The Holiday Collection
The short answer: Christmas Scattergories is the classic list game with holiday categories: pick a letter, set a 3-minute timer, and write one answer per Christmas category that starts with that letter. Unique answers score a point. You don't need the board game.
Our picks for christmas scattergories
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Holiday Season Bundle
Plan Christmas, save for it all year, and host without the January money hangover.
Starter pickPrintables
Meal Planner & Grocery List
Weekly meals, a grocery list sorted by aisle, and pantry and freezer inventories so you shop once and waste less.
Below are 4 free lists of 12 Christmas categories (48 in all), rules, scoring and tips for kids and big groups.
Card games and word games are a big part of our small family's holidays. Scattergories works after a long dinner because it needs only paper, pencils and a timer.
How to play Christmas Scattergories
- Give everyone paper and one of the category lists below.
- Pick a letter. Draw it from a bowl of letter slips.
- Start a 3-minute timer. Write one answer per category starting with that letter.
- Read answers aloud. Cross out any answer someone else also wrote.
- Score 1 point for each unique answer. Play 3 rounds with different letters.
| Rule | Standard | Easy version for kids |
|---|---|---|
| Time per round | 3 minutes | 4 to 5 minutes |
| Letters | Any but Q, U, V, X, Y, Z | B, C, S, P, M, T, G, R |
| Duplicate answers | Nobody scores | Both score |
| Alliteration bonus | +1 per extra word | Skip |
Christmas by category: which list to use
Each list groups Christmas by category so you can match the table to the players:
- List 1: Christmas classics (12 categories): trees, movies, songs, stockings and desserts. Works for any mixed group.
- List 2: Winter and holiday fun (12 categories): winter clothing, hot drinks, snow-day activities and party foods.
- List 3: Christmas for kids (12 categories): toys, elves, snowmen and things you leave for Santa, for players around age 8 and up.
- List 4: Christmas for adults (12 categories): holiday to-do lists, budgets, excuses and stress, for grown-up game night.
List 1: Christmas classics
- Things on a Christmas tree
- Christmas movies
- Christmas songs
- Santa's reindeer or other famous animals
- Things in a stocking
- Christmas cookies or desserts
- Things that are red or green
- Words that describe Santa
- Things you wrap
- Holiday decorations
- Things at the North Pole
- Something you'd see in a snow globe
List 2: Winter and holiday fun
- Winter clothing
- Things that are cold
- Hot drinks
- Winter sports or activities
- Things you do on a snow day
- Holiday party foods
- Board games or card games
- Things that sparkle
- Things with lights
- Places to travel in winter
- Things in a kitchen
- Sounds you hear in December
List 3: Christmas for kids
- Toys
- Animals that live where it snows
- Things an elf might make
- Cartoon characters
- Things you leave for Santa
- Things that are sweet
- Colors
- Things in a classroom party
- Things you can build with snow
- Things in your backpack
- Names of famous snowmen or holiday characters
- Words that rhyme with "snow"
List 4: Christmas for adults
- Things you forget to buy
- Gifts for a coworker under $20
- Excuses for being late to a party
- Things on a holiday to-do list
- Christmas movie actors
- Things you return after Christmas
- Holiday side dishes
- Ways to save money in December
- Things in a junk drawer
- Things you'd find at an ugly sweater party
- New Year's resolutions
- Things that cause holiday stress
Example answers for the letter S
| Category | Sample answer |
|---|---|
| Things on a Christmas tree | Star |
| Christmas songs | "Silent Night" |
| Things in a stocking | Socks |
| Christmas cookies | Sugar cookies |
| Winter clothing | Scarf |
| Hot drinks | Spiced cider |
Christmas Scattergories score sheet and game variations
Copy this layout onto paper so everyone can track three rounds:
| Round | Letter | Categories answered | Unique answers | Bonus points | Round total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| Game total |
Mix up the game with one of these variations:
- Team play: pairs share one sheet, which helps young kids and grandparents join in.
- Speed round: shorten the timer to 90 seconds for a bonus round.
- Pick-a-list: let the winner of each round choose which of the four category lists comes next.
- Video call version: one person reads the letter and categories, and everyone holds up their answers to compare on camera.
