We love a holiday party. But if you're gathering a diverse group of folks where people may not know everyone, then holiday party icebreakers can ease or erase awkwardness. We think these icebreakers are a great way to take a party from frosty to fab in an instant.
Christmas Speed Dressing Icebreaker
A Christmas game is a good way to break the ice at a holiday party. A fun game to play at a home party with family and friends is speed dressing. Divide everyone up into two teams. Hand each team a plastic bag filled with winter attire, which may include items such as:
- Boots
- Coats
- Long underwear
- Sweatshirts
- Snowpants
The team that can dress and undress everyone in the fastest amount of time is the winner.
Related: 21 Christmas Party Games for Adults That Level Up Fun
New Year's Eve Icebreaker
Making New Year's resolutions is a tradition. Help guests get to know each other at a New Year's Eve party by playing a resolution game. When guests arrive, ask them all to write down their resolution on a slip of paper. It can be real or fake. After everyone has arrived, pass a bowl around with the resolutions. Each person should draw a slip out, then everyone must mingle in order to find out who wrote the resolution they picked. At the end of the game, have each person read his or her resolution out loud.
Valentine's Day Icebreaker
Once your guests have all arrived at the party, ask them to sit at a table or in a circle. Pass around a bag of conversation hearts, with everyone grabbing a few out of the bag. Then guests must say one thing about themselves for every heart they have. Do not tell everyone at the Valentine's Day party the reason for taking the hearts. Otherwise, some shyer guests may not choose more than one or two.
St. Patrick's Day Icebreaker
Play Celtic or Irish jig music and sit guests around in a circle. Hand the first person a potato, and when the music begins, start passing it around. Once the music stops, the person holding the potato is out of the circle, and the games resumes.
Easter Icebreaker
Plastic Easter eggs are the perfect prop for playing a fun passing game. Fill the eggs with various items such as:
- Chocolates
- Jelly beans
- Toy trinkets
- Chocolate-covered raisins (Also known as bunny droppings!)
Place eggs in a basket in the center of the room. Once everyone has arrived, have the guests introduce themselves, say what Easter means to them, and choose an egg. After everyone has been introduced, open the eggs at the same time. The people who get the ones filled with bunny droppings must wear furry bunny ears for the rest of the evening.
Fourth of July Icebreaker
A patriotic game to celebrate the nation's heritage is a fun way to get a Fourth of July party started. This game can be played indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather. Try this game at your next party:
- Create an imaginary line and have everyone stand on one side.
- Read from a list of famous United States historical monuments and places, such as the White House and Yellowstone National Park.
- Everyone who has visited the site should cross the line.
- If the next place is one they have not visited, they must cross back over.
Start with places close to your home. This is a fun way to get conversations started about history, work travel, or family vacations.
Halloween Icebreaker
Horror movies are a popular viewing choice for many people, especially around Halloween. Play an icebreaker that takes advantage of this. Ask everyone to share what kind of monster they would want to be in a horror movie and why. Guests with really creative imaginations can get this Halloween party game off to a spooky start.
Thanksgiving Icebreaker
Play a faux Mad-Libs game for Thanksgiving. Write up a short comical story about how the turkey came to be on your table, leaving out certain words. Going around the room, ask everyone for a word, whether it is an adjective, person, place, or feeling. Fill in the story with everyone's answers and read aloud the hilarious tale.
Questions to Break the Ice
Icebreaker questions at a holiday party can make a great game and be a great way to ease the tension. You might choose to print out a list of questions that people can ask, or you might put the questions on notecards and have guests choose a card at random.
Work Party Icebreaker Questions
When you are having a corporate party, there's a chance that people beyond your cubicle will be there. Learn something new about your coworkers through these fun holiday questions.
- How did you celebrate this holiday as a child?
- What is your favorite holiday song?
- What is the best work gift that you've ever received?
- Do you like to get festive for the holiday?
- What is the best holiday food?
- Name your must-have holiday decorations.
- If you could be a character in a holiday movie, who would you be?
- What is a unique holiday family tradition that you have?
- What is one thing that a co-worker did to make your holiday brighter?
Questions for Friends and Family
A lot of the time, when you gather for the holiday, you see family that you haven't seen all year long. Catch up and get to know each other again through some fun icebreaker questions.
- What is your favorite holiday tradition and why?
- What is an important holiday memory that we share? Why is it important?
- If you could relive your favorite holiday memory, what would it be?
- What is a must-have holiday food?
- What is your strangest holiday shopping experience?
- If you could be a holiday dessert, what would you be? Why?
- What is the best holiday present that you've received and why?
- When do you do your holiday shopping?
- What holiday song makes you cringe?
Fun Holiday Icebreaker Questions for Kids
Holidays are usually about family. Therefore, it can be fun to get kids in on the holiday cheer. Use these questions to get cousins and friends, new and old, acquainted.
- What is the weirdest holiday? Why?
- What is one holiday tradition that you love? One that you don't love?
- Who is your favorite holiday character? Why?
- Would you choose Santa or the Easter Bunny?
- What are three words that you would use to describe your family?
- Who makes your holiday the best? Why?
- Do you like giving or receiving gifts better?
- What is one fun thing about giving gifts?
- Do you like to make your holiday gifts for other people? Do you think this makes it more special?
- What holiday do you look forward to all year long?
Icebreaker Planning
To keep your holiday party interesting, keep games to about 20 minutes. Try playing them with your immediate family or friends to judge how long they will take. Play an icebreaker after everyone has arrived so no one misses out on any introductions or feels uncomfortable.
Cater to Your Party Crowd
Be sure to cater your icebreakers to the crowd and type of party you are having. A large adult party might get rowdy, while small work parties might call for a more dignified game. Use your best judgment when picking your party games so that everyone attending has a good time.
