Spin the wheel Christmas games for family
A game for the whole table
Large family gatherings split into little groups: kids on the floor, adults in the kitchen, grandparents wherever the good chair is. The games here pull everyone back together. About half are seated, like Family Trivia, Memory Lane and Round the Table Story. The others get people up and laughing, but gently, with no sprinting or jumping.
Several entries are built around family history, such as Guess the Baby Photo and Grandparent Interview. Ask a few relatives for old photos a week ahead, and these two will often become the most talked-about part of the day. They cost nothing, and they tell the children something real about who came before them.
Entries with gifts, like Pass Left, Pass Right and the Dice Gift Game, need only a pile of small wrapped items worth a few dollars each. Keep them for after the meal, when everyone is full and slower.
What's on this wheel
- Memory Lane: old photos quiz
- Gift Wrap Relay: pass the paper
- Christmas Charades: act out a song
- Stocking Guess: feel the item
- Family Trivia: who did what
- Pass Left, Pass Right: gifts
- Cookie Stack Race: five high
- Carol Sing-Off: kids versus adults
- Name the Ornament: who gave it
- Santa's List: write an A to Z list
- Forehead Cards: guess who
- Round the Table Story: a word each
- Candy Cane Hunt: find the canes
- Tree Trimming Contest: two teams
- Pass the Parcel: layers of paper
- Reindeer Ring Toss: soft rings
- Snowball Fight: soft pom-poms
- Christmas Bingo: with pictures
- Musical Chairs: wear elf hats
- Spoon Gift Race: carry it across
- Memory Match: holiday cards
- Word Scramble: unscramble it
- Wrapping Paper Dress-Up: teams
- Guess the Baby Photo: whose is it
- Cup Stacking: build a tree
- Whisper Down the Lane: carols
- Hum the Song: no words allowed
- Giant Jigsaw: everyone helps
- Dice Gift Game: roll to take
- Grandparent Interview: old times
- Pin the Star: blindfolded
- Santa Sack Toss: bean bags
- Family Bingo: relative facts
- Wish List Sketch: draw a gift
- Sleigh Bell Tag: slow and gentle
- Cocoa Taste Test: match the mug
- Carol Lyrics: finish the line
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How to keep everyone in
- Open Entries and strike out anything that needs more space or movement than your living room allows.
- Spin after dinner and read the entry aloud. Let a grandparent or a child press Spin next time.
- Mix teams so each one has a child and an older adult. Use Remove from wheel after a game to avoid repeats.
- Stop while people still want more, even if the wheel has plenty of options left.
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Christmas games for family questions
What games work with young kids and grandparents together?
Seated games with no speed element, such as Family Trivia, Memory Match, Word Scramble and Round the Table Story. Teams that mix ages are better than kids against adults.
How long should a family game session last?
Plan 45 to 60 minutes with a break in the middle. Young children lose interest after about 10 minutes per game, so switch often.
What games use things already in the house?
Cookie Stack Race, Cup Stacking, Wrapping Paper Dress-Up and Whisper Down the Lane need almost nothing. Gift games need small wrapped prizes, nothing more.
Can we use these as a gift exchange?
Yes. Pass Left, Pass Right and the Dice Gift Game turn a pile of wrapped presents into a game. For a full exchange, see the White Elephant game on this site.
What if a relative does not want to play?
Give them a job instead: scorekeeper, judge of the Cookie Stack Race or the person who presses Spin. Plenty of grandparents who say no to a relay will happily referee one.
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