Christmas Games For Work Party Celebrations

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

– Phil Jackson, legendary basketball coach

This inspiring quote from Phil Jackson perfectly shows the essence of team building during the holiday season. As we gear up for festive work celebrations, Christmas games offer a delightful opportunity to foster camaraderie, ignite creativity, and strengthen the bonds that hold our teams together.

According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management, companies that prioritize team building activities enjoy a remarkable 24% increase in employee collaboration and a 20% boost in employee confidence. Truly, the gift of team building is one that keeps on giving, paving the way for a more cohesive, engaged, and productive workforce.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve curated a selection of the 30 Christmas games for work party celebrations, drawing insights from a diverse array of reputable sources, including TeamBonding, WhistlePunks, OfficeVibe, HubSpot, and Remote.co. From energizing icebreakers to jolly outdoor adventures, we’ve got something for every team’s size, energy level, and festive flair.

Christmas Games For Work Party Celebrations

1. Christmas Trivia

1. Prepare a set of diverse and engaging Christmas trivia questions covering various categories such as music, movies, traditions, food, mythology, pop culture, and even non-Christmas holidays. 
2. Decide on the format of the game – participants can either write down and submit their answers, or you can introduce a buzzer system where teams can buzz in to reveal their responses. 
3. To add a festive touch, consider using jingle bells instead of traditional buzzers for a more holiday-themed atmosphere. 
4. Enhance the game by incorporating multimedia elements such as playing audio clips for a “name that tune” challenge, showing video clips from holiday films, or asking players to re-enact famous holiday scenes. 

Pro Tip:

Incorporate a mix of easy and challenging questions to keep the game engaging for players of all knowledge levels.

Benefit: Christmas Trivia is a great way to encourage team bonding, spark friendly competition, and add a touch of holiday spirit to your office Christmas party. It tests employees’ knowledge in a fun and engaging way, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

2. Ugly Sweater Contest:

1. Encourage employees to wear their most creative, outrageous, or festive holiday sweaters. 
2. Appoint a panel of judges to select winners in categories like “Most Creative,” “Funniest,” and “Best Overall.” 
3. Consider offering prizes for the top sweaters to incentivize participation. 

Pro Tip: Provide a backdrop or photo booth for employees to take pictures of their ugly sweaters.

Benefit: The Ugly Sweater Contest fosters team bonding, boosts morale, and allows employees to express their holiday spirit.

3. Holiday Bingo:

1. Create custom bingo cards with Christmas-themed images and symbols. 
2. Encourage employees to mingle and get to know each other by having them fill in the squares with other players’ names. 
3. Offer small prizes to the first few employees who yell “Bingo!” 

Pro Tip: Incorporate holiday-themed snacks or treats as bingo markers to enhance the festive atmosphere.

Benefit: Holiday Bingo promotes social interaction, encourages team building, and creates a fun, engaging activity for all employees.

4. Christmas Carol Karaoke:

1. Set up a karaoke machine and provide a selection of popular holiday tunes. 
2. Encourage employees to showcase their vocal talents and holiday spirit. 
3. Consider offering prizes or awards for the best performances. 

Pro Tip: Provide festive props or costumes to help employees get into the holiday mood.

Benefit: Christmas Carol Karaoke allows employees to bond over a shared love of music, while also providing an opportunity for friendly competition and laughter.

5. Ornament Decorating:

1. Provide plain ornaments and a variety of decorating supplies, such as paints, glitter, ribbons, and markers. 
2. Encourage employees to get creative and personalize their ornaments. 
3. Display the finished ornaments around the office or use them as party favors. 

Pro Tip: Organize the activity as a team-building exercise, where employees work together to create a cohesive theme or design.

Benefit: Ornament Decorating fosters creativity, allows employees to express their individuality, and creates a lasting memento of the holiday celebration.

6. Gingerbread House Building:

1. Divide your team into groups and provide them with gingerbread house kits (including walls, roof, candy decorations, and icing).
2. Set a time limit for construction.
3. Have teams vote on the most impressive and delicious-looking gingerbread house.

Pro Tip: Get creative with the candy decorations! Gummy bears, candy canes, and licorice can add unique flair.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, creativity, and a little friendly competition.

7. Reindeer Relay Race:

1. Divide your team into equal-sized groups.
2. Set up an obstacle course with cones, chairs, or other props.
3. Provide each team member with reindeer antlers.
4. Each team member must complete the obstacle course while carrying a small box (representing a present) without dropping it.
5. The first team to finish the relay wins.

