Christmas games for the family: six games that non-gamers enjoy too
13 oktober 2026 · Bijgewerkt 5 oktober 2026
Christmas Day, the table has been cleared, and someone calls for a game. You fancy something with a bit of depth. Your mother-in-law mainly does not want to sit through half an hour of rules. And your nine-year-old nephew already has his phone in his hand.
We get this question every year around the holidays: which Christmas game works with the whole family when not everyone at the table is a keen gamer? Below are six Christmas games for the family that we play ourselves on evenings like that. At the top are the games you can explain in a few minutes, at the bottom two for when the group really wants to settle in.
Hues and Cues: for a big group
The board is covered in hundreds of coloured squares. One player secretly picks one and gives a one-word clue, for example "avocado". Everyone else puts a pawn on the square they think is meant. Then comes a second clue, this time of two words.
You do not need to know anything about games to be good at this. The best moment is always the conversation afterwards, when it turns out that your "salmon" was simply orange to someone else. Three to ten players can join in, so the whole family fits round the table.
Kites: together against the clock
In Kites you do not play against each other but together. There are sand timers in different colours on the table. When you play a card, you flip the sand timers in the colours shown on that card. If one runs out completely, you have all lost together.
A game takes a few minutes and it soon gets noisy, because everyone is shouting at once about which timer is nearly empty. Because you play together, nobody feels like the loser. You play it with two to six people, and it works especially well in a group where not everyone is equally competitive.
Halli Galli: when children are joining in
Players take turns turning over a card with fruit on it. If you see exactly five of the same fruit, you slap the bell in the middle as fast as you can. Explaining it really takes less than a minute.
Children from about six regularly beat adults at this, and that is exactly the charm. Do put the bell where everyone can reach it equally well, otherwise whoever has the longest arms simply wins. Want to read the rules beforehand? We have put the Halli Galli rules together for you.
Keer op Keer: everyone plays along
Keer op Keer (published in English as Encore!) is a dice game in which you cross off squares on your own sheet. The player whose turn it is rolls and is first to choose a colour and a number. Then everyone else chooses at the same time from the dice that are left, so even when it is not your turn, you have something to do.
It is quick to explain, but after a few games you notice there are more choices in it than you thought. If you are ever home alone, it also works perfectly well solo.
Wingspan: the step up to something more
Does your group want more after a few quick games? Then Wingspan is a lovely next step. You collect birds in your own nature reserve, and many birds give you a small advantage. The further the game goes, the more your birds do for you together.
It looks beautiful, and that helps with people who would otherwise drop out quickly. Please note: this is the English edition, and the cards have text on them. If you are playing with people who would rather not read English, that is something to bear in mind.
Viticulture: for those who really want to settle in
Viticulture is the heaviest game on this list. You run a vineyard in Italy: planting vines, harvesting, making wine and fulfilling orders. You only have a few workers, so every turn you choose what matters most at that moment.
Count on well over an hour of play and about fifteen minutes of explanation. It is not one for the whole family at once, but it is perfect for that one uncle or aunt who likes to stay at the table long after dinner.
Torn between two?
Then look at who is sitting next to you at Christmas, not at what you like playing most yourself. Looking for more ideas for the holidays? Take a look at our Christmas games too. A game that wins over the whole table will come out of the cupboard again next year.