45 Entertaining Work Christmas Party Games

Work Christmas Party Games are an essential part of any office holiday celebration, bringing employees together in a relaxed and festive environment. These games not only offer a break from the usual work routine but also provide a chance to bond with colleagues in a fun and lighthearted way. By incorporating activities that everyone can enjoy, Christmas party games foster team spirit, allowing employees to interact, laugh, and build stronger relationships. Whether it’s through friendly competition or collaborative team-building exercises, these games add a lively energy to the office holiday atmosphere.

The role of games during work Christmas parties goes beyond just entertainment. They help create a sense of unity, offering a chance for colleagues to engage with one another in new and creative ways. Games can break the ice, bridge gaps between different departments, and encourage participation from everyone, ensuring that no one feels left out. By setting the tone with fun, inclusive, and holiday-themed games, the party becomes a memorable event where employees can unwind, celebrate the season, and share in the joy of the holidays as a team.

Work Christmas Party Games

The Office Christmas Charades

A holiday twist on the classic game of charades.

• Split into teams and have one person from each team act out Christmas-related phrases, movies, or songs without speaking.
• Use a timer to keep the game moving and set a fun, competitive tone.
• The team that guesses the most correctly wins!

Secret Santa Gift Exchange

A classic gift-giving game with a holiday twist.

• Each participant draws a name and buys a small gift for their “Secret Santa.”
• At the party, everyone opens their gifts and tries to guess who their Secret Santa is.
• Add fun rules like setting a budget or choosing themed gifts (e.g., only funny gifts).

A Christmas Bingo Party Game

A festive version of the classic bingo game.

• Prepare bingo cards with Christmas-related items like “Santa,” “snowflake,” or “Christmas tree.”
• Call out items randomly; the first person to fill their card wins.
• Give holiday-themed prizes like candy canes or small gifts to the winners.

The Ugly Sweater Contest

Get employees into the holiday spirit by celebrating the ugliest holiday sweaters.

• Have participants come dressed in their most outrageous Christmas sweaters.
• Vote for the ugliest, funniest, or most creative sweater.
• Award prizes for different categories to add excitement.

Christmas White Elephant Gift Exchange

A playful gift-swapping game where the goal is to have fun with unexpected presents.

• Participants bring a wrapped gift and draw numbers to determine the order of selecting a gift.
• After the first person opens a gift, the next player can choose to either “steal” a previously opened gift or open a new one.
• The game continues until all gifts are opened, with lots of fun and laughter over stolen gifts!

Holiday Trivia Game

Test everyone’s Christmas knowledge with a fun trivia game.

• Prepare questions related to Christmas traditions, movies, and songs.
• Divide employees into teams and let them compete to see who knows the most about the holiday season.
• Offer festive prizes for the winning team.

Scavenger Hunt (Christmas Edition)

Get everyone moving with a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt.

• Create a list of holiday items to find around the office or event venue (e.g., ornaments, Santa hats).
• Teams must work together to locate the items as quickly as possible.
• The first team to collect all the items wins a holiday prize.

Reindeer Ring Toss

A fun, active game that brings out everyone’s competitive side.

• Use reindeer antler headbands as targets and provide rings for players to toss.
• Players must try to land the rings on the antlers from a set distance.
• The player or team with the most successful tosses wins.

A Christmas Office Pictionary

A drawing game where players must illustrate holiday-related words or phrases.

• Create a list of Christmas-themed words (e.g., “snowman,” “mistletoe”) for players to draw.
• Teams compete to guess the drawings as quickly as possible.
• Use a timer to keep the game moving and add excitement.

Christmas Karaoke Game

Get everyone singing with a festive karaoke session.

• Set up a karaoke machine with a selection of Christmas songs.
• Encourage employees to sing their favorite holiday tunes either solo or in groups.
• Award prizes for the best, funniest, or most spirited performances.

Build a Snowman Contest

A creative team-building activity where employees make their own “snowmen.”

• Use supplies like toilet paper, scarves, and hats to “build” a snowman on a teammate.
• Set a time limit and have judges vote on the best snowman design.
• Award prizes for creativity, teamwork, and overall fun.

Christmas Cookie Decorating

Bring out the creative side of your employees with a cookie decorating contest.

• Provide plain cookies, icing, and toppings for employees to decorate.
• Set a time limit and let everyone show off their designs.
• Award prizes for the best-decorated cookie or most festive design.

Christmas Limbo

Add some physical fun to your party with a Christmas-themed limbo game.

• Use a candy cane pole or string of lights as the limbo stick.
• Play festive music and have participants see how low they can go.
• The last person standing wins!

