25 Best Christmas Games for Adults
These adult Christmas games are guaranteed to make even the lousiest Christmas party super entertaining.
Because let’s be honest here, adult holiday parties tend to go two ways. Either everyone ends up in tiny conversation clusters talking about how stressful work is or how early they need to go to bed, or something magical happens, and you play an awesome Christmas game that loosens everyone up.
Lucky for you, I’ve gone through the trouble of putting all the best Christmas party games right here so you can choose what works for you. And I’ve included a detailed freebie with additional games and all the resources you need to play all of these games.
So, if you’re looking to make your Christmas a little more memorable this year, you are in the right place.
All of the following Christmas party games are easy to set up, adult-friendly, and perfect even if half your group isn’t typically into games.
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25 Fun Christmas Party Games for Adults
1. Photo Scavenger Hunt
This one is perfect for a group that enjoys a little healthy competition and chaotic selfies.
And it is simple to play, simply give everyone a list of holiday-themed things to find, such as snowflakes, stockings, a Santa figurine, a poinsettia, etc. Then you set everyone loose with their phones to quickly find these items. The first person to complete the list wins.
I love this game because it is simple, requires zero setup, and is super low-pressure but still somehow competitive.
Plus, it is a fantastic way to break the ice with people whom you have just met.
2. What is Santa Thinking?
To play this game, designate one person to be “Santa.” Then Santa secretly writes down answers to a list of holiday-themed prompts.
Then the idea is that everyone tries to guess what Santa wrote. The person with the most correct answers wins.
It is basically a Christmas edition of mind-reading, if you will. It is super hilarious.
To make the game fun, choose the most unpredictable person as Santa. It is fun when no one can guess what Santa is thinking.
3. Christmas Scramble
This is a simple game. To play, simply unscramble Christmas-themed words such as “OKSCIGNT” (Stocking) or “RTICSMHSA” (Christmas). The person who unscrambles the most words in the shortest time wins.
This is the best game for that competitive group of family and friends.
And it is easy to set up.
To make it super fun, make it cozy. Time it, play soft Christmas music, and have slow rewards for the winner.
4. Candy Dice
Another fast, silly, and random game that everyone will enjoy. So, for this game, everyone starts with 4 candies, and the goal is to see who reaches 10 candies first.
To play, simply roll the dice and follow the instructions on the sheet below ( for instance, 1 on the dice is take a candy, 2 is take 2 candies, 3 is give someone 1 candy)
I have attached the sheet below.
5. Christmas Think Fast
This is a super high-paced game that is bound to be fun at a Christmas party. It is like Scattergories. Each player races to write 3 answers for each holiday-themed category, such as “Christmas candy” or “Winter clothing.”
The categories are broad enough that people’s brains can go blank under pressure, which makes it very adult-friendly and fun.
And since the person who finishes first wins, there’s a real-time pressure that makes the game great.
6. Christmas Fact or Fiction
For this Christmas-themed game, the players try to figure out whether certain Christmas-themed statements are true or false.
The statements can be simple things like:
“ Mistletoe is a poisonous plant” or
“ Candy canes were originally all white.”
Some of the answers will surprise people, which can spark good conversation and a little friendly arguing.
It’s trivia without being too stuffy and perfect for the holidays.
7. How Many in a Jar
This is a classic. And for good reason. It is straightforward.
To play, simply fill a jar with candies. Then everyone writes down their best estimate.
To make it extra cozy, use red and white peppermint candies or cinnamon drops.
8. Naughty or Nice
This particular one is a great conversation starter.
To play, each player simply has to check off an item they have done from the nice or naughty list to find out where they belong.
So, who’s the nicest, and who’s the naughtiest in the room?
This is a great Christmas game to peel off the layers and spark the “wait…you did that?” conversation.
9. Christmas Trivia
Christmas trivia is one of those games that seem so simple until you get a challenging question, then you’re all arguing.
It is the perfect Christmas game for adults because it mixes nostalgia with just enough challenge. You can play in teams, keep score, or simply just shout answers randomly.
Besides, it is super low-prep but very high-energy. So, it is a win-win.
10. Christmas: Finish That Song
Christmas “Finish that song” is a simple game that will instantly wake up a room.
To play, simply read the first few words of a classic Christmas lyric, like maybe, “jingle bells, jingle bells…”, and the players have to finish the missing line.
I have provided popular prompts below, along with the answer key.
11. Name That Christmas Movie
Name That Christmas Movie is bound to be a crowd-pleaser, especially for people who’ve watched the same holiday movies over and over since childhood.
To play, players must name the Christmas movie based on a short quote.
I love this game because it is simple, nostalgic, and might just spark a great debate about “what is the best Christmas movie of all time.”
12. Christmas Song Emoji
This is another super fun, simple game. Players look at a string of emojis and try to guess the Christmas song they represent.
It’s quick, clever, and surprisingly competitive.
I have included the emoji “prompts” and answer key down below.
13. Name That Christmas Cookie
We all know cookies are one of the best parts of Christmas. Name That Christmas Cookie is a simple brain teaser where the players have to match a clue to the Christmas cookie it describes.
It is a cozy game with just enough friendly competition to spark a whole debate on what counts as a Christmas cookie.
The player with the most correct matches wins.
