Here are the 18 Christmas games for families. Enjoy and celebrate this Christmas with your family members.

Christmas is one of those times of year when everyone seems to slow down a little. The presents are opened, dinner is finished, the Christmas music is playing in the background, and eventually someone asks the question: “What should we do now?”

That’s when having a few fun Christmas games ready can make all the difference.

You don’t need a huge Christmas party, expensive board games, or a cupboard full of party supplies. Some of the best Christmas games to play at home need nothing more than a few sheets of paper, a phone, or even just the people sitting around the room.

The ideas below are a mixture of classic Christmas games, conversation games, guessing games, memory challenges, movie games, and a few cozy activities that feel more like a game night than a formal competition.

Some are perfect for families, some are better for adults, and many can easily be adapted for children or teenagers. There are also plenty of options for two people, so you don’t need a large group to make the evening entertaining.

So grab some Christmas cookies, make yourself a warm drink, and pick a game.

18 Christmas games for families

1. Christmas Movie Bracket Vote

If your family or friends can never agree on which Christmas movie to watch, turn that argument into the first game of the evening.

A Christmas Movie Bracket is basically a mini movie tournament. Choose between 8 and 16 Christmas movies and put them into a simple knockout bracket.

You could include favorites such as Home Alone, Elf, The Grinch, The Holiday, A Christmas Story, Klaus, Love Actually, or any other movies your group enjoys.

Write each title on a piece of paper and arrange the movies into pairs. The first two movies face each other, and everyone votes for the one they would rather watch. The winner moves into the next round.

Keep going until you have your final two movies.

The last movie standing becomes the Christmas movie champion — and there’s a very simple prize: you watch the winning movie that night.

How to make it more fun

Don’t make every matchup too obvious. Put two popular movies against each other early in the tournament and you’ll immediately have people defending their choices.

You can also give each person one vote, or let everyone explain their choice before voting.

For a larger group, try giving one person the job of tournament host. They can announce each matchup dramatically and keep track of the scores.

For two people, simply take turns choosing your favorite. If you end up tied, use a tiebreaker such as naming your favorite Christmas scene from each movie.

This is one of the best Christmas games for adults because half the entertainment comes from the arguments.

2. Christmas Would You Rather

Christmas Would You Rather is simple, requires almost no preparation, and can turn into a surprisingly entertaining conversation.

The basic rule is easy: one person asks a Christmas-themed question with two choices, and everyone has to choose one.

Try questions such as:

• Would you rather decorate the tree or wrap all the presents?
• Would you rather cook Christmas dinner or wash every dish afterward?
• Would you rather have a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree?
• Would you rather spend Christmas Eve at home or Christmas morning at a big family gathering?
• Would you rather give up Christmas movies or Christmas music?
• Would you rather receive one amazing gift or ten small gifts?
• Would you rather wear an ugly Christmas sweater for a month or Santa’s hat for a year?

The important rule is that everyone has to choose.

That’s what makes the game interesting. Someone will always say, “Actually, neither!” and then spend five minutes explaining why.

Add a scoring system

You don’t really need points, but you can make it competitive.

After everyone answers, choose the person who gave the funniest or most convincing explanation. They receive a point.

Another option is to guess what the majority will choose. If you predict the most popular answer correctly, you earn a point.

This is also an excellent Christmas game for two people because the questions naturally lead into conversations.

3. Reverse Christmas Charades

Traditional charades involve one person acting while everyone else tries to guess the answer.

Reverse Christmas Charades flips the idea around.

One person is the guesser. Everyone else gets to see the Christmas word or phrase and acts it out together.

Imagine the card says “Santa stuck in a chimney.”

The guesser turns around and suddenly sees several people silently pretending to be Santa, a chimney, and someone trying to pull Santa out.

Nobody can speak.

Nobody can spell the answer.

Nobody can point at an object that gives it away.

The guesser simply has to figure out what’s happening.

Christmas prompts to try

• Decorating the Christmas tree
• Santa coming down the chimney
• Building a snowman
• Wrapping presents
• Rudolph flying
• Opening a stocking
• Untangling Christmas lights
• Eating too many Christmas cookies
• Shopping for Christmas presents
• Hanging Christmas stockings

Give the guesser about 60 seconds.

With a larger group, this becomes wonderfully chaotic because several people are trying to communicate the same idea at once.

