Printable Guide
30 Christmas Party Games for Family, Office & Kids (With Rules)
30 Christmas party games with rules, player counts and times for family, office, kids and adults, plus a 2-hour party plan and free printable games.
Short answer: the best Christmas party games are the ones that fit your group and your room. For a mixed family crowd, play Christmas trivia in teams, picture bingo and charades. For an office party, start with an icebreaker sheet like “Find a guest who…”, then a team quiz, then a gift swap. For kids, choose pass the parcel, freeze dance and a word search race. Plan 3–5 games for a two-hour party, each 10–20 minutes, and alternate seated games with loud ones.
Most lists of Christmas party games stop at the name of the game. Below, each of the 30 games has the rule in one line, how many people it suits, how long it takes and what you need, grouped by audience. You’ll also find a two-hour plan, prize ideas and ten games you can print for free tonight. Updated 2026-10-15.
Christmas party games at a glance: pick by group
Start here. Find your situation in the left column, then jump to that section.
| Your party | Best 3 games | Space | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family, ages 5 to 85 | Team Christmas trivia, picture bingo, charades | Living room or dinner table | 10 min (print sheets) |
| Kids’ or class party, ages 4–10 | Pass the parcel, freeze dance, word search race | Room to move | 20 min (wrap the parcel) |
| Office, 10–50 people | Find a guest who…, team trivia, White Elephant | Meeting room or restaurant | 15 min |
| Remote or hybrid team | Emoji game, Christmas movie trivia, two truths and a lie | Video call | 10 min (email a PDF) |
| Adults after dinner | Saran wrap ball, finish the lyric, holiday ABCs | Around the table | 15 min |
| Large group, 50+ | Bingo, ornament jar guess, ugly sweater vote | Hall | 15 min |
Paper games solve most problems at once: they work seated, they work at any size, nobody has to perform alone, and the host has an answer key. That’s why the first ten games below are printable.
10 printable Christmas party games (zero setup)
Each guest or team gets a sheet and a pencil. All ten are free to edit and print on US Letter or A4, and the quiz-type games come with an answer key on its own page.
| # | Game | How to play | Players | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christmas trivia | 20 multiple-choice questions; teams of 3–5 share a sheet, most correct answers wins | 4–50+ | 15 min |
| 2 | Christmas movie trivia | Questions on Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually and other classics | Teens, adults | 15 min |
| 3 | Christmas word scramble | Unscramble 20 festive words; first person to finish shouts “Ho ho ho!” | Ages 8+ | 10 min |
| 4 | Christmas emoji game | Decode emoji rows into songs, films and characters | Ages 10+ | 10 min |
| 5 | Christmas would you rather | Read a dilemma; everyone walks to the left or right side of the room | Any | 10 min |
| 6 | Find a guest who… | Mingle and collect a name for each square (“has been to a Christmas market”) | 8–60 | 15 min |
| 7 | Holiday price is right | Guess the price of 15 Christmas items; closest without going over scores | Adults | 10 min |
| 8 | Christmas around the world | Match each tradition to its country | Ages 10+ | 10 min |
| 9 | Christmas picture bingo | The caller draws a picture card; first full line wins | 4–100 | 15–20 min |
| 10 | Christmas word search race | Everyone starts at “Go”; first to find every word wins | Ages 5+ | 10 min |
Tips that make paper games work: print half-page sheets (two per page) to save paper, keep the answer key face down until scoring, and swap two or three questions for inside jokes (“Who burned the turkey in 2024?”). Inside jokes get the biggest laughs of the night.
For mixed ages, give kids the picture version of bingo and the kids’ word search, and give the adults the hard word search so everyone finishes at about the same time.
Christmas party games for the whole family
These need little or nothing to buy and work from about age 5 to grandparents.
| # | Game | How to play | Players | Time | You need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Christmas charades | Act out a Christmas film, song or object without speaking; your team has 60 seconds to guess | 6+ | 15–20 min | Slips of paper, a timer |
| 12 | Who am I? | Stick a character’s name on each forehead (Rudolph, the Grinch); ask yes-or-no questions until you guess it | 4–20 | 15 min | Sticky notes |
| 13 | Name that carol | Hum or play 5 seconds of a Christmas song; first correct guess scores | 4+ | 10–15 min | A phone and speaker |
| 14 | Christmas Pictionary | Draw a word for your team to guess in 60 seconds; no letters or numbers allowed | 6+ | 15–20 min | Paper or a whiteboard |
| 15 | Stocking mystery | Fill a stocking with 10 small items; each player feels it for 30 seconds and lists what’s inside | 4+ | 10 min | A stocking, small items |
Make it fair across ages: pair a child with an adult for charades and Pictionary, and let young kids draw instead of write. In trivia, give each table one “kid question” worth double points.
