Some people see a box of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes and think, “Dessert.” I see a Christmas party theme. A relay. A prize table. A perfectly reasonable excuse to put tiny trees on absolutely everything.
These Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake games turn a favorite holiday snack into a whole afternoon of fun. Choose from wrapped-cake challenges, Christmas minute-to-win-it games, DIY tabletop activities and easy group games for kids and adults. You do not need to play all 25. Pick five favorites, put out the prizes, and let somebody’s competitive aunt do the rest.
Quick Picks: Which Christmas Tree Cake Games Should You Play?
| Your party | Start with these games | Why they work |
|---|---|---|
| Family Christmas night | 1, 6, 19, 21, 23 | A mix of movement, quiet games and laughs |
| Classroom or kids’ group | 7, 8, 9, 10, 18 | Mostly paper supplies and seated play |
| Adults or office party | 4, 14, 22, 23, 25 | Quick setup and team competition |
| Minute-to-win-it stations | 4, 5, 15 | Each challenge uses a 60-second round |
| No-food-contact party | 6–20, 23–25 | Use paper or foam props; skip edible prizes |
What You Need for a Christmas Tree Cake Game Party
Start with wrapped cakes for treats or prizes, white cardstock or foam sheets, red and green markers, paper cups and plates, painter’s tape, a timer, dice, wide spatulas, kitchen tongs, large soft pom-poms, pens and a score sheet. Read your chosen games before shopping; you do not need every supply for every activity.
For 12 guests: reserve 12 untouched wrapped cakes if everyone will receive one, add 2 demonstration cakes for a two-team relay, and add 3 more only if you want separate winner prizes: 17 cakes total. Buy by the cake count shown on your actual package. Reuse the demonstration cakes as game pieces, not take-home food. For the other stations, make about 20 reusable foam trees.
Check the official Christmas Tree Cakes product page for the classic snack inspiration, then check the current package for ingredients, allergens and storage directions. Ask about dietary needs, follow school food policies and offer nonfood prizes. Use props for anything tossed, hidden or repeatedly handled; skip speed-eating challenges.
DIY Christmas Tree Cake Props You Can Make Before the Party
Draw a tiered Christmas tree about 5 inches tall on scrap paper and use it as a template. Trace onto white cardstock or craft foam, cut out the shapes, then add red wavy icing lines and green dots. Make the fronts alike for skill games; draw matched pairs for memory games. Let markers dry before stacking. An adult should handle cutting for younger children.
For a coordinating party table, attach paper trees to cups, make tree-shaped place cards, or tuck a wrapped cake into a favor bag with a handwritten “Thanks for making Christmas sweeter” tag. Keep craft materials separate from food.
Wrapped-Cake Challenges and Christmas Minute-to-Win-It Games
1. Save the Tree Spatula Relay
Best for: Ages 6+; 4–16 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: One wrapped cake or foam tree per team, wide spatulas, plates and two trays.
How to play: Set three plates in a row for each team and a tray at the far end. Each player balances the tree on a spatula while walking alongside the plates to the tray and back, then passes it to the next teammate. If it drops, stop and replace it before continuing. The first team whose players all finish wins.
Party tip: Walk, do not run. A short tabletop transfer route works for seated players. The cake has officially entered its athletic era.
2. Tree Cake Plate Hop
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–8 players; 3 minutes
Supplies: Five plates and one wrapped cake per player or team.
How to play: Arrange five plates in a line on a table, about 6 inches apart. Starting with the cake on plate one, move it to the next plate using a spatula in your nondominant hand. Work through all five plates and back. The fastest completed trip wins; restart the transfer if the cake misses a plate.
Party tip: Use a foam tree for repeat rounds and let younger kids use their preferred hand.
3. Christmas Cake Delivery Dash
Best for: Ages 6+; 4–20 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Two trays, wrapped cakes and two baskets.
How to play: Put a basket 8 feet from each team. Players carry one wrapped cake on a tray to their basket, place it inside and return the tray. The next teammate goes. Give each team the same number of deliveries; first to deliver them all wins.
Party tip: Shorten the route for small rooms. Santa has reindeer. You have a serving tray and questionable balance.
4. One-Handed Tree Wrap
Best for: Ages 8+; 2–12 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: An empty snack box per player, precut paper and tape.
How to play: Give everyone the same size box and paper. Players have 60 seconds to wrap the box using one hand. Both ends must be covered and the paper must stay on when lifted. Among qualifying boxes, the neatest wins by group vote; allow a joint win.
