Christmas party games for families
Last checked 5 November 2026
Quick answer: Colourbrain and Herd Mentality both take up to 20, so the whole room can join in. Hues and Cues and Dixit suit a mixed-age table that wants to chat. Dobble and Just One are the quick ones the kids can beat the grown-ups at, and Sushi Go Party! or Camel Up keep eight people busy without a long rules chat.
This is about what you play on the day, not what you wrap. A family Christmas party usually means a mix of ages, people drifting in and out of the kitchen, and nobody wanting a half-hour rules talk. These eight get going quickly, keep most of the room involved, and work whether you're still at the dinner table or spilled into the living room. They're in order of our teaching rating, easiest first. If you're buying a present rather than planning games for the gathering, see our Christmas gift guide instead.
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1. Colourbrain
A quiz where every answer is a colour, or a few. Teams lay down the colour cards they think fit the question and only score if they get every colour right. Works in teams for big groups.
- Players
- 2 to 20 players
- Age
- 12+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: A team colour quiz from Big Potato Games where every answer is a colour, or a few. Teams lay down the colour cards they think fit and only score if they get every colour right. You don't need trivia knowledge, just a feel for what colour things are, which keeps grandparents and teenagers on the same side. It's 2 to 20 players, 12 and up, about 30 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 20 October 2026.
2. Hues and Cues
One player picks a shade from the 480 on the board and gives one-word and two-word clues. Everyone else puts a marker where they think it is. It takes up to 10, so it's handy for big groups.
- Players
- 3 to 10 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: One player picks one of 480 shades on the board and gives a one-word clue, then a two-word clue. Everyone else puts a marker where they think that shade sits. Arguing over whether something's teal or turquoise is half the fun, and it works with a bigger family table. It's 3 to 10 players, 8 and up, about 30 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 22 October 2026.
3. Dixit
Describe one of your dreamlike picture cards with a word or phrase, then everyone else tries to spot yours among their own picks.
- Players
- 3 to 8 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Describe one of your dreamlike picture cards with a word or phrase, then everyone tries to spot yours among the cards they've put in. It's gentler than a quiz and suits a table where not everyone wants to compete hard. Libellud's game is 3 to 8 players, 8 and up, about 30 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 19 October 2026.
4. Just One
Everyone writes a one-word clue to help one player guess a mystery word, but any clues that match get cancelled out.
- Players
- 3 to 7 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: A co-op (the whole table is one team) word game. One person guesses a mystery word, everyone else writes a one-word clue, and matching clues get cancelled before the guesser sees them. Two people writing "reindeer" helps nobody. Repos Production lists it for 3 to 7 players, 8 and up, about 20 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 2 November 2026.
5. Dobble
Any two cards share exactly one matching symbol. Spot it and call it out before anyone else. Young kids are often quicker than the grown-ups.
- Players
- 2 to 8 players
- Age
- 6+
- Play time
- about 15 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: Any two cards share exactly one symbol, and you're racing to spot it and shout it out. Younger players regularly beat the adults, which is half the point at a family do. Zygomatic's tin takes 2 to 8 players, 6 and up, about 15 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 19 October 2026.
6. Sushi Go Party!
Pick one card from your hand, pass the rest along, and try to collect the best combos of cartoon sushi dishes.
- Players
- 2 to 8 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- about 30 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: The bigger version of Sushi Go!, for 2 to 8. Pick one card from your hand, pass the rest along and chase combos of cartoon sushi. Everyone picks at once, so eight at Christmas barely slows it down. Gamewright lists it as 8 and up, about 30 minutes, and very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 26 October 2026.
7. Camel Up (2nd edition)
Bet on a wobbly camel race where camels stack on top of each other, so the leader can change on every dice roll.
- Players
- 3 to 8 players
- Age
- 8+
- Play time
- 30 to 45 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Easy to teach
Why it suits this: Bet on a wobbly camel race where camels stack on top of each other, so the leader can change on a single dice roll. You're betting, not racing, so anyone can still win near the end, which keeps mixed ages in it. Lookout Games lists it for 3 to 8 players, 8 and up, 30 to 45 minutes, and it's easy to teach.
Details last checked 19 October 2026.
8. Herd Mentality
Everyone secretly writes an answer to a daft question. Match the most popular answer and you win a cow.
- Players
- 4 to 20 players
- Age
- 10+
- Play time
- about 20 minutes
- Our teaching rating
- Very easy to teach
Why it suits this: The after-dinner classic when everyone's still at the table. Someone reads a daft question, everyone writes an answer, and matching the most popular one wins you a cow. Nobody needs to be good at games. Big Potato Games lists it for 4 to 20 players, 10 and up, about 20 minutes, and it's very easy to teach.
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Details last checked 17 October 2026.
Buying a present rather than planning games for the day? See best board games for Christmas. For a bigger mixed crowd, try board games for large groups and party board games. Grown-up tables without kids: party games for adults. Small extras for stockings are on our stocking filler games and Secret Santa board games pages. Planning something for New Year as well? See board games for New Year’s Eve.
How we choose and check
We pick games for the situation, and ignore hobby rankings and hype. Player counts, ages and play times come from the publisher's own page or the box. If we can't confirm a detail there, we leave it off the card. The teaching rating is our own view from reading the rules, not a publisher figure. Nobody pays us to include a game. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. See how we make money.