Candy canes are not only delicious treats that we associate with the holiday season, but they can also be incorporated into fun and exciting games.
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Whether you’re planning a Christmas party, a family gathering, or looking to spread some holiday cheer in the classroom, these fun candy cane games are sure to bring joy and amusement to your festive plans. From competitive challenges to festive spins on classic games, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
How to Plan a Festive Party
Planning a festive party can be an exciting yet daunting task. Whether you’re organizing a school party, a holiday gathering, or just a fun get-together with friends, careful planning is essential to ensure a memorable and enjoyable event.
To help you get started, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to plan a festive party:
- Choose a Theme: Choose an appropriate theme that aligns with the purpose of your party. Depending on whether it’s to celebrate a special occasion or simply a party for the sake of fun will determine what kind of theme will suit your event. It could be a formal event with a specific dress-code, or a more cozy get-together.
- Organize the Guests, the Date, and the Time: Compile a list of people you want to invite to your festivity. Consider the size and capacity of your venue and ensure the space can comfortably accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite. If your party includes kids, our candy cane games are perfect for all ages. Select a date and time that is convenient for the majority of your guests, as the holiday season can quickly become filled with different parties and events.
- Plan the Decorations: Go wild with your theme and decorate the venue accordingly. From balloons, streamers, and banners to table centerpieces and lighting, pay attention to detail to create a festive ambiance. Consider incorporating colors and elements that align with your chosen theme, as well as any holiday-specific decorations if applicable.
- Organize the Music and Entertainment: Create a playlist that fits the mood and demographic of your guests. Include a mix of popular songs, genre-specific tracks, and any special requests from friends or family. If you have the budget, consider hiring a DJ, live band, or performers to keep the energy high throughout the event. It’s also a great idea to have some games or interactive activities available to engage your guests.
- Create a Fun Menu: Food and beverages are a crucial aspect of any festive party. Decide whether you want to offer a sit-down dinner, buffet-style meal, or a variety of appetizers and finger foods. Take into account any dietary restrictions or preferences your guests may have. If you’re not confident in your cooking abilities, consider hiring a caterer or arranging for a potluck-style party where guests contribute a dish.
- Send Out Invitations: Once you have all the essential details, send out invitations to your guests. These can be traditional paper invitations, electronic invites, or even through social media platforms. Provide all the necessary information, including the theme, date, time, venue, and any special requests or instructions. Allow your guests enough time to RSVP, and make sure to follow up with any late responders to ensure an accurate headcount.
- Welcome Your Guests and Enjoy! On the day of the party, greet your guests with a warm welcome. Ensure that all arrangements are in place, such as seating, food, and drinks. Be a gracious host, making sure everyone is comfortable and engaged. Participate in conversations, introduce people who may not know each other, and encourage a joyful atmosphere.
Remember, the most important aspect of planning a festive party is to have fun and enjoy the celebration yourself. By following these steps and putting in some effort, your event is sure to be a memorable and successful occasion for all involved.
30 Fun Candy Cane Game Ideas for Christmas
- Candy Cane Relay
In this game, divide players into teams and have them race to pass one candy cane as a relay baton to the next person in line using anything but their hands, such as their mouth. The first team to cross the finish line with their candy cane are the winners! It’s a fun and silly game that gets competitive quickly! - Candy Cane Hunt
One of the most creative candy cane games is a classic Candy Cane Hunt. Simply hide candy canes around your house or yard in strategic places, and set your family members out on a hunt to see who can find the most. The winner gets to keep all of their candy canes, or you can give them a small prize! - Candy Cane Tug of War
Divide players into two teams and have them compete in a classic tug of war using candy canes tied together, instead of a rope. This game does require a bit of preparation, but it’s perfect for the festive season. - Candy Cane Obstacle Course
Create a fun and challenging course using candy canes as hurdles, balance beams, or stepping stones for players to navigate through. Use your house and backyard to create the perfect obstacle course, and you could even include other festive items too, such as Christmas decorations, ornaments, tinsel, and even a small artificial Christmas tree! - Candy Cane Ring Toss
Set up a ring toss game using big candy canes as the target. This game is perfect for all ages and adds a festive touch to your seasonal party. - Candy Cane Wrap
Divide the party into teams, and one person in each team is the ‘Candy Cane Person.’ The Candy Cane Person has to stay still whilst everyone else ‘wraps’ them up, using red and white crepe paper, to look like a real-life Candy Cane! The first team to successfully wrap their Candy Cane Person are the winners! - Candy Cane Spoon Race
Give each player a candy cane, and they have to balance it on a spoon and race to the finish line without dropping it. The first person to cross the finish line successfully is the winner! - Candy Cane Stacking
See who can stack the most candy canes on top of each other within a given time limit. You can divide the party into teams so that everyone can work together to win. - Candy Cane Bowling
Create a DIY bowling alley in your home or backyard, using candy canes as pins and a small ball to bowl with. This adds a Christmas touch to a classic game. The first person to knock over the most candy canes is the winner! - Candy Cane Guessing Game
