Christmas Minute to Win It Games
If you’ve ever hosted a Christmas party, you know the mix of excitement and chaos that comes when family and friends all pile in. Between the food, the wrapping paper everywhere, and the sugar rush from all those cookies, sometimes you just need a little structured fun to keep everyone entertained. That’s where Christmas Minute to Win It games come in!
These fast-paced, laugh-until-your-belly-hurts challenges are quick, simple, and use things you probably already have around the house. Best of all, they’re perfect for all ages. Kids can join in, teens will secretly love it (even if they roll their eyes first), and adults get competitive faster than you can say “pass the eggnog.”
Here are 19 Christmas Minute to Win It games that will have your holiday crew giggling, cheering, and maybe even starting a brand-new family tradition.
1. Snowball Toss
What you need:
- White ping pong balls or cotton balls
- A large bowl or bucket
How to play:
Set the bucket a few feet away, and players must toss as many “snowballs” into it as they can in one minute. Adjust the distance depending on the age group. Whoever lands the most wins.
2. Jingle Bell Shake
What you need:
- Empty tissue boxes
- Jingle bells
- Belt or string
How to play:
Strap a tissue box filled with jingle bells to each player’s waist (cut slits and thread through a belt or string). When the timer starts, they’ve got one minute to shake out as many bells as possible no hands allowed! It’s hilarious to watch and guaranteed to get everyone laughing.
3. Ornament Roll
What you need:
- Round ornaments (unbreakable plastic ones work best)
- Wrapping paper tube
How to play:
Players use the wrapping paper tube to roll an ornament across the floor and into a target zone. Sounds easy? The ornaments wobble and roll every which way, so it’s trickier than it looks.
4. Candy Cane Hook-Up
What you need:
- A pile of candy canes
- A bowl
How to play:
Players hold one candy cane in their mouth, hook side out, and use it to pick up as many candy canes as possible in one minute hands behind their back! Drop them into a bowl to count the score.
5. Snowman Stack
What you need:
- Marshmallows (large size)
How to play:
Stack as many marshmallows as possible in one minute to build a mini snowman tower. The catch? Marshmallows are squishy, and towers tumble easily. The tallest standing stack at the buzzer wins.
6. Rudolph’s Nose
What you need:
- Red pom-poms or cotton balls painted red
- Vaseline
- A plate
How to play:
Dab Vaseline on your nose and try to pick up red pom-poms by sticking them to your nose no hands allowed. Move them from one plate to another as fast as you can. It’s ridiculously funny to watch!
7. Present Stack
What you need:
- Empty wrapped boxes of various sizes
How to play:
Players have one minute to stack as many presents as possible into a tall tower without it toppling over. It’s part engineering, part luck, and 100% competitive.
8. Nutcracker Knockdown
What you need:
- Ping pong balls
- Plastic cups
- Christmas nutcracker toy (optional, for decoration)
How to play:
Line up cups in a pyramid. Players must roll ping pong balls across the table to knock down as many cups as possible in a minute. Bonus points if you decorate the cups with little Santa faces.
9. North Pole Balance
What you need:
- Candy canes
- Popsicle sticks or craft sticks
How to play:
Balance a candy cane on the end of a popsicle stick held in your mouth. Walk across the room without dropping it. Whoever makes the most trips in a minute wins. It’s harder than it sounds with everyone laughing around you!
10. Stocking Stuffers
What you need:
- Empty stockings
- Small wrapped candies or trinkets
How to play:
Using only a spoon, players race to fill their stocking with as many goodies as possible in one minute. No hands allowed!
11. Marshmallow Toss
What you need:
- Mini marshmallows
- Plastic cups
How to play:
Players stand across from a teammate and toss mini marshmallows, trying to land them in the cup the partner is holding. Most marshmallows in the cup after one minute wins. Great for kids and adults alike.
12. Wreath Relay
What you need:
- A large wreath
- Stopwatch
How to play:
Players must pass a wreath over their entire body (starting from the top of their head to their feet) without using their hands. Get through as many wreaths as possible in a minute.
13. Christmas Card Flip
What you need:
- A stack of Christmas cards
How to play:
Players try to flip Christmas cards onto a table so they land standing up like little tents. Whoever gets the most standing cards in a minute wins.
14. Snowflake Blower
What you need:
- Cotton balls
- Drinking straws
- Table
How to play:
Using only a straw, blow cotton balls (“snowflakes”) from one end of the table to the other. Whoever gets the most across in a minute wins.
15. Gift Wrap Grab
What you need:
- A few small gifts (or empty boxes)
- Wrapping paper
- Tape and scissors
How to play:
See who can wrap the neatest present in one minute flat. It’s more about speed than perfection, and you’ll end up with some hilarious wrapping jobs.
16. Reindeer Antlers
What you need:
- Pairs of pantyhose
- Balloons
How to play:
Players blow up balloons and stuff them into the legs of pantyhose to create reindeer antlers. The best pair of antlers created in one minute wins! Bonus fun: take a group photo of everyone wearing theirs.
17. Silent Night Stack
What you need:
- Plastic cups
How to play:
Players try to stack and unstack a pyramid of 36 plastic cups as fast as possible within one minute. This is a classic Minute to Win It challenge with a festive twist.
18. Christmas Chopsticks
What you need:
- Chopsticks
- Small Christmas candies (like M&Ms or gumdrops)
- Two bowls
How to play:
Using chopsticks, transfer as many candies from one bowl to another in one minute. This one is great for older kids and teens who love a challenge.
19. Santa’s Cookie Face
What you need:
- Cookies (Oreos work best)
How to play:
Place a cookie on your forehead and, without using your hands, wiggle it down your face and into your mouth. If it falls, start over! First one to eat it wins, or see how many you can do in a minute.
Tips for Hosting Your Christmas Minute to Win It Games
- Keep score: Use a big whiteboard or chalkboard so everyone can see who’s leading.
- Prizes: Candy canes, ornaments, or silly Christmas trinkets make perfect little rewards.
- Team play: If your group is big, divide into teams (kids vs. adults is always a crowd-pleaser).
- Encourage silliness: The fun isn’t in winning it’s in the laughter when Uncle Bob tries to shake jingle bells out of a tissue box strapped to his backside.
Christmas can be a stressful season, but these simple games remind us what really matters: enjoying time together, making memories, and laughing until your cheeks hurt. Who knows these goofy little challenges might just become the highlight of your holiday traditions!
