15 Best Christmas Party Games for Large Groups (Fun, Fast & Easy to Play)

Hosting a big Christmas party is exciting until the room goes quiet and 30 people are all staring at their drinks. The right game fixes that fast.

The Christmas party games for large groups below work for 20, 30, 50 or more guests. They need little or no setup, the rules take under a minute to explain, and nobody has to stand in front of a crowd unless they want to. Whether you’re planning a family gathering, a friends’ get-together or a work event, you’ll find easy Christmas games that get everyone laughing.

Each game lists the number of players, what you need and how to play. Pick three to six for your party, and you’re set.

Quick pick chart

Game	Best for	Props needed	Time
Find Someone Who	Icebreaker	Printed sheet, pens	10-15 min
Who Am I?	Icebreaker	Sticky notes	10-15 min
Santa Says	Icebreaker	None	5-10 min
Christmas Trivia	Teams	Paper, pens	15-20 min
Name That Christmas Tune	Teams	Phone, speaker	15 min
Emoji Christmas Guess	Teams	Printout or screen	10-15 min
Christmas Charades	Teams	Slips of paper	15-20 min
White Elephant	Gift swap	Wrapped gifts	30-45 min
Left Right Gift Pass	Gift game	One gift, a short story	5-10 min
Snowball Toss	Active	Paper, buckets	10 min
Dress the Tree	Active	Tinsel, garland	10-15 min
Wrap-It-Up Race	Active	Boxes, wrapping paper	10-15 min
Photo Scavenger Hunt	Active	Phones	20-30 min
Christmas Bingo	Low prep	Printed cards	15-20 min
Pass the Santa Hat	Low prep	Hat, music	10 min

Icebreaker games for large groups

Start here if guests don’t know each other. These fun icebreakers for large groups get people talking without any pressure.

1. Find Someone Who (Christmas Edition)

Players: 15 to 100+

Setup: A printed sheet with 12 prompts for each guest, plus pens.

How to play:

1. Give everyone a sheet with prompts such as “Find someone who was born in December” or “Find someone who has built a gingerbread house.”
2. Guests mingle and find a different person for each prompt, then write that person’s name in the box.
3. The first person to fill a row or the whole sheet shouts “Merry Christmas!” and wins.

More prompts to try: knows all the words to a Christmas carol, has a holiday tradition from another country, wraps gifts at the last minute, owns an ugly Christmas sweater.

2. Who Am I? (Christmas Edition)

Players: 10 to 60

Setup: Sticky notes and a marker.

How to play:

1. Write a Christmas word on each note, such as elf, snowman, candy cane, reindeer, mistletoe, stocking, nutcracker or gingerbread man.
2. Stick one on each guest’s back or forehead without letting them see it.
3. Guests mingle and ask each other yes-or-no questions (“Am I a person?” “Am I edible?”) to work out what they are.
4. Once someone guesses correctly, they help others until everyone has solved theirs.

3. Santa Says

Players: 15 to 100+

Setup: None.

How to play:

1. One person is the leader and calls out actions such as “Santa says touch your toes” or “Santa says do a reindeer dance.”
2. Guests only follow commands that start with “Santa says.” If the leader gives a command without those words, anyone who moves is out.
3. Players who are out become judges and help spot movers, so nobody sits idle.
4. The last player standing wins.

Tip: For a more relaxed party, skip eliminations. Anyone who slips up does a silly dance instead.

Team games and trivia

Team games are some of the best large group holiday games, because they turn a big crowd into small, friendly groups.

4. Christmas Trivia

Players: 10 to 100+, in teams of 4 to 6

Setup: Paper, pens and a list of questions.

How to play:

1. Seat guests in teams, ideally at tables.
2. Read each question aloud. Teams write their answer on paper.
3. After each round, swap papers and check the answers together.
4. The team with the most correct answers wins.

Sample questions: How many days of Christmas are there in the song? (12) What color are holly berries? (Red) Which reindeer has a red nose? (Rudolph)

Tip: Mix easy and hard questions so every team scores. If you want to save time, download a ready-made printable.

5. Name That Christmas Tune

Players: 10 to 100+, in teams

Setup: A phone or laptop, a speaker and a playlist of Christmas songs.

How to play:

1. Play the first 10 seconds of a song.
2. Teams write down the title.
3. Give a bonus point for the artist, if you like.
4. Add up the points after 15 songs.

Tip: Mix classics with newer songs so every age group can join in.

6. Emoji Christmas Guess

Players: 10 to 100+, in teams

Setup: A printout or a screen showing emoji puzzles.

How to play:

1. Show a string of emojis that stands for a Christmas song or movie title.
2. Teams write down their guesses.
3. Reveal the answers and count the correct ones.

Examples: Silent Night, Jingle Bell Rock and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer all work well as emoji puzzles. Build each one from 2 to 4 emojis.

7. Christmas Charades

Players: 12 to 60, in two or more teams

Setup: Slips of paper with Christmas prompts in a bowl.

How to play:

1. One player from a team draws a slip and acts it out without speaking.
2. Their team has 60 seconds to guess.
3. Score a point for each correct guess, then move to the next team.