Party tip: Use empty boxes rather than squashing perfectly good dessert. Award a bonus imaginary title: Chief Wrapping Officer.
5. Stock the Snack Shelf
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–12 players; 4 minutes
Supplies: Ten foam tree props, two trays and kitchen tongs per player.
How to play: Place ten trees on a tray and an empty tray 12 inches away. Players transfer trees one at a time with tongs for 60 seconds. Only trees entirely inside the destination tray count. Most trees wins.
Party tip: Use the same tongs and tree size for everyone. This is the only time frantic snack organization earns points.
DIY Christmas Tree Cake Games for Kids and Classrooms
6. Build-a-Tree Dice Game
Best for: Ages 5+; 2–10 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: Paper, markers and one die per table.
How to play: Assign die rolls: 1 trunk, 2 bottom tier, 3 middle tier, 4 top tier, 5 red icing lines, 6 green sprinkle dots. On each turn roll once and draw the corresponding missing part; repeats do nothing. First to collect all six parts wins.
Party tip: Any part may be drawn first. Nobody needs an art degree to win dessert.
7. Tree Cake Memory Match
Best for: Ages 4+; 2–6 players; 8 minutes
Supplies: Twelve identical-backed cards: six matching pairs of tree designs.
How to play: Draw pairs with distinct decorations, such as one star or two stripes. Shuffle face down into a 3-by-4 grid. Players turn over two cards per turn. Keep matching pairs and take another turn; turn mismatches back. Most pairs wins when all are found.
Party tip: For younger children start with three pairs. Use craft props or cards, keeping real cakes off the play surface.
8. Christmas Tree Cake Bingo
Best for: Ages 5+; 3–20 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: DIY 3-by-3 bingo grids, markers and nine caller cards.
How to play: Use the same nine symbols in different orders on every grid: tree cake, star, bow, mug, mitten, gift, bell, stocking and candy cane. Draw caller cards randomly without replacement. First to mark a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line calls bingo; verify against the drawn cards.
Party tip: Make multiple card layouts; simultaneous valid winners can share the round. These are DIY instructions, not a supplied printable.
9. Tree Cake Puzzle Race
Best for: Ages 5+; 2–12 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Identical cardstock tree cake drawings cut into six pieces; one set per player.
How to play: Draw each tree with red stripes and green dots, then cut all copies along the same pattern. Mix each set in its own envelope. Start together; first to rebuild the complete image flat on the table wins.
Party tip: Give little kids three larger pieces. Adults get six pieces and the sudden confidence of a competitive puzzle champion.
10. Decorate That Tree
Best for: Ages 5+; 3–20 players; 8 minutes
Supplies: White cardstock trees, red markers and green dot stickers.
How to play: Give everyone 3 minutes to decorate a paper tree cake. Display the results anonymously. Each player casts one vote in each category: funniest, most festive and most creative; no voting for yourself. Highest votes wins each category, with shared awards for ties.
Party tip: Use large stickers for younger children. Nothing here needs frosting, refrigeration or a sink full of dishes.
Christmas Tree Cake Toss and Tabletop Games
11. Christmas Tree Cake Cup Toss
Best for: Ages 5+; 2–12 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Six paper cups, three large soft pom-poms and tape.
How to play: Tape cups upright to a tray in a triangle and mark a throwing line 3 feet away. Give each player three underhand tosses. Score 1 point for front-row cups, 2 for middle and 3 for the back cup. Highest total wins.
Party tip: Move the line closer for kids; supervise small parts. Cakes stay on the prize table, safely out of the flight path.
12. Ring the Cake Forest
Best for: Ages 5+; 2–12 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Three cardboard tubes, cardstock tree cake toppers and large soft rings.
How to play: Stand tubes on a stable base, add toppers and space them apart. Players toss five rings from 3 feet away. A ring resting around a tube earns 1 point; highest score wins.
Party tip: Keep toppers narrow enough for the rings to pass over. Pool rings work for an oversized floor version.
13. Knock Down the Snack Shop
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–12 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Six paper cups decorated with paper trees and three soft foam balls.
How to play: Stack cups in a 3-2-1 pyramid on a low table. Each player gets three throws from 4 feet away. Count one point per cup knocked off the starting stack; reset for each player. Highest score wins.
