Discover 12 fun, easy Christmas-themed ‘Minute to Win It’ games for kids and families. Perfect for holiday parties and gatherings! Don’t forget to snag your Kid’s 99-Page Holiday Activity Kit, complete with Letter to Santa templates, Activity Sheets, Christmas Scavenger Hunts & I Spy Games, and much more!
Hilarious Minute to Win It Games for the Holidays
A few years ago I planned my first grader’s Christmas party and during it, we played a bunch of Minute to Win it Christmas games. The kids had a blast and other classes kept peaking in to see what all the laughter and cheers were about.
Christmas is just around the corner, and you know what that means—it’s time for festive fun, family gatherings, and finding new ways to keep the kids entertained without the help of screens!
If you’re tired of the same old holiday activities and want something fresh, energetic, and guaranteed to make everyone laugh, then “Minute to Win It” Christmas games are your perfect solution.
These games are quick to play, easy to set up, and require minimal materials (many of which you already have around the house). Plus, they’re not just for kids—the whole family can join in, making them the perfect addition to your Christmas Eve or Christmas Day traditions.
Whether you need to fill some time while the roast cooks, or you want to keep the kids from sneaking another candy cane off the tree, these games will do the trick. They’re designed to bring out the laughter, the competition, and let’s be real—a little bit of chaos. So grab your Christmas spirit, a few simple supplies, and get ready to enjoy these hilarious “Minute to Win It” Christmas challenges!
Silliness and laughter guaranteed!
Have fun planning your next party, or pulling these out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for activities to do with your family.
Why “Minute to Win It” Christmas Games?
First off, let’s talk about why “Minute to Win It” games are perfect for the holiday season. If you’ve never played them before, here’s the gist: the games are designed to be completed in—you guessed it—under a minute. This adds a fun pressure element as players race against the clock to complete goofy, fast-paced challenges. The best part? These games aren’t just a blast to play, but they also take the edge off any holiday stress because they’re all about having fun, not perfection. Plus, they’re versatile enough for all ages, which means whether you’ve got little ones in the house or your teenager who’d rather Snapchat, everyone can get involved.
What’s even better is that you can adapt these games to fit any Christmas theme. From jingle bells to candy canes and reindeer games, the possibilities are endless when it comes to giving your Minute to Win It games a holiday twist. It’s a wonderful way to bring a bit of competition into the festivities without it getting too serious—except maybe when Uncle Dave insists on beating everyone.
Setting Up for “Minute to Win It” Fun
The beauty of “Minute to Win It” games is that you don’t need much to get started. You can find most of the supplies you need right at home or with a quick trip to the dollar store. Things like paper plates, plastic cups, cotton balls, candy canes, and Christmas ornaments are perfect for creating these challenges. The best part is that the setup is quick and the mess is minimal (hallelujah!).
Before you get started, make sure you’ve got a timer on hand—this is key! You can use your phone, a kitchen timer, or even set the stopwatch on someone’s smartwatch to keep things official. If you’re hosting a big group, you might want to make a scoreboard to keep track of who’s winning the most games. You can even give out small prizes, like candy canes or holiday trinkets, to up the stakes!
And now, for the fun part—the games themselves. We’ve rounded up the best “Minute to Win It” Christmas-themed games that will have everyone from toddlers to grandparents in stitches.
12 Minute to Win It Christmas Games That’ll Have You Rolling on the Floor
These “Minute to Win It” games are the perfect way to bring family and friends together for some festive fun. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or just looking to add some excitement to your family’s Christmas celebration, these quick and simple games will bring laughter, competition, and joy to all.
Adults and kids alike will be lining up to play these games at your holiday party!
You don’t need to overcomplicate things to make your holiday memorable—just a few everyday supplies and a minute on the clock.
So why wait? It’s time to get in the holiday spirit with these unforgettable games!
Here are the 12 best Minute to Win it Christmas Games out there.
1) Snowball Scoop
Supplies: Cotton balls, spoons, bowls Using only a spoon (held in their mouths, of course!), players must transfer as many “snowballs” (cotton balls) from one bowl to another in one minute. The trick is the cotton balls are super light, so scooping them up without knocking them all over the place takes some skill.
This game is perfect for all ages, and it’s as funny to watch as it is to play. You can make this more challenging by adding obstacles or increasing the distance between the bowls.
What You’ll Need:
- bowls
- plastic spoons
- 1 inch white pom poms or cotton balls
Directions:
Give each player two bowls; one with fifteen white pompoms and a plastic spoon in it and one empty bowl. Once the clock starts, the players each have one minute to transfer the pompoms (snowballs) into the empty bowl using only their mouth to hold the plastic spoon.
The idea is from The Chaos and The Clutter.
2) Scents of Christmas
Fill each box with seasonal smelling items, and assign a number to each small box (party hostess will need to keep a cheat sheet handy).
Players have one minute to smell each box and match them with the plated object. Fun smelling ideas include pine, candy cane, candle, fresh cookie, cloves, orange, trick items, etc.
What You’ll Need:
- 6 – 10 scented items that can fit into a small box
- 6 – 10 containers / boxes
Idea from Happiness is Homemade
3) The Flour Game
This is one of my favorite minute to win it games and I know it’s going to become a family favorite at the holidays, at yours too!
What You’ll Need:
- Flour,
- dinner plate
- measuring cup
- butter knives
- one piece of candy
To play the game, you fill a teacup or measuring cup with flour, and packing it down firmly. Flip it over onto a plate, then place a Lifesaver candy on the top of the packed flour mound. Each person takes a turn cutting the flour with a knife. Whoever makes the Lifesaver FALL has to fish it out with their mouth.