Christmas party games for kids (ages 3–10)
Kids need movement, short rounds and a prize for everyone. Keep each game under 10 minutes and the music loud.
| # | Game | How to play | Ages | Time | You need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Pass the parcel | Pass a parcel wrapped in many layers while music plays; when it stops, the holder unwraps one layer | 3–8 | 10–15 min | A small prize, paper, music |
| 17 | Santa says | Simon Says with Santa: “Santa says pull the sleigh!” Move only when Santa says so | 3–7 | 5–10 min | Nothing |
| 18 | Freeze dance | Dance to Christmas songs; freeze when the music stops, wobblers sit out or do a forfeit | 3–10 | 10 min | Music |
| 19 | Pin the nose on Rudolph | Blindfolded, stick the red nose closest to the right spot | 4–9 | 10 min | A drawn Rudolph, a blindfold |
| 20 | Snowball spoon relay | Carry cotton-ball “snowballs” on a spoon to a bowl; the team with most in one minute wins | 4–10 | 5–10 min | Spoons, cotton balls, bowls |
In pass the parcel, a small sweet or sticker in every layer stops tears (pass the parcel traditionally has one prize in the middle). For a class party, print Christmas bingo with pictures for children who can’t read yet: every card is different, so there’s no copying.
Safety for little ones: hard candy, whole grapes, popcorn and small toy parts are choking hazards for children under 4, so skip candy-cane hooks and mini prizes with the youngest guests (HealthyChildren.org, AAP).
Office Christmas party games (in person and virtual)
Office party games have a different job: help people who barely know each other talk, without making anyone perform. In Challenger, Gray & Christmas’s 2024 survey, 64% of US companies planned a holiday celebration and 4.5% planned a virtual one (Challenger, Gray & Christmas).
| # | Game | How to play | Players | Time | Works on video? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Ugly sweater contest | Everyone votes on paper ballots; prizes for ugliest, most creative, best DIY | 10+ | Runs all party | Yes, on camera |
| 22 | Ornament jar guess | Fill a jar with baubles or sweets; guests write a guess on arrival, closest wins | Any | Runs all party | Show the jar on screen |
| 23 | Two truths and a lie, Christmas edition | Share two true holiday facts about yourself and one lie; the room guesses the lie | 5–25 | 15 min | Yes |
| 24 | Minute to Win It trio | Jingle bell shake (empty bells out of a box tied to your waist), candy cane hook, cookie face (forehead to mouth, no hands) | 6–30 | 15 min | Partly |
| 25 | Snowman wrap | Teams of three wrap one teammate in toilet paper in 2 minutes; the room votes on the best snowman | 9–40 | 10 min | No |
Run a smoother office party: begin with a seated game (6, 1 or 23) and save physical games for later, when people are warmed up. Keep every game opt-in: some people would rather keep score or be the judge. SHRM recommends saying “holiday party”, using non-religious décor and music, and keeping the first part of the event alcohol-free so everyone feels welcome (SHRM). All PrintMigo game questions are family-friendly, and you can edit out anything religious before printing.
For remote teams: email the PDF a day before, ask people to print it or open it on a second screen, and have each person send a photo of their sheet for scoring. The emoji game and movie trivia work best on video because there’s no audio lag.
Christmas party games for adults
For grown-ups after dinner, the best games are fast, slightly competitive and work around a table.
| # | Game | How to play | Players | Time | You need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Saran wrap ball | Wrap small prizes and cash in a ball of plastic wrap; one player unwraps wearing oven mitts while the next rolls two dice, and the ball moves on at doubles | 5–15 | 15–20 min | Plastic wrap, prizes, dice, oven mitts |
| 27 | Finish the lyric | Pause a Christmas song mid-line; teams write the next line | 6+ | 10 min | A speaker, paper |
| 28 | Holiday ABCs | Teams have 3 minutes to write a Christmas word for every letter A–Z; unique answers score | 4+ | 10 min | Paper, a timer |
For an adults-only crowd, the Christmas party bingo cards have squares like “someone dozes on the sofa”, “a drink gets spilled” and “wrong name on a gift tag”. Play them through dinner and call out a winner at dessert.
A bit of history for the trivia round: Victorians played snapdragon, snatching raisins out of a bowl of burning brandy on Christmas Eve (Wikipedia). Please don’t revive that one.
