Christmas Car Games

Christmas is almost here! I love this season of celebrating the birth of Christ.

However, between all the shopping and visiting, it seems like we spend much of this month in the car. To help make our drives more enjoyable and full of Christmas cheer, we started playing Christmas themed car games.

Whether you’re heading over the river and through the woods, or are just heading to the store for some eggnog, these games are perfect. They’ll help keep everyone’s mind busy and cut down on bickering. That way everyone will still be in the Christmas spirit when you arrive instead of being frazzled from a boring and long car trip.

Best of all, like my other car games, these don’t require any materials. You won’t have to try to remember to pack car game supplies before you leave.

1. Word Sing

In this game, the objective is to think of as many songs as possible that have the key word in them.

One person begins by picking a Christmas word. Then all players (including the person who gave the word) take turns naming songs containing that word.

The song doesn’t have to be a Christmas song. But, it must include the key word.

You can leave it at just listing if you’d like, but we love singing. So we always sing the verse with the focus word in it. It extends the fun and makes the game last a little longer.

Here are some examples:

Focus Word: Snow

Sample Songs:

• Let It Snow
• Let It Go
• Frosty the Snowman
• In the Bleak Mid-Winter
• Jingle Bells

Keep going until no one else can think of a song with the given word in it. Then, let another person pick a new word.

2. I’m Decorating the Tree

This is a total knock off of the game, “I’m Going to Grandma’s House.” Ever play that that one?

Basically, you go through the alphabet and add something you’re bringing with you.

For a Christmas version, you’ll take turns deciding what you’ll decorate the tree with. Here’s how to play:

The first player says: “I’m decorating the tree and I’m adding an ______”

They fill in the blank with something that starts with A. Perhaps an angel. Or an apple. Or an acorn.

Players can use their imagination and add whatever they’d like to the tree as long as it starts with the right letter. Anchovies on your tree? Why not?

The next player says: “I’m decorating the tree and I’m adding a _______” and fills in the blank with something that starts with the letter B.

Continue taking turns until you reach Z.

For a harder version with older kids, you can add the traditional memory component. That’s when you must list all the previous decorations before you add a new one.

So you might say: “I’m decorating the tree and I’m adding an angel, a bright light, a candy cane, and a ______” before giving a D word.

Most of my kids aren’t ready for this version yet, but it’s a fun twist!

3. Light Display Counts

This game only works at night, but thankfully dark comes early in December.

Players divide into teams based on which side of the car they’re closest to. So everyone on the driver’s side is on one team, and the passenger’s side is the other team. Divvy up the people in the middle to keep the teams as even as possible.

Before starting, have each team guess how many Christmas light displays they’ll find on their side of the road before getting to your destination. Each team announces their number.

As you drive along, the teams count light displays on their side. When you arrive at your destination, compare numbers to see which team got closest to their original guess.

Can you see 30 displays before you get home? Or 15 before you get to the store?

4. Christmas Memory Share

I don’t know that this one is actually a “game” but it’s a Christmas activity we enjoy in the car. Simply take turns sharing favorite Christmas memories from the past.

It’s amazing what sticks out in the kids’ minds. It’s rarely a gift received. Often, it’s a favorite memory from the Family Christmas Program at church, or a silly Christmas picture we took for our cards.

Taking time to share memories and talk about them really helps the miles fly.

5. Christmas Movie Marathon

Don’t worry, you won’t need a portable DVD player for this game! Instead, you’ll take turns naming Christmas movies. Everything centered around Christmas counts.

Continue taking turns until a player can’t think of any more. Then that person is out and the game continues. The last one naming movies wins.

(And no fair looking movies up on Google!)

Here are some of Christmas movies to get you started:

• Home Alone (you can decide if sequels should count as different movies…)
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Christmas with a Capital C
• I’ll Be Home for Christmas
• A Christmas Story
• Samantha: An American Girl Holiday
• A Very Minty Christmas
• Christmas Shoes
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Once you have a winner, you can play another round using Christmas books instead of movies.

6. Name That Tune

My family really enjoys singing, so here’s another Christmas carol game. Tis’ the season for Christmas music after all!

One person starts the game by humming a favorite carol. The rest of the family listens, and tries to guess what song it is. Then the whole family sings the song.

Now it’s time for someone else to hum. Can you guess what song they’re humming?

Continue humming, guessing, and singing until your voices are sore or you arrive at your destination.

7. Christmas Verses

There are so many Bible verses that talk about the birth of Christ! Use what you can remember to play this game.

Each person takes turns saying a verse about Christmas. Continue taking turns until you can’t think of any more. Whoever stays in the longest, without repeating a verse someone else said, wins!

For this game, you don’t have to get it word perfect from memory. Just do the best you can.

Some favorites from the KJV:

Luke 2:11-12 (actually all of Luke 2!)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Micah 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1:20-21

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Do you enjoy any Christmas car games?

I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments.

Lisa Tanner is a homeschooling mom of eight. She loves writing about balancing diapers and deadlines, and ways to make learning fun.