The DIY Christmas Games That Are Guaranteed To Make Your Family's Day
Christmas is a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy the simple things in life (okay, and some turkey slathered in cranberry sauce to boot). And if there was anything to be learned from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, it's this: you can have all the money in the world, but if you have no one to share it with, you'll still be as poor as the church mouse. That's why, above all, the thing that most of us look forward to most during the holidays is spending time with our loved ones.
Sure, presents are a part of the fun, but once the wrapping paper has been put in the trash, most families settle down to enjoy some fun bonding activities. While this can involve watching a movie together and nomming on a festive feast, for many, this means playing games.
And to save you the headache of trying to think of a game that won't end up in a family fall out (I'm looking at you Monopoly), we've compiled a list 0f 29 fun, family-friendly Christmas games we're sure you'll love, many of which you can make yourself with your little ones!
1. Christmas Feud
Credit: Good Housekeeping
We all know how fun it is to shout out the answers during Family Feud and it turns out that it's got a festive counterpart. Naturally dubbed Christmas Feud, it allows you to turn your living room into the TV game show and is available on Etsy for the very affordable price of $9.00. Your family are guaranteed to enjoy these 13 rounds of holiday trivia questions.
2. Christmas Bingo
Credit: Crazy Little Projects
Another incredibly exciting game is Bingo and it too has a Christmas counterpart. Available to download for FREE, the whole family can enjoy playing the game with boards covered in festive symbols including candy canes and gingerbread men.
3. Christmas Charades Jar
Credit: Etsy
Who doesn't love Charades? It is one of the rare games where it really is the more players, the merrier. And let's face it, when Christmas Charades comes in a package this cute, it can also double as an adorable gift idea on the big day itself. This is also a great and cheap game to construct with the whole family.
4. What's In Santa's Hat?
This is the perfect game for any household with little feet pitter-pattering around this holiday season. Can your kids guess what's inside Santa's hat just by feeling the outside? A great pass time when they're excitedly waiting on his arrival on Christmas Eve!
5. Christmas Photo Booth Props
Credit: Amazon
The older I get, the more I enjoy looking at pictures of Christmasses past. So why not make this year's snaps ones to remember with these Christmas photo booth props? Maybe your grandma will be merry enough to pose with Santa's beard!
6. Christmas Trivia
Credit: Amazon
Does anyone in your family know the only Christmas movie to win an Academy Award for its Santa? Answer this question and more with a game of Christmas Trivia! (Oh and the answer is Edmund Gwenn's Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street.)
7. Saran Wrap Game
Have you got a big group of inlaws descending on you this Christmas, then you need to check out this game:
8. Pin the Nose on the Reindeer
Credit: Etsy
Who didn't love playing pin the tail on the donkey as a kid? I'm so glad someone came up with this idea for a festive counterpart. If you want to get crafty this holiday season, you can make a DIY version using this tutorial from Living on the Crafty Side of Life.
9. Memory Challenge: Holiday Edition
Credit: Memory
We've all played Memory Challenge before, so there won't be any need to explain the rules of this game to your family. But, instead of the standard pictures used, it's got appropriately festive variations. According to reviewers on Amazon, the game is incredibly well made, with notably sturdy cards, so it will keep your family occupied for many Christmases to come.
10. Snowman Bowling
Credit: Craftaholics Anonymous
This is another game that's perfect for little ones this Christmas - half craft and half game. The naughty elves in your life will love constructing a snowman like this one and then toppling him over in a game of bowls. Get the tutorial at Craftaholics Anonymous.
11. Holiday Jigsaw Puzzle
Credit: Amazon
Worried that your brain will turn to a mound of festive mush this holiday season? Worry no more. Gather up your friends and family to complete this whopping 1,000-piece jigsaw together. Or, if you're feeling super ambitious, try and complete it yourself!
12. Candy Cane Hunt
Credit: Pinterest
If your Easter egg hunt went down a storm this year, why not treat the kids in your life to a festive version? Hide them in creative places throughout your house and sit back, relax and watch the kids have fun.
13. The Santa Claus Game
Credit: Amazon
As we all know, there's a lot more to Christmas than just receiving presents. So why not teach this to your kids with The Santa Claus Game? Here, they get a chance to be Mr. Claus himself and the emphasis is on giving presents and not receiving them!
