Christmas Cheer: Games To Play With Family And Friends

Christmas is a time for family, fun and games. If you're looking for some festive fun, there are plenty of games to play with your loved ones, from the classic to the creative. Get ready to deck the halls with boughs of holly and let the games commence!

For a fun twist on a well-known game, try Christmas Charades or Christmas Pictionary. Put your memory skills to the test with Christmas Memory Match or Guess the Christmas Quote. Get everyone moving with active games like Pin the Nose on the Reindeer, Reindeer Antler Toss or the Christmas Limbo Game. For a delicious treat, try the Gingerbread Shuffle, where players must try to eat a gingerbread cookie without using their hands!

There are also plenty of Christmas-themed board games and card games to choose from, such as Elf Monopoly, Hallmark Movie Bingo, Christmas Mad Libs, and the Christmas Saran Wrap Game. For something a little more challenging, try the Christmas Bean Bag Toss Game, the Jingle Bell Toss or the Christmas Scavenger Hunt.

So, whether you're looking for a game to play with the kids, a fun party game for adults, or a way to keep the family entertained, there's a Christmas game out there for you!

Christmas Charades

How to Play Christmas Charades

Before the game, prepare a stack of cards with various Christmas-themed clues. These can include anything related to the holiday season, such as popular Christmas movies, songs, traditions, characters, or objects. You can also include specific Christmas movie quotes or song lyrics for an added challenge. If you're feeling creative, design your own cards with Christmas-themed images or write the clues on pieces of paper and place them in a Santa hat.

Divide the players into two or more teams. Each team takes turns selecting a card from the stack. Without showing anyone else, one player from the team acts out the clue on the card, while their teammates try to guess what it is. The team has a set time limit, such as one minute, to guess correctly. If they guess correctly within the time limit, they earn a point. Then, it's the next team's turn to choose a card.

To make the game more challenging, you can impose restrictions on the actors, such as limiting the use of sounds or certain types of movements. For example, you might decide that actors can't make direct signals of letters or spell out words.

Variations

You can also play a version of Christmas Charades where, instead of using cards, players act out well-known Christmas-themed phrases, movie titles, or song names. For example, one player might act out "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," challenging their teammates to guess the title of the song or movie.

Another variation is to include a drawing element, where players must draw the clue on a whiteboard or paper within a limited time frame, without using any letters or words. Their teammates then have to guess what they are drawing.

Tips for a Successful Game

• Ensure that all players are familiar with the Christmas-themed clues or topics you've chosen. This will make the game more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.
• If you're playing with a large group, consider setting a time limit for each team's turn to keep the game moving and engage everyone actively.
• Encourage creative and energetic acting! The more expressive the actors are, the more engaging the game becomes.
• Feel free to adapt the rules or modify the game to fit your group's dynamics and interests. You can always add your own unique twists to make it more personalized and enjoyable for your gathering.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Christmas is a time for family traditions, but why not start a new one with a Christmas scavenger hunt? It's a fun way to get everyone involved and can be tailored to suit kids, adults, or the whole family. Here's a guide to help you plan the perfect Christmas scavenger hunt:

Planning Your Hunt

First, define your goals. Do you want to make it kid-friendly or more challenging for adults? Are you looking to encourage teamwork or just have a fun night of laughter? Knowing your goals will help you build your hunt accordingly.

Next, make your list of items for people to find. Try to create a mix of practical and creative items. For example, you could include Christmas cookies, ornaments, a nativity scene, or a festive wreath. You can also offer clues or riddles that lead participants to the next item on the list.

Decide on the guidelines and rules. Let participants know the basics, such as the time limit, the search area, and how they need to prove they've found each item. Determine how to win—will it be based on who finishes first or will you use a point system? Be sure to communicate the rules and prizes before the hunt begins.

Setting Up the Hunt

If you're providing clues or riddles, write them down ahead of time. You can make them as simple or challenging as you like, and even turn them into mini rhyming poems! Hide the clues in various locations, leading participants on a fun journey.

For a more straightforward hunt, simply create a list of items for participants to find and let them loose! You can also turn it into a selfie scavenger hunt, where participants take selfies with each item they find, adding a creative and fun element to the game.

