Our list of Christmas card games
1. Schnitzel™ (2–8 players, 7+)
Our own game, so we are biased, but it was made for exactly this. Everyone has 4 hidden cards and tries to get the lowest score. Action cards let you swap, spy and sabotage, and a game ends when someone yells “Schnitzel!”. About 8 minutes per game, so it is easy to play “just one more” between courses.
2. Golf (2–6 players, standard deck)
The classic lowest-score game. Each player has a grid of face-down cards and swaps them for better ones. Easy for kids, surprisingly tactical for adults. See our golf card game rules guide.
3. Spoons (3+ players, standard deck)
Pass cards around the table to collect four of a kind, then grab a spoon. One spoon fewer than players. Loud, physical and perfect for big family groups.
4. Crazy Eights (2+ players, standard deck)
The ancestor of Uno: match the suit or rank, eights are wild. Good for younger kids and grandparents together.
5. Cheat / I Doubt It (3+ players, standard deck)
Play cards face down and claim what they are. Call “Cheat!” when you think someone is lying. A great bluffing game for teens and adults.
6. Rummy (2–6 players, standard deck)
Collect sets and runs. A calmer option for the evening, when everyone is full.
7. Speed / Spit (2 players, standard deck)
A frantic two-player race. Great for siblings who need to burn off sugar.
8. Hearts (4 players, standard deck)
Avoid taking hearts and the Queen of Spades. Classic adult card game for long winter evenings.
9. Go Fish (2–6 players, standard deck)
The first card game for little ones, and it still works when the adults play along.
10. War (2 players, standard deck)
No decisions, all luck, and that is fine for the youngest players.
How to pick a Christmas card game
- Mixed ages: pick games with simple turns and short rounds (Schnitzel, Golf, Crazy Eights, Go Fish).
- Big groups: games that handle 6–8 players, like Schnitzel or Spoons.
- Adults after dinner: bluffing and take-that games (Cheat, Hearts, Schnitzel).
- Short rounds win: when people come and go from the table, a game that lasts 5–10 minutes is easiest.
How Schnitzel™ plays in 60 seconds
Everyone gets 4 face-down cards and peeks at 2 of them. On your turn you draw a card or take the top of the discard pile and swap it into your row, or throw it away. The goal is the lowest total, so you want to get rid of the 9s and 10-point action cards and keep the -5s and 0s.
Discarded action cards can be used straight away: Peek at your own card, Spy on everyone else, Swap blind with an opponent, Attack someone with an extra card, or Overwrite your whole hand with theirs. When you think you are lowest, yell “SCHNITZEL!” and everyone gets one last turn. Unless someone plays a Nope.
And there is the X: one card worth 666 points that ends the game the moment it shows up.
Add a new game to the Christmas table this year.
Get Schnitzel™FAQ
What is a good card game for the whole family at Christmas?
Pick something with short rounds and simple turns that works for many players, such as Schnitzel (2–8 players, 7+), Golf or Crazy Eights.
What card games can adults play at a Christmas party?
Bluffing and sabotage games work best: Schnitzel, Cheat and Hearts. Schnitzel handles up to 8 players, which suits parties.
Which card games need only a normal deck?
Golf, Spoons, Crazy Eights, Cheat, Rummy, Speed, Hearts, Go Fish and War can all be played with a standard 52-card deck.
How long does a game of Schnitzel take?
About 8 minutes per game, so it fits between Christmas dinner courses.