14. Christmas Scattergories
This is the perfect Christmas game for creative chaos and good ol’ friendly competition.
Players get a list of holiday-themed categories, such as “Christmas movies”, “Christmas foods”, or “Winter clothing”, and a single starting letter. Then, everyone has to fill in each category with a word starting with that letter.
The player with the most unique answers wins.
It is a fantastic mental work wrapped in holiday cheer, making it one of my favorite Christmas games.
15. Christmas Who Am I?
Christmas Who am I? is a simple guessing game that will pull everyone straight into holiday mode. Each player gets a short one-sentence clue, something like “I am a jolly snowman with a top hat”, and all they have to do is match the clue to the correct Christmas-themed answer from the answer list.
The matching format keeps the game super easy but still fun, especially if you make it a timed game.
16. Christmas The Price is Right
This is where the biggest holiday shoppers shine. To play this game, you simply give everyone a list of Christmas-themed items like ornaments, a Santa hat, a gingerbread house kit, and each player has to write down what they think each item costs. When everyone’s done, you add up the totals, and whoever lands the closest to the real combined price wins.
The best part? You find out real quick who actually pays attention to the seasonal aisle and who doesn’t.
17. Christmas Charades
This is one of the simple but good-for-belly laughs Christmas games: no props, no prep, just pure Christmas silliness.
To play, simply cut out the cards, mix them up in a bowl, and let the players take turns acting out Christmas-themed places, activities, characters, or objects.
It is quick, energetic, and perfect for even the shyest person in the room.
18. Christmas Never Have I Ever
It is a simple game that often starts calmly, but soon enough, everyone is confessing their most fun holiday mischief. It is a great conversation starter.
To play, players take turns reading festive prompts like “Never have I ever peeked at a present early” or “ Never have I ever re-gifted something I didn’t like”, and everyone who has done it has to raise a hand, take a shot, or eat a candy…. whatever rule the group agrees on.
Just make sure to get good prompts to spark that cozy and memorable kinda of conversation.
19. Christmas Feud
Yes, we are calling this feud because it is essentially a matter of perception or social conditioning. For this game, players get a Christmas-themed question like “name the 3 most popular Christmas movies,” or “name 3 popular Christmas treats.”
Each answer has a point value, and whoever racks up the most points wins.
20. Christmas Drink If
This is the kind of game that will instantly loosen up a room because there’s some drinking involved.
Players take turns reading festive prompts like “ drink if you’re wearing red” or “drink if you’ve ever dressed up as Santa”, and anyone the statement applies to has to take a sip or a shot.
To have fun, make all the prompts super light-hearted and relatable.
21. Christmas Word Search
For this game, players get a holiday-themed word search filled with festive words like “Christmas” “, Rudolph” or “Gingerbread”, and they have to race to see who can find them all the fastest.
I love this game because it is low-prep but easy to play, and can be super competitive when the timer starts.
You can add a small prize for the fastest finisher or just bragging rights to make it more engaging.
22. Christmas Who Knows Santa Best Game
This is straightforward. The players get a sheet of quirky Santa-themed questions, like Santa’s favorite snack, where does Santa live, or what country is Santa originally from, and they have to answer correctly.
It is the perfect warm-up game for a holiday gathering.
23. Christmas Bingo-Find the Guest
This is the perfect icebreaker for holiday parties where not everyone knows each other very well.
For the game, each player gets a bingo card filled with fun personal prompts such as “has a tattoo”, “has visited the most countries”, or “ likes eggnog.”
The goal? Walk around, mingle, and find guests who match each clue.
As soon as someone fills a row, column, or diagonal, they yell “Bingo!” and win.
24. Christmas Who is Most Likely To
Christmas “who is most likely to” is all about calling out your friends and family, lovingly, of course.
To play, the players take turns reading festive prompts like “ Who is most likely to burn the Christmas cookies” or “Who is most likely to open their presents early”, and the group points to whoever they think fits the description best.
25. Name That Christmas Candy
Name That Christmas Candy is a simple challenge where players read clever clues and try to match them to the Christmas candy described.
Think hints like “cowboy Santa” or “ star of Bethlehem”, and each player has to decide which candy fits the clue. The person with the most correct answers wins.
RELATED: The Ultimate Christmas Bucket List: 25 Fun, Festive, and Classic Ideas
Get This and More Games Below
I’ve bundled all these games and more into a little gift for you. 50 printable Christmas party games, including the 25 I have mentioned in this post. You’ll get every single resource for all 50 games, the game cards, the answer keys, and cute sheets you can print at home, and all the necessary prompts ready to go.
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Go ahead and download the freebie down below.
If You Want to Keep Your Game Night Extra Cozy, Here Are a Few Things to Keep On Hand
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the simplest moments often make the holidays. It is the simplest but fun moments that we talk about for years to come. You know, the overly confident trivia guesses, the chaotic round of charades, or the off-key caroling.
These Christmas games aren’t just games. They are memories. These games are the simplest ways to bring people together and loosen up the room.
So, whether you’re hosting a big family crowd or merely a small circle of your favorite people, I hope one or ten of these games add a little extra sparkle to your Christmas.
And if you try any of them, let me know which of these games becomes the instant hit. I’d love to hear what made your night magical.
Merry merry Christmas, my loves.
