With plenty of family and friends gathered and the Christmas spirit flowing (in more ways than one), it’s the perfect time to play a few good-natured family games. From fast-paced fun card games to deeper, more analytical options, these are the ones we’ll be playing this year.
Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza (ages 8+, 2 or more players)
£10
This fast-paced, bonkers game will have everyone in stitches this Christmas and beyond. But I warn you now, make sure there are no drinks on the table while you play, because it can get messy!
The best way to describe it is snap, with actions, while having to remember a sequence of words. It will test your observation and multi-tasking skills, and will be loved by the whole family.
We’ve busted this one out at gatherings with friends, and it’s one of our favourite family games, guaranteed to create the best kind of chaos.
Top Trumps Traitors and Assassins (ages 6+, 2 or more players)
£10
Top Trumps has covered some unusual genres before, but this limited edition version is both interesting and macabre. Top Trumps Traitors and Assassins brings history to life, comparing facts and stats around some of the world’s most famous figures, daring would-be assassins and deadly events.
Each card is full of facts about a wide range of characters, some real, such as Abraham Lincoln and Donald Trump, to fictional characters like JR Ewing (from the 1980s TV show Dallas, in case you’re too young to remember).
A great stocking filler for kids and true-crime fans alike, Top Trumps Traitors and Assassins can be played at home with family and friends, or the kids can enjoy a game or two in the back of the car as you head to visit relatives over the festive period.
Lego Party! PS5 (ages 7+)
£35
Getting some of the tweens in the family to get involved in a board game session could be challenging, so if you’re happy to indulge in something more screen-based, the latest offering from SMG Studio and Lego might be the way forward. Lego Party! is a game that can be played by up to 4 players, competing in a series of different games and challenges to see who emerges as the victor.
The game is played across a number of challenge zones, each of which gives a game time at the outset, so you’re not playing an endless game. Alternatively, there are 60 minigames to play, which cover different Lego sets, from Lego Ninjago to Lego Space, so there’s plenty of variety.
The different games favour different skillsets, which is great for family gameplay. The games are a combination of straight-out 4-way competition and 2-on-2 team games, which can make or break allegiances and bring plenty of chaos, too.
Gather round and get everyone involved, and the fast-paced action will provide hours of family games fun this Christmas.
Carrom board set from Uber Games (ages 5+, 2-4 players)
£85
Carrom is a table-top game that originated in South Asia and is best described as a cross between pool and Subuteo. It’s a fun game that will have you hooked in no time, and as it seems impossible to play just one game, you’ll probably lose a lot of hours to this game board.
The basic aim is to pocket your counters, or Carrom Men, by flicking the striker at them to set them in motion towards one of the four corner pockets. Like in snooker or pool, if you pot a counter, you get another shot.
There’s also a red Queen disc, to be pocketed, but if any player knocks the Queen in and then fails to knock one of their Carrom Men immediately in the same pocket after her, the Queen is returned to the centre.
There are a number of different ways to play Carrom, with variations being played in different countries, but with a little help from the internet and the instructions that come with the board, select the game that works for you. If you mix and match a few rules from different countries, so be it – as long as all the players know which rules you’re playing, why not? It is Christmas, after all…
Know Thyself (ages 18+, 2-4 players)
£44
Playing board games with the family can often be more about competitiveness than fun, but for something that goes more than skin-deep, Know Thyself will be challenging on a whole new level.
The game is designed to make players look at different aspects of their own and fellow players’ personalities. It encourages all players to reflect on what makes them, and others, tick, sparking conversations that are often avoided.
It can be awkward, introspective and insightful in equal measure, but you’ll learn a lot along the way. The aim is to have a little fun during the 60-minute game, but also to see yourself through the eyes of others, and, hopefully, form deeper connections with family and friends that will last a lifetime.
Know Thyself is one to crack out once the younger kids have headed off to bed, as this thought-provoking game is designed for adults.
- Havana Club Golden Mojito: Should you mess with a classic? - 10 August 2026
- No alcohol, no problem: Summer drinks to hydrate and refresh - 10 August 2026
- Bababing Imi Review: This cabin-compatible stroller is a brilliant buy - 4 August 2026