Christmas Movie Drinking Game Rules
The Christmas movie drinking game works with any holiday film on the list. Take a sip when it starts snowing, when Santa shows up, or when someone learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Use the rules below for any Christmas movie, or scroll down to pick a film and get rules written for that one. Elf, Home Alone, and Die Hard all made the cut.
How to Play the Christmas Movie Drinking Game
These rules work for any Christmas movie, from the classics to the newer holiday comedies.
- Take a sip when it starts snowing.
- Take a sip every time Santa appears or is mentioned.
- Drink when someone wears an ugly Christmas sweater.
- Take a sip when a classic Christmas song plays.
- Drink when someone says "Merry Christmas."
- Take a sip when a character hangs lights or decorates a tree.
- Drink when a family argument breaks out at a holiday gathering.
- Take a sip when someone drinks eggnog or hot cocoa.
- Drink when a cynic starts to warm up to the holidays.
- Take a sip when presents are wrapped, opened, or lost.
- Drink when someone says "the true meaning of Christmas."
- Finish your drink when everyone comes together for the big Christmas finale.
Christmas Movie Drinking Game Rules by Movie
It's a Wonderful Life
1946
Miracle on 34th Street
1947
A Christmas Story
1983
Gremlins
1984
Scrooged
1988
Die Hard
1988
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
1989
Die Hard 2
1990
Home Alone
1990
The Muppet Christmas Carol
1992
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
1992
The Nightmare Before Christmas
1993
The Santa Clause
1994
Jingle All the Way
1996
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
Elf
2003
Tokyo Godfathers
2003
Bad Santa
2003
Love Actually
2003
The Polar Express
2004
The Holiday
2006
Rare Exports
2010
The Night Before
2015
Krampus
2015
Office Christmas Party
2016
Anna and the Apocalypse
2017
Klaus
2019
Happiest Season
2020
Red Snow
2021
8-Bit Christmas
2021
High Holiday
2021
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Christmas movies for a drinking game?
Elf, Home Alone, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Die Hard are crowd favorites. They have running jokes and big moments that make for easy, frequent rules.
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
It is set at a Christmas party on Christmas Eve, so it makes our list. It also has one of the best drinking games of the bunch.
Can you play a Christmas movie drinking game without alcohol?
Yes. Swap in hot cocoa, cider, or any drink you like. The rules work the same, which makes it easy to include the whole family.