4 Fun Kids Christmas Games

By Nicola Fourie

Whether they're for Christmas parties or family games nights, these kids Christmas games are a whole load of

fun for kids and adults.

Wrapping the Gift Race

Materials Needed:

* Small Christmas gift
* Thick mittens
* Scarf
* Hat

Instructions:

* Each kid have to wrap a small Christmas gift with thick mittens, a scarf and hat on (the fastest to do

this is the winner).

Christmas Freeze Dance

Materials Needed:

* Christmas Music - Christmas carols

Instructions:

* Young children love the "freeze dance" which is often played in preschool and kindergarten. Only in

this game, you create a Christmas freeze dance: here you play some Christmas music, let the children do a

little dance, then turn the music off and the children must "freeze".

Penguin Race

Materials Needed:

* Ball

Instructions:

* Divide the kids into two teams.
* The players at the start line should put a ball between their knees and waddle to a designated spot and

back.
* Ask the next one in line does the same until all kids have had their turn.
* If the ball is dropped, they must return to start and begin waddling again. The team that finishes

first wins.

Christmas Card Toss

Materials Needed:

* Bucket
* Christmas Cards
* Small Christmas Toys or ornaments

Instructions:

* Have you ever tried throwing Christmas cards into a bucket? It's quite difficult!
* This kids Christmas game can be very frustrating for little kids, too! For children up to six, gather

together a selection of small Christmas toys or ornaments to throw, as well as a couple of Christmas cards.
* Tell the older kids they're not having it so easy - and include more cards or only cards if they feel

up to the challenge!

Fun Christmas Games for Adults

By John Todd

While we usually tend to focus on games to keep the kiddies entertained, adults can have their games too!

Santa Beard

Adults may find this game fun if they don't mind getting a bit gooey for a short time! Divide up into 2 teams

and get some Vaseline and a bowl of cotton ball for each team. Each team member will put some Vaseline on

their chins, and then each team member will run up and dip their chins in the bowl of cotton balls and run

back so the next member can have a turn. You'll want to get as many cotton balls to stick to your chin as

possible. The first team to have all members with a beard wins the game! You should be sure and get some

pictures and it will make for good laughs in holidays to come! Of course you'll also want to have some towels

and warm water to remove the Vaseline.

Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt was always a fun game as a kid, but just because you're an adult doesn't mean you can't

still have one! This scavenger hunt will be for items all related to Christmas since it is that time of year.

Divide up into teams of 4 will work best, then give them the list of items they need to gather.

You can contain the search to items that can be found in your home or you can make it even more fun and let

them run all over town trying to find the items on the list. You should be creative when coming up with the

items and include things such as a picture at a particular location, or a certain type of Christmas box. It's

a great way for everyone to work together and have some fun in the process!

John Todd

4 Joyful Childrens Christmas Games

By Nicola Fourie

t's Christmas time again. These joyful childrens Christmas games are sure to get you into the holiday spirit.

Stuff Santa Game

Materials Needed:

* 2 sweat suits / oversized shirts
* 2 sweat pants
* Balloons

Instructions:

* Divide guest into two teams. One green and the other red. Then provide 1 sweat suit or oversized shirt

and sweat pants and an equal number of balloons to each team. If possible color coordinate the sweat suit and

balloons so they are all green and all red.
* Each team picks one person to get into the "Santa suit" (sweat suit) and when the time starts, they try

to stuff as many balloons into the sweat suit as possible within the time limit.
* The team that has the most balloons at the end of 3 minutes is the winner. The Stuffed Santa is quite a

sight, so have your camera ready.

Guess What's Under the Christmas Blanket

Materials Needed:

* Blanket
* Selection of everyday objects


Instructions:

* Hide the item under the blanket and pop it under or near the tree.
* Your little one has to try to guess what is hidden.
* You can give clues first of all to see if they can guess without feeling.
* Then they can pat the top of the blanket and see what they think.
* Then they can feel under the blanket, too!
* our child might like to choose something for you to guess next time round.

