Christmas Games: 30 Fun Games for Family, Friends and Parties

October 7, 2026

Christmas 2026 key dates (UK)

Black Friday: Friday 27 November
Advent Sunday: 29 November
Christmas Day: Friday 25 December
Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December (bank holiday Monday 28 December)
Last posting dates: Royal Mail usually recommends mid December for second class and a few days later for first class. Check Royal Mail for this year's exact dates.

Christmas Day has a lull - usually somewhere between the pudding and the King's Speech - when everyone is full and half asleep. A good game turns it into the best bit of the day.

These Christmas games are grouped by who's playing, and most need nothing more than paper, pens and a bit of competitive spirit.

Classic family games

Charades - act out Christmas films and songs without speaking.
Pass the parcel - with a small treat in every layer.
Who am I? - stick a famous name on each forehead and ask yes/no questions.
Christmas quiz - teams answer festive trivia.
Sardines - one person hides, everyone else squeezes in when they find them.

No-equipment games

The name game - name a Christmas thing for every letter of the alphabet.
Twenty questions - guess the festive object.
I spy, Christmas edition.
Fizz buzz with 'jingle' and 'bells'.
Story chain - each person adds one sentence to a Christmas story.

Games for kids

Pin the nose on Rudolph.
Musical chairs to Christmas songs.
Snowball fight with scrunched paper.
Christmas scavenger hunt round the house.
Decorate a gingerbread biscuit contest.

Games for adults

Christmas film emoji quiz.
Secret Santa steal - swap and steal wrapped gifts.
Name that Christmas tune in three notes.
Two truths and a lie, Christmas memories edition.
Christmas pictionary.

Office party games

Christmas jumper competition.
Baby photo guessing.
Team pub quiz with a festive round.
Minute to win it challenges.
Desk decorating contest.

Games for two

Christmas film marathon bingo.
Festive card game tournament.
Cookie decorating face-off.
Christmas word search race.
Wrap a gift blindfolded.

Key things to remember

Mix teams of young and old.
Keep each game under 20 minutes.
Have small prizes ready.

Frequently asked questions

What games can you play at Christmas?

Charades, Who am I?, a Christmas quiz, pass the parcel and Christmas pictionary are the most popular family games.

What are good Christmas games for adults?

Secret Santa steal, name that tune, a Christmas film emoji quiz and two truths and a lie.

What Christmas games need no equipment?

Charades, twenty questions, the name game and story chain need nothing at all.

What is a good example of christmas games?

"Charades - act out Christmas films and songs without speaking." is one of 30 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

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