Christmas games for mixed ages: a 45-minute plan

What to have ready

Gather a few sheets of paper, one pencil per person who wants to draw, and a phone or clock if your group likes a timer. Plan around four or more players. With two or three, work together and swap clue-givers rather than making teams.

Put glasses and hot drinks away from the working space. An adult can read the prompts to anyone who needs help. Passing is always allowed, and none of these activities requires standing up or being the center of attention.

These are planning blocks, not measured playtimes. Stop at a round boundary if dinner, bedtime, or another activity takes priority.

Holiday charades, from your seat

One player silently acts a prompt with hands and facial expressions. Everyone else guesses. End the turn after a correct answer, a request to pass, or about a minute. Then change the clue-giver. No one is eliminated.

Start with: wrapping a lumpy present; stirring hot chocolate; putting on a very long scarf; untangling string lights; building a snowperson; discovering an empty cookie plate.

A child can pair with an adult to act together. If acting does not suit someone, let them describe the scene without saying its key words or choose a prompt for another willing player. For “wrapping a lumpy present,” the key words might be “wrap” and “present.” Agree those words before starting so the rule stays clear.

A fold-and-pass drawing relay

Use a separate sheet for each starting phrase. In a small group, one sheet is enough to demonstrate the idea before everyone starts.

1. Write a phrase at the top: “a penguin delivering cookies,” “a snowperson taking a vacation,” or “a reindeer waiting for the bus.”
2. Pass the sheet. The next person draws the phrase, then folds over only the original words so the drawing remains visible.
3. Pass again. The next person writes what they think the drawing shows, then folds over the drawing so only their words show.
4. Continue alternating a drawing and a written guess until everyone has had a turn, or the paper is full.
5. Unfold the sheet and read the changes together.

For players who are not writing yet, a partner can record their spoken guess. Do not score artistic skill or spelling. The changes are the point; the last answer does not need to match the first.

Invent a gift for an unlikely recipient

Make pairs and assign each one a recipient: a forgetful wizard, a dragon who is always cold, a detective with too many notebooks, or a penguin moving somewhere sunny.

Each pair invents one gift, gives it a name, and explains how it solves the recipient’s problem. Allow a few minutes to talk or draw. During the reveal, another pair asks one friendly question about how the gift works.

Keep the humor about the imaginary character. There is no need to guess what a real relative wants, compare presents, or share a budget. End by choosing which invention the group would most like to see in a shop window.

A warm-weather Christmas version

For a summer Christmas in Australia or New Zealand, keep the same rules and change the prompts. Seated charades could mean opening a stubborn beach umbrella, packing a picnic, untangling string lights, or discovering that the last ice pop has gone.

For the drawing relay, try “a reindeer delivering a picnic,” “a penguin applying sunscreen to its hat,” or “a detective looking for a missing beach towel.” The unlikely gift recipient could be a dragon who needs a cooler lunchbox or a wizard whose sun hat keeps floating away.

The games work at an indoor table or in a comfortable shaded space. Nothing depends on snow, hot drinks, running around, or a long evening indoors. For the days around the celebration, try our summer school holiday games. The same set of rules can travel with your family; there is no separate regional pack to buy.

For a ready-made Christmas adventure

Our Christmas collection includes different planned experiences: North Pole Parcel Mix-Up for a younger puzzle group, The Midnight Toyshop for a linked printable adventure, and House Party: Christmas for a larger gathering.

The full games are coming soon. Use the activities above now, or open a free sample to see how At Yours plays. Before choosing a printable adventure, check the reading support, core player count, and preparation. US Letter and A4 files are different sizes; our printing guide explains how to keep the answers separate.

Keep this running order for next year and change the prompts your group already knows. A new phrase can refresh a drawing relay; a solved mystery needs a new case. For your next celebration, our family New Year’s Eve plan includes an early countdown.