Christmas Family Gathering Game Ideas – A Christmas family gathering is all about joy, laughter, and creating lasting memories, and what better way to do that than with fun and engaging games? Family games during Christmas help strengthen bonds and bring everyone—young and old—together in the festive spirit. Classic activities like Christmas Charades and Pictionary are always hits, allowing family members to act out or draw holiday-themed clues for others to guess. For something more interactive, Christmas Scavenger Hunts can be set up around the house, where participants look for hidden ornaments, candy canes, or small gifts following clever clues. Board games like Monopoly: Christmas Edition or Trivia Nights centered on Christmas movies, songs, and traditions are great for larger groups.
To get everyone moving, Christmas Musical Chairs or Snowball Toss using soft white balls or rolled socks can be a blast. Adding small prizes or festive treats makes the games even more exciting. These activities not only fill the day with laughter but also foster togetherness, making the family gathering a truly special part of the holiday season.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Christmas Family Gathering Game Ideas
Christmas Charades
Credit @gamerules.com
Description:
A lively and laughter-filled guessing game where players act out Christmas-related words or phrases. Perfect for all ages and guaranteed to get everyone giggling. No talking allowed — only festive acting!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
How to Play (100 words):
-
Write down Christmas-themed words or phrases on slips of paper (like “Santa stuck in a chimney” or “Wrapping presents”).
-
Place all slips into a festive hat or bowl.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Divide everyone into two teams.
-
One player draws a slip and silently acts it out using only gestures, while their team guesses.
-
Set a timer for 60 seconds per round.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Correct guesses earn a point.
-
Alternate turns between teams until all slips are used.
-
The team with the highest score wins and earns bragging rights or a fun prize!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Credit @Our Days Outside
Description:
A thrilling holiday-themed treasure hunt where family members search the house for hidden Christmas items. Perfect for kids and adults to enjoy together. Brings adventure and cheer to the holiday fun!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
How to Play (100 words):
-
Create a list of Christmas items (like candy canes, ornaments, ribbons, bells).
-
Hide them around the house before the game starts.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Hand each team or player a copy of the list and a small basket.
-
Set a timer for 10–15 minutes.
-
Players race around searching for as many listed items as possible.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
You can add riddles or clues for extra fun.
-
Once time’s up, gather everyone to count their finds.
-
The player or team with the most items wins a small Christmas treat!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Christmas Sock Guessing Game
Credit @gamerules.com
Description:
A mystery-filled game where players feel inside a Christmas stocking and try to guess what’s hidden. It’s fun, surprising, and perfect for laughter-filled family moments.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
How to Play (100 words):
-
Fill several Christmas stockings with random objects (like candy canes, ornaments, pinecones, or a small toy).
-
Tie the tops shut so no one can peek inside.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Have players sit in a circle.
-
Pass a stocking around and let each player feel the item inside without looking.
-
After everyone’s turn, each writes down their guess on paper.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Reveal the object to the group.
-
Award one point for each correct answer.
-
Continue with other stockings.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
The player with the most correct guesses wins a prize or candy!
Christmas Gift Wrap Race
Credit @stpaulscollegegreystanes
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Description:
A hilarious and competitive wrapping contest to see who can wrap a gift the fastest and neatest. Great for adding energy and laughter to your gathering!
How to Play (100 words):
-
Gather boxes, wrapping paper, scissors, ribbons, and tape.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Divide everyone into pairs or teams.
-
Give each team a box to wrap.
-
Set a timer for two minutes.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
When time starts, everyone must wrap their box as quickly as possible.
-
You can add twists — like one person being blindfolded or wrapping with one hand!
-
When time’s up, stop all wrapping.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
A judge (or the group) votes on the neatest or funniest result.
-
Award small prizes or applause to the winners.
Snowball Toss (Indoor Version)
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Credit @mindandbodyenrichment
Description:
An energetic indoor tossing game using fake “snowballs” (cotton balls or paper balls). Players aim to throw snowballs into buckets for points — perfect for kids and adults!
How to Play (100 words):
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Prepare several buckets or bowls and place them at different distances.
-
Label each with point values (10, 20, 30).
