Planning a Christmas party for your company? We’ve all been there—trying to entertain a room full of coworkers while avoiding awkward silences or overly competitive drama. Large groups bring their own challenges, but when done right, holiday games can turn your office event into a festive hit.
From hilarious competitions to team-building challenges, we’ve curated fun and creative Christmas party games that cater to every personality in the room. Ready to bring the holiday cheer? Let’s dive in!
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Best Office Christmas Party Game – Guess The Emoji
Put a playful spin on the emoji guessing game by incorporating well-known themes from pop culture, movies, and common holiday traditions! This version ensures everyone can participate, using instantly recognizable ideas combined with hilarious office holiday scenarios. It’s perfect for large company groups, as it’s relatable, festive, and guarantees laughter.
How to Play Guess the Emoji: Office Christmas Edition
- Create Fun Emoji Puzzles:
Use emojis to depict trending movies, TV shows, songs and Christmas holiday themed. For example:- 🍕🎄👨💼 = Home Alone
- 🧝🎄👨👩👧👦🎁 = Elf
- Set Up Teams:
Divide your coworkers into teams of 4–6 players. Provide paper and pens for answers or let teams shout them out for quick rounds. - Reveal the Clues:
Present each clue one at a time on a projector, whiteboard, or large screen. For extra fun, add an announcer to narrate clues dramatically! - Points System:
- Teams earn 1 point for correctly guessing the title or scenario.
- Add bonus points for creative twists, like funny alternate titles.
- Celebrate the Winners:
Hand out quirky prizes like holiday-themed mugs, ornaments, or titles such as “Emoji Extraordinaire.”
Bonus: Twist Ideas for More Fun
- Add Songs: Include clues for iconic holiday songs like 🎅🛷❄️ (“Jingle Bells”) or 💃🔔✨ (“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”).
- Act It Out: Teams can act out the emoji clue for bonus points. Watching coworkers mime a reindeer or an office Christmas tree is comedy gold.
- Add a Timer: Set a 15-second time limit per clue to amp up the pressure.
- Wildcard Round: Allow teams to submit their own emoji puzzles for others to solve!
- Steal a Clue: If a team is struggling, offer an option to “buy” a hint with a silly dare, like singing a snippet of a Christmas carol or doing a quick elf dance.
Emoji Clues for The Guessing Game
Here’s a list of clues that mix popular Christmas culture, beloved classics, and office antics everyone will enjoy:
Christmas Carols and Songs
- 🎅🏠🚶♂️ = Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- 🔔❄️🎵 = Jingle Bells
- 🕯️✨👶 = Silent Night
- 👼🌟🎵 = Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- ❄️⛄ = Frosty the Snowman
Movies
- 🦸♂️🦸♀️⚔️💥 = Avengers: Endgame
- 🐺🩸🎩🔪 = Deadpool & Wolverine
- 🚀🌑🤴👑 = Dune
- 🏴☠️💰🌊🏝️ = Pirates of the Caribbean
- 👮🎤✨💃 = Elvis
- 🚢💔🌊💎 = Titanic
- 🧹🪄⚡🦉 = Harry Potter
- 🦁👑🌅✨ = The Lion King
- 🧛♂️🩸🕶️ = Twilight
- 🌎🧑🚀👾🍕 = Toy Story
- 🧠🎭😊😭 = Inside Out 2
- 🦸♂️👶🍌🤖 = Despicable Me 4
- 🐊🦍⚔️🏰 = Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
- 🪲🍹👻🎭 = Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
- 🎀👱♀️🏡✨ = Barbie
- 🛡️🏜️💥👾 = Borderlands
TV Shows
- 🐉🔥👑⚔️ = House of the Dragon
- 🧢🧩👀👨👩👧👦 = Stranger Things
- 🌳🏹💍🔥 = The Rings of Power
- 🦑🎮💰🩸 = Squid Game
- 🍔👨👩👧👦🏠 = Bob’s Burgers
- 🏙️👮♂️🔎✨ = Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- 💉⚕️🩺👨⚕️ = Grey’s Anatomy
- 🧪🔬👨🎓🐵 = The Big Bang Theory
- 🥷🏯⚔️🌅 = Shōgun
- ☢️🍂🏜️🎮 = Fallout
- 🎩🕴️💼🍸 = The Gentlemen
- 👩💼🔍🏠🖼️ = Ripley
- 🌌👽🌍🔢 = 3 Body Problem
- 🌞👦👦🇹🇼 = The Brothers Sun
- 🦸♂️🩸💣🔥 = The Boys
- 🎨🔮⚔️🏰 = Arcane
Reality Shows
- 🌟🎤👨🎤👩🎤 = American Idol
- 🕺🪩✨👯♂️ = Dancing with the Stars
- 🌮🎨👩🍳 = MasterChef: Mexican Cuisine
- 🏠🏗️📺 = Fixer Upper
- 🔥🏝️👫❤️ = Love Island
- 💄👗💃🎤 = RuPaul’s Drag Race
- 🚴🏁🏆 = The Amazing Race
- 🌎🎒🔦💔 = Survivor
- 💍💑🎙️✨ = The Bachelor
- 🐟🦈💼🌊 = Shark Tank
- ❤️🙈💍🎤 = Love Is Blind
- 🏠👩🎤🍑✨ = The Real Housewives of Atlanta
- 🎤🪑🔄🌟 = The Voice
- 🔥👨🍳🥘😡 = Hell’s Kitchen
- 🏠💰🌅✨ = Selling Sunset
- 🤥🕵️♂️🔪🤝 = The Traitors
Hit Songs
