Christmas Charades Free Printable Game

Does your family like to play Charades? If so, this free set of Christmas Charades will be a hit during the holidays. Play this game at Christmas parties or as a special Christmas Eve activity.

Our kids love to play games, and this Christmas Charades game is easy to grab and play at a whim. Perfect for Christmas parties, get-togethers, and evenings at home; we play this simple game several times every Christmas season.

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Christmas Charades Ideas

What is so great about charades? This classic game is familiar to most of us – yet we keep going back to it again and again!

Often, we select games based on length of play. Whether it is near bedtime and we don’t have time for a long game… or we are hosting a party and waiting for kids to be picked up… charades can be played for any length of time. Make it a quick game or a long game – it’s up to you!

Also, for parties, groups, and kids; it’s beneficial that charades is so simple to learn. With little to no instructions, anyone can easily pick up the rules of the game.

How do you play charades?

You can play charades competitively of cooperatively – choose the best option for your group! As a family, we generally play cooperatively.

Competitive Charades Game Play

To play charades competitively, split into two teams of equal size. Determine which team will take the first turn. A turn is completed as follows:

1. One member of the team draws a charade card and reads it without revealing the card to their team.
2. Set a timer for 2 minutes.
3. The team member silently acts out the charade to their team. They may not use any words, letters, or sound effects.
4. The team will try to guess the charade. If they get it correct before the timer expires, they are awarded 1 point.

Repeat steps 1-4 for each turn, swap between the 2 teams and rotate through team members to select the person acting out the charade.

To adjust the difficulty of the game, you can:

• shorten or lengthen the allotted time per turn
• allow both teams to guess, which allows teams to “steal” points from the other team.

Cooperative Charades Game Play

To play charades cooperatively, work together to solve the charade clues. Each member will take a turn completing the following:

1. One person draws a charade card and reads it, without revealing the card to the group.
2. The person silently acts out the charade to their team. They may not use any words, letters, or sound effects.
3. The group will try to guess the charade.
4. Whoever guesses the charade correctly will be the next person to act out a charade card.

Christmas Charades for Kids

The Charades Cards feature holiday-themed phrases which could be difficult for young kids. If you are playing with younger children, skip the phrases altogether. This might include kids who:

• haven’t learned to read,
• kids who are early readers,
• or kids who can read but are still too young to act out complex phrases.

Since each card includes both a phrase and an icon, the younger children can simply act out the image. No need to read and act out advanced phrases!

Christmas Charades List

What are some good Christmas charades? If you are looking for Christmas Charade ideas, here are a few of my favorites:

• O Holy Night
• 8 Tiny Reindeer
• Elf on the Shelf
• Stockings Hung with Care
• Angels We have Heard on High
• Hang the Ornaments
• Jolly Old St. Nicholas
• Wrapping Paper
• O Christmas Tree
• Corn Cob Pipe and Button Nose

Grab the free printable, below, which includes all of these ideas (plus 20 more)!

How to Make a Christmas Charades Game

Want to make your own Christmas Charades game? Follow the instructions, below, and get the supply list, too!

Supplies Needed

• printable game file (download the file in step #1)
• white cardstock
• small container (bowl, basket, etc.)

Tools Needed

• printer and ink
• scissors
• 12″ paper cutter (optional)

Instructions

#1 Print the Christmas Charades Game

First, download and print the Christmas Charades file on white cardstock. To download the file, complete the form below to gain access to the Free Printable Library.

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Would you like to download the free printable? Click the button, below, to sign up for our newsletter and gain access to the freebie library. Once subscribed, you will receive an email with instructions to access the library.

If you have any problems signing up, please send an email to loragreen@craftivitydesigns.com, and I will sign you up manually.

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When printing, make sure to print full size or 100% to scale and choose the best print quality in order to maximize color.

#2 Cut Out the Christmas Charades Cards

Next, cut out the Christmas Charades Cards. It is easiest to cut straight edges with a 12″ paper cutter. However, if you don’t have a paper cutter, scissors will work just fine.

If you’d like to use this game year after year, consider laminating the card for durability.

#3 Place the Cards in a Game Bowl

Once the game is cut out, place all of the cards into a small container such as a bowl or basket. I like to keep our game within reach throughout the season so that we can play when we have a few moments to spare.

After all, you don’t have to throw a party in order to play a game of charades. It makes for quick and easy family time — and the kids will love the spontaneity!

Christmas Party Games

If you are throwing a Christmas party, you might also enjoy our Christmas Scavenger Hunt. The colors and icons coordinate with this Christmas Charades game, making it perfect for a cohesive party.

As a family activity, we love to use our dry-erase Christmas Scavenger Hunt cards when we head out to look at Christmas lights!

If you liked this Christmas party idea, you might also like:

• 7 Family Christmas Games that Make Great Stocking Stuffers
• How to Throw a Christmas Hot Chocolate and Cookie Party
• A Rustic Christmas Table (+ Easy Christmas Centerpiece)

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