My annual Christmas tradition returns! Some handpicked family Christmas games ideas that all ages can play, that cost next to nothing, take minimal prep, but produce lots of laughs – and sometimes, memories that get retold year after year. Here are my recommendations to try this year…
60-Second Challenges
All you need for this is a timer (any phone will oblige) and a few random bits from around the house to create some silly but hugely frustrating timed challenges. Pair up guests who will compete against each other – randomly, or let them choose! – and then match a challenge to them based on age, ability or whatever you feel is appropriate. Then they have a mintue to win it! Some challenge examples – but you can Google “Minute to Win It” games to find a lot more:
Marshmallow stacking: build the tallest tower you can with those innocent looking fluff balls that float about in your hot chocolate – sounds easy until you realise marshmallows are basically fluffy little traitors that slide, wobble and collapse the second you think you’re doing well. Everyone ends up cheering like they’re watching the Olympics, and get far more invested in piling sweets on top of each other than you imagined was possible!
The After Eight Challenge: get it from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands. Watch usually dignified family members wriggle their faces about to get that minty treat down over their cheeks and into their mouths first – how many will fall off at the last second?
Cotton ball blowing: get the ball across the table using only your breath and a straw – much more difficult to achieve with precision than it sounds. Contestants go purple trying to puff the tiny ball across the finish line while everyone else cheers them on like they’re in a festive Grand Prix.
Run a knockout system, points aggregate, or just do as many as you like – whatever you’ve got the scoring stamina to manage!
Reverse Charades
Traditional charades is a Christmas classic, but Reverse Charades offers something different. Instead of one person acting and everyone else guessing, the whole group acts, and only one poor soul has to guess. Think of five adults all trying to mime “Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney” at the same time: one’s wriggling, another’s pretending to climb bricks, someone else is doing jazz hands for some reason… and the guesser just has no idea where to look next. The more people involved, the funnier it gets!
One Festive Truth and a Lie
This one’s a bit more sedate, but will raise some rather funny and illuminating talking points! I played this at an office Christmas do once, and it was a lot of fun – I can imagine it’s even funnier with people you know a lot better.
Ask everyone to come prepared with one real story of theirs from Christmas Past, and one made-up one – for example, “I once wrapped up an empty box by accident as a gift for my next door neighbour” – and everyone else has to guess which one really happened. The trick is to bluff and double bluff your way through the interrogation, and not crumble under the penetrative stares of your nearest and dearest who know you best!
It’s surprisingly revealing – about people’s stories, and about what others are prepared to believe of them!
More Christmas Games Inspiration…
There so are many reels and carousels out there now with festive games aplenty to browse and chuckle about; you can look back at my Family Christmas Games archive posts for more ideas; and there’s the perpetual joy of the Chocolate Game, which I try to bring into family gatherings whenever the opportunity arises:
Please – Try the Chocolate Game this Christmas
However you choose to do it, I wish you a really merry Christmas with lots of laughs with your loved ones!
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