A Drawn-Out Guide to Christmas Pictionary
You can make a Christmas version of just about any party game. I’ve already covered Christmas charades and Christmas trivia. But Christmas Pictionary? That’s where I draw the line.
Get it? Apologies for the sketchy pun.
All kidding aside, Christmas Pictionary is a great game to play at just about any holiday gathering, whether it’s in a classroom, office, or someone’s home. Like Christmas Mad Libs, it’s fun for all ages, easy to play, and dirt cheap to set up (thanks to free printable word lists like the ones below). If you’re thinking about organizing a game, this guide will tell you everything you need to know.
Printable Rules and Word Lists
Before we go any further, here are some printable rules and word lists that make running a game of Christmas Pictionary so much easier. Please note that these printables are all for personal, non-commercial use only.
Here’s a printable of the rules (click here or on the image below to view/download):
Here’s a two-page list of words and phrases for Christmas Pictionary. Simply cut along the lines to separate the slips, which can then be drawn from a hat. Click here or on the preview image below to download:
Here’s a fun Christmas Pictionary list featuring the songs of the season:
And here’s a list of classic Christmas toys:
Of course, you can find other Christmas-themed word lists on the internet as well, or even come up with your own. Just keep in mind that general lists or lists intended for other games (like charades) may not be well suited to Pictionary.
The Rules
Like charades, Pictionary is a guessing game with simple rules. Most people intuitively understand what to do, even if they’ve never played before. Still, it’s important to go over the rules to make sure there are no surprises.
Here’s what you need to get started:
- A medium for players to draw on, whether it’s a white board, oversized paper on an easel, or just plain old printer paper
- A pen or marker for drawing
- A timer of some sort
- A pen and paper for keeping score
- Slips of paper with Christmas Pictionary words on them (see below for word lists)
- A grab bag for people to randomly draw the slips of paper
Players should be divided into two equal teams. Here’s how the order of play works:
1. Team A chooses a player to draw first.
That player selects a slip of paper from the grab bag and keeps it hidden from other players (on both sides).
2. The player has one minute to draw the Christmas word or phrase on the slip.
The person drawing may not speak, use gestures, or write words or symbols.
3. If Team A guesses the word or phrase correctly within a minute, they score a point.
However, if the clock runs out without Team A guessing correctly, Team B may attempt to steal. In this case, Team B huddles up and decides on one guess. If correct, they score a point.
4. To complete the round, Team B gets a chance to draw (repeating the previous three steps).
The game continues in this fashion, with players taking turns being the drawer.
5. The game is over at the end of a round when one team has scored 25 points.
If the game is tied at 25, play extra rounds until one team is ahead at the end of a round.
Of course, you can tweak any of these rules as desired. For example, you can play to whatever score you like to shorten or lengthen the game (maybe 12 for the 12 days of Christmas?). Just make sure you specify what the rules are before you start playing the game.
Ideas For Organizers
The beauty of Christmas Pictionary is that it’s so easy and cheap to set up. In fact, you might want to take some of the time and money you saved to add a few extra touches. Here are some ideas:
- Have players draw with red and green markers. Not only does it fit the Christmas theme, but it adds some strategy as players decide what color to use for different parts of their drawings.
- Have players draw with a novelty Christmas pen (such as one that’s shaped like a candy cane).
- Select a sub-theme for the words and phrases you use, such as Christmas carols, Christmas movies, or toys. Just keep in mind that a narrower theme will make it easier to guess, so make sure the words are extra challenging.
- Play Christmas music while the clock is running, and cut it off when the clock has run out.
Naturally, I also recommend pairing your game of Christmas Pictionary with a White Elephant or Secret Santa gift exchange.
So, is Christmas Pictionary the best of all the holiday-themed party games? I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Get it? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist one final pun.
