25 Youth Group Christmas Games and Activities

Found On Phone: Christmas Edition - Print out a list and have students work in teams and use one or two team members' phones to check off items from the list (one point per item) such as photos of snow, gift ideas, Christmas trees, Christmas lights; contacts with the name Mary, Joseph, Jesus; previous text with some type of Christmas emoji or gift idea; a Christmas playlist; and an organizing or list-making app. They have to already exist somewhere on the phone — no web searching allowed.
Christmas One Word Guessing Game - Teams of four are needed for this game so depending on your group size, print enough clue cards for each team. Print one Christmas-related word on a card (songs, holiday-related treats, decor), have three on the team each say one word that describes the word on the card, the "guesser" only has one guess of the Christmas word their team is describing.
Worst Family Christmas Card Photo Competition - Have volunteer leaders and kids bring goofy props and clothing (be sure to return at the end of the night), then divide them up into teams and have them go into separate rooms. They have 10 minutes to take 10 pictures on someone's phone to be voted on for "Worst Family Christmas Card." You can also award prizes for most unique use of a prop, worst dressed and most unique facial expressions. Show some examples from the web before you start to inspire your students!
Gratitude Game - This game is best for smaller groups — everyone partners up, sits in a circle, and one partner is given a gift bag. On "go," gift bag partner runs out of room to find a "gift" around the church (square of toilet paper, pen or you can supply a "gift box" with dirty socks and other unique gifts). They must return and go around the circle, giving their gift to their partner. The partner thanks them and adds a sentence of what they like about the gift, how they will use it or enjoy it: "Thank you so much for this square of toilet paper. Though I will only use it once, I will think of you and be thankful for it." Partners take turns giving gifts for several rounds. Give prizes for most creative thank you, most sincere thank you, etc.

North Star Dance - Make a fun playlist of Christmas remixes (google Christmas rap music), have students dress in white (and give each a Santa hat for a fun touch), rent a blacklight, buy glow bracelets, and host your own seasonal dance with a hot chocolate bar (include all the fixings) and self-decorated cookies. Break halfway through to do a creative retelling of the Christmas story or gospel message.
Christmas Kindness Paper Chain - Pre-cut red, green and white paper strips and have students write an act of kindness they can do on each strip, counting down to Christmas day. Create paper chains for the students to take home and decorate their bedrooms and tear off a ring each day and do the act of kindness!
Holiday Sock Exchange - Instead of a white elephant gift, have students bring a festive pair of socks and read a Christmas story where on certain words they pass it in a certain direction (just search for "Left Right Christmas Story" online to find examples).
Christmas Display Outing - This activity is more of an outing, and a wonderful way to get a 3D view of the Christmas story. Organize your youth group to see a local live nativity. Use a sign up to recruit parent drivers for your group and meet back at the church for fellowship, cookies and hot chocolate after. For small groups, go in cars to look at light displays and challenge students to find ways to be a light in the darkness during the holidays.
Outreach to Shoppers - Get your youth group together on a busy December morning to hand out cocoa or coffee at a nearby shopping area, offer complimentary gift wrapping, and give out postcards inviting folks to a special Christmas church service.
Christmas Party for Older Foster Care Children - This one will take more organizing but is a win/win activity for your youth and the organization involved! Reach out to a local youth homeless shelter or program that assists those aging out of foster care. If there is a shelter, work with staff to host a holiday party at their facility, or collect a wish list, gather gifts and decorate small trees to be delivered by the group.
Church Staff Appreciation - Another party your students can host is for your own church staff! Have students use a sign up to volunteer potluck dishes and donations for a gift exchange. Incorporate some of the games mentioned above and have a festive photo booth to help commemorate the evening.
Salt Dough Ornament Making - Find a recipe online for good old-fashioned salt dough and use it for ornament-making. For older students, you can even provide the ingredients and have them make the dough themselves before cutting with cookie cutters. Poke a hole for hanging and then leaders can bake the ornaments to distribute at the next youth group. Students can make multiples to give as gifts.
Christmas Gratitude Letter Writing Party - Gather cardstock, markers and colored pencils and a box of envelopes and have students write letters to bus drivers, favorite store cashiers, school administrators, pastors and church staff. Provide holiday cookies and cider, put on some festive music, and let the words of encouragement flow! End the evening with a gift exchange and games.
Twelve Days Non-Sing Along - This is great for a large group — divide up your youth group by having them count off by 12 and hand each group a slip of paper with one of the objects from the 12 Days of Christmas. When you say "go," the teams must silently line themselves up according to where their team's object goes in the song by communicating without words to the other 11 groups. You can redistribute the objects several times to see if they can get it faster or have a speed round dividing the song in half and posing the last six against the first six seeing who can line up fastest.