For two players, you can simplify it by taking turns acting and guessing.

4. Christmas Trivia

Christmas trivia is one of the easiest games to adapt for different ages and group sizes.

Create questions about Christmas movies, songs, traditions, food, characters, history, and popular culture.

Give everyone a sheet of paper and read the questions one at a time. Allow around 15 to 30 seconds for each answer.

At the end, read the correct answers and let everyone score their own sheet.

Make several trivia rounds

Instead of making one giant list, divide the game into categories.

Round 1: Christmas Movies

Round 2: Christmas Songs

Round 3: Christmas Food

Round 4: Christmas Traditions

Round 5: General Christmas Knowledge

This gives different people a chance to shine.

Someone who isn’t very good at movie trivia might know every Christmas song ever recorded.

Team version

If you have six or more people, divide everyone into teams.

Teams can quietly discuss each question before writing down their final answer.

This version works particularly well for family gatherings because younger players can team up with adults and everyone contributes something.

5. Christmas Charades

Christmas Charades is a classic that doesn’t really need improving.

The Christmas version simply gives you a huge collection of familiar words and situations to act out.

Write different prompts on small pieces of paper and put them into a bowl, mug, or gift bag.

A player chooses one without showing anyone else and has 60 to 90 seconds to act it out.

Christmas charades ideas

Try:

• Santa Claus
• Rudolph
• Christmas tree
• Wrapping presents
• Christmas shopping
• Building a snowman
• Hanging stockings
• Decorating cookies
• Untangling Christmas lights
• Opening presents
• Drinking hot chocolate
• Singing Christmas carols
• Snowball fight
• Christmas morning
• Santa checking his list

You can divide the group into two teams or simply award one point to the first person who guesses correctly.

The best prompts aren’t always the complicated ones. “Trying to untangle Christmas lights” can be much funnier than a difficult movie title because everyone knows exactly what that struggle looks like.

6. Christmas This or That

This or That is a faster version of Would You Rather.

Instead of creating hypothetical situations, simply give everyone two Christmas choices.

For example:

Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Real tree or fake tree?

Cookies or cake?

Elf or Home Alone?

Christmas music or Christmas movies?

Gifts or Christmas dinner?

Everyone chooses one.

You can have people move to opposite sides of the room depending on their answer, which makes this particularly fun for larger groups.

For a relaxed evening, everyone can simply hold up one finger for the first option and two fingers for the second.

Make it personal

Generic questions are fun, but personal ones can be even better.

Try:

• Homemade cookies or store-bought?
• Your family’s Christmas dinner or your friend’s?
• Early presents or waiting until Christmas morning?
• Matching pajamas or ugly sweaters?
• Decorating early or decorating at the last minute?

These questions often lead to stories and friendly arguments, which is exactly what you want from a casual Christmas game.

7. Christmas Pictionary

Christmas Pictionary is perfect if you have paper and pens.

One player chooses a Christmas word and tries to draw it while everyone else guesses.

The artist can’t speak, write letters, or give verbal clues.

The drawings don’t need to be good.

Actually, the worse they are, the better.

Christmas Pictionary ideas

• Christmas tree
• Candy cane
• Snowman
• Santa’s sleigh
• Reindeer
• Gingerbread house
• Fireplace
• Christmas stocking
• Christmas market
• Snow globe
• Christmas dinner
• Present under a tree
• Christmas lights
• Nativity scene

Set a one-minute timer for each round.

For younger children, use very simple objects.

For adults, make the prompts more challenging by using phrases such as “Santa stuck in traffic” or “someone trying to untangle Christmas lights.”

8. Christmas Movie Emoji Quiz

This game is perfect for people who enjoy puzzles.

Create emoji combinations that represent Christmas movies.

For example:

🏠 + 👦 + 👨‍🦰👨‍🦲

could represent Home Alone.

The clues don’t have to be completely obvious. In fact, the best ones make people stop and think for a moment.

Prepare around 10 to 15 clues and give everyone a set amount of time to solve them.

Make it a competition

Give one point for each correct answer.

For a harder version, give bonus points if someone can name a character from the movie.

For younger players, use very recognizable movies.

For adults, mix popular titles with less obvious Christmas films.

The nice thing about this game is that people who don’t usually dominate trivia may suddenly become the best player because they’re good at visual puzzles.

9. Guess the Christmas Song Intro

Put on a Christmas playlist and play only the opening few seconds of each song.

