Top 10 Best Christmas Games to Play with Your Family

Why Christmas games make the holidays more fun

Christmas is one of the few times of year when the whole family is in the same place at the same time. Games turn that gathering from “everyone on their phones” into shared laughter, small competitions, and stories you’ll retell for years. A simple charades round can make grandpa a comedy star, a drawing game can reveal hidden talents, and a quick board game can fill the gap between dinner and dessert.

The best Christmas games don’t require long rulebooks or perfect focus. They work even when people are a bit tired, full, or distracted. They invite everyone in, regardless of age or gaming experience, and they help you create your own little traditions around the tree.

How we chose our top 10 Christmas games

There are thousands of games you could play at Christmas. For this list, we focused on games that:

• Are easy to explain in a few minutes
• Work with mixed ages, from kids to older relatives
• Don’t require rare or niche components
• Fit naturally around a Christmas schedule (between meals, during fika, late in the evening)
• Encourage laughter, conversation, or friendly competition

We’ve mixed classic party games, quick card and board games, and a few “DIY” ideas you can set up with things you already have at home. Some have a clear Christmas theme built in, while others are everyday titles that become perfect Christmas games with the right twist.

If you want more detailed rules for classic board and card games, you’ll find full rule explanations and variants on Playiro – so this article can stay focused on helping you choose what to play.

Top 10 Christmas games for families

1. Christmas Charades – Classic chaos with a festive twist

Christmas Charades is exactly what it sounds like: the classic acting-and-guessing game, but with only Christmas-related prompts. It’s ideal when you have a big group and want instant laughter without much prep.

What you need

• Paper and pens
• A bowl or hat
• A timer (phone works fine)

How to play (in short)

• Everyone writes Christmas-related words or phrases on slips of paper (movies, songs, activities, foods).
• Fold the slips and put them in the bowl.
• Split into two or more teams.
• On your turn, one player draws a slip and has 30–60 seconds to act it out without speaking.
• The team guesses; if they get it right, they score a point.
• Continue until you run out of slips or decide to stop; most points win.

Why it works at Christmas
Charades cuts through awkwardness, gets people moving, and doesn’t rely on trivia knowledge or gaming skill. The Christmas theme keeps the humor familiar and family-friendly.

• Players & age range: 4+ players, 6+ years with help
• Playing time: 20–45 minutes
• Best for: Big family gatherings after food when everyone needs to wake up a bit

2. Codenames – Team-based word guessing around the tree

If your group loves clever wordplay and teamwork, Codenames is a brilliant choice. Two teams compete to find their secret agents in a grid of words, guided only by one-word clues from their spymasters. It’s easy to learn, surprisingly deep, and full of “aha!” moments.
If you need a quick refresher on the rules, check the full guide to the game in our Codenames rules article.

What you need

• A copy of Codenames (or a homemade grid of words)
• Enough space for everyone to see the cards

How to play (in short)

• Lay out the word cards in a grid on the table.
• Split into two teams; each chooses a spymaster.
• The spymasters look at a secret key card showing which words belong to each team.
• On your turn, your spymaster gives a one-word clue plus a number (“Snow 2”), hinting at 2 or more related words.
• Your team discusses and points to words they think match the clue.
• Find all your team’s words before the other side does – but avoid the assassin word, which ends the game instantly.

Why it works at Christmas
Codenames plays well with mixed ages (as long as someone can read) and can easily be “Christmas-ified” by choosing festive words, house rules, or themed clues.

• Players & age range: 4–8+ players, 10+ years (younger with help)
• Playing time: 15–30 minutes
• Best for: Evenings when everyone is alert enough for wordplay and teamwork

3. Monopoly – A long, cosy board game session

Few games feel as classic and family-oriented as Monopoly. Buying properties, trading with relatives, and arguing over deals is practically a holiday tradition in many homes. Played in the right spirit, it turns into a long, cosy session with lots of side chatter.
For setup, rules, and common variants, you can lean on our detailed Monopoly rules guide.

What you need

• A Monopoly set (any edition your family likes)
• A table large enough for the board and piles of money

How to play (in short)

• Each player starts with the same amount of money and a token.
• On your turn, roll the dice, move your token, and follow the instructions on the space.
• Buy properties you land on, collect rent from other players, and build houses and hotels to increase income.
• Negotiate trades to complete color sets.
• The last player who isn’t bankrupt wins (you can shorten the game by setting a time limit or using house rules).

Why it works at Christmas
It’s a “settle in and stay awhile” kind of game, perfect for a lazy afternoon when no one is in a hurry and there’s a long stretch of time before the next meal.