Prompt ideas: wrapping a present, stuck in a chimney, decorating a tree, making snow angels, burning the Christmas dinner.

Gift games

These games turn gift swaps into entertainment. They also work well as office Christmas party games.

8. White Elephant Gift Exchange

Players: 10 to 50

Setup: One wrapped gift per guest with an agreed budget (for example $15 to $25) and numbers drawn from a hat.

How to play:

1. Each guest draws a number. Number 1 picks a wrapped gift and opens it.
2. Number 2 can open a new gift or steal the first opened gift. The person who was stolen from picks again.
3. Set a limit, such as each gift can be stolen only twice, so it doesn’t go on forever.
4. After the last person goes, Number 1 can swap with any gift if you want a final twist.

Tip for large groups: With 30 or more guests, split into groups of 10 to 15 and run each group at the same time, so it doesn’t take over the whole evening.

9. Left Right Gift Pass

Players: 10 to 60

Setup: One wrapped gift and a short story with plenty of the words “left” and “right.”

How to play:

1. Guests sit or stand in a circle and pass the gift along as the story is read.
2. Each time the reader says “left,” the gift goes left. Each time they say “right,” it goes right.
3. When the story ends, whoever holds the gift keeps it.

Story starter: “Santa packed his sleigh and left the workshop, turned right at the North Pole, and found the last gift left on the shelf…”

Tip: Write your own story in about two minutes. Add more “left” and “right” words than you think you need.

Active games and races

Use these when the group needs to move around and get loud.

10. Snowball Toss

Players: 10 to 60, in teams

Setup: Sheets of white paper and a bucket or box for each team.

How to play:

1. Each team crumples paper into “snowballs.”
2. Set a line a few steps from the bucket.
3. Teams take turns tossing snowballs into their bucket for one minute.
4. The team with the most snowballs in the bucket wins.

Safety: Toss at the bucket, never at people.

11. Dress the Christmas Tree

Players: 12 to 60, in teams of 4 to 5

Setup: Tinsel, garland, ribbon and paper ornaments for each team.

How to play:

1. Each team chooses one player to be the “tree.”
2. Teams have 3 minutes to decorate that player with their supplies.
3. Everyone votes for the best tree by applause.

Tip: Let volunteers be the “tree” so nobody feels pushed into it.

12. Wrap-It-Up Race

Players: 10 to 60, in pairs

Setup: One small box, wrapping paper, tape and ribbon per pair.

How to play:

1. Each pair gets one box and supplies.
2. Partners stand side by side and use only one hand each (their inside arms stay behind their backs).
3. The first pair to wrap the box neatly wins, or give a prize for the funniest result.

13. Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt

Players: 12 to 100+, in teams of 3 to 5

Setup: A list of photo challenges (printed or sent by text) and each team’s phone.

How to play:

1. Give each team the list and 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Teams take a photo for each item on the list.
3. Teams share their photos with the host, who awards points for completed and creative entries.

Photo ideas: the whole team in Santa hats, someone hanging a stocking, a snowman made from party items, a team “frozen” in a holiday pose, a selfie with someone you’ve just met.

Easy, low-prep games

These easy Christmas games are ideal when you want a relaxed moment between activities.

14. Christmas Bingo

Players: 10 to 100+

Setup: Printed bingo cards, pens or small candies as markers.

How to play:

1. Give each guest a card filled with Christmas words or images.
2. Call out items one by one. Guests mark any they have.
3. The first to complete a line calls “Bingo!” and wins a small prize.

Tip: For a bigger crowd, run several rounds with different prizes. Bingo works for every age and needs almost no explaining.

15. Pass the Santa Hat

Players: 10 to 60

Setup: A Santa hat, a music source and a bowl of challenge cards.

How to play:

1. Guests stand or sit in a circle and pass the hat while music plays.
2. When the music stops, whoever holds the hat picks a card and does the task.
3. Cards might say “Tell us your best holiday memory in 20 seconds” or “Do your best reindeer impression.”
4. Let anyone skip a card if they prefer, so it stays fun for everyone.

Best picks for an office Christmas party

If you’re planning office Christmas party games, choose ones that suit mixed teams and don’t put anyone on the spot:

• Find Someone Who
• Christmas Trivia
• White Elephant (with a clear budget)
• Photo Scavenger Hunt
• Christmas Bingo

Keep activities optional, avoid embarrassing challenges and set a time limit so people can mingle afterwards.

How to run games with a big crowd

• Pick 4 to 6 games. That’s plenty for a 2 to 3 hour party.
• Mix the energy. Follow an active game with a seated one so guests can rest.
• Make teams fast. Sort by birthday month, the color of paper they draw or the number they get at the door.
• Explain in 30 seconds. If the rules take longer, pick a simpler game.
• Have a helper. One person to handle music, one to keep score.
• Keep prizes small. Candy, small gift cards or a trophy for bragging rights work well.
• Make it optional. Some guests would rather watch, and that’s fine.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to host the best Christmas party yet?

Pick a few of these Christmas party games for large groups, and your guests will be laughing before the first drink is empty.

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Happy hosting, and Merry Christmas!