Then stop.

Everyone has to guess the title.

Start with easy songs and gradually increase the difficulty.

For example, begin with very recognizable Christmas songs before moving to songs with less obvious introductions.

Add another challenge

Once someone correctly identifies the song, ask them to sing the next line.

This can be much harder than identifying the title.

You can also award two points:

• 1 point for the correct song
• 1 point for singing the next line correctly

For two players, take turns being the DJ.

This game needs almost no preparation, making it one of the easiest Christmas games at home to start spontaneously.

10. Christmas Riddles

Christmas riddles are a good choice when everyone wants something quieter.

One person reads a riddle and everyone tries to figure out the answer.

You can play competitively by awarding a point to the first person who gets it right, or have everyone write down their answers before revealing the solution.

Start with easier riddles and save the tricky ones for later.

Make your own riddles

You can write clues around familiar Christmas objects.

For example, you might describe something that hangs on a tree without naming it directly.

The fun comes from making the clues just difficult enough.

For a two-person game, take turns being the reader and the solver.

This is especially good after dinner because it doesn’t require anyone to stand up or move around.

11. Christmas Card Memory Match

Don’t throw away your Christmas cards just yet.

They can become part of a simple memory game.

Lay 10 to 20 Christmas cards face down on a table.

Players take turns flipping over two cards.

The goal is to find matching pairs.

There are several ways to decide what counts as a match.

You could match:

• Two cards with snowmen
• Two cards with Christmas trees
• Two cards with similar colors
• Two cards from the same sender
• Two cards with similar designs

The easiest version is visual matching.

The player who collects the most pairs wins.

For a more relaxed version, forget about winning and simply see how many pairs everyone can find together.

12. I’m Packing Santa’s Sleigh

This is a Christmas version of the classic memory-chain game.

The first person says:

“I’m packing Santa’s sleigh and I’m bringing a Christmas tree.”

The next player repeats the sentence and adds another item.

“I’m packing Santa’s sleigh and I’m bringing a Christmas tree and a teddy bear.”

The next person repeats both items and adds another.

The list gets longer every round.

Eventually someone will forget an item or mix up the order.

Make the items ridiculous

Instead of saying ordinary things, encourage players to choose memorable items.

For example:

• A giant red Christmas stocking
• A singing reindeer
• A mountain of cookies
• A tiny Christmas tree
• A purple sweater for Santa

The stranger the image, the easier it can be to remember.

This game requires no equipment, so you can play it at the dinner table, on the couch, or even while traveling during the holidays.

13. Christmas Movie Quote Game

How well does everyone know their favorite Christmas movies?

One person reads a line from a Christmas movie and everyone tries to identify the film.

For an easier version, players only need to name the movie.

For a harder version, they must identify the character who said it.

Try different rounds

Name the Movie: Identify the film.

Name the Character: Identify who said the line.

Finish the Quote: Complete the rest of the sentence.

Misquote Challenge: Change one word in a familiar line and see who notices.

The last version can be especially funny because people often know a quote so well that they immediately notice when something sounds slightly wrong.

14. Two Truths and a Christmas Lie

This is the classic Two Truths and a Lie with a festive twist.

Each person comes up with three Christmas-related statements.

Two are true.

One is a lie.

For example:

• I once spent Christmas somewhere completely unexpected.
• I have never seen The Grinch.
• I once ate an entire box of chocolates during Christmas.

Everyone else has to guess which statement is false.

The person who created the statements then reveals the answer.

Why it works so well

Christmas memories are often personal, which means this game can reveal stories that other people in the room didn’t know.

Someone might reveal a strange Christmas job, a memorable holiday trip, an embarrassing gift, or an unusual family tradition.

It works especially well with friends and relatives who already know each other.

15. Back-to-Back Christmas Drawing

This is one of the funniest drawing games because it tests communication rather than artistic ability.

Two players sit back-to-back.

One person is the Describer.

The other is the Drawer.

The Describer chooses a Christmas image and explains how to draw it without actually naming the object.

For example, instead of saying “Christmas tree,” they might say:

“Draw a large triangle in the middle of the paper. Add three horizontal lines across it. Put a small five-pointed shape above it.”

The Drawer follows the instructions.

When the time is up, compare the drawing with the original idea.

The results can be hilariously different.

Group variation

Have several people draw the same image from the same instructions.

