Christmas Party Games for Adults: 12 for Large Groups and Work

The best Christmas party games for adults are simple to explain, work with whoever turns up, and let people talk while they play. A gift exchange game like white elephant or the dice gift game suits a large group; card and dice games suit a table of four to eight; and charades or a quiz fills a room. Here are twelve, with rules short enough to read aloud.

Christmas party games for large groups

1. White elephant gift exchange. Everyone brings a wrapped gift to an agreed limit. Draw numbers. Player one opens a gift; each player after that either opens a new gift or steals one already opened. A gift can usually be stolen only twice. See white elephant gift ideas for what to bring.

2. The dice gift exchange. Pile wrapped gifts in the middle, sit in a circle and pass two dice and a cup. Roll doubles and you take a gift from the pile. When the pile runs out, set a timer for five or ten minutes: now doubles let you steal a gift from anyone. When the timer goes off, you keep what you hold.

3. Christmas carol charades. Write carol and film titles on slips. Teams take turns acting them out without speaking, against a one-minute timer.

4. Christmas quiz. Four rounds of ten: Christmas songs, films, traditions around the world, and a picture round. Teams of four work best.

5. Who am I? Stick a festive character's name on each guest's back or forehead. They ask yes-or-no questions until they guess it.

Christmas party games for adults at work

Office games need to be inclusive and over in minutes.

6. Two truths and a lie, Christmas edition. Each person tells three Christmas stories about themselves; the room guesses which is false.

7. Minute challenges. Stack cups, unwrap a chocolate in oven gloves, or keep a balloon in the air for a minute — one person at a time, everyone watching.

8. Name that tune. Play the first five seconds of Christmas songs; teams write the title.

Christmas card and dice games for the table

9. Spoons. One fewer spoon than players in the middle; pass cards until someone has four of a kind and grabs a spoon. Everyone grabs; whoever misses out loses a round. Full spoons rules.

10. Shut the box. Roll two dice, close tiles that add up to the roll, and try to close them all. Perfect for a corner table — see shut the box rules.

11. Farkle. Six dice, push-your-luck scoring, and an easy game to drop in and out of. Farkle rules.

12. Cheat (I doubt it). A bluffing card game for up to ten that gets louder as it goes. How to play cheat.

How to choose the right game

• More than 12 people: gift exchange, quiz or charades.
• A mixed table of 4–8: spoons, farkle or cheat.
• People arriving and leaving: shut the box or farkle, which anyone can join between rounds.
• The work party: keep it short, team-based and free of forfeits.

Have one game ready before guests arrive, and a second in reserve. A farkle set with a leather cup doubles as the cup for the dice gift exchange, and for more table games after the meal see Thanksgiving games for adults — most of them work just as well at Christmas.

Frequently asked questions

What are good Christmas party games for a large group of adults?

Gift exchange games such as white elephant or the dice gift exchange, a team quiz and carol charades all work for large groups.

How do you play the Christmas dice gift game?

Players roll two dice in turn and take a gift from the pile on doubles. When the pile is empty, a timer starts and doubles let you steal a gift from someone else.

What are good Christmas games for adults at work?

Short, inclusive team games: two truths and a lie, name that tune, a quiz or minute challenges.

What card games are good for a Christmas party?

Spoons and cheat are loud, quick and easy to teach to a mixed group.