Tips for a fun game night
- Make teams of two for younger kids or big groups.
- Rotate lists each round so categories stay fresh.
- Keep a judge (or a group vote) for close calls.
- Small prizes: first pick of dessert or choosing the next holiday movie.
Word games give quieter guests an easy way in, since everyone writes at the same time. The National Institute on Aging's tips for staying connected suggest regular shared activities with family and friends, which a yearly game round can become. It also keeps costs down: in the American Psychological Association's holiday stress poll, 58% of adults said spending too much or not having enough money causes them stress. For a drawing round between word or number games, try Christmas drawing game with the same group.
More for the same night: Christmas trivia, Christmas bingo, would you rather questions and our full list of Christmas party games. For a sillier word game, try Christmas Mad Libs.
Host a low-cost Scattergories night
- Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, $4.99. Write the guest list, the snack menu and a spending cap on one page, then track gifts for the rest of the season.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Turn the dessert table into a single grocery run.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). Six printables for the whole season, from the gift list to the cleaning schedule.
Browse the Holiday shop or all our Printables. The free Holiday Budget Starter Kit is 3 US Letter pages, emailed after you join the list.
The Holiday Collection
Give every person a limit and watch what's left
The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner adds up every list for you: a budget for each person, a log of each purchase and the amount left to spend, plus printable gift, card, menu and to-do pages.
- Spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets
- 11 printable pages, US Letter + A4
- Instant download, 14-day fix-or-refund promise
Planning the whole season? See the holiday sets from $7, with early prices through Cyber Monday
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Christmas Scattergories? Choose a letter, set a timer for 3 minutes, and have every player write one answer for each Christmas category that starts with that letter. When time is up, players read their answers aloud. You score a point for every answer nobody else wrote.
What are good Christmas Scattergories categories? Good categories are broad enough to have many answers: things on a Christmas tree, Christmas movies, holiday foods, things that are red, gifts for a teacher, things in a stocking, winter clothing, Christmas songs and words that describe Santa.
How do you score Scattergories? Each unique, valid answer scores 1 point. If two players write the same answer, neither scores. Many groups give a bonus point for alliteration, such as 'Jolly Jingle Bells' for J.
Which letters should you skip? Skip hard letters like Q, U, V, X, Y and Z, especially with kids. Letters like S, C, B, P, M and T are easiest for Christmas categories.
How long is a round of Scattergories? Three minutes per round is standard. Give kids 4 or 5 minutes, or play a 2-minute speed round with adults.
How many people can play Christmas Scattergories? Two or more players can play, and it works well up to about 12. For bigger groups, play in teams of two or three who share one list.
Can kids play Christmas Scattergories? Yes, kids can play Christmas Scattergories. Kids who can write words, usually around age 8 and up, can play on their own. Younger kids can team up with an adult or answer out loud while a partner writes.
Do I need the board game to play? No, you don't need the Scattergories board game to play Christmas Scattergories. Scattergories is a Hasbro board game, but you can play a Scattergories-style game with the free category lists below, paper, pencils and a phone timer.
How do you pick a random letter without the die? Write the letters you want on slips and draw one from a bowl, use a random letter generator, or have someone silently say the alphabet while another player says 'stop.'
Who decides if an answer counts? The whole group votes on whether an answer counts. If most players agree the answer fits the category and starts with the right letter, it counts. Agree before you start whether 'a' and 'the' count as the first word.
Can you play Christmas Scattergories online? Yes, you can play Christmas Scattergories online. Share the list on screen, pick the letter out loud, and have everyone write answers on paper. When the timer ends, read answers in turn on the video call.
How can I plan a Christmas game night on a budget? Choose games that need only paper and pencils, plan simple snacks and set one small prize. The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) keeps the party menu, to-do list and spending on one set of printable pages.
How do you keep score in Christmas Scattergories? In Christmas Scattergories you score 1 point for each unique answer that starts with the round's letter, and nobody scores for answers two players share. Play three rounds with different letters, add the round totals and give a bonus point for extra alliteration if you like.
Free printable
Get the free Holiday Budget Starter Kit
A one-page holiday budget, a gift list with a spending limit for every person, and a 6-week countdown so December stays calm and paid for. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
