Fun Holiday Games For Your Next Event

Holiday games are one of my favorite activities at family events because all ages are able to participate and the suspense keeps everyone involved!  For three of my top favorites, try one of the following at your next holiday event!

Left Center Right (LCR):

Object of the Game: Players start with poker chips and take turns rolling the dice to determine which direction they should pass their chips. The goal is to be the only player with any remaining chips.

Recommended Number of Players: Unlimited (Requires at least three)

Equipment: Three dice and poker/counting chips.  You can purchase the LCR dice and chips game too, which looks like this: LCR Dice Game.

Preparation: You can have a prize for the winner of the game, otherwise, you can just play to win. Nothing else is needed for this game.

How to Play:  Have the players sit in a circle, preferably at a table where the center of the table can be the pot for the poker chips.  Pick the person who will start the game and hand them the three dice.  Each player should have three chips in their hand, representing the three dice.  After the dice are rolled, you must take actions based on what is showing on the dice.

  • If playing with LCR dice:
    • Dot: Keep their poker chip
    • L: Hand their poker chip to the person on their left
    • C: Put their poker chip in the center, which is the pot
    • R: Hand the poker chip to the person on their right
  • If playing with normal dice:
    • 1, 2 or 3 = Dot
    • 4 = Left
    • 5 = Center
    • 6 = Right

Now the dice is handed to the person on their right and the same process is followed.  As players lose their chips, they can only roll the number of dice that they have in chips. Therefore, if they have two chips, they can only roll two dice.  Once a player runs out of chips, they are not out of the game, but they cannot roll until they have chips given back to them (by someone rolling a L or a R).  Once there is only one player left with chips in their hand, the game is over and that person wins the game.

Oven Mitt Unwrap

Object of the Game: Unwrap the box or gift the fastest using oven mitts

Recommended Number of Players: Unlimited

Equipment: Two dice, two oven mitts and wrapped gift(s)

Preparation: Wrap the gift/box with as much wrapping paper as you desire. The more you wrap, the longer the game will last.  If you are wrapping multiple gifts/boxes, you could wrap some less or more than others.  When wrapping, the more tape you use, the more difficult it is to unwrap and the longer the game will last.  We typically do this around a tables, so you have somewhere to throw the dice and lay the gift down in between turns.

How to Play: Have everyone participating stand in a circle or around the table.  Pick the person who will start the game and hand them the two dice.  Then have the person to their right put on the two oven mitts.  The person with the oven mitts will be the person who will try to unwrap the present.  The person with the dice will roll the dice and continue to roll the dice until they roll a double.  While they are rolling the dice, the person with the oven mitts on tries to unwrap the gift as fast as they can.  Once a double is rolled, the person with the dice hands the dice to the person on their left and then they take the mitts from the person on their right.  It is now their turn to try and unwrap the present before the person with the dice rolls a double.  This game will continue until someone successfully unwraps the present.

You may consider adding additional rules like only being able to open the gift with the mitts, so people do not try and use their teeth or part of the table to open the gift.

Plastic Wrap Unwrap

Object of the Game: Unwrap the ball of plastic wrap and obtain a gift

Recommended Number of Players: Unlimited

Equipment: Roll(s) of plastic wrap, little gifts (candy, cash, gift cards, toys, ornaments, mini bottles of alcohol, etc).

Preparation: Wrap gifts in plastic wrap, making it a large ball of wrapped gifts.  If you want to make a bigger ball with more gift options (to make the game last longer), use more plastic wrap.  The best gifts are great to put in the middle of the ball, which makes the end of the game more intense.

How to Play: Have everyone participating stand in a circle.  Pick the person who will start the game and hand them two dice.  Then hand the person to their right the plastic wrapped ball.  Once the person starts rolling the dice, the person with the plastic wrapped ball can try and start unwrapping.  They can keep as many gifts as they are able to unwrap until the person with the dice rolls a double.  The game continues until the ball is completely unwrapped and the last prize is obtained.

You may consider adding additional rules like having the person unwrapping the ball wear a blindfold.  With larger groups, you could have multiple balls being unwrapped at the same time.  You may want a kids ball and then an adults ball.

What fun games do you like to play at your holiday parties?

Jenna Marceau
Born and raised in Wichita, full of Shocker pride, Jenna is a boy mom to son's Aiden and Eli. She married her college sweetheart, Danny, and the two keep an active schedule that includes chasing their children and dogs around Northeast Wichita. Jenna is an executive for a local HR Outsourcing organization and a member of the Junior League of Wichita. She likes to spend her spare time helping others or volunteering around the community. You can catch her at local events, supporting entrepreneurs and participating in activities with friends and family. She is a total foodie, loves coffee and craft beer, is an avid podcast listener and is quite fond of a glass of Cabernet to end her day. Keep up with Jenna at @JenMarceau on Instagram!