Christmas Wheel
Your Options
31 options- Bake Cookies
- Watch Christmas Movie
- Decorate Tree
- Hot Chocolate Bar
- Make Ornaments
- Gingerbread House
- Holiday Game Night
- Write Holiday Cards
- Wrap Gifts
- Read a Holiday Story
- DIY Wreath or Garland
- Festive Tree Photo
- Christmas Puzzle
- Color Christmas Pages
- Make Paper Snowflakes
- Write a Letter to Santa
- Picnic by the Christmas Tree
- Christmas Scavenger Hunt
- Look Through Christmas Photos
- Make Wrapping Paper
- Candy Cane Hunt
- Sleep Under the Christmas Tree
- See Christmas Lights
- Go Ice Skating
- Build Snowman
- Winter Walk
- Sing Carols
- Give Back
- Visit Family
- Deliver Treats to Neighbors
- Visit a Christmas Market
01 / Intro
Christmas plans fill the calendar, then the living room still stalls on what to do tonight. This wheel holds 31 festive activities you can start the same day: bake cookies, see lights, run a scavenger hunt, make ornaments, or read a calm Eve story. Trim slices in Settings that do not fit your December, then spin once and start.
02 / Christmas activities at a
Christmas activities at a glance
Every default slice with where it fits and a holiday tip. Drop outdoor, rink, snow, or market rows in Settings when they do not match your December. All rows below are on the wheel.
| Activity | Best for | Holiday tip |
|---|---|---|
| Bake Cookies | Home | 45 to 90 minutes; pick one recipe before you mix. Mess is part of it with kids. |
| Watch Christmas Movie | Home | Agree the title before you spin so you do not debate for an hour afterward. |
| Decorate Tree | Home | Block one to two hours; music and snacks keep hands busy. |
| Hot Chocolate Bar | Home | 15 to 30 minutes; set out marshmallows and candy canes for a quick win. |
| Make Ornaments | Home | Salt dough, fillables, or paper; cover the table before glitter wins. |
| Gingerbread House | Home | Use a kit if time is tight; let icing set before you move it. |
| Holiday Game Night | Home, with others | Board or card games by the tree, not a charades prompt list. |
| Write Holiday Cards | Home | 30 to 60 minutes; buy stamps early if you are mailing them. |
| Wrap Gifts | Home | Prep night: set a timer so wrapping does not eat the whole evening. |
| Read a Holiday Story | Home | 15 to 30 minutes; strong Christmas Eve calm-down. |
| DIY Wreath or Garland | Home | Allow dry time; hang where pets cannot pull it down. |
| Festive Tree Photo | Home | 10 minutes; timer or tripod so everyone is in frame. |
| Christmas Puzzle | Home | Calm Eve or rainy day; a 500–1000 piece box by the tree works well. |
| Color Christmas Pages | Home or class | Low prep; print a few sheets and set a 15-minute timer. |
| Make Paper Snowflakes | Home or class | Scissors and white paper; tape favorites on a window. |
| Write a Letter to Santa | Kids at home | Paper and stamps, or tuck the letter by the tree for Christmas Eve. |
| Picnic by the Christmas Tree | Home, evening | Blankets, simple food, tree lights only. Skip the dining table once. |
| Christmas Scavenger Hunt | Home or party | Hide 8–12 clues around the house; end with cocoa or a small treat. |
| Look Through Christmas Photos | Home | Phone albums or printed boxes; 20 minutes of "remember when." |
| Make Wrapping Paper | Home | Butcher paper plus stamps or markers; dry flat before you wrap. |
| Candy Cane Hunt | Kids or party | Hide canes indoors; count how many each person finds. |
| Sleep Under the Christmas Tree | Household kids | Pillows and a movie first; check pets and tree water before lights-out. |
| See Christmas Lights | Outside, evening | Walk or drive a known route; dress warm and charge phones. |
| Go Ice Skating | Outside | Book a slot; remove if there is no rink nearby. |
| Build Snowman | Outside | Needs real snow; gloves, carrot, photo before it melts. |
| Winter Walk | Outside | 20 to 40 minutes bundled up; cocoa when you get home. |
| Sing Carols | With others | Living room, porch, or event; 15 to 30 minutes is enough. |
| Give Back | With others, out | Donate, volunteer, or pack a care kit; check hours before you go. |
| Visit Family | With others | Confirm travel or set a video call time so it actually happens. |
| Deliver Treats to Neighbors | With others | Bagged cookies or cocoa mix; leave a note if nobody is home. |
| Visit a Christmas Market | Out, daytime | Remove if none nearby; bring cash and a warm layer. |
03 / Four December spin rules
Four December spin rules
Agree the rule out loud before anyone taps Spin. Endless re-rolls usually mean the evening never starts: cookies, lights, or a hunt stay stuck in debate.
Household · 1 spin per day
- Open Settings and hide ice skating, snowman, or the Christmas market if they are not realistic this year.
- Spin once. First result wins; no "best of three."
- Hide or remove that slice so Advent days do not repeat until next December.
- Start the activity the same day: bake, story, snowflakes, lights, or whatever landed.
Family · ~45–90 min
- Put the wheel on a TV or laptop where kids can see the pointer stop.
- One spin for the evening block; one re-spin max if the pick is truly impossible tonight.
- Do the result as a full block (Bake Cookies, See Christmas Lights, Christmas Scavenger Hunt, or Picnic by the Christmas Tree), not a half-hearted five minutes.
- No mid-activity re-roll. Finish, then put the wheel away until next Friday.
Classroom · 10–15 min
- Project the wheel. In Settings, drop long outdoor and travel slices (market, skating, Visit Family, Sleep under the tree).
- Keep short home-friendly picks: Color Christmas Pages, Make Paper Snowflakes, Read a Holiday Story, Make Ornaments, Hot Chocolate Bar if allowed.
- Spin once where every student can see. Do that activity; second spin only if time remains.
- Optional: hide the used slice so tomorrow's wind-down is a new pick.
Party · 15–45 min
- After a structured round (charades, White Elephant, trivia), announce the wheel will pick the next activity, not another dare prompt.
- Spin once on a shared screen. Land on Bake Cookies, Hot Chocolate Bar, Christmas Scavenger Hunt, See Christmas Lights, or Sing Carols.
- One re-spin max if the house cannot support the pick (no oven, no outdoor lights).
- Start within five minutes so guests do not drift back to phones before the activity begins.
04 / Which holiday wheel?
Which holiday wheel?
This page picks what you do together. Shopping and Secret Santa turn order are different jobs.
Pros
Random festive activity: bake, lights, crafts, scavenger hunt, picnic by the tree, neighbor treats.
Cons
Does not choose gifts to buy or who draws names for Secret Santa.
Pros
Gift ideas for Secret Santa, someone hard to buy for, or a last-minute save.
Cons
Does not plan what your group does together that afternoon.
Pros
Fair draw or reveal order for exchanges and party unwraps.
Cons
Not for cookies vs lights; use this Christmas wheel for the activity.
Pros
General hangout ideas any time of year, not holiday-themed.
Cons
No Christmas framing; use when you want everyday boredom busters.
Pros
Settles what to eat or order for a meal.
Cons
Does not pick crafts, outings, or festive traditions.
05 / Explore
Explore more wheels
Related picks for this topic, categories to browse, and a couple of blog posts.
Related
All wheels →06 / FAQ
FAQs about the Christmas wheel
What does this Christmas wheel pick?
One festive activity from your active list: bake cookies, see lights, a scavenger hunt, picnic by the tree, paper snowflakes, and more. Thirty-one defaults ship on the wheel; edit them in Settings anytime. It does not choose gifts to buy or Secret Santa names.
How is this different from the holiday gift ideas wheel?
Holiday gift ideas are presents to shop for (budget, White Elephant, stocking stuffers). This wheel is what your family or group does together that day. Many people use both: spin here for the activity, then the gift wheel when you need a shopping angle.
Can I use this wheel for Secret Santa?
Not for name draws or unwrap order. Use the Secret Santa order wheel linked in Which holiday wheel? above. You can still spin this Christmas wheel for a party activity before or after the exchange (cookies, cocoa, scavenger hunt).
What if we have no snow or a warm climate?
Open Settings and remove Go Ice Skating, Build Snowman, and Winter Walk if those do not fit. Keep lights, crafts, movies, scavenger hunt, picnic by the tree, and Visit Family. The table marks which picks need outside winter weather or a local market.
Have more questions? Visit our complete FAQ page or explore all available wheels.