10 Best Christmas Games With Solo Cups

Raise your hand if your last holiday party involved bored guests and forced karaoke. Same.

Actually, not really. That happened to me once and I’m like: “Nah, never again!”

I’m here to save you from that fate.

Christmas games with solo cups might scream “college kegger,” but honestly—they’re the unsung heroes of Christmas fun.

These red legends transform into epic games that’ll have Grandma cheering, Clarence giggling, and your too-cool-for-this cousin actually participating. Bonus: they’re dirt cheap and require zero prep skills.

Let me break it down for you.

1. Christmas Cup Knockout

The goal: Transform your holiday party into a knockout competition with this red cup pyramid game! (Think bowling meets Jenga, but way more festive.)

How to Play:

• Build your pyramid with red cups (15-21 cups should do it) on a stable surface
• Each player throws soft balls from a marked spot (All I’m saying is, the further back you stand, the more epic your victories become)
• Count those knockdowns to keep the competition real
• Game wraps when cups are down or you hit your round limit

Why It’s Fun: Creates instant party vibes, melts away awkward small talk, and sparks that competitive fire – without turning anyone into a holiday Grinch!

2. Jingle Bell Toss

The Goal: Score points by landing jingle bells into red solo cups. Players compete for the highest score (it’s basically beer pong’s festive cousin).

How to Play:

• Arrange red solo cups in a triangle formation on a flat surface (like bowling pins, but more holiday-ish)
• Players take turns tossing jingle bells from a marked throwing line
• Score points when bells land in cups (Oh, and the back row should be worth more points)
• Track scores until someone hits the winning number

Why It’s Fun: I don’t know.  It’s just fun to toss jingling bells into cups.  Actually, it’s fun tossing pretty much anything into cups.

Do’s	Don’ts
Space cups evenly	Throw bells too hard
Keep score fairly	Shake opponent’s cups
Celebrate good shots	Block other players

3. Santa’s Mystery Cup Hunt

The Goal: Find hidden holiday goodies under red solo cups through smart picks. Players hunt for the best rewards while dodging empty cups and silly penalties. (To me, there’s something about the thrill of the unknown makes this game addictive!)

How to Play:

• Set up red solo cups upside down on a flat surface with prizes underneath
• Players get turns picking and lifting cups to see what’s hidden
• Include fun challenges when empty cups appear (carol singing, goofy dancing)
• Count points or prizes through multiple rounds
• Set up different sections with varying prize values (Plot twist: no one knows which section is which!)

Why It’s Fun: The mystery of each cup’s contents keeps everyone guessing, and watching reactions to discoveries is worth every round that this game is played. (It’s basically CSI: Christmas Special Edition, minus the crime scenes)

Do’s	Don’ts
Mix prize values	Make prizes too expensive
Include funny forfeits	Hide messy items
Keep prizes age-appropriate	Make penalties too harsh

4. Christmas Cup Pyramic Challenge

The Mission: Create the tallest cup pyramid in 60 seconds flat. (Like Jenga’s hyperactive holiday cousin!)

Game Time Setup:

• Each player gets 10-15 festive plastic cups
• Set your one-minute timer and yell “GO!”
• Players must build a pyramid with their cups—5 on the bottom row, 4 on the next, and so on, until there’s one cup on top. No sneaky two-hand moves—keep it one hand at a time.
• Once the pyramid is built, players must reverse the process and re-stack the cups into a single tower.
• PLOT TWIST: If cups tumble down, you’re starting from where they fell
• Highest standing pyramid when time’s up takes the win

Why You’ll Love It: It’s like defusing a bomb made of party cups! All that heart-racing action plus the need for ninja-level steadiness. (Oh, and watching your friend’s tower do the wobble? Priceless.)

5. North Pole Cup Bowling

The Goal: Let’s knock down some festively decorated solo cups with a bowling ball or snowball and rack up those points!

