This collection of the best Christmas party games brings laughter and memorable moments to any holiday gathering. These ideas are organized by family-friendly, kid-focused, large-group, and adult games so you can pick the perfect activities for your crowd.
If you want more options, consider browsing lists of holiday board and card games to play with family this season — they pair well with the party games below for a full day of festive fun.
Family Christmas Party Games
Toilet Paper Derby
A simple, hilarious race that works for all ages. Use small prizes for winners or play just for fun. For younger children, omit the cup of water; for adults, try a glass of wine in place of the miniature toy for a cheeky twist.
What You Need
- Rolls of toilet paper (one per player)
- Painters tape
- Miniature plastic animals or similar small toys
- Small plastic shot glasses (optional)
How to Play
- Give each player a roll of toilet paper and mark a finish line with painter’s tape.
- Unravel each roll across a table or island and place a toy and optional shot glass at the far end.
- Players hold the opposite end of their roll. On “go” they wind the paper to bring the toy and cup across the finish line without tearing the paper or dropping items.
- The first player to cross the line with their items intact wins.
Cotton Ball Scoop
Fast-paced and silly, this game creates lots of laughs. Substitute gift bows or small pom-poms for cotton balls if you prefer.
What You Need
- Cotton balls (or alternatives)
- Plastic platters or plates
- Spatulas
- Blindfolds or sleep masks
How to Play
- Place a plate in front of each player and spread cotton balls nearby.
- Blindfold players and give each a spatula. Set a one-minute timer.
- Players scoop cotton balls onto their plate using only the spatula. When time ends, count the cotton balls on each plate.
- The player with the most wins.
Wrapping Paper Race
A quirky, hands-free foot race where players slide long sheets of wrapping paper under their chairs using only their feet. It’s trickier than it looks and great for family gatherings.
What You Need
- Long sheets of wrapping paper
- Folding chairs (one per player)
How to Play
- Players sit in chairs with shoes removed. Lay a sheet of wrapping paper starting at each player’s feet and extending down the room.
- On “go” players use only their feet to pull the paper under the chair. First player to have their entire sheet tucked under wins.
Hershey Kisses Sliding Tic Tac Toe
Low-prep and family-friendly, this takes classic tic-tac-toe and turns it into a dexterity challenge with holiday candy.
What You Need
- One bag of holiday Hershey Kisses separated into two color groups
- Painter’s or colored tape
How to Play
- Tape a tic-tac-toe grid at the far end of a long table or island.
- From the opposite end, players take turns sliding two different-colored Kisses, aiming to land them in squares.
- The first player to get three in a row wins.
Kid Friendly Christmas Party Games
Pin the Nose on Rudolph
A holiday twist on a classic party game. It’s easy to prepare and great for classrooms or family parties.
What You Need
- Large Rudolph poster
- Blindfold
- Paper noses with kids’ names on the back
- Tape
How to Play
- Hang the Rudolph poster at child height.
- Blindfold each child, spin them gently three times, then let them stick their paper nose on the poster.
- The nose closest to Rudolph’s actual nose wins a small prize.
Holiday Freeze Dance
A lively music game that gets kids moving and laughing. You can adapt it into musical chairs if you prefer.
What You Need
- Speaker
- Holiday playlist
How to Play
- Players dance while music plays. When the music stops, everyone must freeze.
- Anyone caught moving is out. Continue until one dancer remains and is crowned the winner.
Ornament Relay
Test coordination with a spoon-and-ornament relay. For added challenge, try a blindfolded version where teammates guide the blindfolded player by voice.
What You Need
- Spoons
- Plastic ornaments
- Cones or markers for a course
How to Play
- Split into teams and create a course with cones. Players balance an ornament on a spoon, walk the course, return, and hand off to the next teammate.
- If an ornament falls, that player returns to the start. The team that finishes first wins.
Games for Large Crowds
Saran Wrap Ball Game
A hugely popular group game where layers of cling wrap conceal an assortment of prizes. Fill the ball with candy, small toys, snacks, or novelty items for maximum surprise.
To make: Start with a round item and wrap it, adding small prizes and more layers of plastic wrap until all prizes are enclosed.
What You Need
- Oven mitts or winter mittens
- Many small prizes
- Two dice
- 1–2 rolls of plastic wrap
How to Play
- Seat players in a circle and place the saran wrap ball in the center.
- Decide who starts by rolling the dice. The player with oven mitts tries to unwrap the ball while the person to their left rolls the dice.
- When the dice roller gets doubles, they call “DOUBLES” and the mitts and ball pass to them. Any prizes that fell during that turn remain with the un-wrapper.
- Continue until the final prize is revealed.
Color Slam
A simple elimination game using colored paper. Quick to set up and fun for mixed-age groups.
What You Need
- Four different colors of paper (one set per team)
- Table or island
How to Play
- Lay four colors of paper on the table. One person calls out colors while players avoid touching the color named.
- Players who touch the called color are out. The last player remaining wins.
Relay Gift Wrap Race
A teamwork-focused race that challenges speed and neatness as teams wrap boxes under time pressure. For extra hilarity, tie one hand of each teammate together for a one-handed wrap challenge.
What You Need (per team)
- Empty boxes
- Wrapping paper
- Tape and scissors
- Ribbon
- Table for wrapping
How to Play
- Form teams and set identical wrapping stations. On “go” player 1 cuts paper to size and runs back to tag player 2.
- Player 2 tapes the paper neatly, then tags player 3, who adds ribbon. The judge inspects the finished gift; the first team to earn approval wins.
Adult Christmas Party Games
White Elephant Gift Swap
A popular adult party game centered on funny or quirky gifts. Set a budget and decide how many times a gift can be stolen to keep the game moving and fair.
What You Need
- Silly or impractical gifts (one per person)
- Numbered slips for turn order
- A table to display gifts
- Optional: prank gift boxes for presentation
How to Play
- All gifts are placed on a central table. Players draw numbers to determine order.
- Player 1 opens a gift. Subsequent players choose to open a new gift or steal an already opened one. If a gift is stolen, the person whose gift was taken may choose another unopened gift or steal in turn.
- Continue until everyone has had a turn. Establish a maximum number of steals per gift to prevent endless swapping.
Candy Cane Throw
A lighthearted accuracy game that’s easy to set up and enjoyable for adults and teens. Add a soft landing like a blanket to protect fragile candy canes.
What You Need
- Candy canes
- Garland
- Tape to secure the garland
How to Play
- Secure a length of garland horizontally and mark a throwing line.
- Give each player the same number of candy canes. Players take turns tossing canes, aiming to hook them onto the garland.
- The player with the most canes hanging on the garland at the end wins.