- 🎤🚪🏠🎶 = Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
- 🏢🍻🍷🎶 = APT (Apateu) by Rosé and Bruno Mars
- 🛋️📺👯♀️🎶 = We Don’t Talk About Bruno from Encanto
- 🛤️🎵🚂 = Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight & the Pips
- 👑💃🔥🎵 = Cuff It by Beyoncé
- 🏢✨💡👩🎤 = Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
- 🕶️🌆🚙🎤 = Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
- 🏜️🎶👨🎤✨ = Old Town Road by Lil Nas X
- 🌊🛳️💘💃 = My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
- 🔥🌧️💔🎤 = Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
Viral Internet Trends
- 👯🩰✨📸 = Balletcore Trend on TikTok
- 📦🏋️♂️📬🚛 = Amazon Prime Delivery
- 🐶✨🐾🎥 = Doug the Pug Viral Instagram Star
- 🥊🎤🍾🎶 = Jake Paul Boxing
- 📱💬🎥🤣 = Duolingo’s Viral TikToks
- 🕺🖤✨🎵 = Wednesday Addams Dance Trend
- 🎭✨👨🦰👠 = Barbiecore Fashion Trend
- 🍕📚🎤📺 = Hot Ones Celebrity Spicy Challenge
- 👑👗👩⚖️📖 = Meghan Markle’s Netflix Special
- 🐀🍝✨🎥 = Ratatouille TikTok Musical
6 Fun and Interactive Christmas Games for Large Groups
Want to know more game ideas for your company Christmas party? Forget the awkward mingling and make your event unforgettable with these six engaging and laughter-filled Christmas games. Perfect for breaking the ice, building team spirit, and sparking some festive fun, these activities are guaranteed to get everyone involved—whether they’re rocking an ugly sweater or just here for the cookies!
1. Holiday-Themed Minute to Win It
This game is fast-paced, hilarious, and perfect for getting everyone involved. Split your group into smaller teams and set up different holiday-themed challenges. Players must complete their tasks within a minute to earn points for their team.
Ideas for Challenges:
- Stack the Snowman: Use marshmallows to build the tallest snowman in 60 seconds.
- Ornament Relay: Pass ornaments down the line using only spoons held in your mouth.
- Wrap That Gift: Blindfolded players must wrap a small box with paper and tape.
- Jingle Bell Shake: Strap a tissue box filled with jingle bells to a participant’s waist and see how many they can shake out by wiggling.
This game creates a whirlwind of laughter and excitement and requires minimal preparation.
2. Reindeer Relay Races
This high-energy game gets everyone up and moving. Create an obstacle course with holiday-themed tasks, and split your group into teams. Each participant must wear antlers (cheap headbands work!) as they complete their leg of the race.
Sample Tasks:
- Leap over “snowbanks” (pillows or hurdles).
- Deliver presents (boxes) to different “houses” (marked spots).
- Crawl through a tinsel-covered tunnel.
- Pass a candy cane to the next teammate using only their mouth.
Award prizes for the fastest team and the “Best Reindeer Antics.”
3. Gingerbread House Contest
Set up stations with pre-baked gingerbread pieces, frosting, and candy. Divide the group into teams and give them 30 minutes to construct their gingerbread masterpieces. Add twists like surprise ingredients (e.g., pretzels, cereal) or challenges (one teammate must only use one hand).
Categories for Awards:
- Most Creative
- Best Structural Design
- Most Delicious-Looking
Take photos of the houses and let everyone vote for their favorite.
4. Secret Santa with a Twist
Turn the classic Secret Santa gift exchange into an interactive guessing game. Before opening their gifts, participants must guess who their Santa is by asking “yes” or “no” questions. For a festive twist, add challenges like:
- If the guess is wrong, the participant must sing a Christmas carol.
- Include gag gifts to add humor to the unwrapping process.
This activity encourages mingling and is great for adding humor to your party.
5. Snowball Fight with Balloons
Transform your party into a winter wonderland with this balloon-based snowball fight. Divide the room with painter’s tape to create two “snowball zones.” Teams must throw as many white balloons onto the opposing team’s side as possible within two minutes.
How to Add Fun:
- Create snow forts using office chairs or tables.
- Add “golden snowballs” worth extra points.
- Play holiday music to intensify the excitement.