• Players & age range: 2–6 players, 8+ years
• Playing time: 60–180 minutes (or shorter with house rules)
• Best for: Long, slow holiday afternoons with plenty of snacks

4. Alphapet – Cosy word-building for language lovers

Alphapet is a word-building board game similar to Scrabble, where players place letter tiles on a board to form crossing words. It’s great for families who enjoy language, gentle strategy, and a bit of quiet focus.

What you need

• An Alphapet set (board, letter tiles, racks)
• A notepad for keeping score

How to play (in short)

• Each player draws a set of letter tiles and keeps them hidden on their rack.
• On your turn, place a word on the board connected to existing words.
• Score points based on letter values and bonus squares.
• Refill your rack from the tile pool; when the tiles run out and someone uses their last tile, the game ends.
• Highest total score wins.

Why it works at Christmas
Alphapet offers a calmer tempo than many party games and works well with background music and conversation. You can also allow younger players to play open-handed or team up with adults.

• Players & age range: 2–4 players, 10+ years (younger with help)
• Playing time: 45–90 minutes
• Best for: Quiet evenings with a smaller group and a pot of tea nearby

5. Christmas Trivia Quiz – Who knows the holidays best?

A Christmas quiz is perfect if your family loves facts, movies, and music. You can create your own categories or mix questions from online sources and your own imagination.

What you need

• Prepared questions (written or on your phone)
• Something to keep score
• Optional: small prizes or candy

How to play (in short)

• Split into teams or let each person play individually.
• The quizmaster reads questions in rounds: Christmas movies, music, traditions, food, world customs, etc.
• Teams write down their answers instead of shouting to keep it calm.
• Reveal correct answers after each round and tally points.
• Crown the winning team and hand out a small prize.

Why it works at Christmas
It’s easy to scale up or down in difficulty and length, and you can sneak in questions about your own family’s traditions for extra laughs.

• Players & age range: 3+ players, 8+ years (younger kids can team up with adults)
• Playing time: 15–40 minutes
• Best for: Early evening when people still have brainpower

6. Santa’s Gift Swap – A gentle take on White Elephant

Santa’s Gift Swap is a light, family-friendly version of the classic gift-stealing game. It works best if everyone brings a small, wrapped present.

What you need

• One wrapped gift per participant (set a budget in advance)
• A bowl and numbered slips, or a deck of cards to assign order

How to play (in short)

• Place all gifts in the middle of the room.
• Everyone draws a number; that’s the order for picking gifts.
• Player 1 chooses and opens any gift.
• On their turn, each next player can either pick a new wrapped gift or “steal” an already-opened one.
• If a gift is stolen, the person who lost it picks another unopened gift.
• Decide a rule like “each gift can be stolen at most 2 times” to keep things friendly.

Why it works at Christmas
It adds suspense and humor to gift-giving without being too mean or competitive. With the right tone, it becomes a core family tradition.

• Players & age range: 5–15 players, 8+ years
• Playing time: 20–45 minutes
• Best for: After presents, when everyone still feels festive

7. Christmas Bingo – Easy, cosy, and great for kids

Christmas Bingo is a relaxed game you can play while other things are happening, like during a movie or while waiting for food. Make bingo cards with Christmas images or words instead of numbers.

What you need

• Printed or hand-drawn bingo cards with Christmas items (tree, star, snowman, gingerbread, etc.)
• Markers, coins, or candy pieces to cover spaces
• A list or deck of all the items to draw from

How to play (in short)

• Give each player a bingo card and markers.
• Draw items one by one and call them out.
• Players mark the matching symbol/word on their card.
• First person with a full row, column, or diagonal shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
• Play multiple rounds or require two lines/full card for longer games.

Why it works at Christmas
Bingo is simple enough for small kids but still fun for adults, especially if you add small treats as prizes.

• Players & age range: 2–12 players, 4+ years (with help)
• Playing time: 10–30 minutes
• Best for: Calm family time, early in the day or before bedtime

8. Snowball Pictionary – Drawing in a flurry of guesses

Snowball Pictionary is a drawing-and-guessing game with Christmas words. You don’t need artistic skills; in fact, terrible drawings often make it funnier.

What you need

• Paper and pens or a whiteboard
• List of Christmas-themed prompts
• A timer

How to play (in short)

• Split into teams.
• On your turn, one player draws a prompt while their team guesses within the time limit.
• No letters, numbers, or spoken clues allowed.
• Correct guess within the time limit earns a point.
• Rotate the drawing role so everyone gets a turn.

Why it works at Christmas
Drawing “gingerbread house” or “Santa stuck in the chimney” leads to instant laughter and shared in-jokes.

