by Joan Collins

Created on: November 26, 2009   Last Updated: December 19, 2010

Christmas parties can be the highlight of the holiday season, especially if they are well-planned. The food, decorations and music are fun elements of the party. Because people remember what they do more than what they hear or see, the party games are very important. This year, when you plan your Christmas party for the kids, these games should keep them entertained and smiling.

Christmas Wrapping Relay:

Divide the kids up into even teams. At the end of the room you will set out small boxes, wrapping paper rolls, tape and ribbons as well as scissors. When you shout go, the first member of the relay runs to the team's package and wraps it. As soon as the ribbon is on, he runs and tags the second member. This player runs down, unwraps the gift and then wraps it again. This is done until the last member of the relay team has a turn. The first team to sit down after each team member has wrapped the gift is the winner.

Present Musical Chairs:

Each child sets in a chair that have been placed in a circle of chairs. Each child should hold the gender-neutral gift he or she brought to the party. The children pass the presents to the right as a Christmas song plays on the CD player. When the music stops, each child opens the present on his or her own lap. Make sure that you note which gift a specific child starts with so you can make sure the gifts don't end up on the same lap they started on.

Santa Scramble:

Do you remember Upset the Fruit basket? Well, this game is the same thing only, instead of giving children the names of fruits, you give them Christmas names like the names of Santa's Reindeer or Christmas ornaments. When the leader calls one of the names, everyone has to change chairs. When the leader says "Santa Claus," everyone must change places. Of course, the leader calling the names tries to take one of the empty seats, leaving the left over player to be the next leader.

Santa Says:

In this Christmas version of Simon Says, Santa takes the lead and tries to fool the listeners into responding to actions Santa doesn't actually say to do. To keep children from sitting out a long time, let them rejoin the game each time a new person is eliminated.

Santa Clothing Relay:

Collect red clothes, black belts, red stocking hats and boots. Divide the students into even teams. At the sound of go, the first child in each group runs to the groups pile of clothes and dresses like Santa. The Santa hat should be the last thing the child puts on. Once they put the hat on, they take the clothes back off and tag the next player. The winning team will dress everybody and return to sit down before any other group.

Pin the Nose of Rudolph:

So many children's games can be altered to fit the holiday of choice and Pin the Tail on the Donkey is one of those games. Create a big drawing of Rudolph's head on a piece of foam board. Hang it on the wall. Cut out red, shiny noses. Let each child be blind-folded, one at a time, and allowed to pin the nose on Rudolph. The child coming closest to the white nose on the foam board wins the game.

Christmas comes but once a year. Create all the fun memories you can by playing fun party games at your next children's Christmas party.

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