Are you in search of some holiday party games for your staff?
Planning a holiday party for your team is a fantastic way to celebrate achievements, strengthen bonds, and spread festive cheer. To ensure your event is memorable, incorporating fun and engaging games is a must.
In this article, let’s see 10 amazing holiday party games that your staff will love. These activities can help your teams to relax, have a good laugh, and get to know each other better.
How to Choose the Right Holiday Party Games?
When choosing holiday party games for your staff, keep in mind the size of your group, their interests, and the overall theme of your event. It’s also essential to make sure that the games are inclusive and suitable for all ages and abilities.
Additionally, consider the time and space available for your party. Some games might require more room or preparation than others. You want to ensure that all activities run smoothly without causing any inconvenience.
10 Amazing Holiday Party Games for Your Staff
Here are some exciting and engaging team building games for holiday parties that will make your staff’s spirits bright.
#1. Holiday Trivia
This is a quiz-based activity where teams answer holiday-themed questions, testing their seasonal knowledge while adding a competitive spirit. It is a fun and interactive game that energizes the room in just a short time.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of trivia questions, and scorecards
Participants: 4-8 people per group
Instructions
- Prepare a set of 10-15 holiday-themed questions spanning topics like traditions, history, and pop culture.
- Divide the participants into small teams and provide them with scorecards.
- Ask each team to answer the trivia questions read aloud or displayed on a screen.
- Award a point for each correct answer and declare the team with the highest score as the winner.
Debrief
Reflect on how well the participants collaborated and communicated within their teams. Identify which questions sparked the most excitement or encouraged creative thinking.
#2. White Elephant Gift Exchange
This is a fun gift-giving activity where participants exchange quirky and humorous presents. It adds an element of surprise to the party and gets everyone laughing.
Time: You decide
Materials: Wrapped gifts
Participants: Any number of people in a group
Instructions
- Ask each participant to bring a wrapped gift within a specific budget.
- Place all the gifts in one area and assign each participant a number.
- The first person selects a present from the pile and opens it in front of everyone. Then, the second person can either steal the first person’s gift or choose another from the pile.
- This continues until everyone has a gift, with each person having the choice to steal or unwrap a new present.
Debrief
Discuss which gifts were most popular and what made them stand out. Encourage the participants to share funny stories about their gifts.
#3. Name That Holiday Tune
This is a musical game where participants have to guess the name of popular holiday songs based on short snippets played. It adds a festive touch while testing knowledge of music.
Time: You decide
Materials: List of holiday tunes, and speakers or instrument (to play the snippets)
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Prepare a list of popular holiday songs and create short snippets or play them through speakers.
- Ask the participants to write down their guesses as each song plays for about 10 seconds.
- Play 5-10 songs and then reveal the correct answers.
- Award points for each correct answer and declare the winner with the highest score.
Debrief
Discuss participants’ favorite holiday tunes and why they enjoy them. Ask if anyone discovered new songs through the game.
#4. Cookie Decorating Contest
This creative activity brings out the festive spirit as participants decorate cookies with holiday-themed designs. It’s a lighthearted competition that allows for creativity and fun.
Time: You decide
Materials: Plain sugar cookies, frosting, sprinkles, and edible decorations
Participants: 3-8 individuals in a group
Instructions
- Provide each team with a set of plain cookies and decorating supplies.
- Set a timer and challenge everyone to create their best holiday-themed cookie designs.
- Once the time is up, display all the cookies and allow the participants to vote for their favorite creations.
- Announce the winners for categories like “Most Creative,” “Funniest Design,” and “Best Overall.”
Debrief
Celebrate the creativity and effort put into each design. Discuss how participants approached the challenge and which designs were the crowd favorites.
#5. Festive Scavenger Hunt
This high-energy game involves hunting for holiday-themed items hidden around the venue. It’s a great way to get everyone moving and exploring.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Holiday-themed items (ornaments, candy canes, mini stockings), and clue cards
Participants: Teams of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Hide holiday-themed items around the venue and provide each team with a list of items or clues to find.
- Set a time limit for the teams to search for as many items as possible.
- Award points based on how many items a team collects or how quickly they finish.
Debrief
Share highlights from the scavenger hunt, such as funny moments or surprising discoveries. Reflect on how the teams worked together to solve the clues.
#6. Ugly Sweater Contest
This classic holiday activity encourages participants to showcase their most over-the-top and hilarious holiday sweaters. It’s a perfect way to add humor and creativity to the party.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: None (participants bring their own sweaters)
Participants: Teams of any size
Instructions
- Notify the team members ahead of time to wear their most outrageous or funny holiday sweaters to the party.
- Set up a mini-runway or a spotlight moment for the team members to show off their sweaters.
