Inside: Top Christmas Pictionary words and Free printable options.

The Christmas season is upon us, and I, for one, could not be any happier than I am right now. Though this time of year is cold, dark, and wet…it has this internal warmth that no other season has. It’s cozy through and through.

During the Christmas season, I try to do as many themed activities with the people I love as I can. We only get four weeks of Christmas, less than that if you think about the last week. That is not enough time, in my opinion, but I make those weeks extra special by making a point to be with the people I love, playing games and doing activities. 

best christmas pictionary words free printable

There are so many different Christmas games and activities out there, and they are all amazing. But today we are going to bring it back to the basics with Pictionary. I have compiled a list of the best words, as well as some free printable words for you to look at.

But first, let me jog your memory on how to play!

How to Play Christmas Pictionary

The first thing you HAVE to do is put on Christmas music. I am serious about this one. Playing the game is one thing, but setting the atmosphere will help to create an overall experience. I also recommend having freshly baked cookies or treats out as well. 

A good rule of thumb is to have one thing that stimulates each of the senses. Music for hearing treats for taste and smell, and the sight and touch portions will be covered during the game. Okay, now that the scene is set, let’s talk about the rules.

How to Play Pictionary

Step One: Have everyone divide into 2 teams. You can have everyone take scraps of paper and write down some words that are on the list below, or you could print them out from the free printables I included. Add each word to a bowl.

Step Two: Get yourself either a whiteboard or a huge pad of paper to draw on. Set your timer for 3 minutes, then choose one player from a team to start you off. They will get up, choose a random word from the bowl and then the timer will start. This player will draw what is on the scrap, and their team will try and guess what they are drawing.

Step Three: Repeat. When they get it right, the player can draw another card and repeat this process until the buzzer sounds. Then the other team will do the same thing, pick a player and try and guess. This will alternate until you are out of words to use. The team with the most points wins!

Got it? Good. I think we are ready to get started. So gather your family and start writing or printing these words out. Have fun, and play hard!

Simple Christmas Pictionary Words

First up, I have some of the simplest Christmas-themed Pictionary words that you can play with. I think it’s a great idea to have a good mix in the bowl of simple and hard words. That way, it’s not too challenging, and you can have fun, but it’s just challenging enough that you get competitive. Check these out!

1. Snow Fall

2. Reindeer

3. Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

4. Mistletoe 

5. Holly Berries

6. Snowman

7. Snowball Fight

8. Jingle Bells

9. Christmas Eve

10. Santa’s Sleigh

Classic Christmas Words

Classic Christmas Words

Here are some more great options for you to choose from. You don’t have to do all 50 of these words, but the more people you have in your family who will be playing, the more you will want. I would say it’s good to have at least ten words per person. Take a look and write these down.

11. Season’s Greeting

12. Christmas Feist

13. Plum Pudding

14. North Pole

15. Elves

16. Toy Making

17. Gift Giving

18. Christmas Carol

19. Christmas Tree

20. Christmas Lights

Medium Christmas Words

Okay, so for these I have taken it up a notch. Nothing too crazy yet, but they are a little bit harder. If you can think of anything else that you would like to add to your game, feel free to do so. This way it will be even more fun because you made it personal. You can think of funny family stories or people in the room. 

21. Fruitcake

22. Family Time

23. Gingerbread House

24. Sleigh Bells

25. Nativity 

26. Frosty the Snowman

27. Christmas Ham

28. Tree Lights

29. Tree Skirt

30. Jack Frost

popular christmas characters and movies

Popular Christmas Characters and Movies

How could I have this list and not include characters and movies from the best Christmas films and shows? The movies are one of the biggest staples of this holiday, and I would be doing you and myself a disservice by not including them. So here are some of the most popular, but you can brainstorm your own as well.

31. Charlie Brown 

32. Scrooge

33.  The Grinch

34. The Polar Express

35. The Nightmare Before Christmas

36. Krampus

37. Home Alone

38. Mickey Mouse Christmas

39. Elf on a Shelf

40. Buddy the Elf

Hard Christmas Pictionary Words

And lastly, here are some slightly more obscure Christmas Pictionary words for you to work with. These are perfect for adding in to add that little extra spice to the game. I can already picture the panic of someone who picks the White Elephant gift idea. Take a look at these and see if you want to add them all!

41. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

42. Baby It’s Cold Outside

43. Christmas Stockings

44. Die Hard Movie

45. Kris Kringle

46. Fruitcake Brick

47. Hallmark Movies

48. Santa’s Cookies

49. Elf Making Rocking Horse

50. Roaring Fire

51. White Elephant Gift

So there you have that! Those are some of the best Christmas Pictionary words that you can use during this fun, holiday-themed game. Now, if you don’t feel like writing all these down, then take a look below at the free printable words you can use to save yourself some time.

Free Christmas Pictionary Words Printables

All those words can really be a pain in the hand muscles. This game is supposed to be all fun, so if you have to set up alone, you should check out these fun words. It’s not fair for you to have to write down all of the words yourself! Each of these is free and super cute. So download them and get ready for fun!

Conclusion

So are you excited about this Christmas season? This is the time of year that I seriously thrive. It’s the perfect time to reflect on what you are grateful for, what you have done this year, and what you want to do in the year to come. 

Being bundled inside is a welcome change from the busy summer months. But it can be boring sometimes. So if you find yourself stuck in a rut, why not check out some of the other Christmas-themed activities and ideas that I have. You can save them for a rainy day. Or I guess any day since the month of December is a rainy one. 

I hope you have the most fun playing Christmas Pictionary with your family and that this word list inspired you to play even more games. Because fun is what Christmas is all about!