10 Holiday Party Charades Prompts for Instant Fun

Holiday charades is an easy no-prep game when you want everyone laughing and moving without setting up cards, props, or complicated rules.

This version works for families, friends, mixed-age groups, and festive parties throughout the holiday season. One player secretly receives a prompt and acts it out without speaking, making sounds, or spelling the answer. Everyone else tries to guess before time runs out.

You can play casually with the whole group guessing together or divide into teams and keep score.

10 Holiday Party Charades Prompts

Here is the complete game:

1. Wrapping a gift
2. Hanging holiday lights
3. Shaking a mystery present
4. Drinking hot cocoa
5. Building a snowman
6. Taking a festive group photo
7. Dancing to holiday music
8. Carrying a stack of presents
9. Hanging an ornament
10. Counting down to midnight

How to Play Holiday Charades

What You Need

• One phone with this game open
• Your holiday group
• An optional timer if you want timed rounds

That is enough to start.

Quick Play

1. Open the prompts on one shared phone.
2. Secretly show the current prompt to one player.
3. That player acts it out without speaking, making sounds, or spelling the answer.
4. Everyone else tries to guess before time runs out.
5. Switch actors and continue through the remaining prompts.

If you are not using a timer, simply keep guessing until someone gets the answer.

Play From One Shared Phone

One-phone play makes holiday charades especially easy to start.

Choose one person to host and keep the prompt list open on their phone. The host privately shows the next prompt to the actor, then takes the phone back before the performance begins.

That prevents accidental peeking and means nobody needs their own device.

You can keep one host throughout the game or pass the phone around as different people take turns acting.

Try a Team Version

For a more competitive holiday party game, divide everyone into two teams.

One player acts for their team while teammates try to guess the prompt. If they get it before time runs out, award one point.

After the guess or time limit, alternate the acting team and rotate to a new performer.

Continue until all 10 prompts have been used. The team with the most points wins.

For a larger group, rotate actors so everyone who wants to perform gets a turn.

Keep Individual Play Simple

You do not need teams for a smaller gathering.

One person acts while the rest of the group guesses together. Whoever gets the answer can become the next actor, or you can simply move around the room in a set order.

This version works well for family holiday game nights because there is very little scorekeeping and nobody has to sit out for long.

Add a Simple Time Limit

A timer can give charades more energy, but it should stay easy to manage.

Choose a short, consistent amount of time for each turn. If the group guesses correctly before the timer ends, the round is complete.

If time runs out, reveal the prompt and move to the next actor.

For younger players or a relaxed family gathering, skip the timer entirely if it makes the game feel rushed.

Make Mixed-Age Play Comfortable

Holiday charades works well with kids and adults because players can communicate through movement rather than trivia knowledge.

Younger players may need a little more time to think through how they want to act.

A host can quietly reread the prompt if needed, but should avoid demonstrating it for them.

Adults can make their performances as dramatic as they want, while kids can keep them simple.

The goal is to make each turn easy to join and fun to watch.

Keep the Acting Rules Clear

Before the first round, remind everyone of the basic limits:

• No speaking
• No sound effects
• No spelling words in the air
• No saying part of the answer
• Use gestures and movement only

Keeping the rules consistent makes guessing more fun and prevents debates in the middle of a turn.

If your group wants a looser version, agree on any house rules before starting.

Use It as a Quick Holiday Party Activity

You do not have to make charades the main event.

A few rounds can work while guests are arriving, after dinner, between other festive activities, or whenever the group needs a little more energy.

For a shorter game, use only a few prompts and save the rest for later.

For a full game night, play through all 10 and then move to another holiday activity.

Show Prompts Without Prepared Cards

If paper is more convenient for the host, you can copy or print the prompt list for personal use.

The host can show each holiday prompt from this page, eliminating the need to cut out charades cards.

More Holiday Party Games to Try

If everyone wants to keep playing, holiday charades pairs naturally with other easy group games.

• Holiday Would You Rather
• Holiday This or That
• Holiday icebreaker questions
• Holiday scavenger hunts
• Holiday party-planning ideas

Charades adds movement and performance, while those games can bring in quick choices, conversation, or searching.

Start Acting

Choose the first actor, show the prompt privately, and let the guessing begin.