Get ready for the holiday party game that’s about to become your new Christmas tradition.
The Fish Bowl Game combines the best parts of Charades, Taboo, and Password into one hilarious, fast-paced showdown that’ll have everyone laughing so hard they’re crying into their eggnog.
Trust me, I’ve seen grown adults lose their minds trying to act out “candy cane” without speaking. It’s pure comedy gold.
Don’t miss it – Stay till the end to download your free printable Christmas Fish Bowl game and start the fun!
What Makes the Christmas Fish Bowl Game So Perfect?
Here’s why this game is an absolute winner for your holiday gathering:
It works for everyone. Whether you’re hosting teens at a sleepover, your entire extended family on Christmas Eve, or your coworkers at the office party, this game scales beautifully. Kids, adults, grandparents – everyone can jump in and have a blast.
Zero special supplies needed. You probably have everything at home already: paper, pens, and a bowl. That’s it. No last-minute trips to the game store, no expensive purchases. Just pure DIY party magic.
It gets progressively harder (and funnier). The genius of Fish Bowl is playing three rounds with the same words but different rules. Round one is manageable. Round two gets tricky. Round three? Absolute chaos in the best way possible.
Best for: Holiday parties, family gatherings, youth groups, office parties, game nights
Players: 4+ (but the more, the merrier – 6 to 12 is the sweet spot)
Time to Play: 30-45 minutes
Supplies: Paper, pens, a bowl (or festive Santa hat!), and a timer
Indoor Christmas Scavenger Hunt Printable for Kids
25 ready-made clues = zero stress for you – Just print, hide, and watch kids stay engaged for hours while you actually enjoy your coffee
Instant download, works today – Get it in minutes, print on regular paper, create Christmas magic in under 15 minutes of setup
Saves Christmas on bad weather days – Perfect indoor activity when kids are bouncing off walls and you need them happily occupied
One purchase, use it every year – Blank templates let you customize for different ages or create new versions as kids grow
Outdoor Christmas Scavenger Hunt Printable for Kids
Gets kids outside and active – Burns energy while solving 25 riddles and challenges around the yard (lifesaver when they’re hyped on holiday sugar)
Instant download, 15-minute setup – Print, hide clues, done. Perfect last-minute activity that looks like you planned for weeks
Works with your yard decorations – Turns your Christmas lights and lawn decor into part of the adventure kids will beg to do again
Reusable every year – Blank templates let you customize for different ages or add new challenges as kids grow
Difficult Christmas Scavenger Hunt Printable for Adults – Twelve Days of Christmas
Actually challenging puzzles for adults – 30 clever clues including ciphers, logic puzzles, and cryptic riddles that will genuinely stump your smartest friends
Print and play in minutes – Download, print, hide. Setup takes less time than wrapping gifts, but creates hours of laughter and memories
Flexible for any group – Pick 12 clues for a quick adventure or all 30 for an epic night. Customize with blank cards for personal inside jokes
What You’ll Need:
At least 4 players (though this game truly shines with larger groups)
Small slips of paper (Pro tip: Cut up Post-It Notes and skip the sticky part – super fast!)
Pens (NOT markers – you’ll see the words through the paper, which defeats the purpose)
A bowl, fish bowl, or even a Santa hat to draw from
A timer set for 1 minute (your phone works perfectly)
Our pre-made Christmas word list (keep scrolling!) or let players create their own
Budget-Friendly Tip: Grab a cheap glass bowl from the dollar store and use it for this game, then repurpose it for candles or holiday decorations later. Two wins!
How to Play the Christmas Fish Bowl Game:
Setup (5 Minutes):
1. Divide into two equal teams. For larger groups, you can create 3-4 smaller teams instead.
2. Give each player 3 slips of paper. Have everyone write down one Christmas word or holiday phrase per slip.
These should be well-known things like “Santa”, “Christmas cookies”, “wrapping presents”, or “snowman”. Fold them up so no one can see what’s written.
Important: Remind your players that their own team will have to guess these too, so don’t make them impossibly hard. You’re not trying to stump the group – you’re trying to have fun!
