Host a Christmas Game Day

Everyone is trying to pinch pennies when it comes to Christmas this year. Get creative when discussing holiday plans with family. Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts plan a family tournament and game day for Christmas.

A Christmas game day does not necessarily have to be on Christmas day, but it certainly could. The main requirement is time. Make sure that party-goers understand that this is not your usual Christmas party. Tell them to dress comfortably. Also tell them in advance if you are not planning a gift exchange. This way no one feels uncomfortable.

Santa Bowling: This Christmas game is economical and fun. All you need is ten, two-liter bottles, a ball, a hallway, and some imagination. Decorate the two-liter bottles to look like reindeers, elves, and Santa himself. Fill the bottom of the bottles with just enough water to stabilize them.

Have participants sign up, two at a time, on a poster board. The winners of the first round moves on to play each other until you get a champion. In order to prevent confusion, and to help keep your sanity, put tournament times on the sign up board. Also make sure there is place for the participants score. This tournament can be run on the honor system.

Name that Christmas Tune: This one takes some music knowledge, a piano, and some sheet music. There is nothing wrong with using a child’s piano for this Christmas game.

The game is run like the Name that Tune game. Have contestants barter as to who can name that Christmas tune in the shortest amount of notes played. Divide the group into two teams and have them form two lines. The front two players will be competing against each other. When a player loses, she has to go to the end of her team’s line. Have the winner play the next contestant. For each song that they get right, they get one point. Contestants can keep circling through the game. Keep score until you get a winner.

Gingerbread House Construction Contest: Contestants team up in pairs for this Christmas game. As the host, you need to either purchase gingerbread house kits or all the supplies needed to build the house.

Without a picture for reference, have the teams construct a gingerbread house. The best house, or the one closest to kit’s instructions, wins.

How Many Candy Canes Guessing Game: This is a good game for players to participate in during the times that they are not competing in the other tournaments. For this Christmas game, game players need to count how many candy canes are throughout the house or on a Christmas tree. On a piece of paper, have the players write down their names and the number that they counted. The winner is the player who got the exact number, or at least the closest.

As a Christmas game and tournament host, you can purchase small prizes. I have found 4” plastic trophy cups to award to the winners at party stores. Print the winners’ names on gold labels to make it a personal trophy.

The last thing that needs deciding on is the food. If you do a Christmas game day in lieu of a gift exchange, then just have all attendees bring a dish. Make it potluck so that no one has to spend all of their time in the kitchen.

Christmas is supposed to be a merry time spent with family and friends. Having a Christmas tournament and game day is a perfect reason to get everyone together to enjoy the holidays.