- Organize a voting session where everyone votes for categories like “Ugliest Sweater,” “Funniest Sweater,” or “Most Festive Sweater.”
- Announce the winners and award small prizes or certificates for fun.
Debrief
Discuss which sweaters stole the show and why. Highlight the creativity and effort behind the winning designs.
#7. Party Charades
This lively and interactive game gets everyone laughing as participants act out holiday-themed phrases without speaking.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Slips of paper with holiday-related phrases, and a timer
Participants: Groups of 4-8 people
Instructions
- Write down holiday-related phrases or actions (e.g., “baking cookies,” “building a snowman”) on slips of paper and place them in a bowl.
- Divide the participants into teams. One player from the team picks a slip of paper and acts out the phrase while their teammates guess.
- Teams take turns, and a point is awarded for every correct answer within the time limit.
- The team with the most points at the end wins.
Debrief
Reflect on the funniest or most memorable moments from the charades. Encourage teams to talk about what strategies worked best for them.
#8. Holiday Bingo
This is a simple yet exciting game that combines competition with festive fun. It is perfect for groups of all sizes.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Bingo cards with holiday-themed items, and markers
Participants: Any number of people per team
Instructions
- Create or purchase Bingo cards with holiday-themed items or icons instead of traditional numbers.
- Provide each team with a card and marker.
- The host will call out items one by one, and teams mark them on their cards if they have them.
- The first team to complete a row, column, or diagonal shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize.
Debrief
Celebrate the successes and ask the participants about their favorite moments from the game. Consider awarding small prizes to keep the excitement going.
#9. Pictionary with a Holiday Twist
This drawing game tests participants’ creativity and teamwork, while keeping the holiday spirit alive with festive prompts.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard or large notepad, markers or pens, and holiday-themed word list
Participants: Teams of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Divide the attendees into small teams.
- One player from a team draws a holiday-themed prompt from a word list while their teammates try to guess what it is within a time limit.
- Assign points for each correct answer, and alternate between teams.
- At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.
Debrief
Discuss the most creative or funny drawings. Identify how the teams worked together to solve the prompts.
#10. Ornament Relay Race
This fast-paced game is perfect for adding some energy to the celebration. It’s an amusing and lighthearted activity that gets teams moving.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Plastic ornaments, spoons, and cones for a relay course
Participants: Teams of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Divide the participants into teams and set up a relay course using cones.
- Give each team a spoon and a plastic ornament.
- Players must carry the ornament on the spoon through the relay course and pass it to the next teammate without dropping it.
- The first team to complete the relay wins.
Debrief
Congratulate the winning team and share funny moments from the race. Reflect on how everyone supported and cheered for their teammates.
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Final Words
To make your holiday party even better, tailor the games to your team’s preferences and offer small prizes to keep the competitive spirit alive. Remember, the goal is to create a space where everyone feels included, relaxed, and ready to celebrate. With these amazing games, your holiday party will surely be the talk of the season! So, get ready to spread some holiday cheer and make unforgettable memories with your team.
FAQ: Staff Holiday Party Games
You might have these questions in mind.
Can these games be played virtually?
Yes, most of these games can be easily adapted for virtual settings by using online tools like Zoom or Google Meet and making slight modifications to the game rules. For example, in Pictionary with a Holiday Twist, teams can use digital drawing tools and share their screens while guessing the prompts.
How long do these games take to prepare?
Most of these games require minimal preparation. For example, games like Holiday Bingo or Pictionary with a Holiday Twist only need prepared materials like cards or a word list, which can be easily created or purchased in advance. Others, like Ornament Relay Race, may take a little longer to set up if you need to arrange a physical space or gather specific items. Overall, preparation time typically ranges from 10 to 30 minutes per game.
Can we play these games indoors?
Yes, all of these games can be played indoors and require minimal space. However, if you have a larger group or want to add more movement to the activities, you can modify them for outdoor play as well. For example, Ornament Relay Race can be turned into a scavenger hunt where teams search for hidden ornaments instead of passing them in a relay race format.
What if some participants don’t want to play?
Participation should always be optional. Encourage everyone to join, but don’t pressure anyone who prefers to sit out. Instead, offer them alternative roles, like being the game host, scorekeeper, or cheerleader. This ensures everyone feels included in the festivities without stepping out of their comfort zone.
How do we ensure everyone has fun?
The key is to create a welcoming and lighthearted atmosphere. Focus on games that promote teamwork and laughter rather than intense competition. Be mindful of your group’s dynamics, and choose activities that are inclusive and low-pressure. Offering small prizes or even verbal recognition can help boost enthusiasm and make the experience more memorable.