How to Play:

• Create a pyramid formation with red solo cups and deck them out with holiday characters (Plot twist: the Grinch cup is worth double points!)
• Roll that ball from your marked spot – and hey, if it goes sideways, at least you’ll give everyone a good laugh
• Track those scores with bonus points for hitting special holiday cups
• Spice things up with festive challenges – maybe bust out your best “All I Want for Christmas Is You” between turns
• Hit the predetermined score first and claim your North Pole Cup crown

Why It’s Fun: All I’m saying is there’s something magical about combining bowling with holiday spirit. Gets everyone moving and laughing faster than Santa down a chimney.

Do’s	Don’ts
Get creative with cup decorations	Go full Thor with the bowling ball
Keep those scores rolling	Stack cups like a Jenga tower
Celebrate like you just saved Christmas	Turn into a competitive holiday monster

6. Christmas Gift Cup Shuffle

The Goal: Track down the coolest gift hiding under those sneaky cups! (Like a festive version of Three-card Monte, minus the street hustle.) Players take turns picking cups and discovering what Santa left underneath.

How to Play:

• Set up 12-15 solo cups in a circle or grid on any flat surface
• Hide different gifts under the cups (from awesome to hilariously awful)
• Shuffle those cups around like you’re hosting Vegas Night
• Players lift one cup per turn to claim their mystery prize
• Keep going until all cups are empty and gifts found

Why It’s Fun: Real talk, there’s nothing better than watching someone’s face when they lift a cup to find either treasure or… well, coal. (Plot twist: sometimes the coal is actually chocolate!)

7. Candy Cane Cup Catch

The Goal: So, this game is all about successfully tossing mini candy canes into red solo cups for points. (And yes, it’s exactly as addictive as it sounds!)

How to Play:

• Set up those red solo cups in a row or triangle formation on a flat surface
• Pick your throwing distance and mark it with tape (Pro tip: start closer than you think!)
• Players take turns tossing mini candy canes toward their cups
• Track those points when candy canes land in cups
• Hit the agreed point total first and – BOOM – you’re the winner!

Why It’s Fun: There’s nothing quite like that sweet *plunk* when you nail the perfect shot.

8. Elf Cup Flip Championships

The Goal: Let’s flip some decked-out solo cups and see who’s got the magic touch! (Think Olympic-level cup flipping, but with jingle bells.)

How to Play:

• Arrange those sparkly holiday cups in a row on any flat surface with the rim side down
• Grab each cup by the rim (like you’re about to serve holiday punch, but don’t!)
• Give it a quick wrist flip
• Score one point when your cup sticks the landing upright
• 60 seconds on the clock to flip your heart out
• Most successful flips takes home the glory

Why It’s Fun: I personally think there’s something magical about watching decorated cups do aerial stunts.

9. Stocking Stuffers Scramble

Goal: Be the first team to successfully stuff 10 small objects into a Solo cup “stocking” using only a spoon, while wearing oven mitts. Because who doesn’t want to simulate Santa’s job while being deliberately handicapped?

Here’s how to embrace the chaos:

• Create stations with a red Solo cup (decorated with white trim), 10 small festive items (candy canes, bells, ornaments), a spoon, and oven mitts. Line everything up like a mini North Pole assembly line.
• Players must wear oven mitts and use only the spoon to transfer items. Drop something? Start over with that item.
• Teams can either relay (each person does a few items) or pick their steadiest-handed teammate to tackle the whole challenge.
• First team to fill their cup-stocking without tipping it wins. Think “Operation” meets “Santa’s Workshop,” but with more giggling.

Why it’s fun: It combines fine motor skills with what basically amounts to wearing giant padded gloves, creating a perfect storm of hilariousness. And it is too funny watching people try to be delicate with oven mitts.

10. Santa’s Workshop Shuffle

Goal: Score points by rolling jingle bells into Solo cups mounted along the table edge, each representing different North Pole workshop stations.

