Picture this – it’s snowing, the stockings are hung by the chimney, and everyone is gathered together for a fun night of family-friendly games that will make this year’s Christmas celebration one to remember. It’s no secret that the holidays are usually a time of year where people want to spend more time with their loved ones and less time working, which is why it’s important to make sure everyone has something they can do together while enjoying each other’s company.
The following list includes some of the best games for getting in the holiday spirit while having fun with friends and family. Keep reading to find out how you can have a blast playing these games on Christmas night!
1. Christmas Trivia Scrabble
This one is a bit tough and perhaps for the older crowd. With Chrismas Trivia Scrabble you can only make words that relate to Christmas trivia in some way. If you can’t link it to a movie, or a Christmas song, it doesn’t get you any points. This is pretty tough, so your spelling and trivia knowledge need to be on point. If you’re stuck, unscramble.org says that using a “Word Finder,” works just like a search engine. A word finder can unscramble your jumbled-up letters and make it easier for you to find something that works and win!
2. Charades
This classic game is always a hit, and it’s perfect for a festive gathering. Charades are played by everyone taking turns acting out movie titles, characters, or other well-known phrases, and the rest of the players have to guess what they are. It’s a great way to get everyone involved in the game-playing fun.
How to mix things up:
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Themed Charades.
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Partner Charades.
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Reverse Charades.
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Free-for-all Charades.
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Telephone Charades.
2.1 Themed Charades
Simply come up with a theme, such as “Christmas Movies” or “Disney Characters,” and give everyone an example of what they will need to act out for their turn.
2.2 Partner Charades
If you have a lot of players, this could be the perfect way to keep everyone entertained. Divide the players into teams of two, and have them take turns acting out phrases for their teammate to guess.
2.3 Reverse Charades
This variation on the classic game is perfect for a more competitive group. One player acts out the phrase, tries to get their teammates to guess it, and then goes back around the circle acting as the other team trying to guess. The first team to correctly guess wins one point.
2.4 Free-for-all Charades
This option is great if you have a large group or want to mix things up with charades after a few rounds. Instead of turns, someone acts out phrases for the group to guess at once, so it’s anyone’s game!
2.5 Telephone Charades
Similar to the classic game “Telephone”, all players start with a phrase or movie title that they then try to get their teammates to guess without saying anything except for one word at a time. Whoever gets their team to guess the phrase or title in the fewest words (or without any mistakes) wins.
If you’re concerned that this game will get too intense too quickly, try limiting the number of rounds played to keep things friendly.
3. Christmas Pictionary
This game is perfect for everyone in the whole family. Draw a festive picture for your teammates to guess, and see who can get the most points by the end of the game. You can even make things more challenging by giving them a time limit!
How to mix things up:
Christmas Words Pictionary.
3.1 Christmas Words Pictionary
This variation on the classic game is a perfect way to involve players young and old. Give each player a sheet to write down a list of Christmas-themed words. Then, take turns drawing pictures for your teammates to guess. The first player to guess all of the words correctly wins! Players are only allowed to draw Christmas-related pictures. They can be a movie title or character, a Christmas tradition, or anything else you can think of as long as it is related to Christmas.
4. Christmas Trivia
This is another great option for a group of players of all ages. Test your friends and family’s knowledge of all things Christmas with this fun trivia game. There are questions about Christmas movies, music, traditions, and more. Who knows – you may even learn something new about the holiday!
How to mix things up:
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Christmas Movie Trivia.
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Christmas Song Trivia.
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Christmas Tradition Trivia.
4.1 Christmas Movie Trivia
This quiz is perfect for anyone who loves watching Christmas movies during the holiday season. Test your knowledge of classic and contemporary Christmas films with this trivia game.
4.2 Christmas Song Trivia
From “The Christmas Song” to “Last Christmas”, this quiz will test your friends and family’s knowledge of the best Christmas songs. Who knows – maybe you’ll even learn the words to a few new tunes!
4.3 Christmas Tradition Trivia
Do you know which country celebrates St. Lucia’s Day? Do you know the origin of the Christmas tree? This quiz will test your friends and family’s knowledge of all things Christmas tradition.
5. Cranium
This popular board game is perfect for a Christmas night filled with family and friends. Players must use all of their skills – including creativity, memory, and deduction – to win this challenging game. There are dozens of different activities to choose from, so everyone in the group will find something that they enjoy.
How to mix things up:
5.1 Cranium Quest
This variation on the classic game is perfect for everyone. Instead of playing a variety of different activities, players must complete a series of quests in order to win the game. These quests can include anything from drawing pictures to answering trivia questions.
The key to family-friendly Christmas night games is that they should be easy for everyone in the group, especially children. If you’re looking for a game where players draw pictures or list items, try one of these variations on classic board and dice games. These festive twists will definitely get your whole gang into the holiday spirit!