Reindeer Relay

A fast-paced relay game with a holiday twist.

• Divide employees into teams and have them race while wearing reindeer antlers.
• Each team member must complete a leg of the relay and pass the antlers to the next.
• The first team to finish wins.

Christmas Carol Lip Sync Battle

A holiday version of the popular lip-sync competition.

• Have participants pick their favorite Christmas carol and perform a lip-sync routine.
• Encourage fun and creativity with props and costumes.
• Judges can award prizes for the best, funniest, or most creative performances.

Gingerbread House Competition

Encourage creativity with a gingerbread house-building contest.

• Provide gingerbread house kits or supplies and let teams or individuals build their own houses.
• Set a time limit and judge the houses based on design, creativity, and festiveness.
• Offer prizes for categories like “Most Creative” or “Most Festive.”

Holiday Photo Booth

Set up a festive photo booth for employees to capture memories.

• Provide holiday-themed props like Santa hats, reindeer antlers, and Christmas lights.
• Let employees take photos and post them on social media with a custom hashtag.
• You could also turn this into a contest for the best or funniest photo.

Christmas Sock Exchange

A fun twist on the traditional gift exchange.

• Participants bring a wrapped pair of Christmas-themed socks to the party.
• Everyone draws numbers to pick a gift, with the option to steal someone else’s gift.
• The game continues until all socks are unwrapped and everyone goes home with a fun pair.

Guess the Christmas Song

Test employees’ knowledge of holiday music with this guessing game.

• Play short snippets of popular Christmas songs.
• Participants must guess the song title and artist as quickly as possible.
• The person with the most correct answers wins a prize.

Snowball Toss

A simple and fun game to test accuracy.

• Set up baskets or buckets as targets and give participants fake snowballs to throw.
• Players must try to toss as many snowballs into the targets as they can in a set time.
• The person with the most successful tosses wins.

Christmas Office Bingo

Create bingo cards with common office Christmas party occurrences.

• Include items like “Someone wearing a Santa hat” or “People talking about holiday plans.”
• As the party goes on, employees mark off the squares they witness.
• The first person to complete a bingo card wins a prize.

Christmas Ornament Exchange

A simple and festive gift exchange idea.

• Employees bring a wrapped ornament to the party.
• Each person draws numbers to pick a gift, with the option to “steal” an ornament from someone else.
• Everyone leaves with a new ornament to add to their tree.

Elf Yourself Contest

A fun dress-up contest where employees come dressed as Christmas elves.

• Encourage creativity with elf costumes and props.
• Hold a vote to determine the best-dressed elf at the party.
• Award prizes for categories like “Most Creative” or “Best Dressed.”

Christmas Tree Decorating Contest

Add some competition to decorating the office Christmas tree.

• Provide decorations and split employees into teams.
• Each team decorates a section of the tree, with judges selecting the best-decorated area.
• Prizes can be awarded for creativity, use of materials, or overall festiveness.

Holiday Name That Tune

Challenge employees to identify Christmas songs from short clips.

• Play a few seconds of popular holiday tunes.
• Teams must guess the song title and artist as quickly as possible.
• The team with the most correct answers wins.

Pass the Present

A gift-passing game with a twist.

• Play Christmas music while passing around a wrapped gift.
• When the music stops, the person holding the gift unwraps one layer of wrapping paper.
• The game continues until the final layer is unwrapped, revealing the prize.

Santa’s Workshop Relay

A fast-paced relay race with a Christmas theme.

• Set up a course where teams must complete different holiday-related tasks, like wrapping a gift or decorating a mini tree.
• The first team to complete all tasks wins a festive prize.

Christmas Dance-Off

Get everyone moving with a holiday dance-off.

• Play Christmas music and have employees take turns showing off their best dance moves.
• Judges can award prizes for categories like “Best Moves” or “Most Festive Dancer.”

Candy Cane Hunt

A simple and fun scavenger hunt for candy canes.

• Hide candy canes around the office or event space.
• Employees must find as many candy canes as they can within a set time.
• The person with the most candy canes wins.

Holiday Hot Potato

A festive version of the classic hot potato game.

• Use a wrapped gift or Christmas decoration as the “potato.”
• Play music and pass the item around; when the music stops, the person holding it is out.
• The last person remaining wins.

Snowflake Cutting Contest

A creative game to test employees’ crafting skills.

• Provide paper and scissors for participants to create paper snowflakes.
• Set a time limit and judge the snowflakes based on creativity and detail.
• Award prizes for the best designs.

Pin the Nose on Rudolph

A holiday version of the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game.