Gift exchange Christmas party games
Gift games fill 20–45 minutes and need a clear budget. Put the budget on the invitation; $20–30 is common for offices.
| # | Game | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | White Elephant (Yankee swap) | Draw numbers. Player 1 opens a gift; each next player opens a new gift or steals an opened one. A gift can be stolen 3 times at most | Office, adult friends, 8–30 people |
| 30 | Left-right gift pass | Everyone holds a wrapped gift; the host reads a Christmas story and gifts move left or right every time those words appear | Families, mixed ages |
Two more you’ll hear about: Secret Santa (called Kris Kindle or Kris Kringle in Ireland) means drawing names in advance and buying one gift within the budget (Wikipedia). In the dice gift exchange, players roll and each number means an action: swap, steal, pass left, unwrap.
The name “white elephant” comes from the rare white elephants of Siam, and “white elephant parties” for swapping unwanted things were common in the US by the early 1900s (History.com). In the UK and Australia, Christmas crackers do part of the job: London confectioner Tom Smith is credited with inventing them in 1847 (Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine). Pull them before the games and use the jokes as tie-breakers.
How to plan Christmas party games for a 2-hour party
0–20 min icebreaker sheet · 20–40 team trivia · 40–60 food · 60–80 an active game · 80–95 bingo · 95–110 gift swap · 110–120 prizes. Printer badge = a sheet you can print.
- Pick 3–5 games, not 10. Ten-minute games always take fifteen once you explain the rules and count scores.
- Open with something people can join late. “Find a guest who…” works while guests arrive; latecomers just grab a sheet.
- Alternate calm and loud. Seated quiz, then food, then a game with movement, then a seated game again. Energy dips after eating, so don’t schedule a quiz right after the main course.
- Put the gift swap near the end. It keeps people at the party, and the photos are better.
- Finish with prizes, not a winner nobody hears. Announce the trivia winners and the sweater vote together.
Prep checklist: print one sheet per person plus 20% extra, put pencils on every table, prepare a playlist, buy 3–6 small prizes, and assign one person as host and scorekeeper.
Prizes and supplies for Christmas party games
You don’t need expensive prizes. Good ones cost $2–10: hot cocoa kits, fancy chocolate, festive socks, a mini plant, a scratch card, a “leave 30 minutes early” coupon for the office. For kids, stickers and candy canes (over-4s only) work.
| Supply | Used in games |
|---|---|
| Pencils and printed sheets | 1–10, 27, 28 |
| Phone and speaker | 13, 16, 18, 27 |
| Sticky notes, paper slips | 11, 12 |
| Timer | 11, 14, 24, 28 |
| Dice | 26, dice gift exchange |
| Small prizes | Most games |
If you have more guests than seats, number the tables and use bingo daubers, sweets or coins as bingo markers. Print the trivia at 4 per page for small tables; it saves three sheets in four.
Common mistakes with Christmas party games (and fixes)
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too many games | Rushed rules, half the room lost | 3–5 games for 2 hours |
| Solo performing first thing | Shy guests leave early | Start with a sheet game or teams |
| No answer key | Arguments over scoring | Print a separate host key |
| Quiz after the big meal | Low energy, people drift off | Put a movement game after food |
| Gift swap with no budget | Uneven gifts, awkwardness | State the budget on the invitation |
| Only drinking games | Excludes non-drinkers and drivers | Keep games alcohol-free; offer mocktails |
Christmas party games: FAQ
What is the best game to play at a Christmas party? Team Christmas trivia is the most reliable: it works for 4 to 50 people, all ages can join, nobody performs alone and it takes about 15 minutes. Add bingo or a gift swap to finish.
What Christmas party games need no supplies? Charades, Santa says, two truths and a lie, name that carol (with a phone) and would you rather (read aloud, guests move to a side of the room). Everything else needs at least paper and pencils.
How many games should you play at a Christmas party? For a two-hour party, 3–5 games of 10–20 minutes each, plus food and a gift exchange. Keep one spare game in case a round finishes early.
What are good Christmas party games for large groups? Bingo (up to 100 unique cards), find a guest who…, an ornament jar guess and an ugly sweater vote. They work because everyone plays at once instead of taking turns.
What are fun Christmas party games for adults? The saran wrap ball, finish the lyric, the holiday price is right, Christmas movie trivia and White Elephant. For adults-only parties, party bingo with squares like “someone tells a bad joke” gets laughs during dinner.
What Christmas games can you play on Zoom or Teams? The emoji game, Christmas movie trivia, two truths and a lie, a scavenger hunt (“bring something red in 60 seconds”) and an ugly sweater vote. Send printable sheets the day before.
How do I ask an AI to plan Christmas party games for my group? Give it the numbers: “Plan Christmas party games for 25 coworkers, 2 hours, a restaurant back room, no alcohol, half of us remote.” Then print the games it picks, edit the questions and add a few inside jokes.
Ready for the party? Open the free printable Christmas party games, change a few questions, print one sheet per guest and keep the answer key for yourself. Add Christmas bingo cards and a Christmas word search and you have a full evening of Christmas party games in about ten minutes.