Party tip: Use soft balls and a clear space behind the table. Please do not throw the actual cakes. They have suffered enough in the grocery bag.
14. Tree Cake Table Slide
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–10 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: A foam tree attached to a flat cardboard coaster, painter’s tape and a smooth table.
How to play: Tape three scoring zones near the far end: 1, 2 and 3 points. Players slide the prop three times from the opposite edge. Score by the zone containing its center; a prop falling off scores zero. Highest total wins.
Party tip: Test the surface first and use identical props. No butter, flour or slippery table treatments needed.
15. Sprinkle Scoop Showdown
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–10 players; 4 minutes
Supplies: Large green pom-poms, spoons, bowls and cardstock trees.
How to play: Place 20 pom-poms in a bowl and a tree on a tray 12 inches away. In 60 seconds players move pom-poms one at a time with a spoon onto the tree. Only those resting within its outline count; highest total wins.
Party tip: These pretend sprinkles stay away from the food. Use jumbo pom-poms and supervision for younger guests.
Christmas Party Guessing Games and Scavenger Hunts
16. Find the Golden Tree
Best for: Ages 4+; 3–20 players; 8 minutes
Supplies: Twenty paper trees, one with a gold star on the back.
How to play: Hide paper trees in a defined room before guests arrive. Players collect one at a time and bring them to the host. The person finding the gold-star tree wins the special round; everyone may keep searching until all are found.
Party tip: Keep hiding places reachable and away from private rooms. Give everyone a turn by resetting for a second round.
17. Christmas Cake Clue Trail
Best for: Ages 6+; 2–12 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: Four handwritten clues, paper tree tokens and a final prize basket.
How to play: Start with “Where cold drinks stay cool” leading to a clue on the refrigerator door. Next use “Where coats take a break” for a coat hook, then “Where shoes wait for their next adventure” for a shoe rack. A final note directs players to the prize basket. Give teams different colored tokens to collect at each stop; first to bring back all four wins.
Party tip: Read clues aloud for young children. Place notes outside appliances, never inside them.
18. How Many Trees in the Jar?
Best for: Ages 5+; 3–30 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Clear jar, paper tree tokens, guess slips and a pen.
How to play: Count the tokens privately, seal the jar and let everyone submit one estimate. Closest guess wins; equally close guesses share the win. Reveal the actual count after all guesses are collected.
Party tip: Use paper tokens instead of filling a jar with unwrapped cake. A larger jar makes adults wildly overconfident.
19. What’s Missing from the Cake Tray?
Best for: Ages 5+; 3–15 players; 8 minutes
Supplies: A tray, towel and eight objects: wrapped cake, bow, spoon, cup, paper star, mitten, gift tag and marker.
How to play: Let everyone study the tray for 30 seconds. Cover it, remove one object out of view, then uncover it. Players write or whisper the missing object to the host. Award 1 point per correct answer over five rounds; most points wins.
Party tip: Reset the tray before each new round. Avoid breakable ornaments and pieces too small for your group.
20. Tree Cake Holiday Trivia
Best for: Ages 7+; 3–20 players; 8 minutes
Supplies: Paper, pens and the five questions below.
How to play: Ask: What shape is the featured cake? What color are its icing stripes? What color are its sprinkles? What two colors make green paint? How many sides does a triangle have? Answers: tree; red; green; blue and yellow; three. Award 1 point each; highest total wins.
Party tip: These questions refer to the classic white tree cake pictured here. Let younger children answer as a team.
Christmas Tree Cake Group Games and Team Challenges
21. Pass the Tree Cake Parcel
Best for: Ages 5+; 4–20 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: A small empty box with a wrapped cake inside, wrapping paper and music.
How to play: Wrap the box in as many layers as there are guests. Sit in a circle and pass while music plays. When music stops, the holder removes one layer and then sits out of future unwrap stops, while still passing. Continue until everyone has unwrapped once; final unwrapper gets the cake.
Party tip: Add a kind prompt between layers: name a favorite holiday smell or compliment someone. Keep an alternative prize available.
22. Left-Right Cake Exchange
Best for: Ages 7+; 4–16 players; 6 minutes
Supplies: One wrapped cake or equal-value favor per guest and a short story.
How to play: Seat everyone in a circle holding a favor. Read: “Santa LEFT the bakery. He turned RIGHT at the lights. One tree cake was LEFT on the tray. He turned RIGHT back, picked it up with his LEFT hand, and put it RIGHT in his bag.” Pass left or right whenever those words are read. Everyone keeps the favor they finish holding.