When everyone finishes, place the drawings next to one another.

It’s fascinating to see how differently people interpret the same instructions.

16. Favorite Christmas Memory Share

Not every Christmas activity needs a winner.

Sometimes the nicest game is simply one that gets people talking.

Ask everyone to share one favorite Christmas memory.

It could be from childhood, a recent Christmas, a family trip, a funny present, or a simple moment that has stayed with them.

Encourage everyone to tell the actual story rather than giving a general answer.

Instead of:

“Christmas was always fun when I was young.”

Ask:

“What is one particular Christmas morning you remember clearly?”

That question can bring out much better stories.

Turn it into a guessing game

After someone tells their story, everyone else can guess:

• How old they were
• What year it happened
• Who gave them the gift
• What happened next

This keeps the activity playful while still allowing everyone to share something personal.

17. Guess the Carol Humming

Choose a Christmas carol and hum the melody.

No words.

No lyrics.

Just humming.

Everyone else has to identify the song.

This sounds incredibly easy until someone starts humming a familiar tune and suddenly nobody knows what it is.

Give the hummer around 30 seconds.

If nobody guesses correctly, they reveal the answer.

Try a harder version

Have two people hum different Christmas songs at the same time.

The rest of the group has to identify both.

This works best with four or more people and can quickly become wonderfully chaotic.

It’s also a good choice for people who don’t like traditional singing games because nobody needs to have a particularly good singing voice.

18. Cozy Cocoa Tasting Guess

Turn hot chocolate into a little blind-tasting game.

Prepare three to five different cups of hot chocolate.

Each one can have a different flavor or preparation method.

Try:

• Classic hot chocolate
• Peppermint hot chocolate
• Cinnamon hot chocolate
• Dark chocolate
• Marshmallow hot chocolate
• Vanilla hot chocolate
• Spiced hot chocolate

Number the cups and don’t tell players what each one contains.

Everyone tastes the drinks and writes down their guesses.

You can ask them to identify the flavor, guess which ingredients were used, and rank each drink from favorite to least favorite.

Keep it simple

You don’t need five giant mugs.

Small cups work perfectly for a tasting game.

Once everyone has made their guesses, reveal the ingredients and compare the results.

This is especially nice for couples or small groups because it’s more of a cozy activity than a loud party game.

More Christmas Game Ideas for Different Groups

The games above cover a wide range of moods, but it can still be useful to choose based on who is actually in the room.

Christmas Games for Families

If children and adults are playing together, choose games with simple rules.

Good choices include:

• Christmas Charades
• Christmas Pictionary
• I’m Packing Santa’s Sleigh
• Christmas This or That
• Christmas Card Memory Match
• Guess the Carol Humming

These games don’t require players to know lots of movie trivia or Christmas history.

Christmas Games for Adults

Adults can usually handle more complicated questions and longer conversations.

Try:

• Christmas Movie Bracket
• Christmas Trivia
• Christmas Movie Quote Game
• Two Truths and a Christmas Lie
• Christmas Would You Rather
• Christmas Movie Emoji Quiz

You can also make the questions more personal or competitive.

Christmas Games for Two People

You don’t need a big family gathering to play Christmas games.

Some of the best options for two people are:

1. Christmas Movie Bracket
2. Christmas Would You Rather
3. Christmas Trivia
4. Christmas Riddles
5. Back-to-Back Drawing
6. Christmas Card Memory Match
7. Cozy Cocoa Tasting
8. Guess the Christmas Song Intro
9. Two Truths and a Christmas Lie

For two people, don’t worry too much about keeping score. The conversation and competition are usually enough.

How to Make Christmas Games More Fun

A good game doesn’t need an elaborate setup, but a few small touches can make the evening feel more special.

Keep the rules simple

Nobody wants to spend ten minutes explaining a complicated game before Christmas dinner.

If people understand the rules within a minute or two, you’re much more likely to get everyone involved.

Mix competitive and relaxed games

Don’t play five high-energy games in a row.

Start with something simple like This or That, move into trivia or charades, and then finish with something quieter such as Christmas riddles or memory sharing.

That gives the evening a natural rhythm.

Let people skip games

Some family members love games.

Others would rather sit on the sofa and watch everyone else play.

Don’t force anyone to participate.

Often, once the laughter starts, the people sitting on the sidelines will eventually join in naturally.

Use small prizes

You don’t need expensive prizes.