Adding Some Twists

To make your scavenger hunt even more engaging, consider incorporating some of these twists:

• Obstacle Course Hunt: With each clue or item found, participants must complete a task, such as rolling dough for a Christmas cookie, wrapping a present, or singing a Christmas carol.
• Christmas Lights Hunt: This hunt revolves around finding different types of Christmas light displays in the neighbourhood, such as a blue tree, a singing Santa, or a sleigh full of reindeer.
• Christmas Morning Hunt: Instead of just opening presents, create a scavenger hunt where kids (or adults!) search for their gifts. The clues can lead them to an area where the whole family can watch them open their big gift.

No matter which type of hunt you choose, don't forget to offer a prize at the end! Wrap it like a Christmas present to add to the excitement.

Christmas Trivia

Christmas is a time for family, fun, and friendly competition. Here is a list of trivia questions to get your Christmas gathering buzzing:

• What year was the film "Elf" released?
• In what year did Coca-Cola first use Santa Claus in their advertising?
• What is the name of the most famous reindeer of all?
• In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", what gift is given on the first day?
• Who wrote the famous poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", also known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"?
• In the song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what does Rudolph do when fog covers the sky on Christmas Eve?
• What is the name of the Grinch's dog in the classic Christmas story?
• Which U.S. state was the first to recognize Christmas as an official holiday?
• What is the name of the Christmas carol that tells the story of three wise men travelling to Bethlehem?
• In the song Jingle Bells, what type of sleigh is the singer riding in?

These trivia questions will surely spark some festive fun and friendly competition at your Christmas gathering. For a more interactive experience, you can also try Christmas-themed games such as charades, Pictionary, or a Christmas movie quiz.

Christmas Movie Bingo

Preparation:

First, decide on a Christmas movie to watch. It could be a classic like "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Home Alone", or a modern favourite such as "Elf" or "The Polar Express".

Next, create your bingo cards. You can find free printable Christmas Movie Bingo cards online, or make your own. If making your own, divide each card into a 5x5 grid, leaving the middle square blank. In the other 24 squares, write different things to look out for in the movie, such as "snowman", "Santa Claus", "reindeer", "Christmas tree", "carol singers", "stockings", "gingerbread", "presents", "snow globe", and so on.

How to Play:

Each player gets a bingo card and a pen, or a handful of buttons, pennies, or other small objects to use as markers. As the movie plays, players mark off the squares that correspond to things they see in the film.

There are different ways to play and win. For a simple game, the first player to mark off five squares in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins. For a longer game, players keep marking squares until someone has filled in the whole card, or has marked off all four corners.

Variations:

• For added difficulty, you could require players to mark off three corners and the centre square.
• For a shorter game, players could mark off only the four corner squares.
• For a more interactive game, players could be required to perform a task when they mark off the centre square, such as singing a Christmas carol or doing an impression of Santa Claus.
• For a drinking game version, players take a drink instead of marking off a square.

Christmas Board Games

Christmas is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends, and what better way to spend quality time than by playing board games? Here are some Christmas board game ideas that are sure to bring joy and create lasting memories:

Christmas Tree Bowling

This game is a fun twist on the traditional game of bowling. Instead of using pins, you use festive bowling pins shaped like Christmas trees. It's a great way to get everyone involved, and it adds a touch of holiday cheer to your gathering.

Elf Monopoly

For all the Monopoly lovers out there, this Christmas edition is a must-play. It's played just like the original game, but with an Elf theme. You get to move around the board visiting all your favourite movie locations and encountering beloved characters. It's a great way to bring the magic of Elf to life.

Hallmark Movie Bingo

If you and your family love Hallmark Channel movies, this Bingo game is perfect for you. As you watch the movies, mark off the squares on your Bingo card. It adds an extra layer of fun and engagement to your movie-watching experience.

Christmas Mad Libs

Christmas Mad Libs is a fun and creative way to spend time with your loved ones. It involves filling in blanks in a story with silly words, resulting in hilarious and unexpected tales. It's a great way to get everyone's creative juices flowing and is sure to have everyone laughing.

Christmas Charades

Charades is a classic game that never gets old, and the Christmas version is sure to delight. Players act out Christmas-themed clues without speaking, and the rest of the group tries to guess what they are. It's a fun way to get everyone moving and is perfect for all ages.

Christmas Trivia

Test your knowledge of all things Christmas with this trivia game. It's a great way to learn new facts and flex your mental muscles. You can find Christmas trivia questions online or create your own. It's a fun game to play while snacking on Christmas cookies and sipping hot chocolate.

These board games are sure to add some friendly competition and lasting memories to your Christmas celebrations. So, gather your loved ones, choose a game, and let the fun begin!

Frequently asked questions