Looking for easy, festive, laugh-out-loud Christmas games the whole family will love? These Christmas Minute to Win It challenges are perfect for kids, teens, and adults — whether you’re hosting a holiday party, a classroom celebration, or just want to add some extra fun to Christmas Eve. Using simple supplies you probably already have at home, these fast-paced one-minute games are a guaranteed way to get everyone moving, cheering, and feeling the holiday spirit. Get ready for friendly competition, silly challenges, and tons of memories with these quick and creative Christmas Minute to Win It game ideas! Playing these types of games together is always one of the highlights of our Christmas.
You can see a video of us playing some of the games here. And read all the details and rules below!
- Snowball Scoop:
- Supplies: Cotton balls, spatulas, two bowls, blindfold
- How to Play: Players are blindfolded and then using a spatula they race to “scoop” as many cotton balls into the bowl in 60 seconds. You can have two players go at the same time using different bowls, or just have one player go at a time and compare the number they scooped up.
- Jingle Bell Shake
- Supplies: Empty tissue box, jingle bells, belt, tape or ribbon
- How to Play: Strap a tissue box filled with bells to a player’s waist (a wide ribbon works well, wound through slits cut in the tissue box). They have one minute to shake, jump, and wiggle all the bells out.
- Candy Cane Pick-Up
- Supplies: Candy canes
- How to Play: Using one candy cane in their mouth, players hook and lift as many candy canes as they can from the table and transfer them into another container.
- Snowball Cup Stack:
- Supplies: cotton balls, cups and new years noise makers
- How to Play: Line up plastic solo cups all along each side of the table, and place a cotton ball on each. Opponents line up facing each other across the table. It’s then a race to see who can blow all the cotton balls off of the cups with their noise maker and then stack all the cups on their side to finish.
- Gift Wrap Race
- Supplies: A small box, tape, wrapping paper, ribbon
- How to Play: See who can wrap their box the neatest — one-handed!
- Gift Unwrap Race
- Supplies: wrapped boxes, oven mits
- How to Play: Now try the reverse, see who can unwrap the present the fastest- with oven mits on!
- Muffin Tin Lotto:
- Supplies: muffin tins with numbers inside (can use little post it notes or just a slip of paper with some tape), ping pong balls, prizes
- How to Play: Set up the muffin tin with a number in each spot. There is a corresponding prize for each number in the tin. Muffin tin is placed on the far end of the table, players line up at the other end and take turns trying to land a ping pong ball into one of the slots. When a player lands one they receive the prize that corresponds with that number. For fun you could make a few of the slots something bad- like dinner dishes duty.
- Stocking Stuffer Race
- Supplies: Christmas stockings, small items (candy, trinkets)
- How to Play: Using only one hand, fill the stocking with all the items scattered on the table. Players take turn and the fastest time wins!
- Christmas Sock Challenge
- Supplies: socks for each player (Christmas socks is a bonus, or just ask people to wear Christmas socks to the gathering)
- How to Play: Pull your socks off your feet a bit so their “floppy” in the toes. Then try to pull all your opponents socks off by stepping on their socks, you can only use your feet! Last person with a sock still on wins.
- Swing the Ornament into the Cup
- Supplies: large rubber bands, plastic solo cups, string, plastic ball ornaments
- How to Play: Tie ornaments from long strings and then tape that string to the outside of a plastic solo cup. Then strap that cup to the players with a large rubberband. Then it’s a race to see who can swing their ornament into their cup first!
- Reindeer Pick Up (bonus idea)
- Supplies: plastic solo cups, candy, paper plates
- How to Play: A pile of candy is put in the center of the table (try things like m&s, starburst or marshmallows). Players sit in a circle surrounding the candy and put the plastic solo cups on each hand. It’s then a race to see who can pick up the most candy from the middle with their “reindeer hooves” and place it on the paper plate in front of them.
Christmas challenges that make everyone laugh
Easy Christmas games that work for all ages
Bonus Game: The candy bar swap- Each player brings one of their favorite candy bars along with some money (usually $5-20 per person depending on how high roller you want to be). One person is then in charge of distributing the money that everyone brought into envelopes (the number of envelopes must match the number of candy bars). Usually you will have some “jackpot envelopes” with large sums and others that are more of a “bust” with small sums, and then some in the middle. Another person is then given the envelopes (shuffle them up for good measure) to randomly attach to each candy bar. No one should know at this point what dollar amount is associated with each candy. You then play White Elephant style where all candy bars are put into the middle of the room. You draw numbers and let people pick the candy bars according to their number. You may steal a candy bar up to 3 times before it is “dead” and must remain with that person. Only at the end once everyone has chosen does everyone open up the envelopes to reveal how much money they get!
Supply List
Here’s a list of all the items you’ll need to play all of these games. Below I’ve provided some affiliate links, thanks for supporting my site!
- Cotton balls
- Spatulas
- blind fold
- bowls
- tissue boxes (empty)
- jingle bells
- tape, ribbon
- candy canes
- party horns
- cups
- wrapping supplies: box, wrapping paper, tape, ribbon
- oven mitts
- muffin tins
- ping pong balls
- prizes
- christmas stockings
- small items to stuff in stockings
- socks
- large rubber bands
- string
- plastic ball ornaments
- paper plates
- candy (like m&ms, starburst or marshmallows)
Christmas Minute to Win It games are one of the easiest ways to bring big laughs and festive energy to any holiday gathering. Whether you’re hosting a family Christmas party, planning fun games for kids, or looking for simple Christmas activities that work for all ages, these fast-paced one-minute challenges deliver tons of joy with minimal prep. With inexpensive supplies and easy-to-follow rules, you can turn your living room, classroom, or office party into a merry competition everyone will remember. So gather your favorite people, set the timer, and let the holiday fun begin — these Christmas party games are sure to become a new tradition year after year! For more fun Christmas activities check out my Night Before Christmas Mad Libs! Or check out my New Years Minute to Win it games here.