Pro Tip: Play some upbeat Christmas music to add to the festive atmosphere.

Benefit: Promotes teamwork, agility, and creates a fun and active environment.

8. Snowball Fight:

1. Fill up clean socks with cotton balls or crumpled-up paper.
2. Divide your team into two groups and have a friendly snowball fight!

Pro Tip: Designate specific areas for each team to prevent snowball mayhem.

Benefit: Encourages lighthearted fun and a break from the usual work routine.

9. Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt:

1. Hide small elf figurines around the office before the party.
2. Divide your team into groups and provide them with a list of clues to find the hidden elves.
3. The first team to find all the elves wins.

Pro Tip: Hide the elves in creative places – on top of cabinets, under desks, or even in potted plants.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, problem-solving skills, and adds an element of surprise.

10. Christmas Charades:

1. Divide your team into two groups.
2. Prepare a list of Christmas-themed words, phrases, or movie titles.
3. One person from each team acts out the clue from the list while their team tries to guess the correct answer.
4. Award points for each correct guess. The team with the most points at the end wins.

Pro Tip: Include a mix of easy and challenging clues to keep everyone engaged.

Benefit: Improves communication skills, knowledge of Christmas trivia, and is a fun way to act silly.

11. Wrapping Race:

1. Divide your team into groups and provide each group with a box, wrapping paper, ribbon, and scissors (all one-handed friendly).
2. Set a timer and have each team wrap their box using only one hand.
3. The team that finishes wrapping the neatest package first wins.

Pro Tip: Play some upbeat Christmas music to create a fun and fast-paced atmosphere.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, dexterity, and adds a dash of friendly competition.

12. Candy Cane Relay Race:

1. Divide your team into equal-sized lines.
2. Provide each team with a candy cane.
3. Teams must race down the line, passing the candy cane from teammate to teammate only using their mouths (no hands!).
4. The first team to get the candy cane to the end of the line wins.

Pro Tip: Use a longer candy cane for an extra challenge!

Benefit: Promotes teamwork, coordination, and a good laugh.

13. Jingle Bell Toss:

1. Set up a designated target area (a bucket, hula hoop, or marked zone on the floor).
2. Provide each team member with a jingle bell.
3. Have teams take turns tossing the jingle bell, aiming to land it in the target area.
4. Award points for each successful toss. The team with the most points at the end wins.

Pro Tip: Increase the distance to the target area for a more challenging game.

Benefit: Encourages hand-eye coordination, a little competition, and is simple to set up.

14. Marshmallow Snowman Building:

1. Provide each team with marshmallows, toothpicks, construction paper, markers, buttons, and other crafting supplies.
2. Set a time limit for building.
3. Teams can get creative and build the tallest, most detailed, or funniest snowman sculpture.

Pro Tip: Offer bonus points for unique features like hats, scarves, or carrot noses.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, creativity, and fine motor skills.

15. Holiday Card Making:

1. Set up a festive table with art supplies like markers, colored pencils, construction paper, glue, and glitter.
2. Provide blank holiday cards.
3. Encourage your team to create handmade cards for local charities, nursing homes, or even for each other.

Pro Tip: Play some carols in the background to add to the heartwarming atmosphere.

Benefit: Promotes creativity, team bonding through a shared activity, and gives back to the community.

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16. Ornament Exchange:

1. Ask each employee to bring a wrapped ornament to the party.
2. Facilitate a fun ornament exchange game. Here are a few options:
   • Secret Santa style: Draw names beforehand and have people anonymously exchange ornaments.
   • White elephant exchange: Participants take turns unwrapping ornaments and can choose to steal an already opened ornament from another player.
   • Dirty Santa exchange: Similar to white elephant, but allows stealing with additional funny rules (e.g., rolling dice to determine who steals).

Pro Tip: Set a price limit for the ornaments to ensure fairness.

Benefit: Encourages gift-giving, creates a fun and interactive activity, and adds a personal touch to the party.

17. Holiday Potluck:

1. Encourage your team members to bring their favorite holiday dishes to share.
2. Set up a festive table and enjoy a delicious potluck feast together.

Pro Tip: Coordinate the dishes beforehand to avoid having a table full of desserts (or just embrace the sugar rush!).

Benefit: Promotes cultural exchange, team bonding over shared food, and creates a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

Christmas Caroling:

1. Organize a group of employees who are interested in caroling.
2. Provide song lyrics or a carol book.
3. Spread holiday cheer by caroling around the office or visiting nearby businesses (with permission, of course!).

