Guide to Picking Fun Games for Holiday Parties

The holidays pertain to celebrations of government, religious and personal events, and important moments. There are holidays that celebrate people, victories, and religious remembrance. They follow the calendar year and can be an annual scheduled date or different scheduled dates throughout the year. They are mostly scheduled each year around the same time and in the same season if ever the exact date changes.

There are many different holidays celebrated by people around the world. There are also various ways to celebrate them. Many people get together with their loved ones and serve food and drinks to celebrate certain holidays. There are also some holiday traditions being followed, and these are important in order to build a strong bond between families and the community. These traditions can provide a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to each of us. Most holidays connect us to our history and help us celebrate generations of family.

Some holidays allow people to host parties to which their friends and family members are invited. During these parties, delicious foods and refreshing drinks are served. There are also programs being followed. To make holiday parties more fun, a lot of people often incorporate games where everyone can join and win prizes. If you are thinking of hosting holiday parties but haven’t come up with any game ideas yet, we are here to help you. In this post, we are giving you a guide to picking fun games for holiday parties.

The Best Games for Every Holiday Party

Throughout the year, there are lots of holidays being celebrated, especially in the United States. These holidays are the best time for people to get together and catch up with their loved ones after weeks and months of being busy with work and other tasks. That’s why it is also a great idea to play some fun games at a holiday party, as they give you a chance to bond more and create new memories with your loved ones. We have listed some of the top games for every holiday party below to give you some ideas for enjoyable games that you may play with your friends and family.

Easter Party Games

Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is mostly celebrated in April, but it falls on a different date each year.[1] Since Easter is mostly a time for families and friends to get together, it is essential to play games that would be fun for groups to play together. Below are some of the best Easter party games to choose from:

Egg Hop Relay Race: For this game, group everyone into pairs. Each pair receives two large egg cutouts made from cardboard. The first teammate needs to stand on one egg while the second player places the other egg cut out on the ground in front of the first. The first teammate will hop to the second egg. The process needs to be repeated until the players reach the finish line. The first time to finish wins.[2]
Peeps War: To play this game, provide two players a small pack of Peeps along with a basket of empty Easter eggs. Each player should stand on either end of a table and set up their Peeps along the edge of the table. When the game starts, players need to roll Easter eggs and try to knock their opponent’s Peeps off the table. The first one to knock off all their opponent’s Peeps wins.[3]
Easter Egg Rolling Race: This is a fun relay race that is perfect for Easter parties. You can begin with a dozen hardboiled eggs. Give an egg to each racer. Mark off a straight race track with multiple lanes. Each player will start by placing the egg at the startling line. Then, through the use of a wooden spoon, the players will roll the egg down the lane and across the finish line. The first player that crosses the finish line wins.[2]
Easter Inflatable Bunny Ring Toss Game: This game is perfect for kids to play outdoors during Easter parties. It includes inflatable bunny ears and rings. The kids need to shoot the rings on the bunny ears. It is a great game that can help improve the eye-hand coordination and concentration of kids. Adults may also enjoy playing this game.
Easter Egg and Spoon Race Game: This is a race set that includes 6 different colors of spoons and Easter eggs. It is a great game for both kids and adults to play in balance game competitions at Easter parties. The spoons are made of premium wood that is wear-resistant and super durable.

St. Patrick’s Day Party Games

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated yearly, every March 17. It is a global celebration of Irish culture, particularly the anniversary of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century. It has been observed by the Irish as a religious holiday for more than a thousand years. They would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon.[4]

Aside from wearing green and drinking Guinness, there are also other ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. People who love nothing more than some friendly competition will delight in some of the best St. Patrick’s Day games for both kids and adults. Below are some of the best St. Patrick’s Day party games we’ve gathered to help you pick:

Who’s the Leprechaun: In this game, one person would be “it” and would be sent out of the room. The rest of the players will pick one of them to be the leprechaun. Music will be played, and the leprechaun will choose a dance move that all the other players need to follow. The “it” player will be brought back into the room and will observe the dancing and will try to guess which player is the leprechaun. As the “it” player observes, the leprechaun needs to change the dance moves. When the guessing player guesses correctly, he can choose the next person to be “it.”
Gold Coin Toss: You will need some Leprechaun pots for this game. Place them on the floor and draw a line a few feet away from them. The players need to stand behind the line and try to toss some gold coins into the pots. You will score a point for each gold coin in the pot. The player with the most amount of points scored wins.[5]
Pot of Gold Relay: Everyone will race in this game to see who can fill their pot with gold earliest. Players are divided into two teams, with a pot for each team at the starting line. After that, place two more pots with gold coins or butterscotch candies a few feet from the starting line. When the game starts, a player needs to get a piece of gold from the full pot and put it back in the empty pot. The next players need to do the same, repeating the cycle until all of the gold is transferred from the other pot. The first team that completes the task wins.[5]
St. Patrick’s Day Bean Bag Toss Game: This game comes with a hanging banner and some bean bags. To play, the player stands some distance in front of the banner with bean bags in hand. The bean bag should be tossed through the open holes in the banner. Three chances are given to each player, and each hole corresponds to different scores. The player that gets the most points wins.
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo Game: This game includes 32 bingo cards, 24 caller chips, and 2 calling cards. To play, each player receives a bingo card and some player chips. Each player should put a player chip over the free space. After that, the caller would pick from two bowls that contain letters and images and call out. Each player will use the chip to mark if they have it. The first player to make a line of 5 items will yell out BINGO and wins the game.