• Players & age range: 4+ players, 7+ years
• Playing time: 20–40 minutes
• Best for: Early or mid-evening when people have the energy to laugh loudly

9. Cozy Card Game Night – Familiar decks with a Christmas mood

Sometimes the best Christmas game is simply a good card game played with mulled wine, soft lights, and a plate of cookies nearby. You can pick a family favorite or use a standard deck to play simple trick-taking or shedding games.
On Playiro you’ll find detailed rules for many classic card games, so you can quickly refresh how they work without needing to own a specific commercial box.

What you need

• One or more standard decks of cards
• Optional: scorepad and pen

How to play (in short)

• Choose an easy-to-learn card game that fits your group size and mood.
• Keep rules simple; if there’s a complex variant, save it for next year.
• Play short rounds so players can join or leave between games.
• Optionally, keep a running score over the evening and crown a “Christmas Card Champion”.

Why it works at Christmas
Card games are flexible and familiar, making them ideal when you don’t want to read long rulebooks or set up big boards.

• Players & age range: 2–6 players, depends on game (often 8+ years)
• Playing time: 30–90 minutes
• Best for: Late evening when the group has shrunk and everyone wants something calm

10. Once Upon a Christmas – A collaborative storytelling game

Once Upon a Christmas is a simple storytelling game where the whole family builds one big, chaotic holiday story together. No acting or drawing required, just imagination.

What you need

• Optional prompt cards with words (Santa, snowstorm, reindeer, cousin, etc.)
• A talking object (like a small ornament) to pass around
• Optional: someone to write the story down as you go

How to play (in short)

• Choose a starting phrase like “It was Christmas Eve, and everything was going perfectly… until…”
• One player starts telling the story for 20–30 seconds, then passes the talking object to the next person.
• Each new storyteller must pick up where the previous one left off, adding their own twist.
• You can randomly draw prompt words to keep things surprising.
• End the story after everyone has contributed a few times, ideally with a happy or absurd ending.

Why it works at Christmas
Everyone gets a voice, the stakes are low, and the story quickly fills with family in-jokes and ridiculous moments.

• Players & age range: 3+ players, 7+ years (younger kids can help)
• Playing time: 15–30 minutes
• Best for: Calm, cozy moments when screens are off and everyone just wants to be together

Tips for a successful Christmas game night with the family

A good game night is less about the perfect rule set and more about the atmosphere. A few simple choices can make the difference between a tense competition and a warm, memorable evening:

• Mix short and long games. Start with quick, silly games (charades, drawing, guessing) before moving into longer board or card games like Monopoly or Alphapet.
• Include everyone. Pick games where kids, grandparents, and less-competitive players can all participate without feeling lost.
• Explain rules simply. Give the shortest possible version of the rules and start playing; clarify edge cases when they come up.
• Don’t force anyone. It’s better to have one person watching happily than someone who feels dragged into a game they don’t enjoy.
• Keep snacks and drinks handy. Small breaks for cocoa and cookies keep energy levels high and moods friendly.
• Accept chaos. Games will get noisy, rules will be bent, and someone will misunderstand the scoring. That’s part of the charm.

If a game clearly isn’t working for your group, drop it early and switch to something lighter instead of pushing through.

Choosing the right Christmas game for your family

The “best” Christmas game depends on who’s around the table, what time of day it is, and how tired everyone is. A few guidelines can help:

• Group size. Some games shine with big groups (charades, quiz, Codenames), while others work best with 2–4 players (many card games, Alphapet).
• Age range. If you have small kids and teens and adults together, favor games that rely on movement or creativity rather than complex strategy.
• Energy level. After a heavy meal, calmer games like bingo, storytelling, or a gentle card game often beat intense competitions.
• Competition level. Some families love to keep score; others prefer games where “winning” is almost irrelevant. Choose accordingly.

Here are a few quick suggestions:

• If you have many younger kids…
  Go for Christmas Bingo, the Stocking Guessing Game, or simple drawing/acting games where rules are minimal and everyone can succeed.

• If you want something calm before bed…
  Try Once Upon a Christmas, a relaxed game of Alphapet with open tiles, or a low-key quiz with soft background music.

• If you’re a big, loud group after dinner…
  Charades, Snowball Pictionary, or Codenames will soak up that energy and turn it into laughter.

• If you love long board game sessions…
  Set up Monopoly earlier in the day, agree on house rules from the start, and make it a core part of your Christmas tradition.

• If you’re a small group of game fans…
  Mix a short Codenames session with a card game marathon, and use the rules pages on Playiro to quickly look up any game you haven’t played in a while.

With a few of these games in your back pocket – from party classics to word games and big-box board games – you can turn any Christmas gathering into a playful, relaxed, and memorable evening, whether you’re a big extended family or just a small group around the tree.