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Most Christmas party games are written for a crowd: relay races, office icebreakers and games for 30 people. A small holiday party of 4 to 10 guests needs something different, with games that keep everyone involved, fit around a coffee table and don't need teams of ten. Here are 12 Christmas party games for small groups, from boxed games you can buy this week to no-prep games you can start tonight.
Boxed Christmas games for small groups
Four games that play best with 4 to 10 people.
- Best overall: Wicked Christmas: a Christmas card game about sabotaging each other, for 3 to 6 players ages 7 and up (about $30)
- Best no-writing charades: Christmas Charades: a ready deck of holiday prompts, so nobody has to write slips (about $10)
- Best trivia: Yule Never Guess: 110 Christmas trivia cards across movies, music and traditions (about $27)
- Best drawing game: Telestrations 8-Player: the draw-and-guess telephone game for 4 to 8 (about $32)
Christmas party games for small groups at a glance
| Game | Players | Time | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wicked Christmas | 3–6 | 20–30 min | None (boxed) |
| 2. Christmas charades | 4–10 | 20–40 min | None (boxed) |
| 3. Christmas trivia showdown | 4–10 | 30 min | None (boxed) |
| 4. Telestrations | 4–8 | 30 min | None (boxed) |
| 5. Christmas movie emoji quiz | 4–10 | 15 min | Print or read aloud |
| 6. Christmas most likely to | 4–10 | 15–20 min | Read aloud |
| 7. Christmas never have I ever | 4–10 | 15–20 min | Read aloud |
| 8. Two truths and a holiday lie | 4–10 | 15 min | None |
| 9. Hum that carol | 4–10 | 15 min | None |
| 10. Blindfolded gift wrap | 4–8 | 15 min | Paper, tape, scarves |
| 11. Christmas Pictionary | 4–10 | 20–30 min | Paper and a word list |
| 12. Ornament hide and seek | 4–10 | 15 min | One ornament |
Boxed Christmas games for a small party
1. Wicked Christmas
Wicked Christmas is a card game built around sabotage: you play cards to mess with everyone else while trying to come out ahead yourself. It's quick, mean in a festive way and works for families with older kids or a group of adult friends. It plays 3 to 6, so for a group of 8, run two tables or play in pairs.
2. Christmas charades
Classic charades works best at 4 to 10 players, when everyone gets several turns. A deck like Christmas Charades saves you from writing slips and keeps the prompts holiday-themed. Split into two teams and give each actor one minute. For more prompts, use our Christmas charades ideas.
3. Christmas trivia showdown
Small groups make trivia more fun, because every person answers rather than one loud table. Play in pairs with Yule Never Guess and keep score on a sheet of paper. Add a round from our Christmas movie trivia questions for a tiebreaker.
4. Telestrations
Everyone writes a Christmas word, passes their sketchbook, draws what they read, then guesses what they see. By the time the books come back, "Rudolph" has become something unrecognizable. Telestrations 8-Player is built for 4 to 8 and needs no drawing skill. Our Telestrations rules cover the details.
No-prep Christmas games for small groups
5. Christmas movie emoji quiz
Read out or show emoji strings, and players race to name the Christmas movie. It takes no supplies and works as a warm-up while guests arrive. Our Christmas emoji quiz has answers included.
6. Christmas most likely to
Read a prompt such as "Who is most likely to open a present early?" and everyone points at the same time on a count of three. Small groups are perfect for this, because everyone knows each other. Use our Christmas most likely to questions.
7. Christmas never have I ever
Everyone holds up five fingers. Take turns saying something you've never done at Christmas; anyone who has done it puts a finger down. Last player with fingers up wins. Our Christmas never have I ever questions give you a ready list.
8. Two truths and a holiday lie
Each person shares three Christmas memories or traditions: two true, one made up. Everyone else guesses the lie. It's a great game for a group that includes a new partner or a friend of a friend, because it doubles as an introduction.
9. Hum that carol
One player hums a Christmas song with their mouth closed; the first person to name it wins a point and hums next. No phones, no supplies, and it gets louder the longer it goes.
Christmas party games with simple supplies
10. Blindfolded gift wrap
Pair players up. One partner is blindfolded and does the wrapping while the other gives directions without touching anything. Give each pair the same small box, one sheet of paper, tape and a ribbon, and two minutes. The group votes on the best and worst results.
11. Christmas Pictionary
Split into two teams and take turns drawing Christmas words for your team to guess within a minute. For a small group, use a single sketchpad on the coffee table. Our Christmas Pictionary words are sorted by difficulty.
12. Ornament hide and seek
One player hides a single ornament in the room while everyone else waits in the hall. Everyone comes back to search, and the finder hides it next. For adults, hide it in plain sight on the tree; the hardest hiding spot is often the most obvious one.
How to plan games for a small Christmas party
- Plan three games, not twelve. One warm-up, one main game and one closer is the right amount for a three-hour party.
- Start with a no-prep game. Use an emoji quiz or two truths and a lie while guests arrive.
- Put the boxed game in the middle. Play Wicked Christmas, charades or Telestrations once everyone is there and has a drink.
- End on a laugh. Most likely to or hum that carol are quick closers.
- Offer small prizes. A candy cane or a chocolate for each round winner works better than one big prize.
Hosting a bigger crowd instead? See our Christmas party games for large groups, our office Christmas party games or our ugly sweater party games.
Christmas party games for small groups FAQ
What is the best Christmas game for 4 people?
Wicked Christmas and Telestrations both play well with 4. For a no-prep option, Christmas trivia played as two pairs works well.
What Christmas games can adults play at a small party?
Christmas never have I ever, most likely to, two truths and a holiday lie, and Wicked Christmas all work for adults. Telestrations gets funnier the more people have had to drink.
How many games do I need for a small Christmas party?
Three is enough for a three-hour party. Keep one extra no-prep game in your back pocket in case a game falls flat.