Try:

• First choice of dessert
• Choosing the next Christmas movie
• Picking the next game
• Getting the last Christmas cookie
• Choosing the Christmas playlist

Even silly prizes can make competitive games more exciting.

Add your own family traditions

The best Christmas games aren’t necessarily the ones you find online.

Take a basic game and add your family’s own references.

For example, instead of generic Would You Rather questions, ask:

“Would you rather eat Grandma’s Christmas cake or Uncle John’s cooking?”

Suddenly the game becomes personal.

Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Games

What are the best Christmas games to play at home?

Some of the easiest options are Christmas Charades, Christmas Pictionary, Christmas Trivia, Would You Rather, This or That, Christmas Movie Bracket, Christmas Riddles, and Guess the Christmas Song Intro.

The best choice depends on the group. If people want something energetic, choose charades. If everyone is sitting after dinner, trivia, riddles, or conversation games may work better.

What Christmas games can you play with no supplies?

Several games require absolutely nothing.

Try:

• Christmas Charades
• Would You Rather
• This or That
• Two Truths and a Christmas Lie
• I’m Packing Santa’s Sleigh
• Favorite Christmas Memory Share
• Guess the Carol Humming

These are perfect if you decide at the last minute that you want to play a game.

What are some Christmas games for adults?

Adults can enjoy all of the games in this list, but Christmas Movie Bracket, Christmas Trivia, Christmas Movie Quote Game, Two Truths and a Christmas Lie, and Christmas Would You Rather are particularly good choices.

You can also make the questions more challenging for a group that enjoys competition.

What are good Christmas games for kids?

Christmas Charades, Pictionary, Christmas Card Memory Match, This or That, I’m Packing Santa’s Sleigh, and Guess the Carol are all easy to adapt for children.

For younger kids, use familiar characters, objects, songs, and activities.

What are good Christmas games for two people?

Christmas Movie Bracket, Christmas Trivia, Would You Rather, Christmas Riddles, Back-to-Back Christmas Drawing, Christmas Card Memory Match, and Cozy Cocoa Tasting are excellent options for two.

Some games become even more interesting with only two players because you have more time to talk and challenge each other.

Can I play these Christmas games without printing anything?

Yes.

Most of these games can be played using a phone, notebook, or pieces of scrap paper.

Even the games that are normally printed can be adapted. For example, instead of printing a Christmas trivia sheet, one person can read the questions directly from their phone.

Which Christmas games are best after Christmas dinner?

After a large meal, quieter games are usually better.

Try Christmas Riddles, Would You Rather, Two Truths and a Christmas Lie, Favorite Christmas Memory Share, Christmas Trivia, or Cozy Cocoa Tasting.

These allow everyone to stay comfortably seated while still keeping the conversation going.

How long should a Christmas game last?

There isn’t a fixed answer.

Quick games such as This or That or Guess the Christmas Song Intro can take only 10 minutes.

Trivia, Pictionary, and charades can easily fill 20 to 30 minutes.

A Christmas Movie Bracket or conversation game can last much longer if everyone is enjoying it.

The best approach is to stop while people are still having fun rather than forcing a game to continue after the energy disappears.

Final Thoughts

The best Christmas games aren’t necessarily the most complicated ones.

Sometimes all you need is a stack of paper, a phone, a few Christmas songs, or a group of people willing to be a little silly.

From competitive Christmas trivia and movie tournaments to relaxed hot chocolate tasting and favorite memory sharing, there are plenty of ways to make a Christmas evening more entertaining without spending much money or preparing for hours.

If you’re hosting a large family gathering, start with something everyone can understand quickly, such as Christmas This or That or Charades. Once everyone is comfortable, move into something more competitive like trivia or the Christmas Movie Bracket.

For a quieter evening, choose Christmas riddles, Two Truths and a Christmas Lie, or Favorite Christmas Memory Share.

And if you’re spending Christmas with just one other person, don’t feel like you’re missing out. Several of these games work particularly well for two.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to create a perfectly organized game night. It’s to get people talking, laughing, remembering old stories, and enjoying the time they have together.

So put on some Christmas music, make a warm drink, grab a few snacks, and choose your first game.

The presents may eventually be forgotten, but the ridiculous charades performance, the argument over the best Christmas movie, or the person who somehow guessed every song in two seconds might become the story everyone talks about next Christmas.