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Active Games That Get Everyone Moving
Contents
Blow the Snow Down: The Game That Creates Instant Hysteria
This game turns grown adults into competitive maniacs in about thirty seconds.
How it works:
- Place cotton balls on plastic cups
- Give each player a straw
- Race to blow all the “snow” off your cups first
The sight of serious colleagues huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf never gets old. I watched my usually composed boss turn purple trying to blow cotton balls while everyone cheered.
What you need: Cotton balls, plastic cups, and drinking straws
Sleigh Ride Cup Slide: Team Competition at Its Finest
Create teams and tape squares on the floor about six feet away. Players slide cups across the floor trying to land them in the target zone.
Pro tip: Use different colored cups for each team to avoid the inevitable “that’s MY cup” arguments.
The competitive spirit this game unleashes is beautiful to watch. Last year, my aunt Carol—who’s usually the picture of elegance—was doing victory dances that would make NFL players proud.
Snowball Toss: Simple Yet Addictive
Set up buckets at different distances with point values. Toss ping-pong balls or marshmallows to score points.
Distance scoring system I use:
- Close bucket: 1 point
- Medium bucket: 3 points
- Far bucket: 5 points
- Impossible bucket: 10 points (yes, someone always makes it)
Gift Exchange Games That Actually Build Excitement
White Elephant Gift Exchange: The Classic Done Right
Everyone brings a wrapped gift. Draw numbers to determine order. First person picks and unwraps a gift. Next person can either steal that gift or pick a new one.
My secret weapon: Set a $15 limit and encourage “so bad it’s good” gifts. The ugliest Christmas sweater or most ridiculous kitchen gadget always becomes the most coveted item.
Christmas Saran Wrap Game: Unwrapping Madness
Wrap small prizes in layers of plastic wrap. Create a giant ball with goodies between each layer. Add “coal cards” with silly tasks like “sing Jingle Bells in a country accent.”
Game flow:
- Person unwraps while the next player rolls dice
- When they roll doubles, the ball moves to them
- Whatever you unwrap, you keep
The frantic unwrapping while someone’s desperately trying to roll doubles creates pure comedy gold.
Left Right Christmas Game: Controlled Chaos
Everyone sits in a circle holding a gift. Read a Christmas story filled with “left” and “right” directions. Every time you hear “left” or “right,” pass your gift in that direction.
Writing tip: Create your own story with rapid-fire direction changes. Watching people frantically pass gifts while trying to follow the story is hilarious.
Performance Games That Unleash Hidden Talents
Christmas Carol Lip Sync Battle: Where Dignity Goes to Die
Split into teams and perform Christmas songs with full theatrical flair.
Categories that work every time:
- Classic carols (Silent Night performed as death metal, anyone?)
- Modern Christmas hits (Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” brings out everyone’s inner diva)
- Novelty songs (Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer gets surprisingly dramatic)
I’ve seen accountants perform “Jingle Bell Rock” with choreography that would make Broadway jealous.
Christmas Charades: Holiday Edition
Act out Christmas movies, characters, or holiday activities.
Categories I always include:
- Christmas movies (Home Alone, Elf, A Christmas Story)
- Holiday activities (wrapping presents, decorating trees)
- Christmas characters (Santa, elves, Grinch)
- Winter activities (building snowmen, ice skating)
Pro tip: Include some obscure references for the movie buffs and easy ones for everyone else.
Brain Games That Spark Friendly Competition
Holiday Trivia: Testing Christmas Knowledge
Create questions spanning Christmas movies, songs, traditions, and history.
Question categories that work:
- Movie quotes: “I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest”
- Song lyrics: Name the next line after “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”
- Christmas around the world: How do they say Merry Christmas in Spanish?
- Holiday food: What spice is traditionally used in eggnog?
Christmas Name That Tune: Musical Memory Challenge
Play the first few notes of Christmas songs. First team to guess correctly gets points.
My playlist includes:
- Traditional carols everyone knows
- Modern Christmas hits from different decades
- Instrumental versions to increase difficulty
- International Christmas songs for bonus rounds
Quick Icebreaker Games for Mixed Groups
Candy Cane Hook: Minute-to-Win-It Style
Give each player a candy cane to hold in their mouth. Use it to hook as many other candy canes as possible in one minute.
Why this works: It’s impossible to look dignified with a candy cane hanging out of your mouth. Instant laughter and photo opportunities.
Reindeer Hunt: Holiday Scavenger Adventure
Hide small reindeer figures or cards around your party space. Give everyone clues to find them. Each reindeer found equals a small prize.
Hiding spots that work:
- Inside Christmas stockings
- Under appetizer plates
- Taped to the bottom of chairs
- In plain sight but camouflaged
Games Perfect for Smaller Family Gatherings
Merry BOW Match: Memory Game with Style
Place colored bows under cups in a grid pattern. Players flip two cups at a time trying to match bow colors.
Family-friendly variation: Use Christmas stickers instead
