Holiday Games Ideas: Fun Activities for Festive Gatherings

Holiday Games Ideas are a fun and engaging way to celebrate festive occasions with friends and family. These games can be tailored to suit any holiday, from Christmas and Halloween to Thanksgiving and New Year’s. For example, during Christmas, you could play “Holiday Charades,” where players act out holiday-themed activities or movies. Halloween might feature a spooky scavenger hunt or a “Pumpkin Bowling” game, where players roll a small pumpkin to knock over pins.

Thanksgiving could have a “Turkey Trot” relay race or a “Thankful Bingo” game, where players mark off things they’re grateful for. New Year’s Eve games could include “Midnight Scavenger Hunt” or a “New Year’s Resolution Guessing Game,” where participants try to guess each other’s resolutions. These holiday games not only provide entertainment but also foster togetherness, laughter, and the spirit of the season.

Holiday Games Ideas

Here’s a list of Holiday Game Ideas for various festivals, including Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and more. These Holiday Games Ideas are designed to bring fun and excitement to your celebrations, whether you’re with family, friends, or even at a community event!

Halloween Game Ideas:

1. Mummy Relay Race – Teams race to wrap each other in toilet paper to create the best mummy.
2. Pumpkin Bowling – Roll small pumpkins to knock down pins made of empty cans.
3. Monster Freeze Dance – Dance to spooky music, and freeze when the music stops.
4. Pumpkin Hunt – Hide small, decorated pumpkins around the area and have a scavenger hunt.
5. Witch’s Potion Relay – Teams race to fill a cauldron with ingredients (small items) using spoons.
6. Apple Bobbing – Try to grab apples floating in a tub of water with only your mouth.
7. Spooky Pictionary – Draw Halloween-themed items or characters for others to guess.
8. Zombie Tag – A variation of tag, where the “zombies” try to tag others who then turn into zombies.
9. Pin the Hat on the Witch – Blindfolded players try to pin a hat on a picture of a witch.
10. Costume Contest – Everyone dresses up, and prizes are given for the best costumes.

Christmas Game Ideas:

1. Christmas Charades – Act out Christmas carols or holiday activities for others to guess.
2. Gift Wrapping Relay – Teams race to wrap a gift as quickly and neatly as possible.
3. Holiday Bingo – Bingo with Christmas-themed pictures or phrases (e.g., Santa, Snowman, etc.).
4. Snowball Toss – Toss cotton balls into buckets to simulate a snowball fight.
5. Pin the Nose on Rudolph – Blindfolded players try to pin a red nose on a picture of Rudolph.
6. Christmas Trivia – Questions about holiday traditions, songs, or movies.
7. Candy Cane Hunt – Hide candy canes around the house or yard for a holiday scavenger hunt.
8. Christmas Carol Karaoke – Have a holiday karaoke contest featuring Christmas songs.
9. Reindeer Antler Ring Toss – Use inflatable reindeer antlers and toss rings onto them.
10. Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest – Provide plain cookies and decorating supplies for creative designs.

Thanksgiving Game Ideas:

1. Turkey Trot Relay – Teams race while wearing turkey hats or costumes.
2. Pumpkin Bowling – Use small pumpkins as bowling balls and try to knock down pins.
3. Thanksgiving Trivia – Questions about the history of Thanksgiving or popular traditions.
4. Pin the Feather on the Turkey – Similar to “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” but with a turkey and feathers.
5. Cornhole – A popular outdoor game where players toss bean bags into holes on a board.
6. Pass the Pumpkin – Like “Hot Potato,” but with a small pumpkin, and the person holding it must answer a Thanksgiving question.
7. Guess the Thanksgiving Dish – Blindfolded players must guess Thanksgiving foods based on taste, smell, or feel.
8. Thankful Scavenger Hunt – Players search for items related to thankfulness and gratitude.
9. Turkey Feather Relay – Players race to add paper feathers to a large turkey cutout using tongs.
10. Thanksgiving Bingo – Bingo cards with Thanksgiving-related images (e.g., turkey, pie, corn, etc.).

New Year’s Eve Game Ideas:

1. New Year’s Eve Countdown – Have everyone write down resolutions, predictions for the new year, or fun facts, and read them aloud at midnight.
2. Balloon Pop – Each balloon contains a New Year’s resolution or funny challenge to do when popped.
3. Karaoke Countdown – Sing your way into the new year with a karaoke competition.
4. Midnight Scavenger Hunt – A festive hunt around the house or venue to gather party hats, streamers, and other celebratory items.
5. Party Hat Relay – Teams race to put on and take off oversized party hats while completing tasks.
6. Guess the New Year’s Eve Trivia – Questions about the past year’s events, movies, music, and global happenings.
7. Champagne Pong (Non-Alcoholic) – Like beer pong, but using sparkling cider or soda in plastic cups.
8. New Year’s Eve Charades – Act out events from the past year or New Year’s resolutions.

