Quick Summary:
Spice up your holiday gatherings with these easy, fun indoor Christmas games! Our printable ideas for adults require minimal prep, offering engaging activities for everyone. Get ready for laughter and festive cheer without the stress of elaborate setups.
Christmas is a time for connection and creating memories. But when the weather turns chilly and outdoor festivities aren’t an option, keeping adults entertained indoors can feel like a challenge. You want activities that are more than just background chatter, something that really gets everyone involved and laughing. It’s common to feel a bit stumped on how to plan engaging fun that suits a grown-up crowd, especially when you’re busy with holiday preparations.
Don’t worry! We’ve gathered some fantastic, low-fuss indoor Christmas games that are perfect for adults. Even better, many of these rely on simple printables, meaning less shopping and more time enjoying the season. We’ll walk you through how to easily set up these games that are sure to be a hit at your next holiday get-together. Get ready to add some extra sparkle and joy to your Christmas celebrations!
Why Printables Are a Holiday Game-Changer for Adults
The beauty of printable games lies in their accessibility and versatility. They’re budget-friendly, require little to no crafting skills, and can be tailored to your specific party theme or guest list. For adults, these games offer a playful escape from the usual holiday hustle, encouraging interaction and friendly competition in a relaxed setting.
Think about it: no need to trek out to the store for specialized party supplies. With a printer and a few sheets of paper, you can unlock a world of entertainment. This is especially helpful when you’re hosting and have a million other things on your mind. Plus, printables often come with lovely designs that already add to your festive decor!
Top Indoor Christmas Games Ideas for Adults Using Printables
Let’s dive into some brilliant printable game ideas that will have your adult guests talking, laughing, and making merry all evening long. These are designed for ease of setup and maximum fun.
1. Christmas Movie Charades or Pictionary
A timeless classic, given a festive twist! This game is always a winner because it taps into shared cultural touchstones – in this case, beloved Christmas movies.
How It Works:
- Create Your Printable Prompts: Search online for free printable lists of Christmas movies, characters, or iconic scenes. Alternatively, you can create your own list of films like “Elf,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Home Alone,” “A Christmas Story,” “White Christmas,” or even specific characters like Buddy the Elf or Scrooge.
- Prepare the Slips: Print out your chosen prompts, cut them into individual slips, and fold them. Place them in a bowl or hat.
- How to Play Charades: Divide guests into two teams. One person from a team draws a slip and acts out the movie title, character, or scene without speaking. Their team has a set time (e.g., 1-2 minutes) to guess. If they guess correctly, they get a point. Then it’s the other team’s turn.
- How to Play Pictionary: The process is similar, but instead of acting, the person draws the movie title, character, or scene on a whiteboard or large paper. Again, their team tries to guess within the time limit.
Printable Tip:
Many websites offer pre-made Christmas movie charades or Pictionary printable sets. A quick search for “Christmas movie charades printables” or “Christmas Pictionary printables” will yield numerous options. You can usually download them as PDFs.
2. Christmas Carol Pictionary/Charades Refresher
Similar to movie Pictionary, but focused on the universally recognized tunes of the season. This is great for multi-generational gatherings!
How It Works:
- Print Your Carol List: Find or create a printable list of popular Christmas carols. Think “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Deck the Halls,” “O Holy Night,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.”
- Set Up: Use the same folded-slip method as above.
- Play: One person draws a carol title and either acts it out (miming singing, mentioning Santa, bells, etc.) or draws it. Their team guesses the song title.
Printable Tip:
You can often find printable lists divided by difficulty, or even ones with hints for drawing or acting. Look for “Christmas carol Pictionary printables” or “Christmas carol charades prompts.”
3. “Never Have I Ever” – Christmas Edition
A fun way to learn a little more about your friends and family, with a festive spin. This game encourages laughter and shared experiences.
How It Works:
- Print Your Prompts: Prepare a list of “Never Have I Ever” statements related to Christmas. Examples: “Never have I ever re-gifted a present,” “Never have I ever forgotten to buy a present for someone,” “Never have I ever worn an ugly Christmas sweater to a work event,” “Never have I ever sung carols off-key in public,” “Never have I ever eaten an entire box of holiday cookies in one sitting.”
