Christmas Day games for adults are designed to spark laughter, friendly competition, and meaningful connection while still keeping the festive spirit alive. These games often blend creativity, strategy, and humor, making them perfect for breaking the ice or energizing gatherings after a big meal. Popular options include trivia games with Christmas-themed questions, “Never Have I Ever – Holiday Edition,” or charades featuring movies, songs, and traditions associated with the season. Board games and card games can be adapted with festive twists, such as using holiday forfeits, dares, or small prizes like chocolates and novelty gifts. Drinking games are also common at adult-only gatherings, but they don’t have to revolve around alcohol—mocktail-based challenges or point systems work just as well.
For more interactive fun, games like Christmas scavenger hunts, gift-wrapping races, or “Guess the Christmas Song” using short music clips encourage teamwork and playful rivalry. These activities help adults unwind, share stories, and relive childhood joy while still matching a mature sense of humor. Ultimately, adult Christmas games create a relaxed yet lively atmosphere, turning the day into a memorable celebration filled with laughter, bonding, and shared holiday cheer.
Christmas Day Games Ideas for Adults
Christmas Trivia Challenge
Credit@Eventbrite
Description:
A fun and competitive quiz game testing Christmas knowledge.
Perfect for breaking the ice and sparking laughter.
Works well for large groups and mixed ages.
How to Play:
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Prepare a list of Christmas-themed questions covering movies, songs, traditions, history, and fun facts, and divide players into small teams to encourage discussion and teamwork.
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Ask one question at a time, allowing teams 30–60 seconds to quietly agree on an answer before writing it down or announcing it aloud.
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Award points for correct answers, include bonus lightning rounds or picture rounds for extra excitement, and keep score on a visible board.
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The team with the highest score at the end wins a festive prize like chocolates, wine, or holiday-themed gifts.
Secret Santa Gift Guess
Credit@shutterstock.com
Description (3 lines):
A twist on traditional Secret Santa with a guessing element.
Encourages creativity and observation skills.
Creates lots of laughter and surprises.
How to Play:
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Each participant buys and wraps a gift anonymously, placing it under the tree without revealing their identity beforehand.
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One by one, players open a gift and must guess who gave it by asking a limited number of yes-or-no questions to the group.
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The gift giver can answer honestly, but others must stay silent to avoid giving clues.
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If the guess is correct, the opener keeps the gift; if incorrect, the giver reveals themselves and performs a fun Christmas dare before handing it over.
Christmas Charades
Description (3 lines):
A classic party game with a festive makeover.
Requires no setup and suits all personalities.
Guaranteed to get everyone laughing.
How to Play:
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Write Christmas-related words or phrases (movies, songs, traditions, characters) on slips of paper and place them in a bowl.
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Divide players into two teams and decide a time limit for each round, usually one minute.
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A player draws a slip and silently acts it out while their team guesses as quickly as possible without speaking.
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Correct guesses earn points, while skipped or failed ones pass to the opposing team.
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Continue rotating players until all slips are used, then declare the highest-scoring team the winner.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Credit@riot.az
An energetic and interactive game for active adults.
Encourages teamwork and quick thinking.
Perfect for indoor or outdoor spaces.
How to Play:
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Create a list of Christmas-themed items or clues hidden around the house or yard, adjusting difficulty based on the group.
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Split participants into teams and give each team the same list along with a time limit.
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Teams must search, solve riddles, or complete challenges to collect items or record proof with photos.
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The first team to complete the list or gather the most correct items within the time limit wins.
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End with a small prize or group photo session to celebrate.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Credit@katdunn
Description:
A popular gift-stealing game with humor and strategy.
Best played with funny or quirky gifts.
Creates suspense and playful rivalry.
How to Play:
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Each player brings a wrapped gift and places it in a central pile, then draws numbers to decide the playing order.
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The first player selects and opens any gift, while subsequent players can either open a new gift or steal an already opened one.
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If a gift is stolen, the previous owner chooses another gift from the pile.
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Limit the number of steals per gift to keep the game moving smoothly.
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The final player may swap their gift with anyone, making the ending especially exciting.
Christmas Bingo
Credit@classpop.com
Description:
A relaxed and social game with festive flair.
Ideal for larger groups and seated play.
Easy to customize with prizes.
How to Play:
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Prepare bingo cards filled with Christmas-themed words, images, or phrases and distribute them to players.
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A caller randomly announces items, marking them off a master list to avoid repetition.
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Players mark matching items on their cards using coins, markers, or festive tokens.
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The first person to complete a line, pattern, or full card shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize.
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Continue playing multiple rounds with different winning patterns to keep everyone engaged.
Christmas Pictionary
Credit@stcharles.parish.peru
Description:
A drawing-based guessing game with holiday themes.
Perfect for creative and non-creative players alike.
Produces lots of hilarious artwork.
How to Play:
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Divide players into teams and prepare a list of Christmas-related words or phrases.
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One player draws a word and sketches it on paper or a board while their team guesses within a set time limit.
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No letters, numbers, or verbal hints are allowed during drawing.
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Correct guesses earn points, and the turn rotates to the next team.
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The team with the most points after all rounds wins, and drawings can be displayed for laughs afterward.
Movie Drinking Game (Optional Alcohol)
Credit@thegirlinskyhighheels
A relaxed game for adults who enjoy movies.
Can be played with or without alcohol.
Great for cozy evening gatherings.
How to Play:
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Choose a popular Christmas movie and agree on specific triggers, such as phrases, scenes, or characters appearing.
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Every time a trigger occurs, players take a sip of their drink or complete a fun action if playing alcohol-free.
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Keep the rules simple to avoid constant interruptions and ensure everyone enjoys the movie.
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Players can add bonus challenges or penalties for missing triggers.
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Always encourage responsible drinking and offer non-alcoholic alternatives.
Christmas Song Guess
Credit@countryliving.com
Description (3 lines):
A music-based game filled with nostalgia.
Appeals to all age groups and music lovers.
Creates a lively and cheerful atmosphere.
How to Play:
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Prepare short clips of Christmas songs or hum a tune without lyrics.
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Players or teams listen carefully and try to guess the song title and artist within a limited time.
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Award extra points for singing the next line correctly or identifying the year of release.
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Rotate turns so everyone gets a chance to guess or perform.
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Keep score and reward the winner with a festive prize or bragging rights.
Christmas Truth or Dare
Credit@Yohana Clara
Description (3 lines):
A festive twist on a classic party game.
Encourages bonding and humor.
Best played among close friends or family.
How to Play:
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Players sit in a circle and take turns choosing “Truth” or “Dare” when prompted.
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Truth questions should be light-hearted and holiday-themed, while dares should be fun and safe.
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If a player refuses to answer or complete a dare, they must perform a small penalty like singing a Christmas song.
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Rotate turns fairly and keep the mood respectful and playful.
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End the game with group laughter and shared memories.