Playing a game at a holiday party brings everyone together, encourages
laughter and creates wonderful memories. Games are not only for the kids.
Adults also enjoy the friendly competition and camaraderie that comes from
playing a game. Having fun is contagious – even those who don’t participate
in the game love to watch.
What’s in Santa’s Bag?
Make Santa’s bag out of an old pillow case or create your own with red
fabric. Fill the bag with 10-15 small household items like a hairbrush,
wooden spoon or apple. Tie the bag closed with a ribbon. Give each guest a
sheet of paper and a pen and ask them to guess what is in Santa’s bag by
feeling for items from the outside of the bag. When playing the game with
young children, pair them up with older kids or parents to help them write
their answers. The winner is the person who guessed the most items
correctly.
Holiday Charades
Write the names of movies or holiday characters that are easily recognized
by your group on index cards. Place the cards in a decorated box. Turn on
some music, have all the players sit in a circle and pass the box around.
When the music stops, the person with the box has to pick a card and act
out what is on the card. If your guests prefer drawing to acting, supply a
large dry erase board and markers. When someone guesses correctly, turn the
music back on and the game starts again.
Conjoined Gift Wrappers
This game works best with older children and adults. Pair up your guests
and have them put their arm around the other person’s back, leaving one
right arm and one left arm from the couple unrestricted. Supply a shirt
box, wrapping paper, scissors, tape and a bow. Ask them to wrap the box
together with each person only using one arm. Make it a relay race by
having more than one team of conjoined wrappers. Give prizes for the
fastest team or the best wrapped package.
Candy Canes
This game is more commonly known by its non-holiday name, “Spoons.”
Everyone sits in a circle on the floor or at a table. Place a candy cane in
the middle for each person playing minus one. Using a deck of cards, the
dealer starts by dealing each player seven cards. Then, the dealer looks at
one card at a time while trying to find four of a kind. If the card is not
one that he needs, he passes it to the next person. The first person to get
four of a kind grabs a candy cane from the middle. When the other players
see someone take a candy cane, they should all grab for one, too. The
slowest person is left without a candy cane and is out of the game for the
next round.
Name that Tune
Play a couple of seconds of a popular holiday song and ask your guests to
name the song. A variation on this game for older children and adults could
be to play the song and have guests sing the next line. More tech savvy
hosts can put together several movie clips and have their guests name the
movie, actors or next line.
Who is the Artist?
Provide a clipboard, sheet of white paper and a pen for each player. The
players will hold the clipboard on their head while they draw a holiday
scene as directed by the host. For example, draw a fireplace with six
stockings; add a Christmas tree in the corner with a star on top, and so
on. When everyone is done, choose a judge to determine the best picture.
This simple game will guarantee laughter from artists and judges alike.
Celebrity Hunt
Write the names of holiday characters (fictional or biblical) on index
cards and tape one on each of your guests’ backs without them seeing the
name on the card. Have the guests mingle with each other asking only yes or
no questions to try to figure out who they are. This is a great game for
breaking the ice and socializing with everyone when guests first arrive.
Make your holiday party entertaining and enjoyable. Encourage your guests
to get off their chairs, put down their plates and join in the fun. Playing
a game breaks down the walls we build around ourselves as we share the
holiday spirit and joy of the season.