Rudolph Dash Game

Materials Needed:

* Vaseline / petrolium jelly
* Red colored paper

Instructions:

* This game is a type of relay race that requires putting Vaseline and red colored paper onto their

noses.
* Each child needs to run to a certain point and then return so that the next child can put the petrolium

jelly and paper on and run.
* If the paper falls in mid way then the child is required to run to the back to fetch another paper and

stick them to their nose once again.

What's That on the Christmas Tree?

* More Childrens Christmas games fun - attach something that has nothing to do with Christmas and see if

the kids can spot what it is!
* You could try a baby's booty, a plastic spoon, a piece of rolled up newspaper, or even a ping-pong ball

to name but a few.

For 365 surefire ways to keep your kids entertained each day of the year, find more great Childrens Christmas

games including party games, educational games, preschool games and games for every holiday at

http://www.365KidsGames.com

5 Jolly Preschool Christmas Games

By Nicola Fourie

Christmas games for children are so jolly! Preschool Christmas games for little ones get the kids in the

holiday spirit, and keep them occupied and out of mischief!

Christmas Garland Limbo Activity

Materials Needed:

* Christmas Garland, about 2 feet
* Christmas CD/Tape
* CD/Tape Player

Instructions:

* Pop a holiday CD in the radio to set the mood.
* Appoint two preschoolers to hold the limbo "pole."
* Have each preschooler hold onto an end of the Christmas garland and stand next to one another, pulling

the garland taut to create the limbo pole.
* Have preschoolers form a line and take turns seeing how low they can go.
* If you want your Christmas garland limbo activity to be a competition, eliminate preschoolers after

they fail to make it under the limbo "pole."
* The preschooler who is able to slide under the limbo pole at it's shortest height wins.

Candy Cane Pass (Relay Race)

Materials Needed

* 4 candy canes per team (have a few extras due to breakage).

Instructions:

* The first player holds 4 candy canes between his/her fingers and passes them down the line, teammate to

teammate, without dropping any.
* The first team to pass the candy canes all the way down the line are the winners.

Ring the Bell

Materials Needed:

* Cardboard
* Bells
* Ribbon
* Bean Bags

Instructions:

* Cut a large bell shape out of a large piece of cardboard.
* Attach bells to a piece of ribbon.
* Then attach the ribbon to the top of the bell cutout.
* Let your children throw bean bags or balls through the hole and ring the bell.

Christmas Match

Materials Needed:

* Cardboard
* Pair of scissors
* Pencil

Instructions:

* Create several different Christmas Shape Cutouts (Santa, stocking, ornaments, Christmas Trees, etc).

Cut them in half and then have your children match the halves.

More Christmas activities and preschool Christmas games:

Mini Stocking Advent Activity Preschoolers will delight in counting the days till Christmas by discovering a

holiday trinket in a mini stocking each day until December 25.

Candy Cane Tree Advent Activity Preschoolers will enjoy decorating a small Christmas tree with a candy cane

each day until Santa arrives.

4 Fun Christmas Games For Children

By Nicola Fourie

Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings a whole lot of joy. Children, especially, love to

have games and amusements at this time of the year, so get ready for lots of laughs and enjoy spending time

with your family.

1. Christmas Games For Children - Jolly St. Nicholas

* One child is chosen to represent Jolly St. Nicholas or Santa Claus and stands in the center of the

room.
* The other children stand around in a circle while Santa Claus reads his rules of good behavior to them

which are as follows:--
* "You must speak when you are spoken to. Do you understand?" (The children reply, "Yes, sir.")
* "You must come when you are called. Come here." (The children run toward Santa Claus and stand still

when he raises his hand.)
* "You must keep your place." (The children return to their former places.)
* "You must be asleep by eight o'clock." (Santa Claus counts eight and the children must all close their

eyes by the time he says 'eight.')
* "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The children are supposed to keep their eyes closed and

when Santa Claus gives them something (which will be a little tap on the hand or a light trod on the foot, a

kiss, a hug or gentle pull of the hair or ear or something of that sort,) the recipient must pass it on to

the next who passes it on to the next, and so on.
* If Santa Claus observes anyone disobeying his rules he tags them and they are out of the game. If any

of the children succeed in being perfectly good children they are given a suitable prize by Santa Claus, and

another Santa Claus chosen if it is desired to continue the game.

