Free Printable Christmas Taboo for an Epic Game Night
I love a round of Christmas Taboo; it’s one of those low effort games that are great for a chill family game night or as a party competitive party game.
It’s fairly popular game, where a player has to describe a word within a time-limit without saying a set of taboo words, that are usually connected to the main word.
The free printable version of this game is available below along with some more fun Christmas games and activities.
Also if you need more holiday games, try this hilarious Christmas Worst Advice Ever family game and the Christmas fact or fiction trivia.
- If you’re looking for even more cards, the full Christmas Taboo bundle is available in my shop.
What is the Christmas Taboo Game?
Christmas Taboo is a popular party game where players describe a Christmas-related word to their teammates without using the restricted words printed on the card.
The goal is to help your team guess as many words as possible before the timer runs out. The team that gets the most correct answers wins!
The rules are easy to pick up, making this game a wonderful addition to Christmas family gatherings, classroom celebrations, office parties, and holiday game nights. Kids, teens, and grown-ups can all join in.
It’s also a great way to encourage vocabulary development, quick thinking, and communication skills, all while keeping everyone entertained!
Taboo Word Game Supplies
Before getting started, gather a few basics:
- Thanksgiving Taboo cards (print the free version below or use the complete bundle)
- A timer (30–60 seconds works best)
- A score sheet and pencil (optional)
- A small bowl, basket, or box to hold the cards (optional)
How to Play Christmas Taboo
1. Divide everyone into two or more teams
2. Then shuffle the Christmas Taboo cards and place them face down in a pile.
3. Choose one player from the first team to be the clue giver and set a timer for 30–60 seconds.
4. The clue giver picks a card and describes the Christmas-themed word at the top, helping their teammates guess it without using any of the forbidden words listed underneath.
5. Get creative with your clues! Use descriptions, synonyms, or hand gestures, but don’t say the main word, any part of it, or the forbidden words.
6. If the clue giver accidentally says a forbidden word, skip that card or let the opposing team earn a point. Decide on this rule before the game begins.
7. Award one point for every correctly guessed word before the timer runs out.
8. Switch teams and rotate clue givers so everyone gets a turn. Keep playing until you reach your chosen point goal or run out of cards. The team with the highest score wins!
🎄Game Tip: For kids, start with simpler words and relax the rules a bit, like letting them use one taboo word or giving them extra time. 🎄For Extra Challenge: If you’re playing with teens or adults after dinner, try dropping the timer to 30 seconds as the rounds go on to keep things fast paced and hilarious! |
Free Christmas Taboo Words List
| HOLIDAY PARTY | SCARF |
| Celebrate Fun Friends Food Music | Neck Warm Winter Knit Wear |
| SLEIGH | SANTA CLAUS |
| Ride Reindeer Bells Santa Snow | Sleigh Reindeer North Pole Beard Gifts |
| CHRISTMAS | DECEMBER |
| Santa Reindeer Holiday Sleigh Presents | Month Winter Year Christmas Last |
| DECORATE | WINTER |
| Lights Ornaments Tree Home Hang | Ice Cold Season Frost Snowman |
| GIFT | NORTH POLE |
| Wrap Ribbon Box Present Surprise | Arctic Santa Snow Cold Place |
| ELF | SNOWMAN |
| Santa Workshop Toy Small Hat | Carrot Nose Build Frosty Winter |
| YULE LOG | FEAST |
| Fire Wood Cake Christmas Burning | Meal Celebration Night Christmas Dinner |
| HOLIDAY VACATION | CHRISTMAS TREE |
| Wrap Ribbon Box Present Surprise | Ornaments Lights Star Pine Decorations |
| FAMILY | GRATITUDE |
| Relatives Gathering Together Celebration Visit | Appreciation Loved Thankful Praise Admiration |
| FIREPLACE | REINDEER |
| Fire Wood Logs Warmth Chimney | Antlers Rudolph Sleigh Deer Santa |
More Ways to Play Christmas Taboo
Christmas Charades: Turn your Taboo cards into a festive acting game! Ignore the forbidden word list and have players act out the main Christmas word without speaking. Think reindeer, snowman, Santa, or Christmas tree. Get ready for some hilarious performances!
Christmas Pictionary: Swap verbal clues for drawing. Give each player a whiteboard or sheet of paper and let them illustrate the main word on their card while their teammates try to guess it. No letters, numbers, or talking allowed! It’s a fun way to bring out everyone’s artistic side, even if their drawings look nothing like the actual word.
Reverse Taboo: Change the usual team setup for this twist. One player takes the hot seat and tries to guess the word while everyone else gives clues. The catch? Nobody can use the forbidden words on the card. With the whole group shouting out hints, things can get wonderfully chaotic!
Christmas Speed Challenge: Ready to make things a little more competitive? Set the timer to just 30 seconds per card and see how many Christmas words each team can guess. Add a penalty for accidentally saying a forbidden word, such as giving the opposing team a point. It’s a great way to bring some extra excitement to your holiday party!
Get the Full Christmas Taboo Bundle
Grab the complete Christmas Taboo bundle, packed with everything you need to host an entertaining game with family and friends! Here’s what you’ll get:
- 135 Christmas Taboo cards filled with festive words for hours of gameplay.
- A variety of Christmas themes, including holiday food, creatures, clothing, winter weather, Christmas traditions, decorations, and more.
- 18 blank cards to add your own Christmas words and create custom challenges.
- A score sheet to keep track of points and see which team comes out on top.
- Versatile gameplay for family game nights, Christmas parties, classrooms, youth groups, holiday events, and festive celebrations.
- Print and reuse year after year for Christmas fun whenever the holiday season rolls around!
More Christmas Games and Activities
25 Christmas Office Party Games: Check out these 25 holiday-themed party games that will get your coworkers join in the holiday fun.
65 Christmas Movies For the Whole Family: Make your holiday movie nights extra special with this collection of Christmas movies the whole family can enjoy.
I hope you liked this game idea; you can get these free games along with a host of other free Christmas printables by signing up the form below.
Suktara
Hi! I’m Suktara, the creator of this website with a background in communication and passion for personal development, relationships, and mental health. I created this space to share honest insights and practical advice on dating, love, relationships, and self-improvement.