Easter Game Ideas:

1. Egg Hunt – Hide plastic or real eggs filled with candy or small prizes for children to find.
2. Egg-and-Spoon Race – Balance an egg (real or plastic) on a spoon while racing.
3. Bunny Hop Race – Race by hopping like a bunny to a finish line.
4. Pin the Tail on the Bunny – Blindfolded players try to pin a fluffy tail on a bunny cutout.
5. Easter Basket Relay – Teams race to fill an Easter basket with hidden items.
6. Easter Bingo – Bingo cards featuring Easter symbols like eggs, bunnies, and lilies.
7. Easter Egg Roll – Roll decorated eggs across the floor and try to knock over a target.
8. Guess the Jelly Beans – Guess the number of jelly beans in a jar for a prize.
9. Bunny Ring Toss – Toss rings onto bunny-shaped cones or figures.

Valentine’s Day Game Ideas:

1. Cupid’s Arrow Game – Players throw darts or rings to land on hearts or other Valentine-themed targets.
2. Valentine’s Bingo – Bingo cards with Valentine-related images like hearts, chocolates, and roses.
3. Heart Hunt – Hide heart-shaped candies or paper hearts around the house or yard for a scavenger hunt.
4. Love Song Karaoke – Sing popular love songs or Valentine-themed tunes in a karaoke competition.
5. Pin the Kiss on Cupid – Similar to “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” but pinning a kiss on Cupid.
6. Valentine’s Day Trivia – Questions about love songs, movies, or historical facts related to Valentine’s Day.
7. Chocolate Tasting Challenge – Blindfolded players taste different kinds of chocolates and try to guess their flavors.

4th of July Game Ideas:

1. Patriotic Relay Race – Teams race while carrying American flags or wearing red, white, and blue.
2. Water Balloon Toss – Toss water balloons back and forth without breaking them.
3. Sack Race – Race while jumping in large burlap sacks.
4. Flag Relay – Race to carry the U.S. flag from one point to another without touching the ground.
5. Firecracker Ring Toss – Toss rings onto upright bottles that are decorated like firecrackers.
6. Patriotic Scavenger Hunt – Search for items related to the American flag, fireworks, or U.S. history.

Miscellaneous Festival Game Ideas:

1. Global Trivia – Trivia questions from around the world, perfect for cultural festivals or international events.
2. Around the World Relay – Teams race through different stations representing various countries or cultures.
3. Festive Costume Contest – A costume contest based on a specific holiday or festival theme.
4. Festival Karaoke – Sing songs that represent the festival’s country or culture.
5. Craft Competition – Create handmade items, like wreaths or decorations, based on the theme of the festival.

These holiday games offer creative and fun ways to engage guests, encourage participation, and make each festival memorable. Whether for family, friends, or a larger community, these ideas can be customized to suit your space, age group, and desired level of competition.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to play each of the Holiday Games for various festivals such as Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, Easter, Valentine’s Day, the 4th of July, and more:

Halloween Game Ideas

1. Mummy Relay Race

   • Requirements: Toilet paper, teams of at least 2 people.
   • Steps:
     1. Divide players into teams.
     2. One player from each team will be the “mummy,” and the others will be the “wrappers.”
     3. The wrapper’s goal is to wrap the mummy from head to toe in toilet paper.
     4. The team that finishes wrapping their mummy first wins.
     5. The mummy must remain standing and cannot be unwrapped until the race ends.

2. Pumpkin Bowling

   • Requirements: Small pumpkins, empty cans (5-10), bowling alley or smooth floor.
   • Steps:
     1. Set up 10 empty cans in a bowling pin formation.
     2. Use small pumpkins as bowling balls.
     3. Players take turns rolling the pumpkin to knock down the cans.
     4. The player who knocks down the most cans in the fewest rolls wins.

3. Monster Freeze Dance

   • Requirements: Music player, Halloween-themed music.
   • Steps:
     1. Play Halloween music (like spooky tunes or Halloween songs).
     2. When the music starts, everyone dances.
     3. When the music stops, players must freeze.
     4. If anyone moves while the music is stopped, they are out.
     5. The last person remaining is the winner.
4. Pumpkin Hunt
   • Requirements: Small pumpkins, outdoor or indoor space.
   • Steps:
     1. Hide small pumpkins (real or plastic) around the designated space.
     2. Provide clues or a list of locations to help players find the pumpkins.
     3. The person or team that finds the most pumpkins wins.
     4. Optionally, the pumpkins can have small prizes inside.

5. Apple Bobbing

   • Requirements: Tub of water, apples.
   • Steps:
     1. Fill a large tub with water and place apples inside.
     2. Players must use only their mouths to grab an apple.
     3. Players take turns, trying to catch an apple without using their hands.
     4. The first person to grab an apple wins.

