There are plenty of traditions surrounding Christmas and the festive season. There’s the great food, spending time with family and friends, gift swapping and, perhaps best of all, games. Even that one friend who refuses to play Word With Friends 2 during the year has to play at least one party game during the holidays.
The best party games are reserved for adult-only Christmases though; that is, unless you love playing that one where you get cream smashed in your face or Snap! Here, we’ve explored the world of grown-up Christmas party game ideas, covering those awkward card games you don’t want to play with your grandparents, online casino games and Christmas remixes of classic games that usually only require a pen and paper.
1. Card Games
For almost as long as humanity has existed, card games have remained a staple in cultures around the world. It’s thought that playing cards were first invented in China, before spreading through India, Persia and, eventually, Egypt. Over time, Europe also began to pick up card games and they were, of course, taken to North America when many Europeans moved there in search of the American Dream. Now, it seems there’s not a corner of the Earth where rummy, poker and blackjack don’t exist.
It’s only in the last decade that a new genre of card games has arrived, usually stashed high up on store shelves where only adults can reach them. These games include Cards Against Humanity, Bucket of Doom and What Do You Meme? All of these games are incredibly fun but certainly aren’t for the faint of heart. Cards Against Humanity is particularly brutal and should probably be reserved for a night with close friends, rather than for a game with your elders.
2. Online Games
For some strange reason, many folks seem to find themselves in casinos around Christmas time. Perhaps it’s the festive-themed games or the surprisingly good food they do but why leave your house if you can get your friends round and just play online?
A simple Google search will yield literally millions of results, with Yuletide slots like Jingle Spin, table games including American and European roulette, and even live betting all available online.
3. Christmas Remixes
Finally, we have some Christmas remixes on old classics. Any game you can think of can be completely transformed with a Christmas twist. Movie Trivia, Find Out Who and Pictionary are just some of the ideas we found but, really, the possibilities are endless. Christmas Charades is always a hit at parties as it helps you break the ice, usually by ensuring that everyone is as silly as the next person.
Considering Christmas is only one day, and people usually fall asleep by 10 pm at Christmas parties due to all the food, there’s sure to be enough party game inspiration here to keep everyone happy!