3. Toss all the folded slips into your bowl and give it a good shake.
Small Group Tip: Playing with fewer than 8 people? Have each player write 4-5 prompts instead of 3 to make the game last longer.
Round 1: Describe It (Like Taboo)
The Rules: Describe the word or phrase using as many words as you want, but you can’t say any part of the actual word or phrase. No gestures allowed!
How to Play:
1. One player from Team A draws a slip and has 1 minute to get their team to guess as many prompts as possible.
2. When the team guesses correctly, grab the slip, set it aside, and immediately draw a new one. Keep going until the timer runs out!
3. You can pass once per turn if you’re totally stuck, but only once.
4. When time’s up, count your correctly guessed slips – that’s your score. Team B goes next.
5. Alternate between teams until the bowl is empty.
Critical Rule: If you accidentally say part of the word or phrase, you’re immediately out. Timer stops, and play passes to the next team. (If the word is “Christmas stocking” and you say “Something you hang up for Christmas,” you’re done – you said “Christmas!”)
Example: The phrase is “Christmas stocking”. You might say, “Something you hang by the fireplace that Santa stuffs with gifts!” If they don’t get it: “It’s shaped like something you wear on your foot!”
Scoring: Count each team’s slips and write down the scores. Put all the slips back in the bowl for Round 2.
Round 2: One Word Only (Like Password)
The Rules: You can only say ONE WORD to describe the prompt. That’s it. One. Single. Word.
How to Play:
1. The team that didn’t go first in Round 1 starts this round (or let the winning team go first – your choice).
2. Draw a slip. Say one word. Your team guesses. If they get it, immediately grab another slip and say one word for that one.
3. You can pass once per turn if needed.
4. If you say more than one word or accidentally say part of the phrase, your turn ends immediately and the next team goes.
5. Alternate 1-minute turns until the bowl is empty.
Memory Advantage: This is where Round 1 pays off. If you remember the prompts from before, you’ll have a huge edge!
Example: If the prompt is “Christmas stocking”, you might say “fireplace” or “Santa” as your single-word clue.
Scoring: Count the slips, add them to your Round 1 score, and put everything back in the bowl.
Round 3: Act It Out (Like Charades)
The Rules: No talking allowed. You’re acting out the word or phrase using only gestures and movements.
How to Play:
1. Same format as the previous rounds – 1-minute turns alternating between teams.
2. Act out as many prompts as you can before time runs out.
3. No sounds, no mouthing words, no pointing at objects in the room. Pure charades!
Example: For “Christmas stocking”, you might mime hanging something on an imaginary fireplace, then pretend to stuff small items into it.
Final Scoring: Add up the slips from Round 3 to your previous rounds. The team with the highest total wins!
Pro Tips to Make Your Fish Bowl Game Even Better:
Tip #1: Use red and green paper for a festive touch. It looks great in photos and adds to the holiday vibe.
Tip #2: Have a designated scorekeeper who isn’t playing. This keeps things moving and prevents disputes.
Tip #3: For added drama, announce which team is currently losing after each round. A little friendly trash talk makes it even more fun!
Tip #4: Award the winning team with fun winner medals, ribbons, or a game trophy. It ups the competitive energy and gives you great photo ops.
Tip #5: Keep your phone ready to record Round 3. The charades round produces the best, most hilarious content you’ll want to save forever.
Bonus Round: Pictionary Style (Optional)
Want to keep the party going? Add a fourth round where players draw the prompts instead of acting them out. Same 1-minute timer, no words, no gestures—just frantic sketching. It’s gloriously chaotic.