Pro Tip: Dress up in festive attire for an extra dose of holiday spirit.

Benefit: Boosts team morale, promotes camaraderie, and brings joy to others.

18. Holiday Craft Workshop:

1. Choose a variety of Christmas-themed crafts, such as DIY wreaths, ornament decorating, or decorating gingerbread cookies.
2. Provide all necessary materials and instructions.
3. Let your team members unleash their creativity and enjoy making festive crafts.

Pro Tip: Offer small prizes for the most creative or funniest craft creations.

Benefit: Encourages creativity, relaxation, and provides a fun, hands-on activity for everyone.

19. Christmas-Themed Pictionary:

1. Divide your team into two groups.
2. Prepare a list of Christmas-themed words or phrases (e.g., Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, snowman, eggnog).
3. For each round, a player from one team chooses a word or phrase from the list and draws it on a whiteboard or large piece of paper, without revealing the word.
4. Their team has a set time limit to guess the word based on the drawing.
5. Points are awarded for correct guesses. The team with the most points at the end wins.

Pro Tip: Get creative with your drawings! Don’t be afraid to use symbols or puns related to the Christmas theme.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, communication skills, and adds a festive twist to a familiar game.

20. Reindeer Antler Ring Toss:

1. Set up several empty bottles or cans on a table or another flat surface.
2. Decorate reindeer antlers (or use pool noodles or another creative substitute).
3. Have players take turns tossing rings (or lightweight objects with holes) and try to land them around the necks of the bottles/cans.

Pro Tip: Award points for different difficulties (closer bottles, smaller rings).

Benefit: Promotes hand-eye coordination, a little friendly competition, and adds a festive touch to a classic game.

21. Candy Cane Limbo:

1. Secure a candy cane horizontally between two chairs or poles, gradually lowering it as the game progresses.
2. Play some upbeat music.
3. Players take turns trying to limbo under the candy cane without knocking it down. The player who can go the lowest wins.

Pro Tip: Wear loose-fitting clothing for optimal limbo-ing!

Benefit: Encourages flexibility, laughter, and adds a silly twist to a classic party game.

22. Snowflake Toss:

1. Cut out a variety of shapes and sizes of snowflakes from white paper.
2. Designate a target area (a basket, hula hoop, or marked zone on the floor).
3. Have players take turns tossing snowflakes, aiming to land them in the target area.
4. Award points for each successful toss. The player with the most points at the end wins.

Pro Tip: Make the snowflakes different weights (crumple some for more distance) to add variety.

Benefit: Encourages hand-eye coordination, a little competition, and is a simple and festive game for all ages.

23. Jingle Bell Freeze Dance:

1. Play upbeat Christmas music.
2. Have everyone dance around the room.
3. Periodically stop the music. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in place while holding a jingle bell (optional).
4. Anyone who moves or drops their jingle bell is out. The last player standing wins.

Pro Tip: Play a variety of Christmas music genres to keep everyone moving.

Benefit: Encourages movement, quick thinking, and adds a festive twist to a classic party game.

24. Ugly Sweater Photo Booth:

1. Set up a festive backdrop with Christmas decorations, tinsel, or a winter wonderland scene.
2. Provide an assortment of fun and outrageous holiday props (Santa hats, reindeer antlers, tinsel boas, oversized sunglasses).
3. Encourage your team to come dressed in their ugliest (or most creative) Christmas sweaters.
4. Set up a camera with a timer or have someone take photos of your team members rocking their ugly sweaters and props.

Pro Tip: Offer a prize for the ugliest (or most creative) sweater!

Benefit: Creates a fun and lighthearted atmosphere, encourages participation, and provides lasting memories with silly photos.

25. Holiday Karaoke Lip Sync Battle:

1. Divide your team into groups or have individual participants.
2. Choose a variety of popular Christmas songs or carols.
3. Provide microphones (or use air mics) and some festive back-up music.
4. Each group or person performs a lip-sync routine to their chosen song, adding their own flair and theatrics.
5. Have the audience vote for the most entertaining performance.

Pro Tip: Encourage costumes and props to take the performances to the next level.

Benefit: Promotes teamwork, creativity, a chance to unleash inner performers, and creates a fun and lively atmosphere.

26. Christmas Scavenger Hunt:

1. Create a list of Christmas-themed items or tasks for teams to find or complete around the office or a designated area.
2. Include a mix of easy and challenging tasks (e.g., find a red ornament, take a photo with a coworker wearing a Santa hat, sing a verse of a Christmas carol).
3. The first team to complete all the tasks on the list wins.

