Holiday Family Games: Joyful Fun For All Ages

The crackling of a warm fire, the smell of freshly baked cookies, and the soft glow of twinkling lights—these are the moments that make the holiday season magical.

But amidst all the joy and festivity, there’s often one challenge every family faces: keeping everyone entertained and engaged, especially when the excitement of unwrapping gifts starts to wane.

I remember the first Christmas when my kids were old enough to stay up late, and we found ourselves with a long evening ahead, trying to keep the holiday spirit alive. That’s when we stumbled upon the idea of holiday games.

What started as a simple way to pass the time quickly became one of our most cherished family traditions.

If you’re like me, juggling the demands of the season while trying to create lasting memories, you know how important it is to have a few tricks up your sleeve.

That’s why I’ve compiled this list of our favorite holiday games—guaranteed to bring laughter, joy, and a little friendly competition to your family gatherings.

So, as the holiday hustle and bustle ramps up, take a moment to gather your loved ones, and let’s dive into some games that will make this season truly unforgettable.

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Holiday Games Your Family Will LOVE

Christmas Dance Freeze

I’m sure you know how to play this classic game. Simply put on some Christmas music and dance your little hearts out! When the music stops, everyone has to FREEZE!

Whoever stops moving last is out.

OR if you play like we play, we just keep playing until we are tired, and no one gets out. This is a good option if you have little little kids.

In our house, we’ve turned this into a no-elimination game to keep our little ones from feeling left out. Instead of getting “out,” we just keep dancing until we’re all too tired to go on. It’s a great way to burn off some energy before settling down with a holiday movie!

Here is a list of Christmas songs your family may enjoy.

Christmas Mad Libs

This is one we got on Amazon, but it’s so funny! There are a lot of version of this on Amazon, but I liked this one.

These were my favorite as a kid too. Simply fill in the nouns and the verbs and the adjectives and create silly sentences that no one would ever write on purpose.

My kids love coming up with the most ridiculous words possible, and we always end up in fits of laughter. It’s become a Christmas Eve tradition in our house, right before we read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.’

Christmas Family Trivia

Another great Christmas activity is playing round of trivia.

You can do Trivia questions around Christmas movies (that’s our favorite) or you can do a personal trivia where the people who play the game write down some facts about themselves, and then read them around the desert table.

Then simply try to guess who the trivia piece belongs to.

Downhill Races

Take your kid’s sleds out and hold races on a big hill. We all need to get these kids outside, and this is a great and fun way to get that done!

Cookies For Santa Clause

This is a fun game for kids. Just create some paper or felt beards for each person who is playing the game. Then place a cookie on the foreheads of the players.

The goal of the game is to get the cookie to their mouths without using their hands.

We play this game every Christmas Eve after setting out milk and cookies for Santa. The giggles that ensue when the cookies inevitably fall are priceless, and it’s a fun way to wind down the evening before bedtime.

Christmas I Spy

Whether you make your own I spy game or use an official I spy book like this one, this is a great game that actually has a lot of learning benefits too. Have your kids find all the Christmas tree, snowflakes or Santa’s on the page! Here is a free I spy printable you might like.

Plastic Wrapping Ball

This a great family game, especially if you have a lot of people to play. Basically you jus take little gits like chocolates, ornaments, gift cards and trinkets in a plastic ball.

You’ll want to layer the items, so it’s hard to see what the prizes are.

Here is a set of instructions on how to play this game.

We’ve made this game a highlight of our Christmas Day, with everyone from grandparents to toddlers getting involved. The competitive spirit really kicks in when someone’s favorite candy is revealed, and we always end up with a pile of giggling kids (and adults!).

20 Questions

Kids are particularly good at this game. This game is simple. Each family member gets to ask 20 questions, to one person who holds the Christmas item, that can be answered with a YES or a NO and everyone has to figure out what Christmas themed object is hidden behind the persons back.

Pass the Bow

Just like the classic game of hot potato, pass the bow is a pretty fun game that family members of all ages can play. Simply put on some music and pas the bow around in a circle, whoever has the bow when the music stops, is out. The last person standing wins the game.

Secret Santa

This is is a fun holiday game, and it’s one of our Sibling Traditions during the season too.

Your kids can give each other a gift, and it cane be home made or bought. You make the rules according to your budget and time.

Let your kids try to guess who their secret Santa is, if the gift givers can keep their secrets long enough for that to happen.

We usually give the kids about $20 each and they buy each other gifts!

Cupcake Decorating

While not really a game, a super fun activity. The rules are simple, decorate the cupcakes with Christmas themes sprinkles, red and green and blue icing (or whatever colors you have). the prize is…the cupcake to eat at the end.