Free Christmas Fish Bowl Word List:
Not sure what words to use? Here’s a ready-to-go list of Christmas and holiday-themed prompts that work perfectly for all ages:
Christmas Characters & People:
Santa Claus
Rudolph
Frosty the Snowman
Elf on the Shelf
Mrs. Claus
Grinch
Scrooge
Christmas Activities:
Wrapping presents
Decorating the tree
Baking cookies
Singing carols
Building a snowman
Sledding
Ice skating
Christmas Things & Objects:
Christmas tree
Stocking
Ornament
Candy cane
Gingerbread house
Snow globe
Wreath
Christmas lights
Mistletoe
Present
Sleigh
Fireplace
Holiday Food & Drinks:
Hot chocolate
Eggnog
Christmas cookies
Fruitcake
Gingerbread man
Peppermint bark
Candy cane
Christmas Songs & Movies:
Jingle Bells
Silent Night
Home Alone
Elf
The Nutcracker
Winter & Seasonal:
Snowflake
North Pole
Blizzard
Winter wonderland
Chimney
Quick Print Tip: Copy this list and cut it into individual slips before your party to save setup time. Just fold them up and toss them in the bowl!
Why Your Guests Will Love This Game:
The Fish Bowl Game hits that perfect sweet spot of being easy to learn but challenging to master. Round 1 feels manageable – everyone’s confident. Round 2 makes people think harder but is still doable.
Then Round 3 arrives and suddenly your uncle is frantically miming “candy cane” while everyone shouts random guesses. It’s the kind of laughter-filled chaos that makes holiday parties memorable.
Plus, because you’re using the same prompts all three rounds, there’s a satisfying “aha!” moment when you finally recognize a word from earlier. It rewards good memory and creates hilarious callbacks throughout the game.
Whether you’re hosting a casual family gathering or an all-out holiday bash, the Christmas Fish Bowl Game guarantees everyone gets involved, no one sits on the sidelines, and your party becomes the one people are still talking about next Christmas.
So grab that bowl, cut up some paper, and get ready to laugh until your stomach hurts. This is the kind of simple, no-pressure fun that makes the holidays special.
Ready to make your holiday party unforgettable? The Fish Bowl Game is your secret weapon.
More Christmas Party Ideas to Keep the Fun Rolling:
40 Hilarious Christmas Party Games for Adults That’ll Make Your Holiday Party Legendary
Sounds fun!
I’ve subscribed twice and still don’t see how to download and print the fish bowl game
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It was in my junk folder. Thanks!
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Would like a printout of the fish bowl game
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There is something not clear in the description. When team A first player is successful , does that same player pick the next clue or does it go to the next member of the team?
When a player gets their team to guess correctly, they immediately set that slip aside and draw the next one themselves. They continue drawing and giving clues (following the round’s rules) non-stop until the timer beeps. The goal is to get through as many slips as possible in that single minute, so the turn does not pass to the next teammate after each correct guess – it only ends when time runs out (or they break a rule or use their one allowed pass).
I’m experiencing the same thing many others have stated. I have not received the FishBowl game rules via email, after subscribing. I’ve checked my inbox and spam folder several times. I do not see a link, just confirmation button to confirm email address. Please help!
Hi, we checked and saw that you received our email and clicked to the printable. Happy holiday!
I am not receiving the link for the download either. Can you send it this way?
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Fun!
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I clicked on the confirmation email and all it says is thank you for signing up for the newsletter. There is no link to print the fish bowl game
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Trying ti find how to download
Please send me the list of words.
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would like a printout of the game and word list
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Would like a free copy of fish bowl word
Copy of fishbowl please
Please could I have the printable game. It looks great fun! Thank you
Sounds like a great game!
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Would love the fishbowl printable!
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Excited for my family to play this.
Could I get the printable please
Exited to play this.
Can’t wait to try this on New Year’s Eve!
Printable please
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printable please
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Sounds like a fun game!
FUN
Fish bowl game please
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Perfect game!
I want to play this with a group. It is not a Christmas party, so I’ll have them write their own prompts. How do you prevent duplicates? Is that even important?
Duplicates aren’t really a problem in Fish Bowl – since players don’t see each other’s slips, a duplicate just means the same word comes up twice during play. At worst it’s a minor annoyance; at best, it’s funny when a team recognizes it immediately from the first time. To reduce too many repeats, have everyone write prompts secretly, then do a quick “duplicate check” before folding them into the bowl. If two are the same, just swap one out for a new prompt. But it’s not a big deal if a few duplicates slip in! The game already reuses the same prompts across all rounds, which is part of what makes it fun.