Christmas Scattergories: Rules and Category List

In Christmas Scattergories, everyone writes holiday answers that start with the same letter. You only score if no one else wrote the same answer.

How to Set Up

1. Give each player paper and a pencil.
2. Write down 10 categories from the list below, one per line.
3. Pick a letter by flipping through a book or drawing from a hat. Skip Q, X and Z.
4. Set the timer for 3 minutes.

Category List

1. Something on a tree
2. A holiday food
3. A Christmas song
4. A winter piece of clothing
5. A sweet treat
6. Something found at the North Pole
7. A gift you hope to get
8. A Christmas movie character
9. A reindeer or animal
10. Something in a stocking
11. A drink for a cold day
12. A winter sport
13. A decoration for a house
14. A place to visit in December
15. Something you wrap
16. A kind of cookie
17. A job at the workshop
18. Something white
19. Something red
20. Something green
21. A sound you hear at Christmas
22. A word that rhymes with snow
23. A thing you do on Christmas Eve
24. A family tradition
25. A smell of the season
26. A thing in the sky in winter
27. A name for a snowman
28. A Christmas card message
29. Something you find on a table at dinner
30. A thing that sparkles

How to Play

1. Reveal the letter and say “go.”
2. Players write one answer per category. All answers must start with the letter.
3. When the timer ends, stop writing.
4. Go through the list. Each player reads their answer.
5. Cross out answers that match someone else’s answer.

Scoring and Winning

Each answer nobody else wrote is worth one point. A blank answer scores zero. Play three rounds with new letters. The highest total wins.

Tips for a Fun Game

• Agree on how strict you are with spelling.
• Let the group vote on borderline answers.
• Play in teams so kids get help.
• Choose easy letters like S, C and B for little kids.

Variations

• Little kids: Use only five categories and give 5 minutes.
• Speed round: Give 90 seconds and 5 categories.
• Adults: Add categories about family memories, like “a gift you will never forget.”