Easter Egg Hunt – But with Candy Canes

This a game we like to play with mini candy canes. It’s simple! Just give your kids some sort of container (plastic Tupperware, Christmas stocking, whatever).

Then throw the candy canes around the house, just like easter eggs for the egg hunt, and have the kids search for them.

The prize is all of those candy canes!

Candy Guess

This is a simple game, one that I used to play as a kiddo a lot. Full a clear see through jar with candy (any candy!) and have the kids guess how many candies are in the jar. The closest answer gets to keep the jar of candies. Hopefully they share the winnings! Cany idea: peppermints, Hershey’s kisses, mini candy canes…and to keep it really challenging, mini m&m’s.

Gift Wrap With Oven Mitts

Do you think it’s fun to wrap gifts? I do, but not everyone does.

Anyway, imagine wrapping up gifts, with OVEN MITTS ON. That’s…tricky to say the least.

Basically, each person is given a box of wrapping paper (usually scraps) and they have to get creative wrapping a gift with what they have, while wearing oven mitts.

This is a high energy game. It gives lots of opportunity for laughter and it’s guaranteed fun.

Find the Christmas Pickle

This is a fun holiday game that is basically a scavenger hunt for a Christmas ornament in the shape of a pickle. Here it is on Amazon.

So it’s pretty simple, just hide the ornament in the Christmas tree, and let the kids go on a little hunt. It’s actually pretty tricky to find the pickle because it totally blends into the Christmas tree so well.

We like to give a little reward for the child who gets the pickle, a baked Christmas treat, or a small toy!

My kids take this game very seriously—it’s been a tradition passed down from my own childhood. The winner gets to open the first present on Christmas morning, which adds an extra layer of excitement to the hunt.

Pin The Nose On the Donkey

Take this classic game, and tweak it to your Holiday of choice!

Christmas? Pin The Nose On the Reindeer
Thanksgiving? Pin the Tail On The Turkey
St. Patrick’s Day? Pin the Hat On The Leprechaun

Anyways, you get it.

Just print off a photo of your character and the item you a “pinning” and make your own version of this game OR peek on Amazon to see what they have!

Here is Pin the tail on the donkey on Amazon. Here is pin the nose on the reindeer on amazon too! This is cute, pin the cheery on the ice cream.

Oh i love this pin the hat on the cat. And for a fun summer twist there is pin the sunglasses on the pineapple.

I had NO idea there were so many options on Amazon for this game. I always grew up playing the classic donkey version.

Guess The Christmas Smell

This is a lovely game, and it can be challenging too! Put some classic Christmas smells into little jars.

Some ideas could be cinnamon, peppermint, nutmeg, pine needs or gingerbread cookies!

You can also do oranges or wine too! Just make sure to blindfold the guests or they will see what’s in the jar.

Have everyone smell the jars and try to guess the scents.

This game has become a favorite in our house, especially with my youngest who loves to guess every smell as “Christmas tree!” We’ve added a twist where the winner gets to choose the next Christmas movie we watch.

Holiday Pictionary

Take your favorite family game of drawing and add a holiday twist! Your Pictionary prompts can be movie titles, Christmas songs and Christmas symbols.

Santa Hats Cup Stacking Game

Take some red solo cups like these and stack up as many cups as you can. Add a white pom pom to the top to create the Santa hat effect!

Ornament Bean Bag

We love a good bean bag toss, and this one isn’t too hard either!

Just take a bean bag – or make a holiday shaped one if you’re crafty, and draw a Christmas tree with some points spots like 5, 10, or 20 points.

Here is a tutorial on how to play and make this game.

Christmas Movie Bingo

We like these Christmas movie bingo cards Or you can totally make your own.. but the game is simple. Be sure to add popcorn and brownies and have lots of fun!

Liven Up Your Holiday Gathering

Whether you’re hosting a big family get-together, having a cozy night in, or just looking to keep the kids entertained during the holiday break, these games will do the trick. From classic board games to creative DIY activities, there’s something here for everyone.

Best Holiday Family Games

The holidays are a time to cherish the moments we spend with our loved ones, and what better way to do that than through the laughter and fun of family games?

These activities aren’t just about entertainment; they’re about creating memories that will last a lifetime. As you gather around this holiday season, consider extending this joyful tradition beyond the holidays.

Why not make “family game night” a regular event? Whether it’s once a month or every week, setting aside time to come together and play can strengthen bonds, encourage communication, and keep that holiday spirit alive all year long.

After all, the best gift we can give each other is our time. So, let the games continue, not just during the festive season, but throughout the entire year, as a celebration of family and the joy of being together.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable game nights!

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