These are the best Christmas games for families 2024, according to our trusty panel of testers

From board games to quizzes, we’ve rounded up the best Christmas games you can buy (as well as 14 free ideas) for families to enjoy on the big day

Christmas games for families illustrated by montage of games
(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for the best Christmas games for families, we've got you covered. These brilliant options provide endless entertainment, laughter and the perfect opportunity to bond over the festive season. 

Once the kids have opened their top Christmas toys around the tree and you've eaten your Christmas dinner, it's usually time to crack out the family games to see you through the rest of the day. While you might already have one of the best Christmas board games, if you've already played it you might be after something new to freshen things up and reignite that festive competitive spirit.

Here's our pick of the best Christmas games for families, that are also highly rated by our panel of testers, including a festive version of the Obama Llama game, Christmas Monopoly and a Rudolph red nose game that younger kids will love. We've even included 14 games that you can play for free.

Best Christmas games for families 2024

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Free Christmas party games 

20. Mystery stocking

Players: 2 or more | Age: 4+ years

The objective: To guess what the mystery item hidden in the sock is correctly. 

How to play: Take a Christmas stocking and fill it with random, small prizes. Let each child hold the stocking and without putting their hands inside, feel the shape of the prize and guess what it is. If they guess a prize they get to keep it!

21. Snowman bowling

Players: The whole family | Age: 3+ years

The objective: This one is one of those part crafting and part action Christmas games, so there's lots of fun to be had! Knock down as many of the homemade snowman bowling pins as possible. 

How to play: Create your own Snowman bowling pins out of 8 large plastic water bottles, paper mache, toilet rolls for the snowman's nose and some standard crafting paints. Then on Christmas day, line them up in the classic triangle-shaped bowling shape. Each person then stands a couple of metres back and takes turns at rolling a ball towards the bottles. The person who knocks down the most bottles is the winner. You can play best of five round to make the game last longer and if you want to make it harder, simply add some flour to the bottom of each of the plastic bottles before you paper mache to make them heavier.

22. Christmas Memory test

Players: As many as you like | Age: 7+ years

The objective: To remember as many items removed from a tray as you can. The person who successfully remembers the most objects wins the game! 

How to play:  Get 10 to 15 small Christmas items and place them on a tray. Try things like a Christmas stocking, maybe one or more ornaments, Christmas cookies, cookie cutters, wrapping paper, Christmas candle, bow, Christmas movie, mince pies, nutcracker, etc… Set the tray down or walk around with the tray and allow people to study it for 1 or 2 minutes. Then take the tray out of the room. Now give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil and have them write down as many of the items as they can remember. The one with the most correct items written down wins.

23. Christmas theme charades

Players: At least 4 | Age: 6+ years

The objective: To guess the most amount of festive themes drawn by other players correctly. 

How to play: The rest of the group watch as you draw out a festive theme, whether it's a film or character, Christmas decoration or festive food! Whoever guesses what it is first gets to go next and whoever makes the most amount of correct guesses is the winner of the game at the end.

24. Christmas Film bingo

Players: The whole family | Age: 8+ years

The objective: To cross off all the Christmas film bingo boxes on your card. Whoever gets there first, wins! 

How to play: Get as many pieces of card or paper as there are game players, then everyone writes things in a bingo card format they believe are classic lines or events that happen in Christmas films. As you all watch a Christmas film (it has to be one no one has ever seen before!), everyone ticks off things as they come up. Whoever ticks all their boxes first, wins!

25. Ho ho ho blindman's bluff

Players: 4 or more | Age: 3+ years

The objective: The 'blind' person wins by identifying the people in the room by touch and then hearing them say 'ho ho ho'. The other people have to avoid being caught and identified but they can't hide or run away but they can move about to make it harder. 

How to play: One person is blindfolded and spun round. The person with the blindfold has to move around the room and identify each person by touch alone. The other people in the room need to move around a bit so it's hard for the person wearing the blindfold to find people. If the blind person finds you, they can ask you to say 'ho ho ho' in whatever voice you choose! Whoever the 'blind' person correctly identifies, they swap places and wear the blindfold.

26. Christmas Cluedo

Players: 4 or more | Age: 6+ years

The objective: Everyone is trying to 'kill' another person, simply by handing them a Christmas object without them realising. If that person takes it then they die! The last one standing - empty-handed - is the winner. 

How to play: Each person writes their own name on a piece of paper, plus one Christmas object in the house that could be easily passed to someone (no Christmas trees!). Next, each person then takes a name out of a bag, and an object. You need to pass the person you draw the Christmas item you draw and if they take it without realising, then they die. If a person dies, they have to give the person and object to their killer. The last one standing wins!

