Christmas Password Game

And the password is…. The holidays are a wonderful time to gather with family and friends and enjoy time together. One of my favorite holiday traditions is playing Christmas Password. This classic word-guessing game is a fantastic way to bring joy, laughter, and a touch of competition to your Christmas celebrations. It is a wonderful way to get your loved ones into the holiday spirit. 

Christmas Password Game Instructions 

Equipment: 

• List of 20 or more Christmas words
• Timer/stopwatch
• Pen and paper to keep score

Setup

• Split into two teams.
• Choose one person to be the moderator.
• Each team designates 1 clue giver and 1 guesser for each round. 

How to Play

• The moderator secretly shows the same password word to one member of Team A and one member of Team B.
• Those two members take turns giving one-word clues to one of their teammates. 
• They alternate clues, going back and forth until one team guesses the word.
• Teammates get one guess after each clue.
• Team has 30 seconds to make a guess after each clue is given.
• If a team guesses correctly, they get 1 point.
• First team to 10 points wins.

Gameplay Example

• Moderator shows the password “Santa” to Team A and Team B clue givers.
• Team A clue giver says north and team A guesser says pole. 
• Team B clue giver says sleigh and team B guesser says reindeer.
• Team A clue giver says suit and team A guesser says Santa. Team A gets 1 point.
• Next round starts with new password word from moderator, new clue giver and new guesser  for each team.
• Team B now gets to give first clue since Team A went first last round. 
• Continue alternating clues and guesses until one team reaches 10 points to win!

Scoring

• Each correctly guessed word or phrase earns the team one point.
• The moderator will keep score.
• For a quick game, play 5 or 10 rounds. For a longer game, play until a team reaches 10 or 15 points. This keeps it moving enough that everyone stays engaged.

Rules of Christmas Password

1. Clue-givers cannot use any part of the secret word in their clues or turn ends.

2. Clue-givers must not use rhyming words or make sounds that directly represent the secret word or turn ends. 

3. The use of gestures is not allowed or turn ends.

Possible Words for Christmas Password

Here are over 40 Christmas-themed words to get you started:

• Angel, Bells, Bethlehem, Bows, Candy 
• Carols, Chestnuts, Cookies, December, Eggnog 
• Elf, Fireplace, Fruitcake, Garland, Gingerbread, 
• Holly, Jesus, JIngle, Lights, Mary, Mittens
• Mistletoe, Nativity, Nutcracker, Ornament 
• Poinsettia, Presents, Reindeer, Ribon, Rudolph 
• Santa, Scarf, Skates, Sled, Snowball 
• Snowman, Stable, Star, Stocking 
• Tinsel, Tree, Turkey, Wreath, Wrap

Variations of Christmas Password

• Christmas Charades– Instead of giving verbal clues, players act out the secret words or phrases, just like in charades.
• Holiday Pictionary- In this version, players draw the secret words or phrases on a whiteboard or paper instead of providing verbal clues.
• Themed Categories- Have specific categories like Christmas Songs, Christmas Movies, or Holiday Foods to make the game even more challenging.
• Christmas Password Relay- Create a relay-style game where teams compete against each other to guess the most words within a set time frame.
• Naughty or Nice– one team does nice words (jolly, holly, merry, festive, etc.), the other naughty words (coal, Grinch, Scrooge, humbug, regifting, etc.).

There you have it, the Christmas Password Game —a fantastic way to add a dash of competitive holiday spirit to your gatherings. This festive adaptation of the classic word-guessing game brings a whole new level of excitement, laughter, and camaraderie to your Christmas celebrations.

Whether you’re playing with your closest relatives around the fireplace or hosting a larger holiday party, this game will undoubtedly elevate the festivities. It’s an opportunity to bond, share your love for the holiday season, and create magical moments that will be remembered long after the last snowflake has fallen. May your games be filled with joy, laughter, and the spirit of the season.