Reindeer Games Christmas Party: 7 Team Challenges for All Ages

Want to make a Christmas party feel like an event without asking everyone to sit through a long set of rules? Run a Reindeer Games night. Divide guests into small teams, play a series of short challenges and keep a running score until one team earns the title of Santa's fastest crew.

These reindeer games work for families, teens and adult friends. The rounds alternate movement, guessing and a little creative thinking, so everyone gets a turn to shine. You can play five rounds in about 45 minutes or use the full seven for a longer party.

The Simple Reindeer Games Party Plan

Make two to four teams of three to six people. For a mixed-age gathering, put younger children with an older helper. Give each team a name, one pen and a sheet of paper. Explain the next round only when you reach it; there is no need to brief the whole evening at once.

Set out the supplies for each game before guests arrive: a basket and soft parcels, paper and pens, a playlist, socks or pom-poms, and a timer. Keep a clear path for the single relay, with food and breakables well away from it. The other rounds can happen around a table or in the living room.

Scoring: Award three points to the winning team, two to second and one to every other team that completes the round. For a tie, give the tied teams the same points. This rewards taking part without a complicated score sheet. Ask a guest to write down the totals after each game.

7 Reindeer Games for a Christmas Party

1. Pack Santa's Sleigh

What you need: A laundry basket and six to ten small, soft wrapped boxes or fabric parcels per team. Time: About five minutes.

Place each team's parcels at one end of a short, clear lane and its basket at the other. On “go,” one player carries one parcel at a time to the basket, returns and tags the next player. The first team to deliver all its parcels wins. If you have little room, have teams take timed turns on the same lane. No running indoors; a brisk walk makes this work safely for all ages.

2. Rudolph's Red Nose Pass

What you need: One large red pom-pom or soft red ball and one spoon per team. Time: Three to five minutes.

Line teams up. The first person carries the red nose on a spoon to a marked point and back, then hands both to the next player. If the nose falls, pick it up where it landed and continue. The first team to finish wins. For younger children, shorten the distance; avoid tiny pom-poms around under-threes.

3. Name That Reindeer Tune

What you need: A phone with six Christmas songs cued up, paper and pens. Time: Five minutes.

Play the first five seconds of each song. Teams write down the title and get one point per correct answer. Play a longer clip if nobody knows it. Include a mix of old and newer holiday songs so the round does not favor one age group. Highest score takes the round's three team points.

4. Reindeer Route Memory

What you need: Eight everyday Christmas objects on a tray, a cloth and paper for each team. Time: Five minutes.

Show the tray for 30 seconds, cover it and ask teams to list everything they remember. Use objects such as a ribbon, a cookie cutter, a gift tag and an ornament; avoid anything sharp or fragile. One point for each correct object, with the top total winning the round. For a tougher adult version, ask teams to recall the order of the objects too.

5. Build a Reindeer Story

What you need: Paper, pens and a timer. Time: Seven minutes.

Give every team the same opening line: “The reindeer arrived at the wrong house on Christmas Eve.” Each person adds one sentence in turn. After three minutes, teams read their stories aloud. Everyone votes for the funniest or most inventive story, but cannot vote for their own team. If children are playing, let an adult write down their ideas. Keep it to one short reading per team.

6. Antler Ring Toss

What you need: A reindeer antler headband or two sturdy cardboard antlers fixed to a chair, plus soft foam rings. Time: Five minutes.

Use the chair as the target rather than asking a person to stand still while others throw. Each team chooses three players, and each player gets two tosses from the marked line. One point per ring that lands on an antler; the highest total wins. Move the line closer for children and use only soft rings.

7. Santa's Final Delivery

What you need: Five written clues to common places in your home, with a small paper star at the last location. Time: Five to ten minutes.

Give every team the same first clue. Teams solve it and find the next clue at that location, continuing until they find their star. Put a copy of each clue at every stop so teams do not take another team's copy. Keep clues in shared rooms and avoid stairs, cupboards with cleaning products and private areas. Have teams walk, not race. The first team back with its star wins the final round.

Pick the Right Rounds for Your Group

For younger children: Play the nose pass, tray memory, sleigh packing and ring toss with short distances and an adult on each team. For teens: Use the full lineup, make the music current and let them choose team names. For adults: Keep the relay short and give more time to the story, tune and memory rounds.

If you have 20 to 50 guests, our Christmas games for large groups guide shows how to run simultaneous team rounds without long waits. For a different setup where people move between mini games at their own pace, try Christmas carnival games at home.

Food, Prizes and an Easy Finale

Serve food before or after the moving rounds so nobody has a plate in hand during a relay. Hot chocolate, popcorn, sliders and cookies are easy to set out. A silly prize such as first choice of dessert or a small treat for each winning teammate is enough; you do not need a prize for every round.

For a ready-made table game after the team challenges, the 22-game Christmas Party Games Bundle includes Pin the Nose on Rudolph, Christmas trivia, Pictionary and other games that work as a separate closing round. Use what suits your guests rather than trying to play everything in one night.

The best Reindeer Games party has quick transitions and plenty of chances for different people to contribute. Choose your favorite rounds, keep the rules short and let the team rivalry provide the festive energy.