This game always goes down a treat at my Christmas parties. Simply fill a jar with mini candy canes and challenge players to guess how many are inside. Write down all of the guesses on a board or large piece of paper, and the closest guess wins all of the candy canes in the jar! - Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt
Create a holiday-themed scavenger hunt using candy canes as clues, leading participants to the ultimate treasure. You can tie written clues to the candy canes, or have the candy canes point in a specific direction to lead towards the prize. - Candy Cane Memory Game
Arrange several candy canes in a pattern and then take them away. Players then have to try and replicate the pattern from memory. Keep arranging the treats in different patterns to challenge participants and make the game more difficult. - Candy Cane Tic-Tac-Toe
A festive take on one of the most fun party games! Use candy canes and a large grid to play a life-sized version of tic-tac-toe! This can be played in teams or as individual players, and it’s bound to create some friendly competition! - Candy Cane Jenga
Play a festive version of Jenga by stacking candy canes and removing them without toppling the tower. Players must gently remove one candy cane at a time to avoid knocking the tower down. To make the game more interesting, you could even use colors at the end of different candy canes. Each color can represent a dare that the player must fulfill if they remove the candy cane. - Candy Cane Piñata
Fill a piñata with mini candy canes and blindfold players. Then let everyone take turns trying to smash it open until all of the candy falls out! Younger kids especially always love this game. - Candy Cane Pictionary
Use candy canes as drawing tools in a Christmas-themed game of Pictionary. This game encourages players to get creative, and they can arrange the candy canes in a certain way to create a picture. - Candy Cane Spoon Duel
Have players stand face to face, each holding a candy cane on a spoon. The goal is to knock the opponent’s candy cane off the spoon while protecting their own. - Candy Cane Cornhole
Set up a cornhole game using candy canes as the targets, and use small bags or balls to toss into the holes. - Candy Cane Freeze Dance
Play some holiday tunes, and when the music stops, participants must freeze in place, balancing a candy cane on their nose or trying to catch it mid-air. - Candy Cane Artists
Challenge players to create festive artwork using only candy canes as their “paintbrushes.” See how creative everyone can get! You can even present the artwork anonymously after an allotted time and ask guests to choose their favorite! - Candy Cane Minute to Win It
Adapt popular “Minute to Win It” games, using candy canes as the main props. For example, try to stack as many candy canes on your forehead in a minute or see how many can be transferred from one cup to another using only a candy cane in your mouth. - Candy Cane Balloon Pop
Fill balloons with small candy canes, and players must pop them by sitting on them, finding the hidden treats inside. - Candy Cane Tree Toss
For an even more fun take on a Candy Cane toss, use a small artificial Christmas tree and ask each team to stand a fair distance away. One at a time, each person must throw a candy cane at the tree and try to get them to stick. The winning team is the one with the most candy canes stuck in the tree at the end of the game. - Candy Cane Memory Match
Of all the candy cane game ideas, this one is really simple to play. All you need to do is lay out pairs of matching candy cane patterns and challenge participants to find the most matches. - Candy Cane Tower Building
Use candy canes and holiday-themed sweets to construct tall towers, competing to see who can build the tallest and most structurally sound. - Candy Cane Fencing
Using a wrapped candy cane, participants must battle an opponent from another team by fencing with their candy cane. The first person to have a broken cane is out! - Candy Cane Fishing
Candy Cane Fishing is the perfect candy cane game for any festive party. It’s an easy game but it does require some additional preparation. Firstly, attach some ribbon to a few candy canes, using hot glue, and attach a piece of dowel or a stick to the other end of the ribbon. These are your fishing poles. Then, fill an empty basket with candy canes, ensuring that they hook over the edge of the basket so they’re easier to fish for. This is your candy cane pond.
Now participants can try to ‘fish’ for all the candy canes using the hook end, and see how many candy canes they can hook. And there you have it – Candy Cane Fishing! - Candy Cane Golf
Using plastic cups as holes, create a mini golf course to play this candy cane-themed version of a much-loved sport. Use candy canes as golf clubs, and you can use a festive treat as the golf balls (you could even use candy cane drops)! - Candy Cane Limbo
Use candy canes as a makeshift limbo stick and see who can bend the lowest without dropping it! This is the perfect party game, so be sure to play some festive music to go along with it!
Enjoy our Fun Candy Cane Games For the Holiday Season
Candy cane games add an extra dash of festive fun to any holiday gathering or classroom.
These 30 fun games are ideal for all ages, and whilst they’re all relatively easy games, they’re bound to create some friendly competition amongst the people playing! Each candy cane game brings something new to your Christmas party, and whether you’re hosting a formal event or teaching younger kids, these fun party games will be the perfect addition to any festive event.
Happy Holidays!
Eleanor is a qualified English teacher and has received a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), specializing in Secondary English, and holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature from Liverpool John Moores University. She is certified to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) and has worked with students in the U.K. and South East Asia. She currently works as an English teacher in Vietnam, teaching students across a range of ages.
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