Christmas is a magnet for chaos. The fridge is too full, the cricket is blaring, the aunties are arguing about the best route to the airport and someone’s kid has already eaten half the pav. It’s glorious, it’s stressful and sometimes you just need something to keep everyone occupied and laughing instead of debating politics or who forgot to bring ice.
That’s where tabletop games come in. And not just dusty old Monopoly sets missing the top hat token. The board-game world has exploded over the past decade, with more creativity, sharper humour and tighter mechanics than ever.
Globally, the tabletop category is booming, and in Australia, the board-game market is growing at around 8.5% a year. Translation? There’s genuinely a game for everyone, whether your Christmas crowd loves strategy, silly party games or yelling at each other in good-natured frustration.
If you’re looking to bring the family together, or distract them long enough to prevent a classic festive meltdown, here’s a stack of excellent picks that’ll spice up your Christmas afternoon.
This one absolutely crushes at parties, and there’s a reason TechRadar once called it “the best party game ever created.” The goal isn’t to be clever; it’s to think like everybody else. If the question is “What’s the best flavour of ice-cream?” and everyone except you says chocolate, you’re the odd cow out, and trust us, you don’t want to be the stray cow. Zero learning curve, heaps of laughs and perfect for groups of all ages.
Available at Kmart, Target and most game stores.
The Chameleon & The Chameleon Pictures
Social-deduction fans, this one’s for you. One player is the Chameleon, desperately trying to blend in while everyone else tries to expose them. It’s quick, tense and funny, especially when the imposter gives themselves away with the world’s most suspicious one-word clue. The Pictures version adds visual hints for anyone who prefers images over words.
Available at Kmart and most game stores.
A classic for a reason. CATAN has been bringing families together, and tearing them apart in the most wholesome way, for 30 years.
The new 6th Edition keeps everything you love but updates the artwork, improves the teaching tools and comes in a slick premium box. If your crew likes strategic games without needing a PhD, this is your hero. And in 2025, a fresh wave of expansions will land for even deeper gameplay.
Available at Kmart, Target, game stores and catan-au.com.au.
Imagine Pictionary crossed with LEGO and a mild identity crisis. You get a word, you get some coloured blocks, and you’ve got to build something your team can actually guess. The guessing part is the joy: Is that a dog? A house? A submarine? A dog that lives in a submarine? Who knows. If you like hands-on games that spark creativity and ridiculous arguments, this is a Christmas winner.
Available at game stores.
Dumb Questions To Ask Your Friends
Party games live or die by how quickly they get people laughing. This one kicks off immediately. You’ll be guessing which question your mate answered based purely on their answer, and with 400 dumb prompts, things get chaotic fast. Think of it like an instant ice-breaker for reunions, friendmas dinners or family gatherings where the energy needs a jump-start.
Available at Kmart, Target and most game stores.
Easy rules, big noise, huge laughs. You’re racing through descriptions without saying the one word your brain is hard-wired to use when you panic: “Umm.” Every slip hits the bell, and every ring gets funnier. As the game goes on, the banned-sound list grows, turning even the most articulate family member into a frantic mess. A perfect choice for the rowdy, competitive families out there.
Available at game stores.
Slingz: The Hilarious Lightning Card Game
Fast, frantic and fantastic after a second helping of ham. Each player gets five letter cards, a theme is revealed, and you race to shout out words starting with your letters. Think “festive chaos but controlled.” First to ditch all their cards wins. It encourages quick thinking and a healthy dose of good humour, because some of the panicked word attempts are comedy gold.
Available at Target.
The verdict: a game for every Christmas
Whether your family loves bluffing, building, guessing, shouting or carefully negotiating sheep for bricks, there’s something above that will slot perfectly into the long, warm, slightly feral stretch between Christmas lunch and leftovers for dinner. And honestly? The best Christmas memories often come from the unexpected, like your uncle completely collapsing under pressure in You Can’t Say Umm or discovering Nan is secretly a CATAN mastermind.
Bring a couple of these to your celebrations this year and you’ll have laughs, bonding and entertainment sorted, no batteries, chargers or remote-control fights required.
