easy to adapt for a small group, a big family gathering, or even two players for a quick, clever duel of wits.

Citadels

If you enjoy games involving strategy and bluffing, consider this option. Each player builds their own city, striving to outpace competitors and become the most influential in the kingdom. Unlike other board games, this one features characters with special abilities that can change the game’s course.

Outdoor Game Options

If you’re lucky and there's a winter wonderland outside, don't waste the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere. Here are some ideas to make your outdoor adventures fun and exciting.

Snow Fortress

This thrilling game is enjoyed by both kids and adults. You can split into teams or build the fortress solo. To make construction easier, bring pails and shovels. The finished forts can be adorned with flags or snow sculptures — such details will distinguish your team and deepen immersion. Once construction is complete, dive into a fun snowball battle.

Sledding and Tubing

Sledding down a hill is a must-do on any winter checklist. Bring sleds or tubes and invite your family to join — a thrill even for adults. Dress warmly and keep safety in mind as you slide down.

Ice Sculpting

If you’re fond of creativity, try crafting sculptures from ice. This activity is not only fun but also encourages imagination and creativity. Gather with family or friends to create a single large figure or let individuals realize their own ideas. It's not as difficult as it seems: freeze water in the desired amount, then use plastic knives or spoons to shape it.

Snowball Fights

Snowball fights are a staple of winter fun. Gather with friends or family for an exciting snowball battle. You can establish additional rules to make it more interesting. To suggest this game, you don’t even need words — throw the first surprise snowball, and the fun will begin quickly. Just remember to follow “snow etiquette”: avoid making excessively large snowballs and don’t aim above shoulder level to keep the game safe and comfortable for everyone.

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a wonderful way to have fun and stay active during winter. You can find an outdoor rink and enjoy winter views or visit an indoor arena. Regardless of your choice, make the most of this time with loved ones. After skating, we recommend cozying up in a café to warm up and relax after your active outing.

We hope these ideas help make your time at home more fun and exciting. Don't be afraid to unleash your imagination and try new things, as these are the moments that create lasting memories.