You need: A sheet of paper and a pen for each player
Everyone writes three facts about themselves or a Christmas memory, without a name, and crumples the sheet into a snowball. 30 seconds of snowball fight – throw low, never at faces. Then each player picks up one snowball, reads it aloud and guesses who wrote it. A point for each right guess; most points wins.
10 min · 6–30 players · ages 8+
You need: Nothing – or a slip of paper to note the points
In turn, each player says three things about their Christmas: two true, one made up, e.g. “Every year I bake 200 gingerbread cookies.” The others point at the one they think is the lie. A point for each right guess, and the teller gets a point for each player fooled. Most points wins.
15 min · 3–20 players · ages 8+
You need: The timer on a phone – nothing else
Sit in a circle. One player says a Christmas or winter word, e.g. “sleigh”. The next has 5 seconds for a new word that starts with its last letter: “holly”, “yule log”, “gift”… A pause, a word said twice or one that has nothing to do with winter, and you’re out. The last player still in wins.
5 min · 3–20 players · ages 6+
You need: 10 paper or plastic cups for each player
On “go”, stack the cups into a tree: 4 at the bottom, then 3, 2 and 1 on top. Then take it down into a single stack again. One minute on the phone’s timer. Several players can race side by side – the first to finish wins. If the tree falls, build it again.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 6+
You need: 20 cotton balls, a spoon and two bowls for each player
Put the bowls a step apart. In one minute, carry as many cotton snowballs as you can from the first bowl to the second with the spoon; the other hand stays behind your back. Snowballs on the floor don’t count. Most snowballs in the second bowl wins.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 5+
You need: Chopsticks, a plate of pompoms or small plastic baubles and a cup
In one minute, move as many pompoms or small plastic baubles as you can from the plate to the cup with chopsticks – no fingers. No chopsticks? Two pencils will do, and kids can use a clothes peg. Most in the cup wins; if it’s a tie, play a final.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 7+
You need: A cotton ball and a paper straw for each player, tape for a line
Tape a finish line at the far end of the table. Each player has their own straw – never shared. On “go”, blow your cotton snowflake through the straw from the near edge to the line, hands down. If it falls off the table, back to the start. The fastest time within the minute wins.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 4+
You need: Two pencils, two 3 m ribbons (or strings) and tape
Tape one end of each ribbon to the table or a chair and tie the other to a pencil. Two players, two ribbons: on “go”, both roll their ribbon up on the pencil by turning it, without walking. The first to reach the end wins and takes on the next player. One minute at most.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 6+
You need: 10 small wrapped boxes – tea or matchboxes in paper
In one minute, build a tower of the little gift boxes with one hand only; the other stays behind your back. When the time is up, the tower has to stand on its own for 5 seconds. The tallest tower still standing – the most boxes – wins.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 6+
You need: A paper plate and a felt-tip pen for each player
Each player holds a paper plate flat on top of their head and draws on it without looking: a snowman, a tree with a star and a present under it. One minute. Then the plates go on the table and everyone votes for the best drawing – or the funniest. Most votes wins.
1 min · 3–20 players · ages 6+
You need: Ping-pong balls or balls of scrap paper, a Christmas stocking or a cup
Put a stocking or a cup on the floor, 2 m from a line. In one minute, toss in as many balls as you can, one at a time, feet behind the line; you pick up your own balls. Most balls that stay in wins.
1 min · 2–20 players · ages 5+
You need: 2 rolls of toilet paper per team, paper, tape and a marker
Each team picks one volunteer who stands still. In 2 minutes the team wraps them in toilet paper over their clothes – never the face – and adds a paper scarf, hat and buttons. Then everyone votes for the best snowman, but not for their own team. Most votes wins.
2 min · 6–30 players · ages 6+
You need: A box, wrapping paper cut beforehand, strips of tape and a ribbon per pair
Two players, one hand each: one uses only the left hand, the other only the right; the free hands stay behind your backs. Together, wrap the box and tie the ribbon in 3 minutes. An adult cuts the paper beforehand. The fastest neat parcel wins – if it’s close, the others vote.
3 min · 4–30 players · ages 10+
You need: A snowman drawn on a big sheet on the wall, paper carrots, tape and a scarf
Each player gets a paper carrot with tape on the back, stands right in front of the sheet and covers their eyes with the scarf. The team helps with words only: “up”, “left”, “stop”. Write the player’s name next to each nose. The nose closest to the right spot wins a point for its team.
5 min · 4–30 players · ages 4+
You need: A spoon and a plastic bauble (or a ping-pong ball) per team, two chairs
Teams stand in lines. Hold the spoon by the handle, carry the bauble on it to the chair across the room, round it and back – walking fast, no running – then hand the spoon to the next player. If the bauble drops, pick it up and go on from there. The first team to finish wins.
5 min · 6–30 players · ages 5+