This game is lighthearted and great for large groups with mixed energy levels.
6. Office Ugly Sweater Contest
Encourage everyone to wear their funniest or ugliest Christmas sweaters to the party. Take it up a notch by hosting a runway-style competition where participants model their sweaters and share its “backstory.”
Categories for Judging:
- Ugliest Sweater Overall
- Most Creative Homemade Sweater
- Most Festive Sweater
Offer small prizes or certificates, and let the audience vote for their favorites.
Office Secret Santa Ideas for A Christmas Party
Secret Santa is a beloved holiday tradition in many offices, but it can be even more memorable with creative twists and thoughtful ideas. Here’s how to elevate your Secret Santa exchange to make it the highlight of your office Christmas party.
Gift Ideas for Every Budget
- Under $10
- Mini desk plants
- Fun holiday socks
- Cute coffee mugs
- Under $20
- Gourmet snacks or chocolates
- Puzzle or board games
- Office gadgets like a desktop vacuum
- Splurge Ideas
- High-quality candles
- Personalized stationery
- Bluetooth speakers
Secret Santa Game Variations
- Gift Guessing Game
- Before opening their gift, the recipient must guess who gave it to them. If they guess incorrectly, they must sing a Christmas carol or do a festive dare.
- Steal or Swap
- Gifts are numbered and chosen randomly. Participants can either open a new gift or “steal” an opened one from someone else. Adds a layer of strategy and laughter!
- Clue Hunt
- Attach a riddle or a set of clues to each gift, leading the recipient to guess what’s inside before unwrapping it.
- Santa’s Sneaky Helpers
- Let “Santas” secretly leave small clues or notes about their gifts throughout the day leading up to the exchange.
Christmas Activities for Your Office Party
Whether you’re hosting a grand in-person bash or connecting remotely, these activities will bring coworkers together with festive cheer. From team-building to quick games, there’s something for every group dynamic. Let’s dive into fun, interactive ideas to make your office party unforgettable!
1. Creative Team-Building Christmas Activities
Get your coworkers collaborating and spreading holiday cheer with these engaging activities that double as bonding exercises:
Decorating Contest
Transform your office into a winter wonderland! Provide tinsel, lights, and ornaments, and have teams decorate their desks or cubicles. Award prizes for categories like “Most Creative” or “Most Festive.” Bonus: Using the classic show “The Office” decoration!
Collaborative Ornament Crafting
Set up a craft station with clear ornaments, glitter, markers, and ribbons. Coworkers can create ornaments together, adding personal touches like wishes, memories, or team names. Perfect for fostering creativity and camaraderie.
Scavenger Hunt with Holiday Clues
Organize a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt around the office. Teams solve riddles to find hidden holiday treasures, such as ornaments, candy canes, or mini gifts. The fastest team wins prizes, and everyone enjoys the friendly competition.
2. Quick and Easy Party Games for Last-Minute Planners
Short on time? These simple, crowd-pleasing games require minimal setup and guarantee laughs:
Christmas Pictionary
Use holiday-related phrases like “Santa stuck in a chimney” or “Rudolph’s shiny nose” for a spirited round of drawing and guessing. Hilarity is guaranteed as artistic skills are put to the test!
Holiday Charades
Act out Christmas classics—movies, songs, or traditions—without speaking. Watch coworkers transform into elves or act out the Grinch stealing Christmas.
Name That Christmas Tune
Play short snippets of popular holiday songs, and let teams guess the title and artist. Add bonus points for singing the next lyric!
3. Virtual Christmas Games for Remote Teams
Bringing the team together online? These virtual games keep the festive spirit alive, no matter the distance:
Online Christmas Bingo
Share custom holiday-themed Bingo cards via email and use a random generator to call out items like “Ugly Sweater” or “Mistletoe.” A fun and easy way to engage everyone on the call.
Virtual Secret Santa Reveal
Coordinate a Secret Santa gift exchange where participants mail gifts to their assigned person. During the video call, open presents and guess who the giver is.
Holiday-Themed Kahoot Quiz
Host a lively online quiz with holiday trivia, including quirky questions about traditions or favorite Christmas movies. Add fun personal questions to keep it interactive.
Why Christmas Party Games Matter for Large Groups
Nothing says “holiday spirit” quite like laughter and teamwork. Party games not only help coworkers bond but also break the ice in diverse workplaces. For large groups, games are essential for engaging everyone, fostering camaraderie, and leaving lasting memories.
Plus, in an era where remote work has reshaped office dynamics, these activities can serve as a much-needed morale booster. Whether it’s a hands-on challenge or a hilarious guessing game, the right activities can transform your party into a hit.
This year, ditch the predictable party chatter and bring on the festive fun with these creative games and activities. Whether you’re decorating desks, solving riddles, or singing holiday tunes, these ideas are sure to make your office Christmas party a hit. Dust off those Santa hats, grab some candy canes, and get ready to spread cheer like never before!