• Blindfold participants and have them try to pin a red nose on a picture of Rudolph.
• The person who gets the nose closest to the correct spot wins.

Christmas Movie Marathon Bingo

Combine a movie marathon with a fun bingo game.

• Create bingo cards with scenes or lines from classic Christmas movies.
• As employees watch the movies, they mark off

Relaxing and Low-Effort Games

For a work Christmas party, sometimes it’s best to include games that allow employees to unwind without too much effort or competition. Relaxing and low-effort games provide a great opportunity for everyone to participate at their own pace, offering enjoyment without any pressure. These games are perfect for maintaining a festive, lighthearted atmosphere while still fostering camaraderie and holiday cheer. Here are a few simple yet engaging options:

Christmas Bingo

Bingo is a classic game that can be easily adapted for the holiday season.

• Prepare bingo cards filled with holiday-related words or images like “snowman,” “Santa,” or “Christmas tree.”
• Call out items randomly, and players mark them off on their cards.
• The first person to get five in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins a prize.
• It’s a great low-effort game that can be enjoyed while chatting or snacking.

Name That Christmas Tune

A fun and easy game for music lovers.

• Play short snippets of popular Christmas songs.
• Participants must guess the song title as quickly as possible.
• Keep the game casual by allowing players to shout out their answers or writing them down for a less competitive approach.
• It’s a relaxed way to enjoy some holiday music while keeping the party atmosphere going.

Holiday Movie Bingo

This game combines the joy of watching classic Christmas movies with the fun of bingo.

• Prepare bingo cards with phrases, scenes, or iconic images from famous holiday films like “Home Alone,” “Elf,” or “A Christmas Carol.”
• As employees watch movie clips or full films, they mark off related items on their cards.
• It’s a laid-back, interactive way to enjoy holiday favorites, perfect for a cozy gathering or during the lull of the party.

These low-effort games keep the energy light and relaxed while still offering opportunities for fun interaction, making them perfect for a festive yet laid-back work Christmas party.

Virtual Christmas Party Games (For remote employees)

With more workplaces adopting remote or hybrid models, it’s essential to create fun ways for virtual teams to bond during the holiday season. Virtual Christmas party games can still capture the spirit of the holidays, allowing remote employees to connect, have fun, and celebrate together. Here are some engaging virtual games to bring a festive vibe to your team’s online holiday party:

Virtual Secret Santa

Bring the joy of gift-giving to a virtual setting with this online twist on Secret Santa.

• Organize the exchange using online tools like Elfster or DrawNames to randomly assign Secret Santas.
• Participants can send digital gifts, such as e-gift cards, or mail physical gifts directly to each other.
• Host a virtual unwrapping session where everyone opens their gifts on camera, adding to the fun and surprise.

Virtual Holiday Trivia

Test your team’s holiday knowledge with a fun virtual trivia game.

• Use platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to host the game.
• Prepare questions related to Christmas traditions, movies, music, and history.
• Divide employees into teams or let them play individually, using chat or breakout rooms for team discussions.
• Award prizes to the team or person with the most correct answers, making it a fun, interactive event.

Christmas Background Competition

Turn a video call into a festive experience by encouraging employees to get creative with their virtual backgrounds.

• Ask everyone to use a holiday-themed virtual background, whether it’s a cozy fireplace, a decorated Christmas tree, or a winter wonderland.
• During the party, vote for the most creative, festive, or funny background.
• Award small prizes or virtual certificates to the winners for their creativity.

These virtual games keep remote employees engaged, spreading holiday cheer and maintaining strong connections, even when celebrating from afar.

FAQ

What type of games should I include in a work Christmas party?

It’s best to choose a mix of games that cater to different preferences. Include a combination of competitive games, team-building activities, and low-effort or relaxing options. This ensures that everyone can participate, whether they enjoy high-energy games or prefer something more laid-back.

What are some examples of fun yet simple work Christmas party games?

Some fun and simple games include:

• Christmas Bingo: Easy and casual, perfect for large groups.
• Name That Christmas Tune: A quick and festive way to engage music lovers.
• Holiday Pictionary: Drawing holiday-themed words or phrases on a whiteboard is an inclusive way to get everyone involved.

How can we keep the games short and engaging?

Time the games to be between 10 and 20 minutes, making sure they move along quickly to keep everyone engaged. Rotate between different games and activities to keep the energy up and offer variety. You can also offer small prizes to keep things fun and light.

How can I adapt Christmas games for virtual work parties?

For virtual parties, adapt in-person games to online formats using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Virtual Secret Santa, online trivia, and virtual background competitions are popular options for remote teams. Use screen-sharing and breakout rooms to engage participants.