Pro Tip: Hide some clues or items strategically to add an element of surprise and exploration.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, problem-solving skills, and gets people moving around and interacting.

27. Holiday Trivia Escape Room:

1. Designate a room or area to be your “escape room.” Decorate it festively with Christmas lights, snowflakes, and other holiday cheer.
2. Create a series of puzzles, riddles, and trivia questions all related to Christmas traditions, movies, music, and pop culture.
3. Divide your team into groups and set them loose to solve the puzzles and answer the questions within a time limit.
4. Include clues hidden around the room or within the puzzles themselves to guide them towards the “escape.”

Pro Tip: Set a festive mood with Christmas music playing in the background.

Benefit: Promotes teamwork, critical thinking skills, communication, and creates a unique and challenging group activity.

28. Christmas-Themed Minute to Win It Games:

1. Prepare a variety of quick and fun Christmas-themed challenges that can be completed within one minute each. Here are a few ideas:
   • Stacking candy canes
   • Transferring jingle bells from one container to another using only a spoon and their mouth
   • Wrapping a teammate in toilet paper like a mummy (Christmas-wrapping style!)
   • Building a snowman out of marshmallows and toothpicks

2. Divide your team into groups and have them compete in each challenge. The team with the most successful completions within the time limit wins.

Pro Tip: Find upbeat Christmas music to play during the challenges for added excitement.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, quick thinking, dexterity, and creates a fast-paced and energetic activity.

29. Deck the Halls Relay Race:

This game is a fun twist on the classic relay race and gets everyone involved in some festive decorating.

Materials:

• Boxes (decorated or plain)
• Various Christmas decorations (tinsel, ornaments, lights (battery-powered for safety), garland)
• Two tables (one at each end of the playing area)

Instructions:

1. Divide your team into two equal groups.
2. Set up the tables at opposite ends of the designated playing area. Place a box on each table.
3. Scatter the Christmas decorations around the playing area.
4. At the start signal, the first player from each team runs to the pile of decorations and grabs a decoration.
5. They then run back to their team’s table and decorate the box.
6. Once they’ve added the decoration, they tag the next player in line who repeats the process.
7. The race continues until all the decorations have been used or a set time limit is reached.
8. The team with the most festively decorated box wins!

Pro Tip: Play some upbeat Christmas music to add to the festive atmosphere and encourage friendly competition.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, creativity, speed, and adds a festive twist to a familiar game.

30. Christmas Charade Pictionary:

This game combines the classic party games of charades and Pictionary with a Christmas twist, requiring both acting and drawing skills.

Materials:

• Whiteboard or large flip chart
• Markers
• A hat or bowl
• Slips of paper with Christmas movie titles, carols, or traditions written on them

Instructions:

1. Divide your team into two groups.
2. Write Christmas movie titles, carols, or traditions on slips of paper and fold them up. Place them in a hat or bowl.
3. For each round, one player from each team picks a slip of paper from the bowl without looking.
4. Option 1 – Charade Pictionary: The player silently acts out the phrase on the slip of paper while their team tries to guess it. Once their team guesses correctly, they can then draw a picture related to the phrase for their team to guess again.
5. Option 2 – Pictionary Charade: The player draws a picture related to the phrase on the slip of paper while their team tries to guess it. Once their team guesses correctly, they can then act out the phrase for their team to guess again.
6. Award points for each correct guess. The team with the most points at the end wins!

Pro Tip: Set a time limit for each round to keep the game moving and add to the challenge.

Benefit: Encourages teamwork, communication skills, creativity, acting, and drawing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How can I choose the right games for my work party?

A: Consider the size of your group, the energy level you want to create, and the amount of space available. For smaller groups, you might choose more relaxed games like word scrambles or trivia. For larger groups, active games or team challenges can be a lot of fun.

Q: What if some people are shy or don’t know each other well?

A: Icebreaker games are a great way to get everyone comfortable and interacting. Focus on games that encourage teamwork and collaboration, as this can help people build rapport.

Q: How can I keep the party running smoothly?

A: Have a clear schedule of events and activities planned. Make sure you have enough supplies on hand for all the games. Most importantly, have fun and be flexible! Sometimes the best moments at a party are unplanned surprises.

The Final Words

With these 30 festive games, from building gingerbread houses to reindeer relay races, your work party will be filled with laughter, friendly competition, and team bonding. So crank the carols, don your ugliest sweater, and get ready for a holly jolly holiday celebration!