Halloween Party Games

There is more to Halloween than just trick-or-treating. Some of the other activities that can be enjoyed during Halloween include pumpkin carving, Halloween crafts, and attending Halloween parties. While Halloween candies are the main event of this holiday, kids, teens, and even adults can get excited about some of the activities that the holiday brings, which also include Halloween games. There are lots of games that can be played at Halloween parties. Below are some examples to help you choose:

Skeleton Bone Race: To play this game, you need to divide everyone at the party into teams of four or more. A skeleton bone toy will be tied with yarn. Starting with the first player, it will be slid up one sleeve of their arm across and down the other sleeve. After that, it should be handed off to the next player to do the same steps until everyone is connected by yarn. The winning team is the first one to successfully tie the yarn to the final player holding the skeleton bone. The game may take longer if there are lots of teams and players.[6]
Pumpkin Sweep: This is a fun game to play outdoors, especially during the fall season. You need two pumpkins and brooms to play this game. Divide the players into two teams. The winner is the first person to sweep their pumpkins from the starting line back to the finish line.[6]
Ghost Face: To play this game, you will need paper plates, candy corn, and whipped cream. On a paper plate, place the candy corn and cover it with lots of whipped cream. Players will need to use their mouths to find the hidden candy corn.[6] This is a funny game as the players will all have a ghost face at the end of the game.
Death by Trivia: This is a great Halloween game for teens and adults, especially those fans of horror movies. It can be played by two or more players. The game tests the players’ knowledge of the dark, disturbing, and diabolical. It is also filled with humor and is very easy to learn. Players will compete to be the last person alive, as wrong answers can get you killed, which disables you from answering any more questions. It includes more than 2,500 questions for a fun Halloween party.
Death Charades: To play this game, divide the guests into two or more teams. In 45-second rounds, players pull cards and act out the cards as their team guesses the charade. The actors cannot speak but may make a noise. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Thanksgiving Party Games

Thanksgiving is a classic American holiday that brings together families to share and eat delicious foods. But there are other ways to celebrate the day besides just eating. Playing some enjoyable games with your family members will help them get their bodies and minds moving after the big meal. Below are some examples of the best games that you can play at Thanksgiving parties that you can choose from:

Feather Toss: To play this game, you need to tape weight to the end of a feather, such as a blunt nail. Then, mark the floor and put a basket a few feet away. The players will take turns in tossing the feathers into the basket. The player that gets the most points wins.[7]
Blowing Leaves: Divide the guests into teams to play this relay race. Each team needs to blow a leaf from the starting point to the finish line using a straw. Play until everyone completes their turn. The first team to finish the race wins.[7]
What’s Missing: Get a tray and place around 20 items that are related to Thanksgiving. These may include turkeys, candy corn, pilgrims, and more. Let the players take a look at the tray for 30 seconds. After that, ask them to close their eyes. While they are not looking, remove one object from the tray. Have the players open their eyes and ask what the missing item is. The player who can answer the most after several rounds win.[7]
Pin the Hat on the Turkey: This game includes a high gloss poster, 24 pieces of colorful hat stickers, an orange eye mask, and 20 dot glue. To play, mark a line on the ground as the starting line. Then, players should pick a hat sticker. One by one, wear the mask and try to pin the hat sticker on the turkey on the poster. The player who can pin the hat closest to the turkey’s head wins.

Christmas Party Games

Christmas is probably the most celebrated holiday in the world. Many people throw and attend parties during the Christmas season. It is the best time for friends and families to get together and bond to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and exchange gifts. Naughty or nice, a lot of people would also love to play some good party games at Christmas. These games are the perfect ways to break the ice and encourage everyone to start mingling. Below are some ideas for fun Christmas party games that you can choose from:

