The best Christmas games for the family need almost no kit, work for mixed ages and can be played at the table between courses or on the sofa afterwards. Charades, the hat game, consequences, wink murder and the chocolate game are classics because anyone from about five to ninety-five can join in. Below are 15 ideas, grouped by how much energy and equipment they need, with simple rules for each.
Key takeaways
- Pick games that need only paper, pens or a hat, so nobody has to set up a box.
- Mix teams across ages: a grandparent and a child together often win.
- Play short rounds of 10 to 20 minutes, then let people drift off.
- Have one quiet game ready for after lunch, when energy drops.
- Keep scores light; the aim is laughter, not winners.
Which Christmas games work for all ages?
Games that rely on acting, drawing or guessing work best for mixed groups, because young children and older relatives can take part on equal terms. Word-heavy or fast trivia games can leave small children out, so pair them with an adult or give them their own easier questions.
| Game | Ages | You need | Where to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charades | 6+ | Slips of paper | Living room |
| The hat game | 8+ | Paper, pens, a hat or bowl | Table or sofa |
| Consequences | 7+ | Paper, pens | Table |
| Wink murder | 6+ | Playing cards | Table |
| The chocolate game | 5+ | Dice, hat, scarf, gloves, knife and fork, chocolate bar | Table |
| Twenty questions | 5+ | Nothing | Anywhere |
Classic Christmas games that need no equipment
1. Charades
One player acts out the title of a film, book, song or TV show without speaking, and their team guesses. According to Britannica, charades probably began in 18th-century France as a riddle, and the acted version became the most popular form. Agree the usual signs first: fingers for the number of words, a tug of the ear for “sounds like”.
Wikipedia’s entry on charades lists the common signals if your family needs a refresher: pretend to crank an old film camera for a movie, open your hands like a book for a book, draw a rectangle in the air for a TV programme, and touch your nose while pointing at whoever guessed right.
2. Twenty questions
One person thinks of a person, place or thing. Everyone else has 20 yes-or-no questions to work it out. It suits small children and long waits for food.
3. Who am I?
Write a famous name on a sticky note and stick it on each player’s forehead. Players ask yes-or-no questions in turn to find out who they are.
4. Would you rather?
Take turns asking festive dilemmas: would you rather eat sprouts for breakfast or have no crackers? It is a gentle game for the table that needs no scoring at all.
5. The alphabet game
Choose a category, such as Christmas foods, and go round the table naming one for each letter of the alphabet. Anyone stuck for ten seconds sits out the round.
Paper-and-pen games for the dinner table
6. The hat game
Everyone writes five names of famous people on slips and puts them in a hat. In teams of two, one player describes as many names as possible in a minute without saying the name. In round two, you may use only one word; in round three, only mime. The same names come back each round, so it gets funnier as it goes.
7. Consequences
Each player writes a line of a story, folds the paper to hide it and passes it on. The usual pattern is a name, met another name, at a place, he said, she said, and what happened next. Read the results aloud at the end.
8. Drawing game
Like charades, but players draw the clue on paper instead of acting it. Set a one-minute timer and ban letters and numbers in the drawings.
9. Family Christmas quiz
Write ten questions about the family’s own Christmases: who burnt the roast potatoes in which year, which film always goes on first. It works best if one person writes it in advance.
10. Kim’s game
Put 15 small Christmas items on a tray, such as a bauble, a cracker joke and a satsuma. Players look for one minute, then the tray is covered and one item removed. The first to spot what is missing wins.
Lively Christmas games for after lunch
11. The chocolate game
Players sit in a circle and take turns rolling a dice. Whoever rolls a six puts on a hat, scarf and gloves, then tries to cut a wrapped bar of chocolate with a knife and fork and eat it piece by piece, until someone else rolls a six and takes over. Supervise younger children with the knife.
12. Wink murder
Deal one card per player; whoever gets a chosen card, such as the ace of spades, is the murderer. The murderer kills by winking at people, who then dramatically “die”. Everyone else tries to spot the murderer before they are all gone.
13. Pass the parcel
Wrap a small prize in many layers, with a sweet or a joke in each layer. Play music and pass it round; when the music stops, the holder removes one layer. For family groups, make sure every child gets a layer.
14. Name that tune
One person hums the start of a Christmas song and the others race to name it. It needs no equipment and works for every generation.
15. Cracker joke contest
Collect the jokes from your crackers and vote for the worst. The winner (or loser) reads them all out in their best announcer voice.
How to run games so everyone enjoys them
- Time it around food: quiet games at the table between courses, lively ones after the meal when plates are cleared.
- Make mixed teams: pair children with adults and mix generations.
- Keep the rules short: explain in one minute and learn as you go.
- Have an exit: let anyone who wants a nap or the washing-up step out without fuss.
If you are eating out over the holidays, our guide to table games for kids while you wait has quieter options for restaurants, and our list of party games for a dinner celebration works for adult groups. Families eating out with little ones may also like our tips on keeping kids busy at restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Christmas games for the family with young children?
Twenty questions, the chocolate game, pass the parcel, Kim’s game and name that tune all work for children from about five, as they rely on guessing, luck and memory rather than reading.
What Christmas games can you play at the dinner table?
Would you rather, the alphabet game, consequences, the hat game and a family quiz all work seated, with only paper and pens.
How long should a Christmas game last?
Around 10 to 20 minutes per game keeps energy up. Play one or two, take a break, then try another.
Do you need to buy anything for these games?
No. Most need only paper, pens, a hat or bowl, a pack of cards or a dice, which most homes already have.
How do you stop games getting too competitive?
Use mixed teams, keep scores light or skip them, and choose silly games such as the cracker joke contest where losing is part of the fun.
Making Christmas games part of the day
Pick two or three games that need little kit, mix the teams and keep rounds short. A few rounds of charades or the hat game between lunch and the evening can become the part of the day everyone remembers. For more ideas, see our leisure and games guides.
Featured photo: Family playing a board game by Bill Branson, public domain.
