Looking for fun things to do at your Christmas party?
It is true that Christmas is a time for giving. It is a time when family and friends can celebrate the joy of each other’s company.
It’s not only the gifts that are the source of that excitement – but also the opportunity to share in the fun and laughter – and a Christmas party is the ideal opportunity to take that fun and joy to an entirely different level.
The challenge is finding activities that will keep everyone occupied and ensure that fun and laughter are the order of the day.
That can be difficult in a day and age where electronic, big-budget movies and online entertainment seem to be taking over. However, it is certainly possible with some out of the Christmas box thinking. We’ve gathered up some ideas for fun things to do at your Christmas party!
24 Fun Things to do at Your Christmas Party
Tiny Trees
Why should the big tree get all the attention and the adults be in charge of the decorating? We can find miniature Christmas Trees at party shops and Big Box stores in the runup to Christmas.
Purchase 4 or five and have the kids around to decorate a tree that they can keep in their bedroom. There are also a variety of tiny decorations available – or they can make their own as a craft project.
Christmas-themed Pizza
Why not host a Christmas theme pizza party? You can provide store-bought pizza dough or, for some extra fun, have the kids prepare and roll out their own (with some adult help). Then it’s time for them to add sauce and cheese and the fun bit – the toppings which can be red and green.
There are plenty of healthy (and not so healthy options. Red could be sausage, pepperoni, or Canadian bacon. Green could be artichoke hearts, green bell peppers, arugula, or basil.
Let your imagination run wild – and provide a wide selection for the kids to choose from. Not only will they have fun, but they’ll be exercising their imaginations and having a great pizza treat at the end.
Jingle Toss
Think beer Pong, but Christmas-themed and for kids. Set up those cups and let each child take a turn to toss a ‘jingle bell’ into a cup. Each cup can be numbered – and small prizes of treats relating to the number can be awarded as prizes. We can also alter the distance to the cups to be age appropriate.
A Christmas Craft Party
What about a kids’ craft party? There are plenty of printable craft templates on the internet – and some brilliant ideas such as gingerbread cookies, paper snowflakes, ornaments and gift boxes. You can also find tree decorations that the kids can color with watercolor paints and hang to dry for an art project, or paint with watercolors to create a picture.
A Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Look for some printable scavenger hunt templates online – and set up the kids in teams of three or four so that they can compete against each other. Remember to include Christmas-related items. Some ideas are, for example:
- candy canes
- jingle bells
- Christmas bauble
It’s a great way of getting the kids outside and active in the runup to Christmas. The winning team can receive small Christmas gifts such as candy or tree ornaments.
The Gingerbread House Challenge.
You can buy pre baked and ready to assemble gingerbread housing kits at almost any store in the runup to Christmas. They can form the basis of a great kids’ Christmas party activity.
Every child is supplied with a sealed plastic bag with white icing and a variety of treats and candies and given an hour to assemble and decorate their houses. Add shredded coconut for snow. Then the results are judged. Make sure that everyone gets a prize – but there can only be one ‘Gingerbread House King or Queen’.
Christmas Story Telling
A great idea for older kids and teenagers is to let them go wild with their imaginations while telling a Christmas story – but each one will have to add a new sentence to the story at each turn so that everyone gets an opportunity to have their say.
Christmas Carol Sing-a-long
Getting the kids around a piano or guitar is all you need to get them to sing some of your favorite Christmas carols. You could play some jingly bells or other instruments while they sing. This is a great way to get them in the Christmas mood – and no need for any karaoke machine!
A Themed Holiday Party Pack
If your kids are keen on dressing up, why not have a themed party pack which has everything that they need to dress up as elves, reindeer, or gingerbread men. You could also include a variety of hats and wigs to make them look like a classic Christmas-scene character.
A Photo Booth
Hire a photo booth and add some Christmas themed props such as wigs and glasses so that the kids can have fun imitating their favorite stars in the runup to Christmas. You can even create your own backdrop with green or red fabric and a few Christmas decorations. Make sure to take some great photos of the kids’ antics – and you can turn them into Christmas cards or posters for the fridge.
