This Christmas was a weird time for my family. It was our first without both of my grandmothers, who we lost to cancer six months apart, so we were all in a bit of a funk. I found myself tasked with finding games for everyone to play on Christmas Day when the whole family was together for dinner. We wanted to engage the entire group, and hopefully keep the somber lulls at bay.
Let me tell you…when I’m told to come up with games—be it for a youth event, birthday party, baby shower, whatever—I take that job seriously. This was no exception. I scoured the internet for ideas, hoping to find a few that would work with a budget of pretty much zero, and was surprised to find more than I could have hoped for. In fact, there were so many I couldn’t browse them all.
But after awhile, I began to see several repeats. Sometimes the instructions were identical, and other times there were variants of the same basic concept. Of course, I figured those must be pretty fun if they keep coming up. So with my crew in mind, I made a list of those that sounded the most entertaining, and that required no or few materials.
When Christmas Day came around, I was hugely over-prepared, so we only had time to play two games. But fun was had, I assure you! So enjoy this list of holiday games for the fam that even The Grinchiest Grinch among you will get a kick out of.
Measles Name Game
Equipment needed:
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red stickers (those round ones for garage sales work great)
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some white name labels
Object of game:
The winner is the person with the least amount of measles at the end of the game (end of party, or whenever the majority deems it time to quit). At the start of the party, give everyone a sticker with a made-up name. For example, Joe Bloggs or Fred Fart. (It’s easy to customize for a theme party!) Everyone has to use their made-up names throughout the party and not their own names. If someone hears a person saying their own real name or using someone else’s real name, shout “measle!”. The person who said the name not on the sticker gets a red “measle” sticker.
Variation: Sticker Stalker
Give all guests a sticker sheet of the same size (ex: with ten stickers). The object of this game is to get rid of all your stickers by sticking them on the other guests. However, if the person you are “stickering” catches you, that person gets to stick one of their stickers on you. If you are “caught”, you must temporarily take your sticker back, and you can try to sticker that same person later (at your own risk). But if someone falsely accuses you of “stickering” them, then you can automatically put one of your stickers on that person. The first one to get rid of all their original stickers is the winner!
~
I played this at a birthday party years ago, and it was such a hit that I knew without a doubt my family would enjoy it. We used “old people” names back then (think Agatha, Clementine, and Norman), but with it being Christmas this time, I chose “unfortunate elf” names instead. But really, it’s fully customizable. I considered alternative animal names for a hot minute (Velocirabbit = kangaroo, Nope rope = snake, Danger floof = bear, etc.), but decided that would be kinda tough for the older folks.
Anyway, the elf names were a HOOT, so I was not disappointed in that decision. I forgot about shouting “measle!” so we didn’t do that, but I can’t tell you how much we laughed, and how competitive some people got with it (SOME PEOPLE * cough * my dad and Granddad * cough * tried to get off on a lot of technicalities, so you gotta WATCH THEM FOLKS). But it’s hilariously-fun to play this game with people who already know each other, because the familiarity ups the ante! Our youngest participants were under the age of ten, and it was challenging for them, but they did manage to play for awhile before they got annoyed with how many stickers they were earning and quit. LOL
Here are the elf names we used, if you decide to steal them for yourself next Christmas:
Butternut, Noodle Puff, Fluffernutter, Clappy Pappy, Bumfuzzle, Taradiddle, Snickersnee, Collywobble, Bibble Snaps, Tickle Whiff, Toodle Pip, Tonga Wonga, Womp Skidomp, Blu Skidoo, Nipper Pickle, Gollywobbins, Bingaling, and Snoodle Dish.
Telephone Pictionary
Equipment needed:
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full sheets of paper (tip: draw horizontal lines across, dividing each page by 6 or 7 equal segments. Believe me when I say it will save everyone a headache later on if all players have divided their page the same way!)
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colored pencils (so you can keep track of each person’s contribution)
Object of game:
When paper and pencils have been passed out, everyone must write their name in one upper corner of their paper. Next, write a sentence across the top of the paper in the first “segment”. It can be as goofy as you want, but DOES need to be an actual sentence. When finished, fold down the page down just so the first segment (and therefore your sentence) is hidden, and everyone passes their papers to the left. Unfold the paper now in front of you and read the sentence. Now your job is to draw a picture in the second segment that illustrates the sentence. It’s okay if you aren’t an artist — it’s actually funnier when the pictures suck. After drawing your illustration, fold the paper down to hide that segment. Everyone passes their paper to the left again, and you should now unfold your paper to see the last person’s illustration. This time, write a sentence that describes the drawing you see. Fold your page to hide the sentence in that segment. Continue this process until everyone’s last segment is full. Everyone can then unfold their paper all the way and see whose name is on the top, and they can return the page to that person. Then, take turns reading and describing how your original sentence in the first segment mutated. “I wrote, ‘The cat peed on my bed,’ but Aunt Jo drew a picture of what appears to be a ferret, so Grandma wrote, ‘The ferret tap-dances on the layer cake…'”
~
We struggled with this game, I’ll be honest. But it wasn’t because of the game — it was because I had never played before and didn’t know how to make things more organized. So we ran into some problems! But I’ve modified the instructions to (hopefully) help you bypass the bumps we encountered along the way! LOL.
