The bells are ringing, the countdown is just around the corner, and the joyful atmosphere has also started to spread to workplaces. If you are looking for some games that will help celebrate this cheer even more, here is a list of Christmas and New Year’s themed games that you and your team members are sure to enjoy!
Christmas Bells
Start the year-end joy in your workplace with fun games that celebrate the spirit of Christmas. From gifts to laughter, these games are sure to brighten up your workplace.
Secret Santa
Ideal number of participants: 5–50+ (works best with larger teams)
For this, each employee is assigned a team member to buy a gift for under a set budget. The name of the gift giver is generally not written down to keep the magical spirit of Christmas alive. Alternatively, team members can create a guessing game to try to determine who their Santa was.
Rules:
- Randomly assign each participant another colleague’s name.
- Each person buys a gift for their assigned colleague within a pre-decided budget.
- Gift givers remain anonymous.
- Gifts are exchanged on a fixed date.
- Optional: Recipients guess who their Secret Santa was.
Gift Swap
Ideal number of participants: 6–30
Rather than buying a gift for a specific person, in this particular game, employees buy gifts that they think others will like. The game starts with the first person picking a random gift and opening it in front of everyone.
The second person will open another gift. However, if they think that the first person’s gift is better, they can swap. In a similar fashion, whenever someone opens a gift, they can, if they want, swap it for one that has already been opened.
Rules:
- Each participant brings one wrapped gift within a set budget.
- Gifts are placed in a common area.
- The first participant picks and opens a random gift.
- Each subsequent participant opens a new gift or swaps with an already opened one.
- A gift can be swapped only once (or as decided beforehand).
Tree Decoration Competition
Ideal number of participants: Individuals: 5–15 | Teams: 2–6 people per team
Either in groups or individually, employees can compete against each other to decorate their Christmas trees. The whole competition can have a theme, or participants can choose one of their own. So, let the creativity flow and put on the baubles and candy canes to have the best tree of them all!
Rules:
- Participants decorate a Christmas tree individually or in teams.
- A theme may be assigned, or participants may choose their own.
- Decorations must be completed within a fixed time limit.
- Winners are chosen by votes or judges based on creativity and theme.
Funniest Sweater Competition
Ideal number of participants: 10–50+
Instead of basic red or green, ask employees to come to the office in sweaters they consider the most fun. Maybe a red-nosed reindeer prancing across one’s chest or a punny joke entertaining others. Have everyone vote on whose sweater is the best and embodies the cheer of Christmas.
Rules:
- Employees wear their funniest or quirkiest Christmas sweaters.
- Participants showcase their sweaters.
- Colleagues vote for the funniest or most festive one.
- The sweater with the most votes wins.
Santa Says
Ideal number of participants: 8–30
One lucky person gets assigned as Santa, and what they say goes. To remain on Santa’s good list, employees have to do exactly as Santa asks. Do not get confused; otherwise, all you will get for Christmas is a lump of coal!
Rules:
- One person is chosen as “Santa.”
- Santa gives commands starting with “Santa says…”
- Participants must only follow commands that begin with “Santa says.”
- Anyone who follows a command without the phrase is out.
- The last remaining participant wins.
Snowball Toss
Ideal number of participants: 5–20
A bucket in the centre and fake snowballs all around. From a set distance, see who can accurately throw their snowball in the bucket. It might not be snowing where you are, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy a good snowball throw!
Rules:
- Place a bucket at a fixed distance.
- Each participant gets a set number of fake snowballs.
- Players take turns throwing snowballs into the bucket.
- The participant with the most successful throws wins.
New Year Bash
What better way to end one year and start the next than by playing games that celebrate this transition? A new year often marks a new beginning, so it is imperative that this is done in a cheerful manner that can be enjoyed by all.
Funniest 2026 Office Resolutions
Ideal number of participants: 5–30
New Year’s resolutions are often the butt of many jokes. So, why not have fun with creating the most entertaining resolutions that you intend to keep in the office? Perhaps you might wanna start with not letting another desk plant die this year? Or maybe just swap it with a plastic one?
Rules:
- Participants write down humorous or light-hearted office resolutions.
- Resolutions are read aloud.
- Everyone votes for the funniest or most relatable resolution.
- The resolution with the most votes wins.
2025 Bingo
Ideal number of participants: 10–40
Each employee gets a bingo card detailing either a fun activity centred around holiday activities or year-end plans. One by one, each employee checks off one that holds for them loudly, and anyone who falls in the same category will also check it off. The winner is the one who first completes five rows and gets a Bingo!
Rules:
- Each participant receives a bingo card with year-end or holiday-related activities.
- Participants announce activities that apply to them.
- Anyone with the same activity marks it on their card.
- The first person to complete five in a row calls “Bingo” and wins.
Countdown Charades
Ideal number of participants: 6–20 (teams of 2–5 work best)
The year-end celebration means some tried and tested phrases that you will hear everywhere, and even some songs. In this version of charades, participants have to mime and/or guess these phrases and songs that make the festivities come alive.
Rules:
- Create a list of year-end phrases, songs, or festive themes.
- One participant mimes the phrase without speaking.
- Their team guesses within a time limit.
- Correct guesses earn points.
- The team with the most points wins.
The Memory Jar
Ideal number of participants: 8–30
Each employee will anonymously write their favourite memory of the year and dump it in a jar. After everyone is finished, the papers will be read aloud one by one, and then people will guess just who this happy memory belongs to. After all, happiness only increases when shared, so let your colleagues know what made 2025 truly special to you!
Rules:
- Each participant anonymously writes a favourite memory from the year.
- All notes are placed in a jar.
- Notes are read aloud one by one.
- The group guesses who the memory belongs to.
- The person with the most correct guesses (or best story) wins.
Balloon and Cup
Ideal number of participants: 6–20
Balloons and cups may be staples for every New Year’s party, but we have a unique use for them in mind. Have a line of cups in front of your employees and give them each a balloon. For this game, they have to use only the balloon to stack as many cups as they can. Each employee can use the strategy they want, but they cannot touch the cup with their hands at any cost!
Rules:
- Place a row of cups in front of each participant.
- Each participant gets one balloon.
- Using only air from the balloon, participants must stack or move cups.
- Hands cannot touch the cups at any time.
- The person who stacks the most cups within the time limit wins.
