10 easy holiday games you can throw together with dollar store finds

10 easy holiday games you can throw together with dollar store finds

You don't need a party planner or expensive kits to keep people laughing. Most easy holiday games come down to a few cheap supplies and a willingness to look a little silly. These all use things you can grab at the dollar store or already have at home.

1. Ornament spoon relay

Grab plastic spoons and shatter-proof ornaments. Players race from one side of the room to the other balancing an ornament on the spoon. Drop it, and you go back to the start.

2. Gift wrap roll "bowling"

Use empty wrapping paper tubes as "bowling balls" and stack plastic cups as pins. Kids and adults can take turns rolling the tube to knock down as many cups as possible.

3. Candy cane fishing

Tie a string to one candy cane and use it to "hook" other candy canes laid on the table or floor. Set a timer and see who can pick up the most without using their hands.

4. Snowball toss

Use white pom-poms or crumpled paper as "snowballs" and a bucket or bowl as the target. Stand back a few steps and take turns tossing. Adjust the distance for different ages.

5. Christmas charades

Write holiday-related words or phrases on scraps of paper-Santa, wrapping presents, snowman, baking cookies. Put them in a bowl and play charades like normal. No supplies besides paper and pens.

6. Pin the nose on the snowman

Draw a simple snowman on poster board and cut out orange "carrot noses" from construction paper. Blindfold each player, spin them gently, and have them try to stick the nose on.

7. Present stack challenge

Wrap a few empty boxes in different sizes. Players race to stack them as high as they can without the pile falling. Time each round and see who gets the tallest stack standing.

8. Christmas song guess

Play short clips of holiday songs (or hum them yourself) and have people guess the title. You can keep score or just see how many the group recognizes.

9. Marshmallow tower

Give each person a handful of mini marshmallows and toothpicks. Set a timer and see who can build the tallest standing tower. Kids especially love this one.

10. Holiday scavenger hunt

Make a quick list of things to find around the house: a red ornament, something that lights up, a holiday mug, a candy cane. First one back with everything on the list wins.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.