15 Best Christmas Party Games for Adults & Families (2026)

The best Christmas party games are quick to learn, work for any age, and turn a cozy night into the loudest part of the holidays. Christmas-themed word games like Tadado Forbidden Words and Heads Up, bluffing games like Imposter, and classics like White Elephant are the go-to picks for friends, families, and office parties alike.

Whether you are hosting an ugly sweater party, a family gathering on December 25, or a last-minute office get-together, this list has a game for every crowd. You will also find a free Christmas word list you can use tonight. Still planning Thanksgiving with friends? See our Friendsgiving games guide for fall party ideas that work the same way on one phone.

Christmas party games at a glance

The 15 best Christmas party games

1. Tadado: Forbidden Words

Players: 4+ in two teams · Time: 15–30 min · Needs: a phone

Tadado is a free party game app, and Forbidden Words is its Taboo-style mode. Describe "Rudolph" without saying reindeer, red, nose, or Santa, and watch your team panic.

1. Split into two teams.
2. The describer gets 60 seconds per turn.
3. Correct guesses score; forbidden words cost a point.
4. Multipliers from ×2 to ×5 keep comebacks possible until the last round.

Christmas tip: Create an AI deck called "Christmas at our house" with your family's traditions and inside jokes.

2. Heads Up

Players: 3+ · Time: 10–20 min · Needs: a phone

The guesser holds the phone to their forehead while everyone shouts clues, sings, or acts. Perfect between dinner and dessert. Tadado's Heads Up works offline, so it is ready even at grandma's house with no Wi-Fi.

3. Imposter

Players: 4–12 · Time: 15–30 min · Needs: a phone

Everyone sees the same secret word, like "Mistletoe," except the imposter. Each player gives a one-word clue, then the group votes. The imposter wins by blending in. Try Tadado's Imposter mode for a ready-made version.

4. White Elephant

Players: 6–30 · Time: 30–60 min · Needs: one wrapped gift per person

Players draw numbers, then take turns unwrapping a new gift or stealing one already opened. Set a price limit (like $20) and a steal limit of three per gift. It is the classic office party gift exchange for a reason.

5. Christmas Charades

Players: 4+ · Time: 20–30 min · Needs: nothing

Act out holiday prompts in silence: "wrapping a gift badly," "Santa stuck in a chimney," "untangling Christmas lights." Works for every age at the table.

6. Guess the Christmas Movie

Players: 4+ · Time: 15–20 min · Needs: a phone or paper

Describe a holiday movie using only emojis or a three-word plot summary. "Boy, home, burglars" is easier than you would think. First to guess earns a point.

7. Pass the Present

Players: 5–15 · Time: 15 min · Needs: a gift wrapped in many layers, music

Pass the gift around while music plays. When the music stops, whoever holds it removes one layer. A small treat inside each layer keeps kids hooked.

8. Ugly Sweater Contest

Players: 6+ · Time: 15 min · Needs: sweaters

Everyone walks the "runway," then votes in categories like Ugliest, Most Creative, and Best DIY. Pair it with a party game so the fun keeps going after the vote.

9. Santa Says

Players: 4+ kids · Time: 10 min · Needs: nothing

Simon Says with a festive twist: "Santa says hop like a reindeer." Ideal for burning off sugar before bedtime.

10. Christmas Would You Rather

Players: any · Time: 10–20 min · Needs: nothing

• Would you rather wrap 100 gifts or bake 500 cookies?
• Would you rather have a real tree that sheds or a fake one that looks fake?
• Would you rather open all your gifts on Christmas Eve or wait until noon on Christmas Day?

11. Holiday Trivia

Players: 4+ in teams · Time: 20–30 min · Needs: a phone or printout

Mix questions about traditions around the world, classic movies, and your own family. Winning team picks the first movie of the night.

12. Christmas Telephone Pictionary

Players: 4–12 · Time: 20 min · Needs: paper and pens

Alternate writing and drawing down the line. "Elf on the Shelf" turning into "a goblin in a cabinet" is guaranteed.

13. Two Truths and a Lie: Holiday Edition

Players: 3+ · Time: 15 min · Needs: nothing

Share three holiday memories, one of them fake. A gentle icebreaker for office parties and new partners meeting the family.

14. Snowball Fight Icebreaker

Players: 8+ · Time: 10–15 min · Needs: paper and pens

Everyone writes a fun fact or question on paper, crumples it, and throws it across the room. Each person grabs a "snowball" and guesses who wrote it or answers the question.

15. Christmas Song Association

Players: 3+ · Time: 10–15 min · Needs: nothing

Call out a word like "snow," "bells," or "home." The next player has five seconds to sing a line from any song that includes it. Holiday songs earn double points.

Free Christmas Taboo word list

Use these 20 cards for Forbidden Words, Heads Up, or Charades.

Want more? Create a custom Christmas deck with AI in Tadado. It works in both Forbidden Words and Heads Up.

Christmas party games FAQ

What are the best Christmas party games for adults?

Tadado Forbidden Words, Imposter, White Elephant, and Christmas Song Association are top picks for adults. They mix teamwork, bluffing, and a little friendly sabotage.

What Christmas games can the whole family play?

Christmas Charades, Heads Up, Pass the Present, and Holiday Trivia work for kids and grandparents alike. Rules are simple and nobody needs special skills.

What are good games for an office Christmas party?

White Elephant, Two Truths and a Lie, the Snowball Fight Icebreaker, and team-based Forbidden Words are safe, inclusive, and easy to run for 10–30 coworkers.

What Christmas games need no supplies?

Charades, Would You Rather, Santa Says, Two Truths and a Lie, and Song Association need nothing. A single phone with Tadado adds three more games.

Make this Christmas the loudest one yet

Pick a calm game for the dinner table and a loud one for after dessert. Download Tadado for free on iOS and Android and get Forbidden Words, Heads Up, and Imposter in one app, in 17 languages, with no ads and offline play. Perfect for families celebrating in more than one language.

For more roundups, read our Friendsgiving games guide or the evergreen hub 20 games to play with friends.

Merry Christmas!