Savvy Talks: 🎉 Game On: How to Keep Holiday Parties Fun Without Booze

Holiday parties are shifting. More people are drinking less—or not at all—and honestly? It’s changing everything. Nights end a little earlier, conversations are deeper (and actually remembered the next day), and you don’t wake up with regrets from that political debate that never goes anywhere good. Oh, and let’s not forget: no pounding headache.

But here’s the big question: how do you keep the energy up when alcohol isn’t the star of the show?

The answer is simple: games.

I’ve recently rediscovered backgammon and Mastermind (two of my personal favorites), but when it comes to a crowd, you don’t need fancy boards. All you need is paper, pens, maybe a timer, and a willingness to laugh at yourself.

Here’s a lineup guaranteed to keep the party buzzing—no cocktails required:

📝 Celebrity

Write down celebrity names, split into teams, and take turns giving clues so your group guesses who it is. Think charades with a twist. Pro tip: at my parties, this one has become the main event. People even come prepared.

🎭 Charades

Act out a word or phrase without speaking while your team guesses. Classic, always hilarious, especially after dessert.

✏️ Pictionary

Draw a word or phrase. Stick figures are fine—actually, they’re better. The worse the art, the bigger the laughs.

⏱ Catchphrase

Describe the word without saying it, then pass the timer before it buzzes. Loud, fast, and competitive.

🐺 Werewolf / Mafia

Everyone gets a secret role—some are villagers, some are villains. Villagers have to sniff out the bad guys before they’re “eliminated.” Perfect for drama-loving families.

📱 Heads Up!

Download the app, hold the phone to your forehead, and let your team give you clues until you guess. Instant chaos, guaranteed fun.

🎶 Name That Tune

Hum or sing a few bars—see who guesses first. Bonus points for passion.

🙊 Two Truths and a Lie

Say three statements about yourself—two true, one fake. Everyone else guesses the lie. Simple, silly, surprisingly revealing.

🤔 Would You Rather?

Pose two choices. (“Would you rather host 40 people for Thanksgiving or clean up afterward alone?”) Sparks debates every time.

✍️ Telephone Pictionary

Start with a phrase. One person draws it, the next guesses, the next draws again. By the end, “turkey dinner” has somehow turned into “alien invasion.”

🔍 Scavenger Hunt Indoors

Hide objects or clues around the house. Kids love it, adults get cutthroat.

🎤 Lip Sync Battle

Pick a song, grab some props, and channel your inner Beyoncé.

🎤 Karaoke

Because nothing bonds people faster than bad singing. Hairbrush microphones welcome.

📸 Photo Booth Corner

Set up a corner with silly props, hats, and glasses. Instant photos, instant memories.

🎲 Board Games That Scale

Crowd-pleasers like Codenames, Apples to Apples, Taboo, or Scattergories. Easy to explain, fun with big groups.

💌 Gratitude Jar

Everyone writes down something they’re grateful for, then you read them aloud. Sweet, grounding, and surprisingly moving (depending on the group).

Bottom line? Swap cocktails for cocoa and let the games do the heavy lifting. The holidays aren’t about what’s in your glass—they’re about connection, laughter, and a little competitive spirit.

Zero hangovers included.

  Originally aired on 10/03/25 for WGN Radio 720.