Christmas Party Games for Adults (Printable): 12 That Work at Real Parties

A good Christmas party game does one job: it gives people something to do together, so the evening doesn't split into the same small groups that arrived together. The best ones need almost no explanation, work with a drink in one hand, and are funny without anyone being put on the spot.

Below are twelve printable games that work for adults at Friendsmas, an office party, a neighbor get-together or a family Christmas once the kids are in bed. For each one you'll find how to run it, how many people it suits, and the common mistake to avoid. At the end there's a simple running order for a three-hour party.

Games to start the party (the first 30 minutes)

The start of a party is the awkward part. People arrive at different times and stand near the food. A mingle game gives everyone a reason to talk to someone new.

1. Find the guest who...

Each guest gets a sheet of squares like "has been to a country with snow on Christmas", "still has a childhood ornament" or "has never seen a famous holiday movie". They walk around and find someone who fits each square, writing that person's name.

• Best for: 8 to 40 people, especially when guests don't all know each other.
• Mistake to avoid: Don't wait for everyone to arrive. Hand the sheet out at the door so latecomers can join in.
• Prize: the first person to fill a row picks first in the gift exchange.

2. Two truths and a tinsel

Everyone writes two true facts about their holidays and one made-up one. Others guess the "tinsel". It's a classic icebreaker with a festive twist, and it works well in a circle once people have a drink and a plate.

The gift exchange (the middle of the party)

Plan the gift exchange for about an hour in, when everyone has arrived but nobody has left. Set a price limit on the invitation: $15 to $25 is common for friends and coworkers.

3. White elephant

Everyone brings one wrapped gift. Players draw numbers. Number one opens a gift; each next player either opens a new gift or steals an opened one. A gift can be stolen at most three times, then it's "frozen".

• Print a steal tracker. The single most common white elephant argument is "has this been stolen twice or three times?" A sheet on the table that lists each gift with tick boxes for steals ends it.
• Keep it moving. With more than 15 people, give each player a 30-second decision limit.

4. Left-right gift exchange story

Everyone sits in a circle holding a wrapped gift. The host reads a silly Christmas story, and every time the word "left" or "right" comes up, everyone passes their gift that way. When the story ends, you keep what you're holding. It takes about five minutes and has no stealing, so it's ideal for an office party where people would rather not compete.

5. Roll-a-gift dice game

Gifts go in the middle. Players take turns rolling a die, and each number has an action: take a gift, swap with someone, pass left, unwrap, skip a turn. Use a timer for 10 minutes; whatever you're holding when it rings is yours. It's loud and fast, and it's great for bigger groups.

Games for the table or the sofa

6. Christmas trivia

Split into teams of three to five. One person reads, another keeps score. Mix categories: Christmas movies, food, songs, traditions from other countries, and a few "what year" questions.

• Keep it short: 15 questions is plenty. Trivia that runs 40 questions loses half the room.
• Write answers on paper. It stops the loudest person from shouting first and keeps quieter teams in the game.

7. Guess the holiday movie

Read a plot clue in the most boring possible way ("A man has a series of unwelcome overnight visitors and changes his spending habits") and teams guess the film. It's the game that gets the most laughs per minute.

8. Holiday movie bingo

Put a Christmas movie on in the background and hand out bingo cards with squares like "someone falls in snow", "a dog in a sweater" or "hot cocoa is made". It's ideal for the later, slower part of the evening, when people want to sit down but still do something together. Each card should be different so there's one winner, not ten.

9. Holiday charades and draw it

Write Christmas words, songs and films on cards. Players act them out (charades) or draw them on a pad (draw it) while their team guesses. Charades suits a lively crowd, and drawing suits a quieter one.

10. Song title scramble and word scramble

Hand out a sheet of scrambled carols and holiday words and give everyone five minutes. It's a quiet, competitive game that people can play from the sofa, and it's a good filler while food comes out.

Games to end the night

11. Friendsmas superlatives

Before the party, print award cards like "most likely to re-gift", "most likely to start decorating in October" or "most likely to fall asleep during the movie". Near the end of the night, hand them out, or let guests vote on them. It's a warm way to close a party with friends, because it's really a list of affectionate in-jokes.

12. New Year's predictions and toasts

At a late-December party, give everyone a card to write one prediction for next year and one toast. Seal them in an envelope and open them at next year's party. Then pick a few toasts to read aloud. It ends the night on a thoughtful note, and it builds a tradition.

A simple running order for a three-hour party

You won't play all of these, and you shouldn't try. Pick one opener, one gift game, one team game and one closer. That's plenty for a three-hour party.

Printing tips for party games

• Print bingo and mingle sheets on plain paper, and cards on card stock. Card stock is easier to shuffle and survives spilled drinks.
• Print at Actual size, not "fit to page", so cards line up with their cut lines.
• Print 10% more than your guest count. Someone always brings a friend.
• Prepare an envelope per game with the cards, an answer key and a pen.
• Give the answer key to someone who isn't playing, or keep it face down until the end.

Our printable party games

Our Friendsmas & Holiday Party Games pack has all twelve of the games above and more: 40 trivia questions with answers, 20 guess-the-movie clues, 20 different movie bingo cards, the left-right story, roll-a-gift, white elephant rules with a steal tracker, 30 superlative award cards, a "find the guest who" mingle sheet, charades and draw-it cards, scrambles, New Year's Eve bingo, toast cards and a scorekeeper sheet. It's 52 pages in US Letter and A4 for $6 on Payhip or Gumroad.

Sending invitations too? The Holiday Hosting Suite has editable Christmas, Friendsmas and New Year's Eve invitations with matching menus. And the Holiday Printables Bundle combines the party games with our Thanksgiving pack and family Advent calendar for $15.

Quick answers

What's the best Christmas party game for adults who don't know each other? Find the guest who. It forces conversation in a way that feels like a game rather than a chore.

What's a good gift exchange game with no stealing? The left-right story. Gifts move around the circle, and nobody has to take something from a coworker.

How many games should I plan? Three or four for a three-hour party: an opener, a gift game, a team game and a closer.

Are printable party games OK for an office party? Yes. Choose games with no personal questions, such as trivia, movie bingo, the left-right exchange and word scrambles.