-
Give each player 10 soft “snowballs” made of crumpled white paper or cotton.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Players take turns tossing snowballs into the buckets.
-
Each successful toss earns the bucket’s point value.
-
Keep a score sheet for all players.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
After everyone has played, total the points.
-
The highest score wins a small Christmas prize.
-
You can play several rounds or make teams for extra fun.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Christmas Carol Pictionary
Credit @Television Jamaica
Description:
A creative and musical twist on Pictionary! Players draw clues to help their team guess Christmas carols. It’s fun, artistic, and full of laughter.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
How to Play:
-
Write popular Christmas carol titles on slips of paper (e.g., “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night”).
-
Split the group into two teams.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
One player from the team picks a slip and starts drawing clues on a board or paper — no letters or numbers allowed.
-
Their team must guess the carol within 60 seconds.
-
If they fail, the other team can steal the point.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Rotate turns between teams.
-
Keep score as you go.
-
The team with the most correct guesses wins.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Optional: Sing each guessed carol afterward!
Santa Says
Credit @TikTok
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Description:
A holiday version of “Simon Says,” led by “Santa.” Great for kids — it mixes movement, laughter, and festive fun!
How to Play (100 words):
-
Choose one player to be “Santa.”
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Santa gives commands starting with “Santa says…” like “Santa says touch your nose” or “Santa says jingle like bells.”
-
Players must only follow commands that begin with “Santa says.”
-
If Santa gives a command without saying “Santa says” first, players who follow it are out.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Continue giving commands at a faster pace.
-
The last player standing becomes the next Santa.
-
Add fun holiday actions like “unwrap a pretend gift” or “wave like Rudolph.”
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Keep rounds short and energetic.
Christmas Movie Trivia
Credit @thepubnaples
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Description:
A fun quiz game for movie lovers! Test everyone’s knowledge of classic Christmas films — from “Home Alone” to “Elf.”
How to Play (100 words):
-
Prepare trivia questions about Christmas movies in advance.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Divide everyone into teams or play individually.
-
Ask a question aloud, giving each team 10 seconds to answer.
-
Correct answers earn one point.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Include easy and tricky questions for all ages.
-
Keep a running score on paper.
-
Add bonus rounds like “Name That Quote.”
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
The team with the most points wins a movie night treat, like popcorn or cocoa.
-
End the game by watching a Christmas movie together!
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Credit @tre9online
Description:
A hilarious gift-swapping game filled with surprises, strategy, and laughter — perfect for large family groups.
How to Play:
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Ask each participant to bring a wrapped, inexpensive gift.
-
Place all gifts in a central pile.
-
Players draw numbers to decide order.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
The first player chooses and unwraps a gift.
-
The next player can either steal that gift or pick a new one.
-
Stolen gifts can only be stolen a limited number of times (usually twice).
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Continue until everyone has a gift.
-
Encourage funny or quirky gifts for laughs.
-
End with everyone showing what they got!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
Guess the Christmas Scent
Credit @Amino Apps
Description:
A cozy sensory game where players smell festive scents and guess what they are — cinnamon, pine, peppermint, or gingerbread!
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
How to Play (100 words):
-
Gather several scented items in small jars or cups (cinnamon stick, pine branch, cocoa powder, peppermint).
-
Number each jar secretly.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Blindfold one player at a time.
-
Let them smell each jar and write down their guesses.
-
Reveal answers after everyone has played.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Award one point per correct scent.
-
Add trick scents for fun, like vanilla lotion or coffee beans.
-
The player with the most correct answers wins.
Top Party Planners Near You in Your Area
-
Enjoy the cozy smells of Christmas throughout!
Hi, I’m Maggie Culp, the founder of PartyVibesFun.com, based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States! With a passion for creating unforgettable celebrations, I specialize in turning any event into a fun and vibrant experience. From birthday parties to themed gatherings, I’m here to help you bring your party ideas to life with ease and excitement. Whether you’re looking for unique games, creative themes, or party planning tips, I’m dedicated to making sure every moment of your event is filled with joy. Let’s create memories together and make your next party the talk of the town!