Holidays Unplugged: Fun Family Games to Light Up Your Gatherings
The holidays are here, and with them come the cherished opportunity to gather, laugh, and create lasting memories with loved ones. One of the best ways to amp up the cheer at your holiday gatherings is by playing games that bring everyone together—young and old alike. Here’s a roundup of creative, easy-to-play family games to ensure your holiday festivities are filled with joy and laughter.
1. Classic and Timeless Fun
Charades: Holiday Edition
How to Play: Write down holiday-themed prompts (e.g., “Santa stuck in a chimney,” “Building a snowman,” or “Opening a gift”) and act them out while others guess. Why It’s Fun: Everyone gets a chance to be silly, and no props are required—just creativity and enthusiasm.
Holiday Bingo
How to Play: Use free printable bingo cards with holiday symbols (e.g., ornaments, candy canes, snowflakes). Give players buttons or small candies as markers. Why It’s Fun: Bingo is easy for all ages and brings out that competitive spark in a lighthearted way.
Pictionary: Christmas Edition
How to Play: Set a timer and have players draw holiday-related words or phrases for their teams to guess. Why It’s Fun: The artistic (and hilariously un-artistic) renditions make for plenty of giggles.
2. Games for the Kid-at-Heart
Reindeer Ring Toss
How to Play: Buy inflatable antler hats and plastic rings. Have one player wear the antlers while others try to toss rings onto them. Why It’s Fun: Physical and funny, this game is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and perfect for photo ops.
Snowball Toss
How to Play: Use buckets or bowls and white ping-pong balls (or lightweight “snowballs”). Players compete to toss as many snowballs into the containers as possible. Why It’s Fun: It’s simple yet competitive, and you can add challenges like blindfolds for extra laughs.
Pin the Nose on Rudolph
How to Play: Create a large picture of Rudolph and use a cut-out red nose. Blindfold players and spin them before letting them try to place the nose. Why It’s Fun: A holiday twist on “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” it’s pure fun for younger guests and nostalgic for the adults.
3. Brainy and Creative Challenges
Christmas Carol Countdown
How to Play: Divide into teams and take turns naming as many holiday songs as possible within a minute. Bonus points if someone sings! Why It’s Fun: It’s a great test of memory and showcases who’s been listening to the holiday playlist on repeat.
Festive Trivia
How to Play: Prepare a set of questions on holiday traditions, movies, and fun facts. Use a mix of difficulty levels to challenge all ages. Why It’s Fun: Everyone loves showing off their holiday knowledge, and it’s an educational twist on fun.
Story Round-Robin
How to Play: One person starts a holiday story with a sentence (e.g., “Once upon a time, a snowman came to life.”). Each player adds a sentence, building a collective story. Why It’s Fun: It encourages creativity and often leads to laugh-out-loud plot twists.
4. Active Games to Get the Wiggles Out
Holiday Scavenger Hunt
How to Play: Create a list of holiday-themed items (e.g., candy canes, ornaments, or a specific gift wrap pattern) hidden around the house. Players race to find them. Why It’s Fun: It’s great for kids and gets everyone moving, making it perfect after a big holiday meal.
The Wrapping Paper Relay
How to Play: Divide into teams, and have each group race to wrap a teammate in wrapping paper or ribbon. Why It’s Fun: This chaotic game guarantees laughter and hilarious “mummy” creations.
Freeze Dance: Christmas Style
How to Play: Play holiday music and have everyone dance. When the music stops, everyone freezes. Anyone caught moving is out! Why It’s Fun: Perfect for energetic little ones and just as entertaining for adults.
5. Games for Small Gatherings
Hot Potato Gift Pass
How to Play: Wrap a small gift in multiple layers of wrapping paper. Pass it around while music plays, and when the music stops, the holder unwraps one layer. The last layer reveals the prize. Why It’s Fun: It’s a thrilling mix of suspense and reward, perfect for intimate groups.
Two Truths and a Lie: Holiday Edition
How to Play: Each player shares two true stories and one false story about their holiday experiences. Others guess the lie. Why It’s Fun: It’s a fantastic icebreaker, offering a glimpse into family lore and lots of laughs.
6. DIY Holiday-Inspired Games
Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest
How to Play: Provide plain cookies, frosting, and decorations, and let everyone’s inner artist shine. Add a twist with categories like “Most Creative” or “Funniest.” Why It’s Fun: It’s hands-on, delicious, and doubles as dessert!
Ornament Balancing
How to Play: Stack plastic ornaments on a tray and see who can walk across the room without dropping them. Why It’s Fun: It’s challenging and brings out everyone’s inner acrobat.
Build-a-Snowman Race
How to Play: Use toilet paper for “snow,” a hat, scarf, and other accessories to wrap and dress a teammate as a snowman. Why It’s Fun: Teams bond over the shared silliness of creating their masterpiece.
Wrapping Up the Fun
These games are guaranteed to bring warmth and laughter to your holiday gathering, whether you're hosting a large family reunion or an intimate evening with close friends. The best part? Most require minimal preparation, are budget-friendly, and can be adapted to suit your group.
So, gather the gang, turn off the screens, and make this holiday season memorable with these fun and festive games. Let the joy of playing together be the greatest gift of all!