The Best Holiday Family Friendly Games that are insanely fun for everyone, whether you are hosting an adult party, youth group, family party or classroom party! Keep reading for more than 41 creative, fun, low cost games to play this holiday season!
Does the mere mention of games make you want to run for cover, or jump up and down with excitement? I am somewhere in the middle, I kind of groan when I hear “let’s play a game” and yet, typically once I am doing it, I find myself having fun!
Our family takes turns hosting the holidays and a few years ago, I decided that instead of sitting around and eating the entire time that we would play a couple of games.
And yes, there were groans, but judging from the pictures…I think everyone had fun! There is a bit of competition in us all.
My friend, Natalie, who graciously hosts our Book Club Couples Christmas Party each year, introduced me to these games.
Hershey Kiss Relay Game
Family, Kid and LARGE group friendly! This game is great for larger groups as you can have as many teams as you want/need.
Supplies and Set Up
- Divide group into two even teams (men vs. women, couples vs. couples, kids vs. parents, etc.)
- Provide a pair of extra large ski gloves (or heavy large mittens) per team
- Place a bowl of holiday Hershey’s Kisses by each of the gloves (or one larger bowl between the two)
- Host should be the moderator or starter
- Once teams are in place, have them line up one behind the other, from an even starting point.
- Start about 10-20 feet (as much room as you can allow) from the gloves and Kisses
Relay Game How To
- Instruct teams that they have to run to the table (we used our pool table) or counter
- Put on the gloves and OPEN a Hershey’s kiss with their gloved hands.
- Eat the kiss and run back and tag the next in line
- First team to have all team members legally do each step wins!
- If you want to give a prize, here are a couple of ideas: Lotto tickets for the each winner (cheap) or give them a baggie of Kisses each or a candy cane.
Rules
- They have to put the gloves on
- With gloves on, they need to “open” the kiss, but people have been known to pop the whole thing in their mouth, foil and all and chomp away (oh my fillings) — up to you to allow!
- Play fair, no bumping, grabbing the bowl, grabbing a glove from the other team, etc.
Reindeer Games
This is probably my favorite! It encourages all to be engaged and laughing and you start to see who in your group is really competitive.
Supplies Needed
- Cheap panty hose (1 pair per team, as many teams as you’d like)
- Red, Brown or White (not blown up) balloons (6 per team)
Instructions for Game
- Divide groups evenly into teams of about 3-4 people each. By families, or however you want to divide.
- Give each group a pair of panty hose and 6 balloons
- The first team to get all 6 balloons blown up and stuffed into each leg of the panty hose and put on one person’s head WINS.
- Don’t give instructions as to how full to blow up or anything like that. The trick really is to blow them up small and stuff inside.
- Be sure to have your camera handy! And be sure to allow all teams to finish even though you might only have one winner.
- Prizes could be these cute foam red noses, lotto tickets, candy canes, or something small from the dollar store.
Everything is better with food right? So lay out a tray of these amazing brownie bites, salted graham chocolate bites, or maybe a bowl of these irresistible Rosemary Cashews or Maple Bourbon Pecans.
NEED MORE CHRISTMAS GAME IDEAS?
I polled my blogging friends and they shared even more holiday game ideas!
Holiday Games for the Entire Family
12 Super Fun and Creative Christmas Party Games
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“Name That Tune” | Christmas Carol Edition
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Hallmark Christmas Movie Bingo | Family Fun For The Whole Family
Have you ever wanted to do something a little different during the holidays? Hallmark Christmas Movie Bingo is the way to go! If you’re anything like the rest of the world, you are busy watching all the movies on the Hallmark channel. Don’t let all of that good information go to waste. Instead, you can play Hallmark Christmas Movie Bingo.
A Fun Christmas Scavenger Hunt for Kids and Adults
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Free Printable Christmas Emoji Game
Teens and adults will love trying to guess their favorite holiday movies written only in emojis!
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This dice gift exchange is a family favorite! You never know when the game will end!
Holiday Movie Christmas Bingo Game
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Best Christmas Games for Large Groups
Hosting a Christmas Party? Here are some great games that work well for large groups!
Twas The Night Before Christmas Gift Exchange Game
Have you ever done a Right, Left Gift Exchange, it's so fun and builds excitement as you go!
Christmas tree on A Plate Drawing Game for Groups
Watch how creative people can be while drawing, site unseen!!
Funny Christmas Would You Rather Questions for Kids
Remove the awkwardness kids sometimes feel when first coming to a family holiday gathering but getting them talking with "Would you Rather" questions!
FREE Thanksgiving & Christmas Family Feud Game Questions
Family Feud! Get the entire family involved and talking at your holiday gathering!
Scrooge Your Neighbor Gift Exchange Game
A twist on the traditional Holiday Stealing Gift Exchange!
Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt
Grab teams of people, determine a meeting place and get outside to collect these virtual scavenger hunt items!
What Games Can We Play At Home with Family?
Most of these games our family has played before, or heard from family friends!
- Dutch Blitz (be sure to buy the expansion pack)
- Sequence
- Relative Insanity
- Code Names
- Taboo and Catch Phrase (classics!)
- Lost in Translation (haven’t played, but it’s on my wish list!)
- Kids Against Maturity (haven’t played, but heard it’s a best seller)
10 More FUN Games (most with items from around the house)
- Play hide and seek…always fun
- Start a drawing game, like a charades, Pictionary-esque type of game.
- Old fashioned, game of Spoons (a family favorite)
- Nothing wrong with pulling out a great family puzzle.
- Pull together a scavenger hunt | come up with seasonal items; and/or use phones to snap pictures of items (like a snowman, unusual light display, reindeer on rooftops, adjust according to your kids ages.
- How about dominoes, checkers, or chess!
- Build a house out of cards!
- Heard of the The Complete Book of Questions? Great for families with older kids.
- How about Jacks? Seriously, more fun than you remember. Also a great stocking stuffer!
- Remember Mad Libs? They are still around and they are fun and silly.
Cyna
Tuesday 19th of November 2019
These games look so funny! Can't wait to try them with my family!
Kathleen
Tuesday 19th of November 2019
Thanks Cyna, I hope you do and that you enjoy them!!
Cherryl Ehlenburg
Monday 18th of November 2019
These sound like a lot of fun! We will have to try some new games this year!
Kathleen
Monday 18th of November 2019
I hope you do Cherryl! They are a lot of fun!