2. Christmas Games For Children - Christmas Stocking

* Paint or draw on a sheet the picture of a fireplace.
* Tack this to the wall and after providing each child with a small stocking and pin, blindfold them in

turn, telling them to hang up their stocking at the mantel.
*
* Drop a small toy in the stocking of those who succeed before taking the handkerchief from their eyes.
* Those who fail may have one more turn after all have had a chance.

3. Christmas Games For Children - Christmas Candles

* Place on a low table a small Christmas tree, on which there is arranged lighted candles.
* Blindfold each child in turn, having them stand about one foot away with their back turned toward the

tree.
* He is then told to take three steps forward, turn around three times, then walk four steps and blow as

hard as he can.
* A prize is awarded to the one who blows out the most candles.

4. Christmas Games For Children - Holly Wreath or Snowball

* Make several snowballs from crepe paper or white cotton.
* Hang a large holly wreath in the doorway and let each child in turn try to throw his snowball through

the wreath.
* The players who are successful throw three balls through the wreath, and the one who throws them all

through receives a prize.

Christmas Games For the Entire Family

By Adriana Copaceanu

Playing Christmas games is a great way to brighten up your holiday. There is no reason to do the same old

thing when you could start great new traditions with your family this holiday season. Always be on the

lookout for new game ideas because they really do bring your family closer together.

One great Christmas game you can play involves buying Christmas poppers. These are wrapped cylinders that

contain a prize inside. Two people hold either side in their hands and tug with all their might. One of the

people will pull off the side with the prize and they are the winner.

Another great Christmas game you can play is Pin the Tail on the Reindeer. This is a spin on the old game Pin

the Tail on the Donkey. You will need to get a picture of a Reindeer or draw one. You will need to make

several tails for people to try and pin on the Reindeer.These can just have tape on the end if you're

uncomfortable using pins with younger family members.

Then, blindfold each person in turn. Spin the first person around three times, and see if they can pin the

tail on the Reindeer in the right spot. Each person gets a turn to try and pin the tail in the right spot.

Maybe the winner can get a Christmas cookie! This is definitely one of the best Christmas games.

You can actually make almost any game into a great Christmas game. If you have a favorite, adapt it to fit

the holiday theme. One great example is Christmas tag. One person can be "it". That person has to try and

chase all of the other people. In order to save yourself from being chosen, you have to say a Christmas word!

Some examples are Santa! Reindeer! Gifts! Thankfulness!

The possibilities are truly endless when you're considering different Christmas games. One activity that is

really fun is putting on a Christmas play. Make it into a game by seeing who can put on a play that has the

most Christmas spirit. Fine-tune it to make sure that it will be fun for your family.

Use your imagination when coming up with Christmas games. The best way to spread holiday cheer is to stick

together as a family. You'll have the most fun possible when you create new holiday traditions, as well as

sticking with your old ones.

Listen to some Christmas music to get into the holiday mood. And if you need some Christmas Gifts for Your

Husband come and see what husbands love.

Christmas Games - Is That You Santa?

By Terri Hunziker

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Santa Claus! But just how did this jolly old character come to be? Why does he wear a red suit and fly around with eight reindeer? How did he come to live in the North pole with all those elves? You may be surprised to learn where our favorite Christmas character got his start.

Our beloved Santa Claus is a jolly old man indeed. His origins began centuries ago as a saint known as St. Nicholas in an area known today as Turkey. Saint Nicholas was a very old, much loved and generous saint. Legend has it that he gave bags of gold to three daughters of a destitute nobleman. Lacking any money or property for a dowry, the nobleman had intended to sell his daughters into prostitution or slavery. St Nicholas rescued them by throwing bags of gold through the window so each had a proper dowry.

Stories of St. Nicholas’s good deeds multiplied. Over time, he became known as a protector and rescuer of children, parents, sailors and many others. By the time of the Renaissance, he had become the favorite saint of nearly everyone.

Though popular for centuries, St. Nicholas had no real history in Colonial America. However, during the Revolution, Dutch families, who had settled in New York City, began meeting annually on December 23 to celebrate the St. Nicholas on the anniversary of his death. St Nicholas celebrations and stories, as told by Dutch immigrants, helped to increased his recognition.