- How to Play: Everyone holds up 5 or 10 fingers. Go around the circle, and each person reads one statement from the printable list. If they have done the action, they put down one finger. The last person with fingers up wins, or you can play for a set number of rounds.
Printable Tip:
Search for “Christmas Never Have I Ever printables.” Many designers offer beautifully formatted cards that you can simply print and cut out. Some even include a scoring sheet.
4. Christmas Bingo
An easy-to-understand game that keeps everyone engaged without requiring too much energy. It’s perfect for background entertainment during a Christmas dinner or a casual mingling session.
How It Works:
- Print Your Bingo Cards: Download and print multiple unique Christmas Bingo cards. These will have various holiday-themed images or words in the squares.
- Print Call-Out Cards: You’ll also need a set of call-out cards or a master list of the words/images on the playing cards. Cut these up if you’re calling them randomly.
- Prepare Markers: Guests can use pennies, small candies (like M&Ms or Hershey’s Kisses), or even just cross out squares on their printables.
- Play: Designate a caller. The caller draws a card (or picks randomly from the master list) and announces the word or shows the image. Players mark their cards. The first person to get a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) or a full card (for advanced play) shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
Printable Tip:
You can find countless free printable Christmas Bingo sets online. Look for ones with traditional holiday imagery (trees, ornaments, Santa) or more niche themes if your group has specific interests.
5. Christmas Scattergories/Categories
This game encourages quick thinking and creative answers, often leading to hilarious results based on how people interpret the categories.
How It Works:
- Print Category Lists: Find printable templates for Scattergories or create your own lists of Christmas-themed categories. Examples of categories: “Things you find on a Christmas tree,” “Types of Christmas treats,” “Christmas movies,” “Christmas carols,” “Things you hang on the fireplace,” “Winter activities,” “Things associated with Santa.”
- Prepare the Letter Die/Spinner: A standard Scattergories game uses a letter die. For a printable version, you can:
- Print a list of letters and have guests randomly pick one.
- Use a printable letter spinner.
- Simply assign a letter to each player for the round (e.g., Player 1 uses ‘S’, Player 2 uses ‘C’, etc.).
- How to Play: Everyone gets a list of categories and a chosen letter. Set a timer (e.g., 3-5 minutes). Each player must write down an answer for each category, starting with the chosen letter.
- Scoring: After the timer, players take turns reading their answers. If two or more players have the same answer, they both cross it out. Unique answers earn points (usually 1 point per unique answer). The player with the most points wins the round.
Printable Tip:
Search for “Christmas Scattergories printables” or “Christmas categories game printable.” You can often find pre-made score sheets, category lists, and even printable letter spinners.
6. Christmas “Would You Rather?”
A simpler, conversation-starting game that requires no scoring, just prompts for fun discussion.
How It Works:
- Print Your Questions: Download or create a printable list of “Would You Rather?” questions with a Christmas theme. Examples: “Would you rather have an endless supply of Christmas cookies or perfectly decorated Christmas trees every year?”, “Would you rather go sledding in a blizzard or build a snowman in mild rain?”, “Would you rather receive only socks for Christmas or only fruitcake?”, “Would you rather have Santa visit your house every day for a week or get one giant present on Christmas morning?”
- How to Play: Go around the room, with each person reading a question. Everyone answers, and you can encourage a little debate or explanation for their choice. Some people like to add a voting element with raised hands.
Printable Tip:
Many blogs and crafting sites offer beautiful, ready-to-print “Would You Rather?” question cards. Look for “Christmas Would You Rather printables.”
7. Holiday “Two Truths and a Lie”
Get to know your guests better in a fun, low-pressure way. This game works well in smaller to medium-sized groups.
How It Works:
- Prepare Prompts (Optional): While not strictly a printable game, you can use printables to help guests brainstorm. Print lists of common Christmas experiences or facts, and ask guests to come up with two true statements and one lie about their own experiences related to these.
- How to Play: Each person takes a turn stating three “facts” about themselves related to Christmas or the holidays. Two of the statements must be true, and one must be a lie. The other guests listen and then try to guess which statement is the lie.