Christmas Game Ideas

1. Christmas Charades

   • Requirements: A charades list with Christmas-themed phrases, music player (optional).
   • Steps:
     1. Write down Christmas-related actions, carols, or holiday phrases on small pieces of paper.
     2. Divide players into two teams.
     3. One player from a team picks a piece of paper and acts it out without speaking.
     4. The team has 1 minute to guess the correct answer.
     5. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

2. Gift Wrapping Relay

   • Requirements: Wrapping paper, scissors, tape, gift boxes.
   • Steps:
     1. Divide players into two teams.
     2. Set up a wrapping station with all supplies.
     3. Players must race to wrap a gift box completely in wrapping paper.
     4. The next player in line continues once the gift is wrapped.
     5. The first team to finish wrapping all their gifts wins.

3. Holiday Bingo

   • Requirements: Bingo cards with Christmas-themed pictures, markers or chips.
   • Steps:
     1. Create Bingo cards with Christmas-related images (e.g., tree, snowman, Santa).
     2. Distribute the cards and markers to players.
     3. Call out the items or show images.
     4. Players mark the images they have on their cards.
     5. The first player to complete a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls out “Bingo!” and wins.

4. Snowball Toss

   • Requirements: Cotton balls (snowballs), small buckets or containers.
   • Steps:
     1. Set up several buckets at different distances.
     2. Give each player a handful of cotton balls.
     3. Players take turns tossing their “snowballs” into the buckets.
     4. The player who lands the most snowballs in the buckets wins.

5. Pin the Nose on Rudolph

   • Requirements: Blindfold, large poster of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, red nose cutout with tape.
   • Steps:
     1. Blindfold the player.
     2. Spin them lightly to disorient.
     3. The player then attempts to pin the red nose on Rudolph’s face.
     4. The closest placement of the nose wins.

Thanksgiving Game Ideas

1. Turkey Trot Relay

   • Requirements: Turkey costumes or hats, a race course.
   • Steps:
     1. Players must dress up as turkeys (using a costume or simply turkey hats).
     2. Split players into teams.
     3. Players race to a finish line while waddling or running as turkeys.
     4. The team that finishes first wins.

2. Pumpkin Bowling

   • Requirements: Small pumpkins, empty cans (5-10).
   • Steps:
     1. Set up the cans in a bowling pin formation.
     2. Roll pumpkins to try and knock down the pins.
     3. Players take turns rolling the pumpkins.
     4. The player who knocks down the most pins in the fewest turns wins.

3. Thanksgiving Trivia

   • Requirements: Pre-prepared trivia questions.
   • Steps:
     1. Ask a series of Thanksgiving-related trivia questions (history, traditions, food-related questions).
     2. Players or teams answer the questions.
     3. Keep score and the player/team with the most correct answers wins.

4. Pin the Feather on the Turkey

   • Requirements: Blindfold, large turkey cutout, paper feathers.
   • Steps:
     1. Blindfold the player.
     2. Spin them lightly.
     3. The player must attempt to pin a feather onto the turkey’s body.
     4. The player closest to the correct spot wins.

5. Cornhole

   • Requirements: Cornhole boards and bean bags.
   • Steps:
     1. Set up cornhole boards at a reasonable distance.
     2. Players take turns tossing bean bags onto the boards.
     3. Points are scored based on where the bean bags land: 1 point for on the board, 3 points for in the hole.
     4. The first player/team to reach the target score wins.

New Year’s Eve Game Ideas

1. New Year’s Eve Countdown

   • Requirements: Paper and pens, New Year’s Eve party supplies.
   • Steps:
     1. Have everyone write a New Year’s resolution or a prediction for the new year on paper.
     2. At midnight, read aloud the resolutions and predictions.
     3. Discuss and celebrate everyone’s ideas for the year ahead.

2. Balloon Pop

   • Requirements: Balloons, pieces of paper with resolutions/challenges inside.
   • Steps:
     1. Write resolutions or fun challenges on small pieces of paper.
     2. Insert the papers into balloons before inflating.
     3. At midnight, everyone pops their balloon and completes the challenge or reads the resolution aloud.

3. Champagne Pong (Non-Alcoholic)

   • Requirements: Plastic cups, ping pong balls, non-alcoholic sparkling cider or soda.
   • Steps:
     1. Arrange plastic cups in a triangle shape on a table, each filled with soda or sparkling cider.
     2. Players take turns throwing ping pong balls into the cups.
     3. If a ball lands in a cup, the opposing team must drink from that cup.
     4. The first team to clear all cups wins.

Easter Game Ideas

1. Egg Hunt

   • Requirements: Plastic eggs, candy, small prizes, baskets.
   • Steps:
     1. Fill plastic eggs with candy or small prizes and hide them in the yard or house.
     2. Provide children with baskets to collect the eggs.
     3. The child who finds the most eggs wins.

2. Egg-and-Spoon Race

   • Requirements: Eggs (real or plastic), spoons.
   • Steps:
     1. Players balance an egg on a spoon.
     2. Race from one point to another without dropping the egg.
     3. The player who crosses the finish line first without dropping their egg wins.

3. Bunny Hop Race

   • Requirements: None, just open space.
   • Steps:
     1. Players must hop like bunnies to the finish line.
     2. The first player to hop to the finish line wins.

These games can be adapted to fit your space and the number of people involved, ensuring fun for everyone!