You do have to be patient with this game — the fun part is in reading everyone’s silly mutations at the end. The key is not to overthink drawing the pictures or writing the sentences, and things will move quickly. It’s also important that all the sentences are complete sentences, not random fragments, because then it messes things up.
Newlywed Game: Cousin Edition
Equipment needed:
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Paper and pen, or personal dry erase boards and dry-erase markers (if you don’t have these but want to go this route, you can use plastic disposable plates or cheap white glossy tiles)
Object of game:
Divide people up into couples, but not husband-wife — try pairs like friend-friend, mother-son, brother-sister, and cousins. Each pair writes a list of questions to ask the others: What’s your favorite breakfast cereal? What would your ideal vacation entail? Would you rather be beautiful or rich? Each team asks the other couples the list of questions, and one member of each couple writes down what they think their partner would say. Then, go around the circle and compare answers, awarding points for matches.
Tip: Not sure if an answer is a match? Take a vote.
Who Is It?
Equipment needed:
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blindfold
Object of game:
Stand in a circle. Blindfold a guest and have them stand in the middle. On ‘Go!’, they must reach out to the circle, and asks “who is it?” The first person they nab must answer — but in a weird voice. If the blindfolded player guesses who this person is, the players swap for a new round. But if they guess incorrectly? The game continues until someone is caught.
Variation: Oinking Game
Everyone stands in a circle each holding out a spoon. There is a person who is in the middle who is blindfolded. The person in the middle spins around a few times while everyone else switches places. The person in the middle then finds someone’s spoon and oinks at that person. The person that is oinked at has to oink back. The person in the middle has to guess who it is. If he/she guesses wrong, then the person with the spoon shakes the spoon. the person in the middle continues until he/she guesses right. the person that the person in the middle guesses right has to be in the middle.
Laughing Game
Equipment needed:
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None
Object of game:
Get everyone seated round a table or in a circle. Players take it in turns to say “Ha”, “Ho” or “Hee”. Anyone who starts laughing is knocked out of the game. Keep going until everyone’s out. The person who keeps a straight face the longest wins.
Two Truths and a Lie
Equipment needed:
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Optional: pen and paper
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Works best with 6-10 people
Object of game:
Players tell two truths and one lie. The object of the game is to determine which statement is the false one. Players to arrange themselves in a circle. Instruct each player to think of three statements about themselves. Two must be true statements, and one must be false. For each person, he or she shares the three statements (in any order) to the group. The goal of the game is to determine which statement is false. The group votes on which one they feel is a lie, and at the end of each round, the person reveals which one was the lie.
Likes and Dislikes
Equipment needed:
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Index cards (or similarly-sized strips of paper)
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Pens
Object of game:
Ask everyone to write down 5 of their likes and 5 of their dislikes on index cards. Help the younger ones by writing for them. At mealtime when everyone is gathered together, read the cards one at a time and have everyone try to guess which relative the information belongs to.
Camera Hot Potato
Equipment needed:
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A phone camera (or digital camera)
Object of game:
After setting your camera’s self-timer, each player holds the camera at arm’s length and points it at themselves very briefly, as if they were taking a selfie, before passing it to the next person. Keep going until the camera goes off. This is a fun and quick around-the-table game that provides you with some hilarious pictures everyone will be begging you not to post.
Mail Call
Equipment needed:
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Chairs
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A space large enough for a lot of rushed movement
Object of game:
Arrange chairs in a circle, using one fewer chair than the number of players (like musical chairs). Have someone start the game by standing in the center of the circle and saying, “Mail Call for everyone who is wearing red” (or “…has a cat,” or “…has been to Europe,” or “…has kids,” get creative!). Then everyone in a chair who has on red must get up and switch chairs with someone else wearing red, with a few caveats: Players can’t sit back down in their own chair, or the chairs directly next to it. The object of the game is for the person in the middle to get a chair before someone else can. Whoever is left standing delivers the next mail call.
Partners in Pen
Equipment needed:
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A bag of odds and ends from around the house
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Paper and pens
Object of game:
Players work in pairs, seated back to back, one player drawing, the other instructing them what to draw. Give the people instructing a bag filled with the odd objects and start the clock. The instructor now takes an object from the bag and describes it. They’re not allowed to name the object or what it’s used for. If the partner draws it correctly, they score a point. The pair to finish their bag first wins.
Things
Equipment needed:
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Strips of paper
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Pens
Object of game:
If you have ever played The Game of Things, you’ll be able to play this version of the game. Instead of paying full price for the actual game, just make up the questions yourself.
One person is “it” and will say a statement that will have a thing as the answer, such as “Things you shouldn’t do while at work.” Everyone then writes on a piece of paper something that shouldn’t be done at work, such as sleep. The person who is “it” then collects all the answers and reads them out loud. Then go around the room letting people guess a match-up of a person and an answer. If they are correct, that person gets a point, and the person whose answer was guessed is out. Continue going around the room until one person is left.
What are some of your favorite low-budget group games? Have you ever played any of the games in this list? Tell me in the comments!
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