Christmas Charades: Festive Words and Ideas for All Ages
Christmas charades is a festive version of the classic game where players silently act out holiday words, carols and films while their team guesses. Easy picks for kids include Santa Claus, reindeer, snowman and wrapping a present; grown-ups can tackle carols, Christmas films and tricky cards like Boxing Day or a partridge in a pear tree. Mix ages on every team and play after lunch while everyone is together.
Easy Christmas charades for kids
These cards come from the easy end of the Christmas deck and suit children from about four upwards.
| Word | How to act it |
|---|---|
| Santa Claus | Pat a big round belly and laugh silently |
| Reindeer | Fingers up as antlers, then prance |
| Rudolph | Antlers, then point at a glowing red nose |
| Snowman | Roll a big snowball, then stand very still with a carrot nose |
| Christmas Tree | Arms out in a triangle, then hang baubles on yourself |
| Present | Shake a box next to your ear, then rip the paper |
| Candy Cane | Make a hook with your arm and lick it |
| Stocking | Hang a sock on the fireplace and peek inside |
| Snowball Fight | Scoop, pack and throw, then duck |
| Hot Chocolate | Blow on a mug and sip with both hands |
Medium cards for the whole family
Once everyone has warmed up, these medium cards keep both teens and grandparents in the game:
- Ugly Christmas Jumper: pull a jumper over your head, look down at it in horror, then pose proudly.
- Tangled Fairy Lights: pull a never-ending string of lights and get more and more wrapped up.
- Christmas Cracker: pull one with a partner, fall backwards, then put on a paper crown.
- Secret Santa: look around shiftily, slip a gift behind someone’s back and walk away whistling.
- Naughty List: check a long scroll, then shake your head and wag your finger.
- Pantomime: a big theatrical “oh no it isn’t” face, and point behind someone. British families will get it instantly.
- Boxing Day: box the air, then point at a calendar. Works well in the UK, Canada and Australia.
Hard Christmas charades for grown-ups
These hard cards are perfect once the kids are in bed or for a competitive adult round:
- Partridge in a Pear Tree: a bird perched on a branch, then pick and bite a pear.
- Assembling a Toy at Midnight: sit cross-legged with a tiny screwdriver and a confusing instruction sheet.
- Falling Asleep After Lunch: pat a very full stomach, then nod off on the sofa.
- Queue at the Post Office: stand in a line holding a stack of parcels, checking your watch.
- Krampus: horns and a fearsome stomp, a good one for families with Central European roots.
- Figgy Pudding: sing silently, then demand pudding with crossed arms.
Carols and Christmas songs to act out
Music is a big part of Christmas charades. These songs are perfect for a festive music round:
- Jingle Bells: shake bells and ride a one-horse sleigh.
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: antlers, red nose, then guide a sleigh through fog.
- Frosty the Snowman: build a snowman, then pop a magic hat on him and watch him dance.
- Last Christmas: hand over your heart, then give it away.
- All I Want for Christmas Is You: point at a list, cross everything off, then point at one person.
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas: wave cheerfully at everyone, then carry in a big pudding.
Christmas films everyone can guess
Holiday films are a family favourite category. Try Home Alone (hands on cheeks), The Polar Express (chug like a steam train), The Nightmare Before Christmas (a skeleton in a Santa hat), Elf (a very tall elf squeezed into a tiny desk) and The Grinch (a sour green face stealing presents). For more film ideas, see our movie charades list.
Snowy and sunny Christmas words
If you want to stretch the game into the wider season, the Winter deck adds fun cards like Sledge, Scraping the Windshield, Snow Day, Wrestling with a Duvet and Losing a Glove. They work for Canadian and northern US families who know a real snow day.
Not every Christmas is cold, though. In Australia and New Zealand, swap snow for sunshine with words families recognise:
- Backyard cricket
- Sunscreen and a sunburnt nose
- Flip flops (or thongs, if you are Australian)
- Pavlova
- Christmas swim at the beach
- Water fight in the garden
Tips for a great Christmas charades game
- Play after the main meal, when everyone is around the table or sofa.
- Let the youngest go first so they do not drift away.
- Make mixed teams: a grandparent, a parent, a teen and a child on each side.
- Allow team acting for tiny kids, with a parent helping.
- Keep it moving: 90 seconds per card for classic play, with a little extra for the youngest actors.
For more family-friendly ideas, see our list of family charades ideas.