• Mount the cups by taping 5 red Solo cups along the table edge, slightly overhanging. Label with different points and stations (Toy Train = 50 pts, Doll House = 40 pts, etc). Add garland between cups for pizzazz!
• From 3-4 feet back, players take turns rolling jingle bells toward the cups. Each player gets 5 bells per round – bounced-out bells don’t count, just like rejected toys!
• Play 3 rounds, keeping score. Highest total wins the coveted title of Senior Elf of Rolling Things (it’s totally a real position – trust me).
• Why it’s fun: There’s something oddly satisfying about nailing a perfect roll, plus watching bells bounce everywhere except your target is guaranteed entertainment.

Why it’s fun: The satisfaction of a perfect roll combined with the jingle of success creates an oddly addictive game. Plus, watching bells bounce everywhere except where you intended is pure holiday entertainment!

10 Christmas Games Played with Solo Cups At-A-Glance

If you’re viewing this on a mobile device, put your finger on the table below and swipe to the left (or right) to see the full table.

What’s Up	Objective	How Old?	Cool Stuff	Not So Cool Stuff	Just a Heads Up
Christmas Cup Pyramid Challenge	Knock down a pyramid of red cups using soft balls.	Ages 6+	Sparks competitive fun, easy setup, and great for breaking the ice.	Cups can get squished, and overly competitive players might Grinch out.	Make sure your setup is on a stable surface to avoid unexpected cup avalanches.
Jingle Bell Toss	Land jingle bells in cups for points.	Ages 8+	Easy to play, festive vibe, and customizable difficulty with bigger bells.	Bells can bounce unpredictably, and it might get loud with all the jingling.	Use weights in cups to keep them steady and prevent tip-overs.
Santa’s Mystery Cup Hunt	Find prizes hidden under cups while avoiding penalties.	Ages 6+	The mystery adds excitement, and watching reactions is priceless.	Some might not love goofy penalties, and it can take time to set up.	Keep the penalties light-hearted to maintain the fun atmosphere.
Holiday Cup Stack Race	Build the tallest cup pyramid in 60 seconds.	Ages 8+	Fast-paced, adrenaline-filled fun, and easy to explain.	Sweaty palms make stacking harder, and tumbling cups can frustrate some players.	Encourage players to stay calm and focused—it’s all about steady hands!
North Pole Cup Bowling	Knock down decorated solo cups using a “snowball.”	Ages 5+	Combines bowling with holiday creativity, and it’s fun for all ages.	Cups can get damaged or lost in the chaos of gameplay.	Use backup cups and mark age-appropriate throwing lines.
Christmas Gift Cup Shuffle	Pick a cup and claim the hidden gift underneath.	Ages 6+	Watching reactions to prizes (or coal!) makes for great laughs.	Cups might not stay in place during shuffling, and overly competitive players can ruin the vibe.	Add weights to cups or shuffle carefully to keep the setup intact.
Candy Cane Cup Catch	Toss mini candy canes into cups for points.	Ages 6+	Simple yet addictively fun with satisfying “plunk” sounds.	Candy canes can break, and repeated misses might frustrate younger players.	Start with an easy throwing distance and adjust for skill levels.
Elf Cup Flip Championships	Flip decorated solo cups and score points for successful landings.	Ages 10+	Perfect for friendly competition and requires no setup beyond cups.	Some players might struggle with the technique and get discouraged.	Teach basic flipping tricks before starting—relax that wrist!
Stocking Stuffers Scramble	Use a spoon and oven mitts to fill a solo cup “stocking” with festive items.	Ages 8+	Hilarious gameplay with fine motor challenges, and it’s great for team play.	Oven mitts can be too tricky for younger kids, and items can easily fall off tables.	Ensure the area is clear of obstacles and give players a practice round.
Santa’s Workshop Shuffle	Roll jingle bells into mounted cups for points, each representing a workshop station.	Ages 6+	Satisfying rolls and bouncing bells make for guaranteed laughs.	Rolling too hard can damage cups, and younger players might struggle with accuracy.	Secure cups well and use a soft surface to avoid loud bouncing noises.