14. "Frozen" Tic-Tac-Toe
Credit: Mollymoo
Are there any big fans of Frozen in your house? If the answer's yes, then this game's guaranteed to be a winner. It's a take on the classic tic-tac-toe and has a crafty element too as you'll need to give some wine corks a festive makeover!
15. DIY Board Game
Credit: Motte
When it comes to getting crafty during the holiday season, most people just stick to decorations, but as this list has demonstrated so far, it's also a great way of making games. One blogger decided to make a festive version of the classic board game Sorry!
16. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Board Game
Credit: Amazon
It turns out that Santa doesn't mind reindeer games being played south of the North Pole. This is a movie-themed challenge of saving the misfit toys and, naturally, features Rudolph, Hermey, and Yukon Cornelius!
17. Santa Hat Stacking
Credit: Lalymom
Grab some red solo cups and see how many Santa hats can you stack before your tower falls over? Fun for kids aged one to 100.
18. Snowman Slam
Credit: Growing A Jeweled Rose
Simply add some faces to Styrofoam cups and boom! you've got yourself some mini snowmen. Then get a giant cotton ball and you'll have a game that's fun for all the family - especially little elves who can't get their heads around more complicated games!
19. Snowman Drawing Contest
Credit: Housing A Forest
All you need to hold a snowman drawing contest are some paper plates (basically, something to draw on) and pens - then see who can drawer the best three-balled snowman without looking. Who knows? A participant might just end up discovering that they've got an artistic talent they didn't know about!
20. Sort the Ornaments
Credit: I Can't Teach My Child
This is the perfect festive game for toddlers. All you need to do is build a cardboard tree, place a basket of some sort behind it, and watch as they sort the baubles by color. It's a great way to keep them busy while you make the Christmas dinner!
21. Snow Painting
Credit: The Sits Girls
Have you ever tried to paint in the snow? Probably not, but it turns out that it's super easy to do, and you only need two ingredients to make a bottle of snow paint! So why not get creative in the snow or play an icy game of Pictionary?!
22. Christmas Cup Tower
Credit: Little Bins For Little Hands
Are you kids more of a hindrance than a help when you're decorating the tree? If the answer's yes, why not challenge them to make their own from green cups? Once finished, they can have fun knocking it down and the cups can be reused next year.
23. Ornament Beanbag Toss
Credit: Positively Splendid
Amy from Positively Splendid made these festive beanbags from scratch and don't they look fantastic?! But if you've not got the time to make your own, don't worry. You can buy them and create a tree like the one above in minutes!
24. Reindeer Toss
Credit: Mrs. Richardson's Class
To make the perfect game of Reindeer Toss, set your kids the mission of finding the perfect sticks for antlers. Once they've found them, follow this tutorial and create a game that's guaranteed to keep them busy during the holidays.
25. DIY Ring Toss
Credit: Home Confetti
Why not have a go at making your own North Pole and throw some low-budget frisbee rings into it? A perfect outdoor or indoor game for all the family - just watch your step if you decide to play it outside and it happens to be a white Christmas!
26. Reindeer Games
Credit: Life, Design, And The Pursuit Of Craftiness
By now, you've probably seen a few games that you'd like to play this Christmas and you're most likely worried that you won't be able to decide which one to play. So why not make a board like this one and creatively list your options?
27. Feed the Snowman
Credit: In the Leafy Treetops The Birds Sing Good Morning
This is yet another game that's perfect for young kids. So why not put that extra cardboard lying around your house to good use and create a Feed the Snowman game? It's reusable too, so it can be easily passed onto friends or used next Christmas!
28. White Elephant
This is an infamous game that involves exchanging gifts in a bid to get the best one. After the first person chooses a present from the pile, the next person has the option of taking that gift from them or selecting a different one from the stash.
29. Ornament Kiss
This is a great game for Christmas evening with the family. Two members of the family must use their faces to pick up a hanging ornament and place it on a string that has been set up at the other side of the room. If they drop it, they must start again. YOU CANNOT USE YOUR HANDS!
The winner is the pair who completes this task the fastest!
30. Snowman Maze
Credit: Jo Wos
The lead up to the big day can be a frustrating time for kids, especially as they're likely to be getting some new toys from Santa. So why not quell their anticipation with this holiday-themed maze puzzle? Simply download and print!
Now, I don't know about you, but after reading this list, I'm even more excited for Christmas Day. One thing's for sure, with so many family-friendly games available, I won't have to worry about picking a game that's not suitable for everyone this year!