The holiday season is rapidly approaching. That means time with family and friends. It also means it’s time for some easy holiday party games!
Fun and Easy Games For Your Holiday Party
Whether you are planning for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years ’tis the season for group gatherings and holiday party games. Check out this list of 3 super simple games that work with any age group and take very little prep.
The Paper Bag Game
The title says it all. The only thing you need for this easy holiday party game is a brown paper bag. Paper bags come in all sizes. While any size will work for this game the best would be a larger paper bag (think Trader Joe’s or the larger ones you get your groceries in).
To start the paper bag game set the paper bag in the middle of the floor. It should be opened up and standing right side up (so you could drop something inside of it if you wanted to). Have all the players sitting in a circle around the paper bag.
On a player’s turn they stand up and go into the middle of the circle where the paper bag is. Then with their hands clasped together behind their back they bend over and try and pick up the paper bag only using their mouth.
Once they get the bag off of the floor they can then use their hands to rip off a piece of the bag (where their mouth has touched). It doesn’t matter what size of piece they choose to rip off as long as they get where their mouth touched. Although, if the pieces are super big then the game won’t last very long.
If on a player’s turn they are unable to pick what’s left of the bag up using their mouth (they fall over or are unable to get it after 3 tries) then that player is out of the game. The game continues until there is only one person left and that person finishes their turn.
This is an easy holiday game because it only requires a bag and almost any age can play. This game is also good for some laughs as players awkwardly bend over and inevitably fall as they try and reach the bag as it gets smaller and smaller.
Water Bottle Flip Connect 4
This is another easy fun holiday game that is great for any age. To play this game you will need the game Connect 4. You can use one from the good old days or you can get one of the bigger wooden versions. If you are feeling like really going BIG then you can get an extra large outdoor version.
To play this game you will also need 2 16oz. water bottle. Set up the game by putting the Connect 4 at one end of the room with the coins out on the table that go with the game. Next, at the opposite end of the room have the two water bottles.
Begin the game by splitting into 2 teams. Each team has a water bottle. The object of the game is for each team member to take a turn flipping the water bottle and trying to get it to land right side up. Each team member gets 3 tries to flip. If you don’t land the water bottle in 3 tries it’s the next team members turn.
If you flip the bottle and it lands right side up on your turn then you RUN down to the Connect 4 board and put one of the game pieces in for your team. Once you have added a piece to the game then the next team member can begin flipping.
Since you only get a turn if you land the bottle upright one team may get several game pieces put in in a row. It helps to have someone watching the board so they can spot when a team gets 4 in a row. It also may be helpful to have a table or other solid flat surface to flip the water bottle onto.
This game is face paced and has a strategic aspect to it with the Connect 4 pieces. Another fun game to play with the bottle flipping is Tic Tac Toe.
Tortilla Slap Game
Once you learn about this game you will wonder where it has been all your life. This is an easy holiday party game because all you need is a tortilla for each person that is playing. Each player will also need a mouth full of water.
The game begins with all the players standing in a circle. The first player uses their tortilla to slap the face of the player next to them. Then that player turns to the player next to them and slaps them with their tortilla.
If you laugh and spit your water out when being slapped with a tortilla then you are out. The last player standing is the winner. You can adjust the rules and have any person who spits out their water be out or it could just be the slapper and the person being slapped who can’t spit their water out. The choice is yours.
There are a few things to note about this game. It doesn’t actually hurt to get slapped with a tortilla so no worries there. Also, if you don’t have tortillas laying around but maybe have some crepes, those work too. Yet, the crepes did tend to rip and fall apart fairly easily.
The paper bag game, water bottle flip Connect 4, and the tortilla slap game are all easy holiday party games. They require very little prep work and almost any age can play them. They are sure to be a hit at your next holiday party and have your guests rolling with laughter!