27. Festive film charades

Players: 4 or more | Age: 5+ years

The objective: The rest of the group have to watch your mime and guess what the title is that you're acting out. The person that guesses correctly then takes their turn to act out a charade. The only catch is - the subject you choose has to be Christmas-themed! 

How to play: One person stands in front of the rest of the family or friends and mimes the title of a Christmas song, play, film, book or TV programme. The person doing the miming uses hand signals to show whether it's a film, book, pop song, etc, and then they either act out each individual word, one at a time, or mime the full title in one go. The people watching have to guess the name of whatever the person is miming. Whoever gets it right swaps places and do their own mime to the group.

28. Festive alphabet

Players: 2 or more | Age: 2+ years

The objective: To pick a Christmas related word for every letter of the alphabet 

How to play: Take some paper and write down every letter of the alphabet vertically down the length of the page. Put the players into small teams and let them think of a Christmas related word for each letter. The first team to finish all the letters wins.

29. Human Christmas tree

Players: 6 or more | Age: 3+ years

The objective: The team that finish first and have the best 'decorated' tree are the winners and win a prize. 

How to play: Separate into teams with one person in each team playing the Christmas tree. The team then have to turn their chosen person into a Christmas tree, using wrapping paper, tape and decorations - but they have under a minute to do it! When the minute is up the winner is the team that have the best decorated tree. Certainly one of our more creative and energetic Christmas games for the family.

30. Santa style

Players: 6 or more | Age: 4+ years

The objective: To create a Santa outfit first. This is a race against time, so you and your team members will need to be quick! 

How to play: Separate into teams of three or four and give each team a bag filled with materials to make a Santa outfit from. The best materials to use are red, white and black streamers and tissue paper, cotton wool balls and any fun extras like fur or glitter. Give the teams 5 minutes to create a Santa outfit, making it as good as they possibly can. When the time runs out, both teams take it in turns to do a catwalk of their creation and the parents can judge which one is best.

31. The 'gimme' game

Players:  More than 5 is best, great for bigger family gatherings | Age: 6+ years

The objective: To get as many gifts as you can... even though you don't know what they are! 

How to play: Depending on how many people are playing, you have two less presents than there are people. Keep them jokey, cheap gifts. It's a good idea to wrap the presents really well and try to disguise the contents and shapes. The presents are then put together in the middle of the room. Everyone takes it in turn to throw two dice. Whoever gets a double six is allowed to take a present - but not open it. Everyone gets a go and if you get a double six, you can 'steal' a gift that your friend has chosen for themselves - shouting GIMME! as you do, although they may take it back if they get a double six!

HINT: Often people take a gift that they think is going to be a really good present - this is where wrapping well can outwit other players. When everyone's had a couple of turns and everyone has a few presents each, you're allowed to open the presents and keep them if you wish.

32. Christmas Would You Rather

Players: 2 or more | Age: 6+ years

The objective: No winners, just a game that is sure to make you laugh 

How to play: Play a special edition of Would You Rather with the family. Fill a glass jar with scraps of folded paper filled with Christmas-themed hypotheticals. And challenge each other to questions like 'Would you Rather cluck like a turkey constantly or have your farts smell of brussel sprouts?'.

33. Mr & Mrs

Players: 6 or more (This could be couples, friends or siblings) | Age: 8+ years

The objective: To correctly answer questions about your spouse, partner, sibling, whoever you're playing with! 

How to play: Get into pairs and send one half of the couple out of the room while you ask their partner questions about them. Make the questions as interesting as you can, from 'what's her favourite perfume?' to 'how old was he when he had his first kiss?'. Bring the partner back into the room to answer the questions, giving one point for every correct answer. The couple with the most points wins!

34. Guess the smell Christmas game

Players: 3 or more | Age: 4+ years

The objective: Whoever guesses the most smells correctly. 

How to play: Gather together a host of seasonal scents like mulled wine, nutmeg, and a Christmas tree sprig. Blindfold the kids and have them sniff their way to victory. One of those great sensory Christmas games for old and young.

Still shopping for presents under the tree? Check out the best photo gifts or lovely cosy gifts that will go down a treat with your loved ones. For when you’re all gamed-out, get much-needed quiet time with one of the best personalised books for kids

Sarah Handley
Consumer Writer & Money Editor, GoodtoKnow

Sarah is GoodtoKnow’s Consumer Writer & Money Editor and is passionate about helping mums save money wherever they can - whether that's spending wisely on toys and kidswear or keeping on top of the latest news around childcare costs, child benefit, the motherhood penalty. A writer, journalist and editor with more than 15 years' experience, Sarah is all about the latest toy trends and is always on the look out for toys for her nephew or Goddaughters so that she remains one of their favourite grown ups. When not writing about money or best buys, Sarah can be found hanging out with her rockstar dog Pepsi, getting opinionated about a movie or learning British Sign Language. 

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