With all the anticipation on Christmas Eve, often you don't think to play games.
Since most people can't sleep anyway, playing a few Christmas games can be a really fun way to pass time.
Christmas Eve Hunt Many adults and children feel anxious on Christmas Eve, anticipating all the presents and pleasure on Christmas Day.
Bring a bit of fun to gift giving with a Christmas Eve hunt.
It adds time and excitement to the tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve.
Make up a hunt complete with clues so children can follow them to find their gifts.
Instead of placing the gift under the Christmas tree, place it elsewhere so the children need to carefully follow the clues to find it.
Write your clues on extra Christmas cards or index cards cut into the shape of Christmas bells.
You can even write clues on paper or cardboard Christmas ornaments.
No matter where you decide write your clues, write a clue on each item and leave it around the house.
Hand each player their first clue.
It might read, "You eat dinner here" and the player would run to the dining room table.
On the table, you will place another clue stating, "We pour this over cereal" with another clue attached to the milk.
The last clue can be the actual Christmas gift itself.
To make the hunt even more fun, have the gift turn up under the Christmas tree.
That's a trick nobody will think of! The Circle Game Many people have a large gathering of friends and family on Christmas Eve.
If you have a lot of guests, play a circle game.
Everyone gets in a circle and the first person starts by saying, "There is a candy cane in my Christmas stocking.
" The next person says, "There is a candy cane and a hat in my Christmas stocking.
" As each person continues, they state the previous items and add one of their own.
All the items must be repeated in alphabetical order to make the game even more challenging.
When you miss an item, you are out of the game.
The person who remembers all the items at the end is the winner of the circle game.
Christmas Musical Chairs Musical chairs is a timeless game you can enjoy on Christmas Eve, too.
Play upbeat, familiar Christmas tunes everyone knows.
Make the players sing along and dance as they run around the chairs.
With everyone dancing and singing, usually one or two players do not realize when the music stops.
Just like classic musical chairs, the loser is the player who does not get a chair when the Christmas music stops playing.
Where's Santa On Christmas Eve? The major event on Christmas Eve is Santa Claus coming to town.
Since Santa's arrival is on everyone's minds, play a game of where's Santa on Christmas Eve.
Everyone sits in a circle and a person is chosen to play Rudolph.
That person leaves the room momentarily.
Santa is chosen from those left in the room then Rudolph comes back to seek out Santa.
As Rudolph looks for Santa, the person playing Santa winks at people in the circle and they yell out, "Ho, ho, ho!".
When Rudolph discovers who Santa is, another Rudolph and Santa are picked for the game to continue.
The Christmas Card Game Usually Christmas cards are on display for weeks before Christmas Eve, so why not play with them on Christmas Eve? Set up a gift box or laundry basket a few feet away so guests can try to toss the Christmas cards into the basket.
Though it seems easy, cards are all different shapes, weights and sizes.
This makes the Christmas card game more challenging than you think.