In 1809 Washington Irving’s History of New York, introduced St. Nicholas to a National audience. The book introduced St. Nicholas as a “friend to children” however, the description of him had little resemblance to the Santa Claus we know today. In 1822, Clarence Clarke Moore, a literature teacher of Dutch ancestry, wrote a poem for his children titled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.” In his poem St. Nicholas acquired a new appearance and a bright new personality. We know this poem today as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Moore was said to have modeled the new St. Nicholas after a “portly rubicund Dutchman” who lived near his father’s home in New York.

Moore’s poem was written as entertainment for his children only but the next year the poem was reprinted in a paper in New York with the title of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” It was said to have been submitted to the paper by a guest of the Moore family who visited during the Christmas season. Eventually, Moore published a collection of his poems, including “A Visit from St. Nicholas” in 1844. The poem was repeated sporadically throughout the Nation in various newspapers and publications during the Holiday season thus increasing the popularity of St. Nicholas.

Over time, Moore’s poem was illustrated and various versions of St. Nicholas attire emerged. The early drawings of St. Nicholas had no real resemblance to the Santa Claus we know today. Early St. Nicholas was often drawn with toys in one hand and a “switch” in the other. Toys for the good children and a threat of the switch for bad children. This depiction is related to the German version of St Nicholas known as Belsnickel. This version of St Nicholas likely derived from the large numbers of German settlers in New York and Pennsylvania areas.

By the beginning of the Civil War, Belsnickel had faded and a likeness more closely resembling modern Santa Clause begin to take shape. In 1842 a book, published in Philadelphia, titled Kris Kringle’s Christmas Tree, a holiday present for boys and girls included this updated illustration of Santa Claus. His actions were modeled after Moore’s poem except he put gifts on the branches of the Christmas tree and not in stockings.

Today Santa Claus, with his red fur lined suit, sack full of toys and flying reindeer are as central to the American Christmas as gift-giving. His actions set into the motion the excitement of Christmas eve and Christmas morning. He is a folk hero who provides children joy and wonderment of the season though his often told stories.

As a successful factory owner, philanthropist, and quasi-religious figure, Santa represents the wistful yearnings of a newer nation who embraces its wealth while still searching for spiritual meaning. Yes, Santa "sells" and his character has helped merchants sell their Christmas goods for centuries. For many he represents all that is wrong with the holiday season. For others he embodies kindness and good-will that best characterizes the meaning of the season.

No matter where you fall in your opinion of St. Nichols, St. Nick, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus or whatever you call him. There’s no denying that for American children there is no bigger delight than the wonder of his story and the joy of his character.

Christmas Games Any Age Can Enjoy

By Gail Leino

Christmas is a time of getting together and having a great time with those family and friends of all ages that you love to be around. Here are two Christmas games of all ages to ensure that everyone’s bellies shake when they laugh like a bowl full of jelly.

1. Pin the Nose on the Reindeer. This Christmas game is played like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, only instead of drawing a cute little donkey who is missing his tail, draw a reindeer who needs his bright red nose. Pin it at the proper height for the smallest guest to be successful in placing the nose back in place. Adult guests that play will need to do it on their knees, which can only make it even more fun to watch. The storyline to explain the game to the children goes something like this: Oh No! Rudolph caught a very bad cold that had him sneezing something awful. In fact he sneezed so hard that he sneezed the red light right off the tip of his reindeer nose. Each guest (of course this works best for the little ones) needs to look around the room and find a previously hidden red circle nose. Then, they get to put a blindfold on, get spun around three times and try to Pin the Nose on the Reindeer. Will someone help Rudolph light Santa’s way, or will he just look like he got a case of the measles?

2. That’s a Wrap - Christmas Style! Divide the guests into teams of 2. You will need a small box, some tape, a small piece of wrapping paper (that will cover the box), a curling ribbon, a gift tag and a pen for each team. Each team member will be required to put one arm behind their back. Then using only one hand each, the teams will take the box, tape it up, wrap it, put a ribbon and gift tag on it addressed to Santa. The first team to complete the task of wrapping the gift wins! Teamwork will make or break a team’s success.

Although the tough competition will certainly drive some guests to think of ways to win the game; remember to laugh and have fun, after all, it’s Christmas!