10 Christmas Party Games to Play with Family and Friends

(SPOT.ph) Christmas get-togethers are all about bonding with family and friends—be it over piping hot tea from the mariteses of the family tree, homecooked meals by your lola, and the fun games that make everyone laugh (but also bring out their competitive sides). In this guide, we list popular games that you can incorporate in your program at the next Christmas party at home, in the office, or your boss' fabulous garden.

Also read: Here Are the Adjusted Mall Hours for Christmas + New Year

Popular games to play during Christmas parties:

Pinoy Henyo

This is arguably one of the most popular party games, and not just during Christmas. Played by two people, it’s a guessing game where a word is placed on the guesser’s forehead. The guesser asks questions about the word, and the other player can only respond with "oo" (yes), "hindi" (no), or "pwede" (maybe). Simple yet endlessly entertaining, this game sparks laughter and lively interaction as players try to deduce the word based on limited clues.

Charades

Charades, like Pinoy Henyo, is a guessing game, but it’s all about acting. A player draws a word or phrase and must act it out using only body movements—no talking! The goal is for the guesser to figure out the word or phrase based on these gestures. If the guesser gets it right, they take the stage next and act out the following word or phrase. 

While Pinoy Henyo relies on asking yes-or-no questions, charades are all about non-verbal creativity, making it a hilarious and sometimes challenging game that always guarantees a good laugh.

Bring Me

Bring Me is a classic party game that’s simple but also has to do more with luck and speed. The host calls out for an item, like “Bring me a red phone!” or “Bring me a driver’s license!” The players must race to find and present the requested item to the host. The first person to bring the correct item wins a prize or point. The game works best with a mix of common and quirky items to keep it challenging and fun—you can even request a person, i.e. someone who is Gen Z or the company president, if it's an office party setting.

Stop Dance

Stop Dance is a lively party game that combines music and quick reflexes. Players dance freely while the music plays, but when it stops, everyone must immediately freeze in place. Anyone caught moving after the music stops is out or disqualified. The game continues when the music resumes and stops until only one player remains—the winner. To make the game more exciting, you can use upbeat and trendy songs. This year's TikTok hits are a good start.

Name That Tune

We all know we Filipinos love to sing—like there's a built-in karaoke machine within us. But when it comes to naming a song? It can be difficult because you only have a few seconds of the song to figure out the title and artist. If you guessed correctly, you earn a point. A game like "Name That Tune" will favor those who know their karaoke booklets like the back of their hand.

Beer Pong

Beer pong is a game played in teams of two. Both participants stand at opposite ends of a table with a triangular formation of cups (usually 10) filled partly with beer. The goal? To successfully toss a ping-pong ball into any one of your opponent’s cups. If you do, your opponent drinks the beer. If you miss, your rival gets a turn. The first team to clear all the other team’s cups wins.

Oh, and if you want a kid-friendly beer-pong version, or want to be considerate of those abstaining from alcohol, you can always use hot chocolate.

Hep Hep Hooray

There are many versions of Hep Hep Hooray but the most common one, at least in Filipino party settings, is the one between players (at least two) and a host. The goal is for the players to take turns completing the iconic "Hep Hep Hooray" chant.

First, the host puts the microphone in front of one player, who must yell out “Hep Hep” while clapping their hands below the waist. Then, the host chooses another player who follows it up with “Hooray!” with their hands raised in the air. If a player makes a mistake, they are out of the game. The last person standing wins.

Sandok pera

Sandok Pera is a thrilling Filipino party game that’s all about luck and strategy. A player is blindfolded, handed a sandok or a ladle, and is given the challenge of scooping up as much money as they can into a container within a time limit. The table is scattered with bills, and it gets tricky because other people can move the bills around. Whatever the player successfully ladles into the pot, they keep! 

Tumpakners

Tumpakners is a game from the Philippine noontime variety television show "It's Showtime," and this game is simply the epitome of the saying, "great minds think alike."

Tumpakners is a game wherein two players have their backs against each other, then a host asks a question or gives a category. When the host signals for the players to answer, the players face each other and say their answers out loud at the same time. If they answer the same thing, they score a point. This is ideally played with multiple pairs and the pair with the highest points wins the game.

Balloon Caterpillar

To play Balloon Caterpillar, you need to form teams, ideally with five to eight players in each team. This is a relay game where each team lines up in a single file, and, one by one, the players get a balloon (placed a few meters away) and hold it between their stomach and the back of the person in front. The challenge here is players are not allowed to use their hands.

The first team to successfully form the balloon caterpillar wins. In some versions of the game, it can also end with the players popping the balloon by sitting on it—and whoever pops all the balloons first wins the game.

Also read: Mark Your Calendars: The Philippine International Pyromusical Competition Starts Early in 2025

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