The holidays are a time for getting together, sharing good food, and making memories. But let’s be honest, sometimes putting family, friends, and coworkers all in one room can feel a little awkward at first. You need something to break through the polite chatter and get everyone laughing. That’s where a good old-fashioned game comes in.
I’ve always thought that the best way to connect is by sharing a laugh. To help you liven up your next holiday party, I’ve put together a list of Christmas ice breaker games. These are simple, fun, and guaranteed to get everyone in the festive spirit.
If you want more team building type games check out my article on 7 Christmas Team Building Activities Everyone Will Love.
1. Two Resolutions and a Lie
How to Play: This is a holiday twist on the classic “Two Truths and a Lie.” Each person thinks of three New Year’s resolutions for themselves. Two should be real resolutions they plan to make, and one should be a complete fib. Taking turns, each person shares their three resolutions, and the rest of the group has to guess which one is the lie.
Why it’s great: It’s a fantastic way to learn about people’s goals and aspirations for the coming year. Plus, the lies can be absolutely hilarious and reveal a lot about a person’s sense of humor.
2. Christmas Carol Pictionary
How to Play: You’ll need a whiteboard or large paper pad and markers. Write down the names of popular Christmas carols on small slips of paper and put them in a hat. Divide your guests into two teams. One person from a team draws a carol from the hat and has to illustrate it for their team to guess. Set a timer for one minute. If they guess correctly, they get a point. Then, it’s the other team’s turn.
Why it’s great: You don’t need to be an artist to play—in fact, the worse the drawings, the funnier it gets. It’s an active, engaging game that gets everyone shouting and laughing together.
3. Gift Wrap Challenge
How to Play: Pair people up and have them stand side-by-side. Each pair must wrap a gift using only one hand each. One person can use their right hand, and the other can use their left. It’s a team effort that requires some serious coordination. The first pair to successfully wrap their gift wins.
Why it’s great: This game is pure chaotic fun. It forces people to communicate and work together, leading to some truly comical moments of frustration and triumph.
4. Who Am I? Christmas Edition
How to Play: Write the names of famous Christmas characters (Santa Claus, Rudolph, The Grinch, Buddy the Elf, etc.) on sticky notes. Without them seeing, stick one note on each person’s forehead. The goal is for everyone to figure out who they are by asking only “yes” or “no” questions to the other guests.
Why it’s great: It encourages mingling, as everyone has to walk around and talk to different people to figure out their identity. It’s a simple concept that works for all ages.
5. Candy Cane Hunt
How to Play: This is just like an Easter egg hunt, but with candy canes. Before your guests arrive, hide candy canes all around the party area. You can hide them in plain sight or get creative with your hiding spots. Announce the start of the hunt and let everyone loose. You can give a prize to the person who finds the most.
Why it’s great: It gets people up and moving around the space. It’s a simple, low-pressure activity that brings out a bit of friendly competition and a childlike sense of fun.
6. Christmas Memory Game
How to Play: Place about 15-20 small, Christmas-themed items on a tray (an ornament, a small bell, a cookie, a piece of holly, etc.). Let everyone look at the tray for one minute. Then, take the tray away and give everyone a pen and paper. They have to write down as many items as they can remember. The person with the most correct items wins.
Why it’s great: This is a quieter game that works well for mixed age groups. It’s interesting to see what items people remember and what gets forgotten.
7. Ornament Guess
How to Play: As guests arrive, have them guess the total number of ornaments on your Christmas tree. Give them a small slip of paper to write their name and their guess, then drop it into a bowl. At the end of the night, reveal the correct number and announce the winner. The person with the closest guess wins a small prize.
Why it’s great: It’s an incredibly simple and effortless ice breaker. It provides a talking point right from the start and doesn’t require any real effort from your guests. Just remember to count your ornaments as you are decorating!
8. Pass the Parcel (Christmas Story)
How to Play: Wrap a small gift in multiple layers of wrapping paper. In between each layer, include a slip of paper with a silly instruction like “sing the first line of Jingle Bells” or “share your favorite Christmas memory.” Have your guests sit in a circle and pass the parcel while Christmas music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the gift unwraps one layer and performs the task. The game continues until the final layer is unwrapped.
Why it’s great: The anticipation of the music stopping creates excitement, and the silly tasks ensure plenty of laughter. It’s a structured way to get people to open up and be a little goofy.
9. Holiday A-Z (FREE Printable)
How to Play: Give everyone a piece of paper and a pen. The goal is to write down a Christmas-themed word for every letter of the alphabet (A for Angel, B for Bells, C for Carol, etc.). Give them about three minutes to fill out their list. When time is up, go around the room and have people share some of their more creative answers.
Grab this free printable I made for the game! All you have to do is click on it and download it to your computer.
Why it’s great: This is a great game to play while people are settling in or enjoying appetizers. It gets the creative juices flowing and can spark some interesting conversations about holiday traditions.
10. What is Santa Doing?
How to Play: Give one person a Santa hat to wear. That person is “it.” Throughout the party, they can take the hat off and place it somewhere in the room (on a chair, a table, etc.). Once they do, everyone else must stop what they are doing and subtly copy them (for example they sat down and crossed their legs). The last person to notice the hat has been moved and copy the action loses that round and has to wear the hat next.
Why it’s great: This game runs in the background of your party and creates a fun, underlying current of awareness. It’s hilarious to watch people slowly realize what’s happening and scramble to follow along.
Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. She has been involved in church and vocational ministry for over 18 years. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. She also enjoys family, cooking, and reading.
She has spoken in churches in California, Oregon, Texas, and Mexico and has been featured in Guidepost Magazine and All Recipes Magazine. Read More…