120 Greatest Family Christmas Activities that work for everyone

Are you looking for fun family Christmas activities that everyone will enjoy? This list below has it all. Make your own 12 or 25 days of Christmas with these awesome ideas and keep your family Christmas fresh everyday.

To start with though, let’s consider the different ways that you can celebrate Christmas with your family.

How can I celebrate Christmas with my family?

Celebrating Christmas with your family can be as simple or elaborate as you want but the key is creating meaningful moments together. Start by planning family Christmas activities that everyone can enjoy. I’ll be giving you tons of options below. 

Whatever you do, focus on activities that bring joy and togetherness!

Now here are the best ideas for a fun family Christmas.

120 Fun Family Christmas activities

These ideas are quite varied from creative crafts to outdoor adventures together.

Crafting and decorating

1. Decorate your tree with handmade ornaments.
2. Create a family-themed wreath with photos.
3. Craft paper snowflakes and hang them in windows.
4. Make a garland out of popcorn and cranberries.
5. Build a gingerbread village together.
6. Create a family handprint Christmas tree canvas.
7. Use mason jars to make snow globes.
8. Craft a festive centerpiece for your dining table.
9. Sew or glue together mini stockings as gifts.
10. Paint wooden ornaments to hang on the tree.

Baking and cooking

11. Bake a batch of classic gingerbread cookies.
12. Decorate a Christmas cake with frosting designs.
13. Create edible Christmas tree cupcakes.
14. Host a family bake-off competition.
15. Try making homemade peppermint bark.
16. Cook a holiday dinner as a family.
17. Make caramel apples with festive toppings.
18. Assemble a hot chocolate charcuterie board.
19. Prepare a festive pancake breakfast.
20. Bake holiday bread like challah or stollen.

Games and challenges

21. Host a family Christmas trivia night.
22. Play pin the star on the Christmas tree.
23. Have a scavenger hunt with holiday-themed clues.
24. Play Christmas bingo with small prizes.
25. Build the tallest marshmallow tower in a timed challenge.
26. Create a word search with family names and holiday words.
27. Play “Guess the Christmas Movie Quote.”
28. Organize a Christmas-themed charades game.
29. Have a gift-wrapping race to see who wraps fastest.
30. Play a memory game with ornaments or holiday items.

Entertainment and relaxation

31. Watch a holiday movie marathon.
32. Sing Christmas carols around the fireplace.
33. Read classic Christmas stories together.
34. Create a family Christmas playlist.
35. Listen to audiobooks of holiday classics.
36. Have a pajama party under the Christmas tree.
37. Record a family Christmas podcast or video.
38. Build a pillow fort for a cozy movie night.
39. Light candles and share what you’re thankful for.
40. Host a “decorate your own mug” station and fill with cocoa.

Outdoor adventures

41. Go on a winter nature walk to collect pinecones.
42. Visit a nearby holiday parade.
43. Go snow tubing at a local hill.
44. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride.
45. Organize a family snowshoeing day.
46. Host an outdoor picnic with blankets and warm drinks.
47. Attend a community Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
48. Take a scenic drive to look at holiday lights.
49. Visit a local ice sculpture display.
50. Build a snow fort together.

Giving back

51. Write thank-you notes to service workers in your community.
52. Donate gently used toys to a local shelter.
53. Make sandwiches for a community food drive.
54. Knit or sew scarves to donate to a homeless shelter.
55. Deliver baked goods to firefighters or police officers.
56. Participate in a local coat drive.
57. Leave kind notes for strangers on their cars.
58. Create care packages for deployed military personnel.
59. Sponsor a child’s holiday wish list.
60. Offer to shovel a neighbor’s driveway or walkway.

READ: What are family Christmas traditions?

Creative traditions

61. Write a letter to your future self about this Christmas.
62. Open an advent calendar with small daily surprises.
63. Create a scrapbook of your favorite holiday moments.
64. Start a new holiday tradition, like a family hike on Christmas morning.
65. Design matching family pajamas for Christmas Eve.
66. Draw names for a secret Santa gift exchange.
67. Share your favorite holiday memory over dinner.
68. Write a holiday-themed family newsletter.
69. Have a family holiday photo shoot.
70. Create a holiday-themed time capsule to open in 10 years.