Have Santa As Your Guest Of Honor
Who is more popular on Christmas day than Santa himself? Why not invite him to attend your children’s party – and get the kids to write down what they want for Christmas. Perhaps you could have some fun taking photos of them with Santa – or even creating a ‘Santa’ costume.
Movie Night
Bring over the popcorn and set up the flat screen. Then play those wonderful classic festive season movies. Who doesn’t like Home Alone or Die Hard? The selection has all the feels and is a perfect way to spend an evening with those nearest and dearest. Break out the popcorn and eggnog and settle in for a fabulous night. Check out our list of favorite Christmas movies on Netflix!
Champion Punch
It’s not really Christmas until someone brings out the punch. Invite everyone over to present their own version for a blind taste test. Blindfolds on and score from 1 to five. Tiebreakers make it even more fun. The winner gets bragging rights and provides the next festive drink of choice for everyone to sip on.
Christmas Trivia
Who knows where that famed red and white suit comes from. Each person has to have five cards. Get the question wrong and you lose a card. No cards and you’re out. A simple game to get everyone into the Christmas spirit. You can also put your own penalties as part of the game. How much eggnog can you drink?
Christmas Movie Bingo
The Bingo card has movie clichés such as “snowball fights” and “person wearing a Santa hat,” which are represented by squares on the card. We declare the Christmas champion when someone achieves five in a row.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
This is the time of year when people bust out the hilarious and tacky gifts they’ve been collecting throughout the year for this party. It’s best to use some type of container, such as a basket or bin. Everyone brings a wrapped gift of equal value. They place the gifts in the container and everyone draws numbers. Going around the circle, you can either pick a new gift or steal one that has already been opened.
“Never Have I Ever” Christmas Edition
This is a festive twist on an old classic. This time, the questions are to do with Christmas traditions and childhood memories. The best thing about it is that if you have done or been through something, you simply drink instead of saying ‘Never have I ever’. It’s a nice, lighthearted way to bond with others and recollect on some good memories that will last well into the New Year.
Christmas Cookie Swap
This is a great fun activity. Everyone brings some home-baked cookies, and the host provides some festive mugs, plates and spoons for everyone to sample them all. You can vote on your favorite or simply eat them all with some mulled wine.
Ugly Sweater Contest
It’s the only time of year where it’s socially acceptable to dress up in some truly hideous outfits. Get everyone to bring theirs along for some festive fun. Have guest judges pick the best one and if you want, have a prize for whoever wears it!
Guess How Many Ornaments On The Tree Game
The perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. Have everyone guess the number, then the closest person gets to take home that number of ornaments from your tree! You can go for some sort of wager on this one, but all in good fun.
Gift Wrap Game
Set a time limit for your guests to wrap a present the quickest. The twist? They must work in pairs, and each person may only use one hand!
Christmas Limbo
If you don’t know limbo, you’re missing out! Despite the fact that it’s a classic during the festive period, this is an activity that everyone can take part in. You can do it by yourself or with several others. The aim is simple: walk under the pole bending down as low as possible without touching it! For an extra difficulty, put a balloon in your clothes for “Santa” bellies.
Christmas Karaoke
Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit quite like some festive tunes. If you have a karaoke machine, bring it out for your guests to share their most heart-felt carols with everyone. You can also go one better by having actors dress up as Santa and sing along too! It’s sure to be a hoot.
Holiday Eggnog Drinking Games
This is a great way to make the party more interactive and a little competitive. Here are a few you can try
Santa Says – Similar to Simon Says, if they don’t follow his commands, they drink a glass of eggnog!
Pass the Ugly Sweater – A silly game where you pass around a cheesy Christmas sweater. Whoever is wearing it has to take a drink each time someone says “Christmas” or “sweater.”
Christmas Charades – Gather a group of people to act out Christmas movies for the other guests to guess. Whoever is acting has to drink every time they get it wrong.
Christmas Eggnog Pong! – The perfect game for a party. All you need is eggnog and cups. Fill up half a cup of eggnog, one per team, and set out a table with lots of cups in a pyramid formation. Whoever loses has to finish their eggnog!
Christmas-themed games are fun. You can buy them off the shelf or think out of the box. But they have to have one thing in common – and that is fun and being with those who have made the year not only bearable – but who have made you smile. Give back – and have some fun.