Printable Tip:
You can print lists of ideas to spark creativity for the guests, such as “Christmas traditions,” “favorite holiday foods,” “holiday mishaps,” “gifts received.” This helps people who might be shy come up with ideas.
Creating Your Own Printables
Feeling crafty? You can easily adapt several of these ideas by creating your own unique printables. This is where you can personalize the games to your family’s inside jokes or specific holiday traditions.
Tools You Might Need:
- Computer: For designing or editing documents.
- Printer: Inkjet or laser, color is a plus for festive designs.
- Paper: Standard printer paper is usually fine, but cardstock can make games more durable.
- Scissors: For cutting out game pieces, cards, or slips.
- Pens/Markers: For guests to write on their printables.
- Optional: Laminator for extra durability, hole punch, string for DIY spinners or banners.
Design Software:
You don’t need to be a graphic designer! Many free and user-friendly tools can help you create professional-looking printables:
- Canva: Specifically, Canva offers thousands of free templates for invitations, cards, and game sheets. It’s very intuitive for beginners.
- Microsoft Word/Google Docs: Excellent for creating lists, scorecards, or simple question sheets. You can easily add borders and fonts.
- Google Slides: Good for creating visually appealing game boards or cards.
Where to Find Free Printable Resources
Before you start designing from scratch, explore the vast world of free printables available online. Reputable sites often offer high-quality designs:
- Pinterest: A treasure trove for printable games. Search for specific game types (e.g., “Christmas Bingo printable free”).
- Crafting Blogs: Many bloggers share their own designs for free.
- Educational Sites: Sometimes these sites have holiday-themed games suitable for adults.
- Party Planning Websites: Look for sections dedicated to free printables.
Making Your Printable Games Festive
Once you’ve printed your games, a few extra touches can elevate the experience:
- Presentation Matters: Print on nice paper. Consider using cardstock for bingo cards or Pictionary sheets.
- Themed Containers: Use festive bowls or baskets for drawing charades slips.
- Scoring Stations: Set up a small table with pens, pencils, maybe some festive erasers, and scorecards.
- Prizes: Small, fun prizes can add an extra layer of excitement. Think holiday-scented candles, gourmet hot chocolate mix, or even bragging rights!
Tips for Hosting a Game Night
Successfully integrating games into your holiday party involves a little planning:
| Aspect | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Guest List Size | Some games (like Two Truths and a Lie) work better in smaller groups, while Bingo or Pictionary can accommodate larger numbers. |
| Guest Personalities | Are your guests competitive? More laid-back? Choose games that suit their energy levels. Charades can be high-energy, while “Would You Rather?” is more conversational. |
| Party Flow | Decide if games will be a main event or a way to fill downtime between activities like eating or opening gifts. |
| Clear Instructions | Explain the rules clearly and concisely. Have a ready printable of the rules if needed. |
| Music and Ambiance | Christmas music in the background always enhances the mood. Ensure good lighting. |
Making it Accessible
Consider guests with different comfort levels for participation. While some games require active participation, others, like “Would You Rather?” or observing Bingo, can be enjoyed passively. Ensure clear instructions are available in large print if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Indoor Christmas Games for Adults
Q1: What are the easiest indoor Christmas games for adults that require minimal prep?
The easiest games are usually those that rely on simple printable prompts and minimal materials. “Would You Rather?” is incredibly low-prep; just print the questions. Christmas Movie Charades/Pictionary also requires just printing prompts and having pens/paper. Bingo is also relatively easy if you have pre-made cards.
Q2: Can I use these printable games for a virtual Christmas party?
Absolutely! Many printable games can be adapted for virtual settings. For Charades/Pictionary, one person can hold up a printable prompt to their screen, or use a screen-sharing feature. For Bingo, you can send unique digital bingo cards to each guest and use a virtual caller. “Never Have I Ever” and “Would You Rather?” are perfect for video calls.
Q3: How many people can play these games?
Most of these games are scalable. Bingo and Pictionary/Charades can accommodate large groups (divided into teams). “Never Have I Ever” and “Would You Rather?” are great for