Party tip: This is an everyone-wins exchange, not a scored contest. Use equal-value allergy-friendly favors where needed.
23. Tree Cake Charades
Best for: Ages 7+; 4–20 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: Prompt slips and a timer.
How to play: Split into two teams. Use prompts such as hiding the last cake, carrying an overloaded snack tray, decorating a giant tree cake, and discovering an empty snack box. One actor gets 45 seconds with no talking; a correct team guess earns 1 point. Play four turns per team; most points wins.
Party tip: Let kids act with a partner. The dramatic empty-box performance will probably be a little too believable.
24. Draw the Cake Without Looking
Best for: Ages 6+; 3–20 players; 5 minutes
Supplies: Paper and markers.
How to play: Players look upward while drawing a tree cake for 45 seconds, keeping eyes open and away from the page. Reveal the drawings. Award 1 point each for a recognizable tree outline, a trunk, red stripes, green dots and a star placed above the tree. Highest score wins.
Party tip: Explain the five criteria first. No blindfolds required; the icing will still find a way to leave the tree.
25. Build the Ultimate Cake Display
Best for: Ages 8+; 4–20 players; 10 minutes
Supplies: Identical team kits: ten foam trees, six cups, two paper plates and tape.
How to play: Give teams 5 minutes to build a freestanding tabletop display using only their kit. It must hold all ten foam trees for 10 seconds. Among qualifying displays, the tallest wins; measure from tabletop to highest point. If none qualifies, most trees supported for 10 seconds wins.
Party tip: Use props for construction and display untouched wrapped cake prizes separately. Crown your champions the Snackitects.
A Ready-to-Use 60-Minute Christmas Game Party Plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0–10 minutes | Arrivals, jar guesses (18), and explain the rules |
| 10–20 minutes | Spatula relay (1), including a practice round |
| 20–30 minutes | Rotate through two 60-second stations: stocking (5) and scooping (15) |
| 30–40 minutes | Team charades (23) |
| 40–50 minutes | Build the ultimate display (25) |
| 50–60 minutes | Reveal jar count, award prizes and enjoy untouched treats |
For 12 guests, make three teams of four. Award 3 points for first place, 2 for second and 1 for third in each scored game. Tied teams receive the same points for that placement. If the overall result is tied, let each tied team nominate one player for three cup tosses; repeat only if needed. Keep a separate treat for everyone so nobody leaves feeling like the Grinch stole their snack.
Christmas Tree Cake Prize and Favor Ideas
Pair a wrapped cake with a festive napkin, a holiday pencil, a sticker sheet or a small ribbon. Use a reusable mini trophy for the overall winner and make silly paper awards: Best Tree Transporter, Sprinkle Supervisor and Most Dramatic Snackitect. Nonfood favors work beautifully for guests who cannot eat the cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What games can you play with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes?
Use wrapped cakes for spatula relays, delivery challenges, pass-the-parcel and left-right exchanges. Use cake-inspired paper or foam trees for toss games, bingo, memory matching, puzzles and scavenger hunts.
Can these Christmas games work for adults?
Yes. One-handed wrapping, charades, table sliding and the display-building challenge make good Christmas party games for adults. Use teams to help new coworkers or guests join in comfortably.
How do I keep the party inexpensive?
Choose games that share supplies. One set of cups, foam trees, a die, paper and a timer can cover several stations. Buy cakes for favors and use reusable props for the action.
Can I use chocolate tree cakes or another snack?
Yes, use whatever suitable wrapped treat is available. Adjust any color-based trivia to match your cakes. If treats are unavailable or unsuitable for your guests, run the whole party with DIY props and nonfood prizes.
Do I need all 25 games for one party?
No. Choose four to six games for a one-hour party, allowing time to explain, reset and celebrate. Keep one quiet backup game ready in case the room needs a breather.
Keep the Christmas Party Fun Going
Need another round of holiday fun? Browse more party games from Get Your Holiday On or explore the holiday printables collection for additional activities. The games in this post use the DIY instructions above; no purchased printable is required.
Which game would your family turn into an Olympic event? Tell us in the comments, and save this list for the next time you need easy Christmas party games with a sweet little twist. Find the fun. Start the party!
Independent party inspiration from Get Your Holiday On; not affiliated with or sponsored by Little Debbie or McKee Foods.
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