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Christmas

Christmas Party Games for Adults and Families That Take 5 Minutes to Set Up

Easy Christmas party games for adults, families and office parties: white elephant rules that work, icebreakers, a gift scavenger hunt and more. Printable, no prep.

A warm, natural-light tabletop arrangement of blank holiday game cards, folded name slips, plain wrapped gifts, and cookies in sage, blush, cream, and muted cranberry tones.

The best holiday party games have three things in common: anyone can play, nobody needs a long explanation, and they get people talking. Here are the ones that work every year.

1. White elephant (with rules that prevent arguments)

Everyone brings one wrapped gift around a set price ($20–25 works). Draw numbers. Player 1 opens a gift. Each next player can open a new gift or steal an opened one.

The rules that keep it fun:

  • A gift can only be stolen 3 times. After the third steal it's "frozen."
  • You can't steal back a gift that was just taken from you.
  • Player 1 gets one final steal at the end.

Print the rules and put them on the gift table so nobody argues about them halfway through.

2. Secret Santa (organized, not chaotic)

Draw names 2–3 weeks before the party. Ask everyone to fill out a quick wish card: favorite snack, color, hobby, and "please no ___." It takes the guessing out of buying for someone you barely know.

3. "Who's most likely to…" cards

Read a card ("Who's most likely to wrap presents at 2 a.m. on Christmas Eve?"), count to three, and everyone points. Instant laughs, no teams, no supplies.

4. Holiday icebreaker questions

Great for Friendsmas or a mixed crowd where not everyone knows each other:

  • What's the worst gift you've ever received?
  • What's one holiday tradition from your family that seems weird to other people?
  • Real tree or fake tree, and why are you right?

5. Christmas morning scavenger hunt

Hide the main gift and give the kids (or your partner) a trail of rhyming clues that lead around the house. It turns opening one present into a 15-minute adventure.

6. Cookie exchange

Everyone bakes one batch and leaves with a mix of everyone's cookies. Add printable recipe cards and labels so people know what they're taking home.

Grab the printables

Everything above is ready to print: