Christmas Would-You-Rather Cards for Kids

Christmas would-you-rather cards turn a quiet evening into a room full of laughing and debating. Kids draw and write their own question cards on plain paper or index cards, then the family takes turns drawing and answering. There is no printable and no template. The twelve questions below get the game started tonight.

What supplies do you need?

• Index cards or plain paper cut into card-size pieces, about twenty to start
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils for drawing and decorating
• Pencils for writing the questions (easier to fix than markers)
• A small box, bowl, or paper bag to hold the finished cards
• Scissors for cutting paper into card-size pieces (an adult cuts for the youngest kids)
• Optional: stickers or stamps for decorating the card backs

How do you make the question cards?

1. Cut the paper into cards if you are not using index cards. Roughly the size of a playing card works well, big enough to write on and easy for small hands to shuffle.
2. Write one would-you-rather question on each card in big, clear letters. Younger kids can dictate their question while an adult writes it down, then the child draws the picture.
3. Draw a picture on each card to go with the question. A kid who draws Santa's sleigh next to the Polar Express will remember that card and reach for it first.
4. Decorate the backs so every card looks like it belongs to the same set. Matching backs make the draw feel fair and the game feel official.
5. Keep making cards until you have at least twelve. The twelve example questions below are a perfect starting deck, and kids usually start inventing their own after the third or fourth card.

What questions go on the cards?

Start with these twelve. Read them aloud as a family, argue a little, and notice which ones get the biggest reactions. Those reactions tell you what kind of questions your family loves, which helps when kids invent their own.

1. Would you rather ride in Santa's sleigh or take a trip on the Polar Express?
2. Would you rather decorate the Christmas tree or wrap all the presents?
3. Would you rather drink cocoa with marshmallows or hot apple cider with cinnamon?
4. Would you rather build a giant snowman or go sledding down the biggest hill?
5. Would you rather visit the North Pole or live inside a gingerbread house?
6. Would you rather have a reindeer or a snowman as a pet?
7. Would you rather watch reindeer fly or watch snow fall all day long?
8. Would you rather open one giant present or five small presents?
9. Would you rather eat candy canes or chocolate coins?
10. Would you rather sing Christmas carols or watch a Christmas movie?
11. Would you rather have Christmas lights that twinkle or lights that glow steady?
12. Would you rather be an elf in Santa's workshop or a helper riding in the sleigh?

How do you play the game?

1. Shuffle the cards and put them in the bowl or box, decorated side up so nobody can see the questions.
2. The youngest player draws first. They read the question aloud (or an adult reads it) and answer it first, saying why they chose what they chose. The "why" is the best part.
3. Go around the circle with everyone answering the same question. There are no wrong answers, and changing your mind after hearing someone else's reason is completely allowed.
4. The player who answered last draws the next card. Keep going until the cards run out or the cocoa does.
5. Save the cards in the box when you finish. Pull the set out again on Christmas Eve, and add new cards every year. Families end up with a deck that grows along with the kids.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

• A child cannot think of a question. Start them with a fill-in pattern: "Would you rather [Christmas food] or [Christmas food]?" Foods, animals, and places are the easiest categories. Two or three starter questions usually unlock a flood of their own.
• Siblings argue about the "right" answer. Remind everyone that would-you-rather has no scoring and no winners. If the debate gets heated, the rule is simple: you explain your pick, everyone else listens, then the next card gets drawn.
• Younger kids cannot read the cards yet. Pair each young child with an older sibling or parent who reads the card quietly to them before they answer. The pictures they drew help them recognize their own cards.
• The game fizzles after six cards. Twelve cards is a full game for most families. If attention fades, stop and save the rest. Short and funny beats long and dragging every time.

More Christmas fun to try

• Play Christmas bingo with picture cards the whole family can enjoy.
• Try our fall would-you-rather cards for the same game with an autumn twist.
• Hunt for pictures on a Christmas I Spy game when you want a quieter activity.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What ages is the would-you-rather card game good for?

Kids as young as four can play if an adult reads the cards aloud, and the game works all the way up through teens and grandparents. Younger kids love the silly choices and the drawing. Older kids get into the debating. It shines as a mixed-age game because everyone answers the same question from their own point of view.

Do we need to buy anything special to make the cards?

No. Plain paper or index cards plus crayons or markers is the whole supply list. The game is deliberately DIY: families draw and write their own cards instead of using a printable or template. A small box or bowl to draw the cards from is nice but optional. Most families already own everything they need.

How many cards should we make?

Twelve is a great starting deck and keeps one game to about fifteen minutes. If the family wants a longer game night, aim for twenty. Let kids keep adding cards over the season whenever they think of a good question. A deck that grows through December becomes a family keepsake you will pull out next year.

Can this game work for a classroom holiday party?

Yes, and it works well. Have each student make two cards in class, collect them all into one box, and play as a group. Set a ground rule that every answer gets a friendly reaction, since classroom dynamics need that guardrail. It fills about twenty minutes and needs no cleanup, which teachers appreciate in December.

Be safe and have fun!