The catch – no hands allowed!
This game was created by One Good Thing
4) Chopsticks & Marshmallows Game
How many marshmallows can you pick up with chopsticks in one minute? The winner is the person who picks up the most and puts them in a bowl or container nearest them in 60 seconds.
What You’ll Need:
- one bag of marshmallows
- pairs of chopsticks
- bowl / container
Game idea from I Heart Arts and Crafts
5) Reindeer Antler Game
This is such a funny game for both adults and kids. Using just pantyhose (make sure you buy an XXL pair) and balloons you can play the game following the directions from Intelligent Domestications.
What You’ll Need:
- XXL and bigger size pair of pantyhose
- balloons
Game idea is from Intelligent Domestications
6) Jingle Bell Tissue Box Shake
For this hilarious game, strap an empty tissue box to the player’s waist (using a belt or scarf), and fill the box with jingle bells. The player has one minute to shake their hips as fast as possible to get all the jingle bells out of the box. It’s like twerking, but with more holiday spirit! The first one to empty their box wins.
Trust me, watching people shake out jingle bells will have everyone in stitches!
Attach a long bungee strap to a tissue box or loop it through a belt or piece of fabric.
What You’ll Need:
- empty tissue boxes
- bungee straps or a belt or scarf
- jingle bells or one small bag of mini marshmallows per player
How to Play:
Try to find a tissue box with a dispenser hole centered. Strap the tissue boxes to the player’s waist – with the box on the back side and when you’re ready to go, fill the boxes with jingle bells or an entire bag of mini marshmallows. Players in under 1 minute must shake all the items out of the box.
Minute to Win It Idea from Kid Friendly Things to Do
7) Candy Cane Hook’em
his game is like a holiday-themed version of fishing. Tie a string around the curved end of a candy cane, and place small holiday items on a table. Each player has one minute to use their “candy cane fishing pole” to hook as many ornaments (or whatever small items you choose) as possible. No hands allowed!
This game is trickier than it sounds but will have everyone laughing as they try to snag the goods.
What You’ll Need:
- Candy canes
- string
- small holiday items (mini ornaments or marshmallows)
Hook the most candy canes using only your mouth and place them in a jar in just one minute.
Game is from Happiness is Homemade
8) Snowman Shake
You can prep this game by decorating white ping pong balls to look like snowman faces.
What You’ll Need:
- White ping pong balls or ball ornaments
- tissue boxes
- duct tape
- panty hose
Fill an empty tissue box with the snowmen ping pong balls and tape the tissue box (or use a velcro belt glued to the box) to someone’s backside and the player has to shake all of the snowmen out of the tissue box before the time runs out. Or if you’d rather not decorate like snowmen, use ornaments instead.
Idea is from Play Party Plan
9) Face the Gingerbread Man
All you need is a small gingerbread men (one per person whose playing the game), and you begin the game with it on each person’s forehead. The players have one minute to get the cookie into their mouth using only their facial movements. No hands allowed!
What You’ll Need:
- Gingerbread men cookies
Game is from The Chaos and the Clutter
10) Whip Cream Shovel
Start with a plate, then place about 20 – 25 candy gumdrops on the plate and cover it up with whipped cream. Only using their mouths, players will need to locate the gumdrops under the whipped cream and transfer them into the bowl that is waiting in under 1 minute.
The trick to this game? You cannot use your hands!
What You’ll Need:
- 1-2 bags of gumdrops
- Plate
- Whipped cream
Game idea is from Kid Friendly Things to Do
11) Christmas Tree Stack
This is a simple but fast-paced game. Players must stack plastic cups into a pyramid (like a Christmas tree) and then unstack them within one minute.
It might sound easy, but the pressure of the ticking clock makes it much more challenging. Whoever finishes the stack (and unstack) first wins. This is also a great game for improving motor skills while keeping the festive vibes high.
Estimate of 24 – 36 cups per player.
What You’ll Need:
- Plastic cups (points for green or red themed cups!)
Players must stack up a pile of cups and then place them back into a single stack in under a minute.
Goofy game idea from Happiness is Homemade
12) North Pole Pop Game
Players, wearing winter mittens or gloves, have to pop 10 balloons using just their hands before the time runs out. Definitely one of the most fun minute to win it Christmas games for adults! Here are some fun holiday balloons that’d be fun!)
What You’ll Need:
- Balloons
- Winter gloves or mittens
Game source unknown.
These are just a few of the best “Minute to Win It” Christmas games that are guaranteed to be a hit at any holiday gathering. Whether you’re planning games for a classroom Christmas party or need something to keep the kids occupied while you wrap presents, these games will get everyone involved and bring lots of laughter. Plus, they’re easy enough to set up on a whim, meaning more time enjoying the holidays and less time stressing over activities.
So grab your supplies, set the timer, and let the Christmas fun begin!
More Christmas Games and Holiday Fun:
- 25 Best Minute to Win It Games for Family Fun Night: Quick, Easy, and Hilarious Ideas
- 25 Best Minute to Win It Games for Family Fun Night: Quick, Easy, and Hilarious Ideas
- Traditional Christmas Coloring Pages for Kids
- Free Printable Christmas Coloring Pages PDF / Printable Christmas Placemats
- 48 Elf on the Shelf “Caught You Being Good” Notes
- 35 Funny & Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- 5 Gift Rule Christmas: Want Need Wear Read (& A Special Family Tradition You Need)
- Letter to Santa & Certificate for Making Santa’s Nice List
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