13 Christmas Word Games
Christmas word games are an interactive way to build vocabulary, practice communication skills, and promote teamwork. Each game below is easy to set up, requires very little preparation, and works well for everything from warm-ups to full class review activities.
1. Christmas Scattergories
Christmas Scattergories is a vocabulary and quick-thinking game that works well as a warm-up or a competitive class activity.
The teacher begins by choosing a letter such as S for Santa or E for Elf. Students are then given a list of Christmas categories, for example, “winter foods,” “things you find on a Christmas tree,” “holiday movies,” or “words that describe snow.” Their task is to write one word for each category that begins with the chosen letter. After a few minutes, students compare their answers. If multiple groups wrote the same word, it does not earn any points, which encourages students to think more creatively.
2. Password: Christmas Word Game
Password is a fast-paced guessing game that gets students thinking creatively while also practicing descriptive language.
In the small-groups version, the class is divided into two teams. One student from the first team stands at the front of the room with their back to the projector screen so they cannot see the word. The teacher displays a Christmas-themed vocabulary word, and the rest of that student’s team must help them guess the word by giving short verbal hints. They must not use the actual word, and the team only has thirty seconds to get the student to guess correctly. After the time is up, the second team tries the next word in the same way. The team that correctly guesses the most words wins.
There is also a whole-class version for larger groups or when you want the activity to be more collaborative. In this version, one student volunteers to be the guesser while the rest of the class calls out hints. If the student guesses correctly, the class wins the round; if they cannot figure it out, the teacher wins instead. This simple setup creates a fun amount of pressure and excitement, and students love the challenge.
3. Christmas Word Scramble
In this simple Christmas word game, students try to decode scrambled Christmas words as quickly as possible. The teacher prepares a list of mixed-up holiday terms such as “IENRDEER” for “reindeer” or “GSKINOTC” for “stocking.” These can be displayed on a projector or printed as worksheets. Students can work individually or with a partner to unscramble each word. The first group to finish with all correct answers wins, or the teacher can give a set amount of time and award the win to the student or team with the most correct solutions.
4. Christmas Forbidden Words
Christmas Forbidden Words is similar to Taboo and is excellent for practicing descriptive speaking skills.
The teacher creates cards or a list of Christmas vocabulary, and for each main word, three or four “forbidden words” are listed. A student draws or is given a word and must explain it to their team without using any of the forbidden words. For example, if the word is “snowman,” the forbidden words might be “winter,” “cold,” and “build.” Students must describe the word in other creative ways, such as “It’s made of three round pieces and has a carrot for a nose.” Teams earn points for every correct guess before the timer runs out.
5. Christmas Code Names (Classroom Edition)
This is a classroom-friendly version of the popular game Codenames.
The teacher displays a grid of Christmas-themed words on the board or a large sheet of paper. The class is divided into two teams, and each team is secretly assigned a specific set of words from the grid. A clue-giver for each team gives a one-word clue followed by a number, such as “cold 2,” meaning there are two words in the grid related to that clue. The team then discusses which words might match the clue and tries to guess only their assigned words. The challenge is to avoid selecting the other team’s words or the neutral words. This game builds reasoning and teamwork while keeping students highly engaged.
6. Christmas Charades
This is the classic acting game with a Christmas twist.
The teacher prepares slips of paper with holiday-themed words and phrases such as “wrapping presents,” “sledding,” “Santa’s workshop,” or “decorating cookies.” One student comes to the front, draws a word, and acts it out silently while their team tries to guess what it is. Students cannot speak or make noises, so they must rely entirely on gestures and movement. The team earns a point if they guess correctly before time is up. This game is full of laughter and works especially well during holiday parties or the last week of school.
7. Christmas Pictionary
Christmas Pictionary works similarly to charades but involves drawing instead of acting.
A student comes to the board, receives a Christmas-themed word from the teacher, and draws it as quickly and clearly as possible. Their classmates try to call out the correct answer. The student cannot write words or letters—only pictures. This game is especially good for students who enjoy being creative and artistic, and it can be played in teams or as a whole class.
8. 20 Questions
20 Questions is a guessing game that encourages students to ask thoughtful yes-or-no questions.
One student secretly chooses a Christmas-themed object, such as “candy cane,” “reindeer,” “chimney,” or “ornament.” To keep the game fair, the student should write the word on a piece of paper and fold it so others cannot see it. The rest of the class takes turns asking yes-or-no questions to narrow down the options. They may ask things like “Is it something you eat?” or “Is it found indoors?” The class gets up to twenty questions to figure out the object. If they guess correctly before reaching twenty, they win the round.
9. Christmas Alphabet Race
In this fast-paced vocabulary challenge, students write the letters A through Z down the side of a sheet of paper. Their goal is to think of a Christmas-related word for as many letters as possible within a limited time. Some letters are easy, such as “tree” for T or “angel” for A, while others require creativity, such as “icicles” for I or “yule log” for Y. At the end of the timer, students compare words. This is a great activity for building vocabulary and encouraging fluency under time pressure.
10. Guess the Christmas Song (Word Clues Version)
This game challenges students to identify well-known Christmas songs using short clue phrases.
The teacher prepares a list of creative description clues such as “calm night with a mother and baby” for “Silent Night” or “decorated home with festive branches” for “Deck the Halls.” The clues are read aloud one at a time, and students try to guess the correct song title. This is a simple, fun activity that can spark excitement, especially if the teacher plays a short music clip afterward.
11. Christmas Word Ladder
Word ladders are a great way to develop spelling and reasoning skills.
The teacher gives students a starting word and an ending word, such as changing the word “cold” into the word “warm.” Students must gradually transform the starting word into the ending word by changing one letter at a time, creating a real word at every step. This can be made Christmas-themed by choosing winter-related start and end words or by adding festive decorations to the worksheet. The first student or group to complete the entire ladder wins.
12. Christmas Hot Seat
This guessing game is similar to Password but focuses on categories.
One student sits in a chair with their back to the board while the teacher writes a Christmas-themed word behind them. The student’s team can describe the word only by using categories or general hints, such as saying “It’s something you hang,” “You find it in the kitchen,” or “It is related to Santa.” The team cannot say the word itself. The student has a short time limit to guess correctly. This game builds teamwork and encourages students to think about the characteristics of different vocabulary items.
13. Christmas Word Association Game
In word association games players quickly say the first related word that comes to mind in response to another word, creating a continuous chain of connected ideas.
The Christmas Word Association Game is an excellent warm-up or filler activity that encourages quick thinking and strengthens vocabulary connections. To play, the teacher begins by saying a Christmas-related word such as “snow,” “reindeer,” or “presents.” The student sitting closest replies with the first Christmas word that comes to mind. The game continues around the room, with each student building on the previous student’s word. For example, if the word “snow” leads to “snowman,” the next student might say “carrot,” followed by “reindeer,” “Santa,” or anything else that fits within the Christmas theme.
The goal is to keep the chain going without hesitation. If a student pauses too long, repeats a word that has already been said, or gives a word that is not truly connected to Christmas, they are out for that round. The game continues until only one student remains. For a cooperative version, the class can simply try to keep the chain going as long as possible without breaking it. This activity works beautifully as an energizer, helps students activate background knowledge, and can even serve as a vocabulary assessment disguised as fun.