Games to play at Christmas with the family
Christmas games for the whole family that need nothing you do not already have: a two-minute puzzle race, gift-wrap relay, the alphabet carol game, wrapped-present guessing and more.
The best Christmas games need no shopping, no printing, and no explaining twice. Here are the ones that work with a mixed room of ages, from grandparents to the kid who just learned to count, and what makes each one click.
The puzzle race
Everyone with a phone opens the same MerryWrap door (every player in the world gets the same board that day) and the first to wrap the whole board wins. Christmas morning is door 25, a special shaped board with a generous ribbon spool, so it is built for a room full of people playing at once. Older kids tend to beat the adults, which is exactly why it works.
Gift-wrap relay
Two teams, one roll of paper each, one box each, and one rule: you wrap with a partner and each of you may use only one hand. Neatest wrap in three minutes wins. Terrible wrapping is the entertainment.
The alphabet carol
Go around the room. Each person names a Christmas word starting with the next letter of the alphabet, then hums two seconds of any carol. Stumble on either and you are out. Q and X are where the arguments start.
Guess the wrapped present
Before the unwrapping, each person picks one gift under the tree that is not theirs and guesses what is inside. Write the guesses down. Most correct guesses at the end wins a spare treat from the stocking pile.
The Christmas movie one-liner
One person says a single line from a Christmas film. First to name the film gets a point. Give kids their own round with their own films so nobody sits out.
Ornament memory
Everyone studies the tree for thirty seconds. One person leaves the room while another moves or removes one ornament. The returning player has one guess. It is harder than it sounds on a full tree.
Ribbon budget
A table game borrowed from MerryWrap’s ribbon rule. Give each player a length of real ribbon and a pile of small boxes. Whoever wraps the most boxes fully with their length wins. Squarer boxes use less ribbon, which players work out about two boxes in.
Frequently asked questions
What Christmas games work for adults and kids together?
Games with one simple rule and a clear winner: the puzzle race, guess the wrapped present, and ornament memory all let a seven-year-old beat a grandparent, which keeps everyone in.
What can we play on Christmas Day without buying anything?
Every game on this page uses things already in the house: the tree, the wrapping paper, the presents, and a phone. MerryWrap’s first five doors are free if you want the puzzle race without a purchase.
How long should a Christmas game last?
Five to ten minutes. Christmas Day rooms have short attention spans and a dinner to get to. Play two short games rather than one long one.
An advent calendar you play
Doors 1 to 5 are free. The 2026 Calendar is one purchase, no subscription, no ads.
MerryWrapA puzzle advent calendar you play. One new puzzle behind every door, December 1 to Christmas morning.