Home | Leisure | Parties & Showers | Party Games | About Christmas Party Games

About Christmas Party Games

by Kimberly Ripley

Overview

Christmas parties can be fun and entertaining celebrations for people of all ages. People look forward to reminiscing with friends and family members and celebrating the joyous season by sharing food and memories. Participating in party activities can create priceless memories sure to last a lifetime.
History

For centuries Christmas has meant a time of celebration, including the attending of church services, the cooking and sharing of feasts, and the singing of Christmas carols. Recent decades have seen Christmas parties become traditional, incorporating the gathering of family and friends, and in some cases mere acquaintances, as with office or business Christmas parties. However simple or extravagant, Christmas parties are now a standard practice throughout the United States and in many other countries. Food, drink, conversation, music and festive decor mark the occasion, as well as occasional party games.

Function

Christmas party games tend to liven the atmosphere and help diffuse awkward silences that sometimes occur when lots of people are together and the conversation starts to become stale. After all, how many times does one enjoy looking through Aunt Mabel's photo album (at the family Christmas party) or hearing one's cubicle neighbor boast about her nephew's acceptance into college (at the office Christmas party)? In cases where party guests include many who don't know each other, Christmas party games are perfect for breaking the silence and encouraging folks to get to know one another.
Types

Christmas party games can include games using words, music, prompts and props, as well as familiar board games, card games and even video games. While many games are available in Christmas formats or editions, any game can be adapted to fit a Christmas party theme. For example, play Scrabble using only words pertaining to Christmas or Christmas parties. Play card games using a deck of Christmas-designed cards. Liven things up with Nintendo Wii sports or dance games by incorporating Christmas-themed prizes and decorating handheld pieces with evergreen boughs and bows.
Ideas

Some easy Christmas games to play at Christmas parties of all sizes and all ages include the following: Fill a large glass decanter with pre-counted red and green Christmas candies. Leave small slips of paper and pens, as well as an empty box with a slit cut in it, on the same table. Ask guests to guess how many pieces of candy are in the container. The one who guesses the closest number receives a prize, which can even be the container of candy--hence a game and prize for one single effort. Get out the karaoke machine and host your own version of "Christmas Idol." Decide ahead of time who your judge or judges will be and have guests perform Christmas songs for prizes. Have a new Christmas CD available for the crowned idol. Play Christmas charades. Divide the group of party guests into teams. Make sure that each clue helps describe something that pertains to an aspect of Christmas or the Christmas party. Some examples might be "Deck the Halls," "Putting up the tree," "Kissing under the mistletoe," or "Wrapping Christmas presents." The team that wins can receive token gifts, like small Christmas ornaments. Create a game along the lines of the popular Mad Libs word games, which is where you write a Christmas theme story, but you leave blanks for the playing guest to provide words for you to fill in for them. Then read the story aloud for all to hear. Since the person who provides the words doesn't know what the story is, the words are typically random, which makes a funny story. Make sure that the theme pertains to Christmas. This game is fun for both children and adults, and needn't result in a prize. It will likely provide many laughs for the duration of the party.
Time Frame

Gauge your timing for Christmas party games based on how the party is going. If guests are having a hard time getting acquainted, announce that it's time for a game. If there seems to be a lull in conversation and/or laughter, suggest that everyone play a game. Signify the end of cocktail hour with a game. Or suggest after dinner or dessert that everyone stand up and play another game. By the end of the party, you may in fact realize that not all the Christmas party games were played. Don't worry. This is a very good sign, indicating that guests were having such a good time with each other, the food, the drinks and the Christmas party atmosphere that few diversions, if any, were needed.
Benefits

Christmas party games allow children and adults to get to know one another, and they encourage almost everyone to break out of their shells and really enjoy themselves. In the event of a wonderful party they add to the celebration, and in the case of parties with minor glitches games provide an activity to liven things up, kill a little time, and break a lot of ice.