25 Christmas Minute to Win It Games (Supplies and Rules for Each)

Sixty seconds. One silly task. A room full of people cheering you on. Few party activities create as much noise for so little money as Christmas minute to win it games. Most of the supplies are already in your kitchen or your holiday decoration box.

Below are 25 Christmas minute to win it games with the supplies and rules for each one. They are sorted into kids, adults and team games, with a quick summary table, a scoring plan and tips for running a full tournament.

How to Run Christmas Minute to Win It Games

1. Pick 6 to 10 games for a one-hour party.
2. Set up stations on tables before guests arrive.
3. Use a phone timer with a loud alarm.
4. Demo each game for 10 seconds so everyone gets the rules.
5. Keep score on a whiteboard or poster.

Christmas Minute to Win It Games for Kids

1. Snowball Scoop

Use a spoon to move cotton balls from one bowl to another. No hands allowed. Most snowballs moved in 60 seconds wins.

Supplies: cotton balls, 2 bowls, spoon

2. Mitten Match

Dump 10 pairs of mittens or socks in a pile. Match as many pairs as possible before time runs out.

Supplies: mittens or holiday socks

3. Snowman Stack

Stack mini marshmallows into a tower using chopsticks. Tallest tower that stands for 3 seconds wins.

Supplies: mini marshmallows, chopsticks

4. Candy Sort

Sort a bowl of red and green candies into two cups. One hand only.

Supplies: red and green candy, 3 cups

5. Rudolph Nose

Put a dab of petroleum jelly on your nose. Pick up cotton balls with your nose and drop them in a bowl.

Supplies: petroleum jelly, cotton balls, bowl

6. Elf Chopsticks

Move wrapped candies from one plate to another with chopsticks.

Supplies: chopsticks, wrapped candies, 2 plates

7. Ornament Hang

Hang plastic ornaments on a small tree using one hand.

Supplies: plastic ornaments, tabletop tree

8. Jingle Bell Spoon Walk

Carry a jingle bell on a spoon held in your mouth across the room and drop it in a cup. Repeat.

Supplies: jingle bells, spoon, cup

Christmas Minute to Win It Games for Adults

These Christmas minute to win it games are a little harder and much sillier. They are perfect for office parties and grown-up gatherings.

9. Jingle Bell Shake

Tie an empty tissue box filled with jingle bells around your waist. Shake your hips until all the bells fall out.

Supplies: tissue box, jingle bells, belt or ribbon

10. Cookie Face

Place a cookie on your forehead. Move it to your mouth using only your face muscles. No hands.

Supplies: cookies

11. Reindeer Antlers

Wear pantyhose on your head. Your partner blows up balloons and stuffs them into the legs to make antlers. Most balloons in 60 seconds wins.

Supplies: pantyhose, balloons

12. Cup Tree

Stack 21 plastic cups into a Christmas tree pyramid (6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1). Then unstack it.

Supplies: 21 red or green plastic cups

13. Unwrap With Oven Mitts

Unwrap a small gift while wearing oven mitts. First to open it wins.

Supplies: oven mitts, wrapped box

14. Light Untangle

Untangle a knotted string of holiday lights.

Supplies: an old string of lights

15. Ornament Pyramid

Stack plastic ball ornaments into a pyramid that holds for 3 seconds.

Supplies: shatterproof ornaments

16. Santa Beard

Cover your face in a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Stick on as many cotton balls as possible without using your hands to hold them in place.

Supplies: petroleum jelly, cotton balls

Team Christmas Minute to Win It Games

17. Gift Wrap Race

Two players stand side by side. Each can only use one hand. Together they wrap a box with paper, tape and a bow.

Supplies: boxes, wrapping paper, tape, bows

18. Bow Stick

One player sticks as many self-adhesive bows as possible on a teammate in 60 seconds.

Supplies: self-adhesive bows

19. Snowball Bounce

Bounce ping pong balls off the table into a row of cups. Each landed ball counts.

Supplies: ping pong balls, 6 cups

20. Stocking Stuffer

Toss small soft items into a hanging stocking from 6 feet away.

Supplies: stocking, small soft toys

21. Present Stack

Stack empty wrapped boxes as high as possible. It must stand for 3 seconds.

Supplies: 10 empty wrapped boxes

22. Candy Cane Hook

Hold a candy cane in your mouth and use it to hook other candy canes off a table. For more ideas like this, see our candy cane games.

Supplies: candy canes

23. Snowflake Blow

Blow paper snowflakes across a table and into a box using only a straw.

Supplies: paper snowflakes, straws, box

24. Tinsel Pull

Pull tinsel strands from a pile one at a time using tweezers. Most strands wins.

Supplies: tinsel, tweezers

25. Elf Relay

Teams take turns running to a table, putting on an elf hat, scarf and mittens, then running back to tag the next player.

Supplies: hats, scarves, mittens

Christmas Minute to Win It Games Summary Table

Scoring and Prizes for Christmas Minute to Win It Games

• Winner of each game: 3 points. Second place: 2 points. Third: 1 point.
• Tie-breaker: A head-to-head Cookie Face round.
• Prizes: Gift cards, cozy socks, hot cocoa kits or a gold paper trophy.

Tips for a Better Tournament

• Buy shatterproof ornaments only. Glass breaks.
• Have wet wipes nearby for petroleum jelly games.
• Play upbeat holiday music during each round.
• Film the funniest moments. Slow-motion video of the Jingle Bell Shake is a guaranteed hit.

Want more holiday fun? Try our Christmas party games or Christmas gift exchange games.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Christmas minute to win it games should I plan?

Six to ten games fill about an hour, including setup and scoring.

Are Christmas minute to win it games safe for young kids?

Most are. Skip games with petroleum jelly or small candy for toddlers, and supervise any game involving balloons.

What is the cheapest game to play?

Cookie Face. All you need is a pack of cookies.

Final Thoughts

Christmas minute to win it games are cheap, fast and easy to set up. Choose your favorites, set up stations, start the timer and let the chaos begin.