Christmas parlor games ideas are a delightful way to bring family and friends together during the festive season, creating laughter, bonding, and cherished memories. These games are often played indoors around the warmth of the Christmas tree, making them perfect for cozy holiday gatherings. Traditional favorites include classics like Charades, where players act out Christmas-related phrases, songs, or movies without speaking while others guess; Christmas Pictionary, which adds a creative twist as participants draw festive objects or holiday scenes; and Pass the Parcel, a timeless game where a wrapped gift is passed around to music and each layer reveals a fun challenge or small prize.
For a more humorous touch, games like Pin the Nose on Rudolph or The Christmas Hat Game (where players try to keep Santa hats on their heads while performing tasks) can spark plenty of giggles. Some parlor games also encourage storytelling and imagination, such as Christmas Story Builders, where each person adds a sentence to create a funny or heartwarming holiday tale. Overall, Christmas parlor games are not just about competition—they’re about connection, laughter, and celebrating the joy of the season together.
Christmas Parlor Games Ideas
Christmas Charades
Credit @Bible Games Central
Description: A festive twist on the classic charades game. Players act out Christmas-themed words or phrases without speaking. Perfect for all ages and gets everyone laughing.
How to Play:
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Divide players into teams of 2–5.
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Prepare slips of paper with Christmas-related words (Santa, reindeer, snowball fight).
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One player draws a slip and acts it out silently for their team to guess within 60 seconds.
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Points are awarded for each correct guess.
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Rotate turns until all slips are used.
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The team with the most points wins.
Christmas Pictionary
Credit @ar.inspiredpencil.com
Description: Players draw holiday-themed objects or phrases while others guess. Sparks creativity and is hilarious when drawings go wrong.
How to Play:
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Split players into two teams.
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Write Christmas phrases on slips of paper (e.g., decorating a tree, wrapping gifts).
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A player from the first team draws the phrase on a whiteboard without writing words.
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The team has 1–2 minutes to guess the drawing.
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Points are scored for correct guesses.
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Alternate turns between teams until all phrases are drawn.
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Highest-scoring team wins.
Christmas Trivia
Credit @Amazon.in
Description: Test knowledge of holiday traditions, movies, and songs. Great for competitive spirits and sparks festive conversations.
How to Play:
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Prepare a list of Christmas-themed questions in categories (movies, songs, history).
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Players or teams take turns answering.
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Award points for each correct answer.
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Include bonus rounds for extra fun.
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Optionally, use bells or buzzers to answer quickly.
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Keep track of scores until all questions are done.
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Player/team with the highest points wins a small prize.
Pin the Nose on Rudolph
Credit @debra_jenn
Description: A holiday version of pin the tail on the donkey. Blindfolded players try to place a red nose on Rudolph.
How to Play:
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Hang a poster of Rudolph on the wall.
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Cut out red noses from paper and tape a pin or sticker to the back.
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Blindfold each player and spin them gently 2–3 times.
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Guide them toward the poster to place the nose.
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The player who gets the nose closest to Rudolph’s real nose wins.
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Repeat for multiple rounds if desired.
Christmas Bingo
Credit @livingwithlady
How to Play:
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Create Bingo cards with holiday images or words (Santa, candy cane, sleigh).
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Prepare a deck of corresponding calling cards.
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Draw cards one at a time and announce them.
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Players mark the matching images on their cards.
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First player to complete a row, column, or diagonal shouts “Bingo!”
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Verify the card and award a prize.
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Continue for multiple rounds.
Christmas Musical Chairs
Credit @ourlivingchronicles
Description: A holiday take on musical chairs. Use Christmas songs to add festive cheer while players scramble for seats.
How to Play:
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Arrange chairs in a circle, one less than the number of players.
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Play Christmas music while players walk around the chairs.
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Stop the music randomly; players must sit immediately.
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The one left standing is eliminated.
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Remove one chair and continue until one winner remains.
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Optionally, add festive challenges for the eliminated players.
Gift Wrap Relay
Credit @happywalagift.com
Description: Teams race to wrap a gift perfectly under time pressure. Encourages creativity and teamwork.
How to Play:
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Divide players into teams and give each a gift box, paper, tape, and ribbon.
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One player starts by wrapping part of the gift.
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Tag the next teammate to continue wrapping.
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Continue until the gift is fully wrapped.
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Judge based on speed, neatness, and creativity.
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Award points or prizes for the best team.
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Repeat with different gift shapes for added difficulty.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Credit @mombrite
Description: Hide holiday-themed items around the house for players to find. Combines excitement with problem-solving.
How to Play:
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Create a list of Christmas-related items to hide (ornaments, candy canes, small toys).
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Divide players into teams or let them play individually.
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Hand out the list and set a time limit (e.g., 15–20 minutes).
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Players search for items and bring them back to a central spot.
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Award points for each item found and bonus points for the rarest item.
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Player/team with the most points wins.
Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest
Credit @decadent_dough
Description: A tasty game where creativity meets baking skills. Participants decorate cookies, and judges vote for the best ones.
How to Play:
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Bake or provide plain sugar cookies.
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Prepare frosting, sprinkles, and edible decorations.
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Give each player a cookie and a set of decorating tools.
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Set a timer (10–15 minutes) for decorating.
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Judges or other players vote for creativity, neatness, and festive spirit.
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Award small prizes for winners.
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Optionally, eat the cookies after the contest.
Christmas “Who Am I?”
Credit @Southern Living
Description: Players guess which Christmas character they are by asking yes/no questions. Hilarious and interactive.
How to Play:
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Write names of Christmas characters (Santa, Frosty, Grinch) on sticky notes.
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Stick one note on each player’s forehead without them seeing it.
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Players take turns asking yes/no questions to figure out who they are.
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Continue until everyone guesses correctly.
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Optionally, keep score based on the fewest questions asked.
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Encourage funny guesses and creative questioning.
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!