Arts and crafts

71. Make paper reindeer hats for everyone to wear.
72. Craft a felt Christmas tree for toddlers to decorate.
73. Paint mini canvases with Christmas scenes.
74. Create DIY holiday candles.
75. Design your own Christmas wrapping paper.
76. Create snowflake stencils and use them to decorate walls or windows.
77. Make pom-pom garlands for the tree.
78. Build a popsicle stick nativity scene.
79. Decorate mason jars as luminaries.
80. Craft a Christmas countdown calendar.

Festive activities

81. Host a family Christmas karaoke night.
82. Plan a holiday-themed scavenger hunt in the backyard.
83. Write and perform a family holiday play.
84. Take turns sharing New Year’s resolutions.
85. Host a Christmas cookie exchange with neighbors.
86. Make handmade soap with holiday scents like peppermint.
87. Organize a backyard campfire with holiday stories.
88. Paint your own ornaments as keepsakes.
89. String up lights together outside.
90. Create a “thankful jar” to open on Christmas morning.

GET: Ultimate Christmas Planner: 35+ Pages of Holiday Planning Printables

Memory-making ideas

91. Write down funny family moments from the year.
92. Create a family tree ornament with everyone’s names.
93. Take turns telling your favorite Christmas joke.
94. Host a photo scavenger hunt of holiday items.
95. Record a video of everyone’s holiday wish.
96. Create a family calendar for the next year.
97. Compile a family recipe book with holiday favorites.
98. Decorate a special chair for Santa’s arrival.
99. Paint family portraits with a holiday twist.
100. Have a “best ugly sweater” contest.

Community engagement

101. Participate in a local holiday craft fair.
102. Visit a live nativity scene.
103. Join a community singalong event.
104. Attend a holiday play or concert.
105. Visit a tree farm to pick the perfect Christmas tree.
106. Enter a neighborhood holiday decorating contest.
107. Go on a holiday-themed hike organized by a local group.
108. Volunteer to wrap gifts at a charity event.
109. Attend a midnight mass or church service together.
110. Help a local senior with their holiday shopping or decorating.

Family games

111. Play a holiday-themed version of “Would You Rather.”
112. Host a Christmas-themed Pictionary game.
113. Play a “guess the holiday scent” game with candles or spices.
114. Organize a festive obstacle course indoors.
115. Play “Name That Christmas Song” with short clips.
116. Have a Christmas gift stacking challenge.
117. Create a trivia quiz about family traditions.
118. Play “Hot Chocolate Pong” with marshmallows.
119. Host a snowball toss game indoors using cotton balls.
120. Play a Christmas version of hide-and-seek with candy canes.

Those are some of the most interesting family games for Christmas, in my opinion. However, you might have heard of others like the cotton ball game or the candy cane game.

What is the cotton ball Christmas party game?

The cotton ball Christmas party game is a funny and lighthearted activity perfect for holiday gatherings. Here’s how it works:

You’ll need a bowl, a blindfold, a spoon and plenty of cotton balls. Place the bowl on the table and scatter cotton balls around it. The player is blindfolded, handed a spoon, and tasked with scooping as many cotton balls into the bowl as possible within a time limit (usually 30-60 seconds). The trick? Cotton balls are so light, it’s almost impossible to tell whether you’ve actually scooped any!

It gets lots of laughs and is a perfect addition to your list of Christmas games. Whether you’re playing with kids, teens or adults, it’s a fun way to spread holiday cheer and keep everyone entertained. Add it to your lineup of Christmas games for a guaranteed good time! 

What is the Candy Cane Christmas game?

The Candy Cane Christmas game is a festive and fun activity that’s perfect for adding a little friendly competition to your holiday celebrations. It’s simple, silly and works for all ages.

Here’s how you play: grab a bunch of candy canes, a bowl and a few chopsticks (or even pencils). Each player holds a chopstick in their mouth and uses it to hook as many candy canes as possible within a time limit (usually 60 seconds). No hands allowed! The person with the most candy canes hooked at the end wins.

This is one of those Christmas games that’s easy to set up but guarantees lots of laughter and memorable moments. It’s a great addition to your lineup of Christmas games for family gatherings. 

These are all great ideas for family Christmas activities but it’s the Christmas spirit that’s most important at this time. Remember the reason for the season and that alone will help you to enjoy every moment you have with your family!

Merry Christmas!