Christmas Party Games: Get Everyone Off Their Phones
A Christmas party without games is a party where everyone checks their phone and leaves early. The right game creates the thing parties are actually for: people genuinely interacting, competing, laughing, and creating the shared moments that become the memories attached to the season.
These are the games that actually work — with notes on group size, competitiveness level, and preparation required.
No Prep Required
These games need nothing — no materials, no setup, no printing. Just people.
Two Truths and a Lie (Christmas Edition)
Classic format, Christmas-specific content: each player states two true things and one false thing related to their Christmas history or holiday habits. The group guesses the lie.
"I once spent Christmas in Tokyo. I've accidentally given the same gift to my mom three years in a row. Our family has a no-wrapping-paper rule."
Group size: 4–20 people
Energy level: Low-medium, great for mixing groups who don't know each other
Competitive level: Low — more social than competitive
Christmas Categories Speed Round
One player names a category. Everyone goes around the table as fast as possible naming items in that category. First person who can't name one is out (or takes a penalty of your choice).
Categories: Christmas movies. Reindeer. Holiday songs. Types of Christmas cookies. Things you find on a Christmas tree.
Group size: 4–15 people
Energy level: Medium
Competitive level: Medium — gets surprisingly intense
Christmas 20 Questions
One player thinks of a Christmas-related item (a specific movie character, a food, a tradition, a song). Everyone else asks yes-or-no questions. The guesser wins if they identify it within 20 questions.
Group size: Any
Energy level: Low
Competitive level: Low
Light Prep Required
Christmas Bingo
Print bingo cards with Christmas terms instead of numbers — or write them by hand if you want zero cost. Caller reads out terms; first to complete a line wins. Available as free printables online.
Group size: 6–50+ (scales well)
Energy level: Low — good for mixed ages
Competitive level: Low — pure luck
Guess the Gift
Before the party, each participant submits a childhood Christmas memory or wished-for gift (something they always wanted but never received). During the party, memories are read aloud and the group guesses who submitted each one.
Group size: 6–20 people
Preparation: Collect responses in advance (email or text)
Energy level: Low — warm and social
Competitive level: Very low — more of an ice-breaker activity
Christmas Carol Karaoke
Turn on instrumental versions of Christmas carols on YouTube and have participants sing (or attempt to sing) along. Judged by volume of applause, not quality of singing.
Group size: Any
Energy level: High (after initial embarrassment)
Competitive level: Low — everybody loses equally
Higher Energy Games
Holiday Charades
Divide into teams. One player acts out a Christmas movie, song, character, or tradition without speaking. Team guesses before time runs out. Standard charades mechanics with a holiday-specific word list.
Group size: 6–20 people (works best with 2 teams of 3–8)
Preparation: Write charades prompts in advance
Energy level: High
Competitive level: High — teams take this seriously
White Elephant / Yankee Swap
The gift exchange IS the game. Everyone brings one wrapped gift; players take numbered turns opening gifts or stealing from others; three steals per gift maximum. (See the full white elephant rules guide for complete rules.)
Group size: 6–25 people (ideal range)
Preparation: Each person brings one gift
Energy level: Medium-high
Competitive level: Medium to very high depending on the group
Christmas Trivia
Team-based trivia with Christmas-specific questions across categories: movies, history, songs, traditions, food, and general December holidays. Free question lists are available online or can be assembled quickly.
Group size: 6–40 people (works well with teams of 4–6)
Preparation: Prepare 20–40 questions in advance
Energy level: Medium
Competitive level: High — teams get very into this
Office Party Specific Games
For workplace holiday parties, the energy ceiling is lower and the appropriateness bar is higher. These work well in professional settings:
Workplace Christmas Trivia
Questions about the company, the year's events, industry-adjacent holiday topics. More personal connection to the group than generic Christmas trivia. Requires advance preparation but produces higher engagement.
Holiday Photo Challenge
Before the party, send participants a list of 10 "find and photograph" challenges (a decorated desk, someone in a Santa hat, the most festive item in the office). Points for completing the most challenges before the party deadline.
Decoration Contest
Individual desks or team areas compete for best holiday decoration. Judged by popular vote. Low prep, high participation, runs in the background of the whole season.
Choosing Multiple Games
For parties over two hours, plan two or three games at different energy levels:
- Opener: Something low-key that works as people arrive (Two Truths, Bingo, photo challenge)
- Main event: A team game or the gift exchange at peak attendance
- Wind-down: Something social and relaxed as the party winds toward its end
Don't stack three high-energy competitive games back to back — the group will be exhausted and the later games will feel flat. The energy arc matters as much as the individual game quality.
Christmas Games That Work in Specific Settings
For the Office Holiday Party
The primary constraints: professionally appropriate, nobody should feel uncomfortable, and it should work for people who don't all know each other well.
Holiday Trivia in Teams: Divide into teams of 4–6. Run 20–30 questions across categories: Christmas movies, holiday songs, seasonal food and drink, company-adjacent trivia. The team format creates collaboration and the trivia mechanic is universally understood. Score on a whiteboard. Takes 25–40 minutes.
Office-Specific Memory Game: Before the party, photograph 20 details around the office (a specific plant, a particular desk decoration, a name on a nameplate). Print as a sheet. Participants have 10 minutes to wander and find/check off items. The person who finds the most wins. Works in any office layout and creates movement and conversation.
Anonymous Holiday Confessions: Everyone submits one anonymous holiday-related confession or unusual tradition (collected via email before the party). Read them aloud and guess who submitted each. Low-risk, warm, and requires zero preparation after the collection phase.
For the Family Gathering
Family Holiday Trivia: Questions about your own family's holiday history. "In what year did [family member] start the cookie tradition?" "What was the worst gift disaster in family history?" Requires advance research from the organizer but produces the highest engagement of any family game.
Christmas Story Exquisite Corpse: Each person writes one sentence of a Christmas story on a piece of paper, folds it so only the last word shows, and passes it on. At the end, read the full story aloud. Requires no preparation and produces genuinely funny results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Christmas party games for adults?
Holiday Charades (competitive and high energy), Christmas Trivia in teams, and White Elephant / Yankee Swap. All work well for adults and produce genuine competition and social engagement.
What are good Christmas party games that need no preparation?
Two Truths and a Lie (Christmas Edition), Christmas Categories Speed Round, and Christmas 20 Questions. All need zero materials and can start within a minute.
What's the best Christmas game for a large group?
Christmas Bingo scales to any size and keeps everyone engaged simultaneously. Christmas Trivia with large teams also works well. Avoid individual-turn games for groups over 25.
What are good Christmas party games for the office?
Christmas Trivia (team-based, non-personal topics), a Workplace Photo Challenge, or a Desk Decoration Contest. These hit the right balance of engagement and professional appropriateness.
What Christmas game works for mixed ages including kids?
Christmas Bingo, Two Truths and a Lie (Christmas Edition), and the Left-Right Gift Game all work across ages. Avoid games with complex rules or speed elements for groups with young children.
How many games should you run at a Christmas party?
Two to three games at different energy levels is ideal for a two-to-three-hour party. One opener (low-key), one main event (higher energy), and one wind-down (social). Back-to-back competitive games produce diminishing returns.