60 Christmas Icebreaker Questions (With Printables)
Remember those school dances where the boys and girls were too shy to mingle and ended up staring at each other from across the room while the music played? That’s pretty much the last thing you want for your Christmas event.
This is where icebreakers come in. Icebreakers are group activities that help everyone relax and get to know each other better. You’ve probably participated in one of these before, whether it was for school, work, church, or some other group.
Because some people dread icebreakers, it’s often best to keep it simple and non-threatening. Asking people to answer a “get-to-know-you” question about themselves is about as easy as it gets. So, to help melt away the awkwardness at your next holiday gathering, I’ve come up with these fun Christmas icebreaker questions.
Office Party
For a work event, icebreaker questions should be interesting without being too probing.
- What’s the most memorable present you’ve ever received?
- Describe a present you wanted badly as a kid, but never received.
- Name an outdoor winter activity you enjoy or would like to learn.
- What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
- What holiday movie or special do you watch over and over again?
- Describe a holiday travel experience you’ve had.
- What were the holidays like when you were growing up?
- Describe the perfect holiday meal.
- Name one thing you’re excited about in the coming year.
- What do you remember about winters growing up?
- What’s your favorite – or least favorite – Christmas song?
- If you could travel anywhere for the holidays, where would you go?
- Which of your coworkers is the jolliest?
- How would you spend a snowy day inside?
- If someone offered you a gift card to any store you wanted, which one would you choose?
- What’s your favorite holiday? Least favorite?
- What’s your favorite character from a Christmas-themed movie, book, or TV special?
- Would you make a good mall Santa? Why or why not?
- Would you rather watch a Christmas romance, a classic animated special, or a holiday-themed horror movie?
- What job would you have if you worked in Santa’s Workshop?
Family and Friends
For a more casual Christmas party, the icebreaker questions can be more personal.
- What’s the most memorable thing that’s happened to you since last Christmas?
- What character from “A Christmas Story” is most like you?
- What’s the most interesting Christmas decoration you’ve ever owned?
- What one thing are you most grateful for this holiday season?
- Share one vivid Christmas memory, good or bad.
- What’s the best gift you’ve ever given someone?
- Who is the biggest Scrooge or Christmas enthusiast you know?
- What’s the best way to spend Christmas Eve?
- I don’t start feeling the Christmas spirit until [fill in the blank].
- Who is the toughest person you have to buy for this year?
- Name something about the holidays that most people like, but you hate (or at least dislike).
- Would you rather spend an evening decorating, caroling or shopping at the mall?
- Talk about a memorable holiday event you attended.
- Would you rather have a white Christmas or spend the holidays at the beach?
- Real Christmas tree or artificial one?
- Talk about your customs for opening Christmas presents, either when you were a kid or now.
- What’s one thing you would change about the holidays if you could?
- Do you like your Christmas decorations to be tasteful, tacky, or somewhere in between?
- Which stays up longer at your place: Christmas decorations or Halloween decorations?
- The true meaning of Christmas is [fill in the blank].
Kid-Friendly
Kids don’t have the same range of experience as adults and may have trouble answering many standard icebreaker questions. Here are some questions designed for people of all ages.
- What’s the best toy you ever got at Christmastime?
- If you could only have one type of Christmas treat this year, what would you choose?
- Would you rather have three feet of snow for Christmas, or no snow at all?
- If you were Santa Claus, what type of cookie would you want left out for you on Christmas Eve?
- Would you rather build a snowman, go sledding, have a snowball fight, or stay inside drinking hot cocoa?
- If you could ask for one present for someone else, what would it be and who would it be for?
- Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list this year, and why?
- Would you rather be best friends with Rudolph, Frosty, or Buddy the Elf?
- Gingerbread or sugar cookies?
- Eggnog or hot chocolate?
- If you were adding a reindeer to Santa’s team, what would you name it?
- Which person in the room would be the best Santa’s Little Helper?
- Would you rather ride on Santa’s sleigh or the Polar Express?
- Do you have any ornaments that are special to you?
- If you could have one wish granted this Christmas, what would it be?
- Would you rather have a stocking full of little things or one big gift?
- Do you like the idea of the whole family dressing in matching Christmas pajamas?
- If you could design your own ugly Christmas sweater, what would it look like?
- Name someone who definitely belongs on Santa’s nice list this year.
- Rate your gift-wrapping skills on a scale of 1-10.
Printable Questions
For your holiday party convenience, here are printable versions of the questions on this page. Here’s a preview image showing what the printables look like:
Simply print out the files, cut along the lines, and toss the slips into a hat for people to draw. Please note that these files are for personal use only.
You know what else works well as an icebreaker? A gift exchange, of course! For small-to-medium-sized groups, a standard game of White Elephant is ideal. However, a gift exchange can work for larger groups as well.