Santa Limbo: Have the players place a “Santa belly” under their shirts using a pillow. Then, place a limbo stick at a starting height. The players should line up and take turns trying to limbo underneath until everyone has tried. Lower the stick for the next round, and those who will make it should go again on the following round. Continually lower the stick until only one player remains.[8]
Stocking Guessing Game: Place random items in a stocking. After it is stuffed, tie a ribbon or string on its top so no one can see what’s inside. Have everyone sit in a circle and pass the stocking around to let everyone feel what’s inside. Provide them not cards where they can write down their guesses. The player who can guess the most items inside the stocking wins.[8]
Find Santa’s Friends: Before the party begins, hide different Christmas items around the house, such as elves and reindeer. When the party starts, you can ask the guests to find Santa’s friends. You can consider giving prizes based on how many of Santa’s friends each player finds.[8]
Last Christmas – The Naughty or Nice Holiday Party Game: This game is designed to bring lots of joy at Christmas parties. To play this game, each person takes a card and fills in the blank, and puts it into a bowl. After that, each player will draw a card from the bowl and guess who wrote what. Whoever guesses the most cards right wins. Depending on the age of the players, you can make the game as naughty or as nice as you want.
Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman: This is the Christmas edition of the popular game “Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.” To play, you need to draw a card while saying the next word in Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman. If the card you draw is a match, the last person to slap takes all the cards. To be able to win the game, you will need to show your Reindeer Antlers, Drum the Table, or “Shh!” for a silent night. It is a great Christmas party game for all ages.

New Year’s Eve Party Games

A New Year’s Eve party is essential to wrap up the year and welcome a new year with your family or friends. Playing fun games is a great way to get everyone socializing if you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party. While anticipating the hour of midnight, playing games is another entertaining activity. If you need ideas, below are some of the best New Year’s Eve party games to choose from:

The Ultimate Champagne Race: Participants must fill their champagne flutes with just a teaspoon to transfer the champagne from a bowl to the glass in order to participate in this game. The first person who can finish the task need to stand up and tap his drink with the spoon. To celebrate the new year, the winner gets to make a toast. If you do not want to waste champagne for this game, you can substitute it with water.[9]
Pass the Mirror Ball: For this game, you can use a balloon instead of a real disco ball. The participants need to form a circle. Hand the ball to a player and have them turn to face one of the people on either side of them. The goal of the game is to pass the balloon around the circle without using their hands. When the first person has passed off the ball, the other players need to continue passing it around until it reaches the original starting point. If a player drops the balloon, that person will leave the circle. Continue passing the balloon until only two people remain.[9]
New Year’s Bells: As guests arrive at your party, hand each of them a certain number of bells. Tell them that the object of the game is to escape unnoticed with their bells by midnight. They can do this by hanging the bells on a clothesline that you have prepared somewhere in your home. However, if someone sees or hears them trying to get rid of their bells, they can no longer add their bell. The person caught should also remove one of the bells currently hanging on the line to add to their collection. The guest that has the least number of bells by midnight wins.[9]
Murder by Midnight: This is a New Year’s Eve murder mystery party game. It will allow you and your family or friends to solve a murder mystery. Twenty character booklets are included, which you can use to play the part of suspicious suspects. Other guests can play as detectives who solve the case. But hold on to your champagne, as the killer could be you.
New Year’s Eve Party Game Scratch-Off Dare Cards: These are 22 New Year’s Eve party game cards that contain unique dares. You can distribute them to your guests. Each of them scratches off their card to reveal their dare. They can opt out of their dare by buying the special guest a drink or answering a “truth” question.

Conclusion

Playing games during holiday parties can indeed make these events more fun. There are many different games that you can play for each type of holiday you are celebrating, depending on the ages and preferences of your guests. These games can also make different holidays more memorable for everyone. We hope this post helped you learn more about picking fun games for holiday parties.

References

[1] History.com, E. (2022, April 7). Easter – dates, Easter Eggs & Easter Bunny – History. History. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-easter

[2] Beau Coup, E. (2022, February 16). 8 fun and Creative Easter Games. Beau. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.beau-coup.com/party-planning/8-fun-creative-easter-games.htm

[3] Vigil, B. (2022, November 16). 12 hilarious Easter Games. Play.Party.Plan. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.playpartyplan.com/12-fun-games-to-play-in-spring/

[4] History.com, E. (2022, March 17). St. Patrick’s Day: Origins, meaning & background – history. History. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day

[5] Gauvreau, C. (2020, November 24). 17 St. Patrick’s day party games. The Spruce. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.thespruce.com/st-patricks-day-party-games-2104721

[6] Thomas, M., & LaScala, M. (2022, October 28). Kids and teens will love playing these spooky (and silly) Halloween games. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g2618/halloween-games/

[7] Kendall, S. (2022, November 18). 20 Thanksgiving Day games for the whole family. SignUpGenius. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.signupgenius.com/home/thanksgivinggames.cfm

[8] Shutterfly, E. (2021, December 23). Top 30 Christmas party games everyone will love: Shutterfly. Ideas & Inspiration. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/christmas-party-games/

[9] Southern Living, E. (2022, August 13). 10 incredibly easy New Year’s Eve games for adults. Southern Living. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/new-years/new-years-eve-party-games