Christmas Party Games for Adults

White elephant gift exchange

6–30 players · 45–75 min

Set up: Each guest brings one wrapped gift under a set budget. Put the gifts in a pile and give everyone a number.

1. The first player opens a gift.
2. Each next player opens a new gift or steals an open one.
3. A gift is frozen after it has been stolen three times.
4. The first player may swap at the end.

Draw the order and host it

White elephant dice game

4–20 players · 20–30 min

Set up: Wrap gifts and put them in a circle. Everyone sits around them and one die is passed around.

1. Roll the die in turn.
2. Follow the action for that number: pass, swap, steal, keep or roll again.
3. Play ten to fifteen minutes, then call time.
4. Everyone keeps the gift in their hands when the timer ends.

Roll the on-screen die

Christmas charades

4–20 players · 20–40 min

Set up: Make two teams. Print cards or use the on-screen deck.

1. One player draws a card and acts it out without speaking.
2. Their team guesses before 60 seconds run out.
3. One point for each correct guess.
4. Teams take turns; most points after five rounds wins.

Draw a card, start the timer

Draw-and-guess holiday round

4–16 players · 20–30 min

Set up: Give each team a whiteboard or a big sheet of paper and a marker.

1. A drawer sees a card and sketches it, with no letters or numbers.
2. The team guesses within 60 seconds.
3. Switch drawers each round.
4. Funny sketches count the same as good ones.

Use “Draw it” mode

Christmas trivia quiz

4–40 players · 15–30 min

Set up: Pick ten to twenty questions. Teams write answers on paper.

1. The host reads each question.
2. Teams write an answer in thirty seconds.
3. Swap papers to mark them.
4. One point per right answer.

Make a quiz

Wrapping relay

4–16 players · 10–15 min

Set up: Per team: one small box, a roll of paper, tape and a pair of oven mitts.

1. Each team member wraps for thirty seconds while wearing the mitts.
2. Pass the box to the next player.
3. The neatest finished wrap in the shortest time wins.

Cotton-ball snowball toss

4–20 players · 10 min

Set up: Put a bowl or cup on a chair across the room and give each player five cotton balls.

1. Take turns tossing from a line.
2. Each ball in the bowl scores one point.
3. Move the line back every round.
4. The highest score after three rounds wins.

Hum that carol

4–20 players · 10–15 min

Set up: Write well-known carol titles on slips and put them in a bowl.

1. A player draws a slip and hums the tune, with no words.
2. Their team has one minute to name it.
3. Pass the bowl and keep a score for each team.

Two truths and a holiday tradition

5–20 players · 15–20 min

Set up: Nothing to prepare.

1. Each player says three holiday traditions: two real ones from their family and one invented.
2. The group votes on the invented one.
3. The player explains the real ones.

Feel the gift

4–15 players · 10–15 min

Set up: Put an object in each of a few paper bags: a pine cone, a mug, a ribbon, an ornament and so on.

1. A player puts a hand in the bag, without looking.
2. They describe what they feel while the others guess.
3. The first correct guess earns a point.

Sweater awards

6–40 players · 10 min

Set up: Hand out paper ballots and pens at the start of the party.

1. Everyone votes for the best, funniest and most festive outfit.
2. The host reads the winners at the end of the night.
3. Small prizes are optional.

Cookie decorating contest

4–30 players · 30–40 min

Set up: Plain sugar cookies, a few colors of icing, sprinkles and plates for each player.

1. Set a thirty-minute timer.
2. Each player decorates three cookies.
3. Guests vote with a sticker on their favorite plate.

Ornament toss

4–20 players · 10–15 min

Set up: A small tree or a coat stand, and a bag of soft rings made from ribbon.

1. Each player gets five rings.
2. Stand behind the line and toss.
3. A ring that stays on a branch scores two points.

Wish list guess

5–25 players · 15 min

Set up: Each guest writes one wish for the year on a slip. No names.

1. The host reads the wishes out loud, one at a time.
2. Guests guess who wrote each wish.
3. The writer reveals themselves after three guesses.