The best board game gift ideas for Christmas🎄 2025
Board games are an excellent gift🎄, especially at Christmas time! Because when else do you sit so often at home with your family at the table? We have picked out the best board game gift ideas for Christmas for you.
Only the best board games for our gift ideas🎄
That's exactly why we made sure to pick family-friendly games for our recommendations. But if you have younger kids, you might be more interested in our recommendations for kids 4 to 6 years or kids 8 to 10 years.
New board games only
Also, we have only included recent games here. If you are also interested in older games, then you might be interested in our all-time-top25 or even our recommendations for board-game-classics.
So Clover!
So Clover! is a cooperative word-association game that challenges players to think creatively and work together. The essence of the game is to generate and guess keywords based on shared features, aiming to achieve the highest possible team score.
Nominated for 7 awards and won 2.
More details for So Clover!- 3 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Love Letter
More details for Love LetterLove Letter is a charming and strategic card game where players vie for the affection of a noble Princess, aspiring to become her most trusted confidant. Utilizing a blend of deduction, risk, and luck, players must navigate the royal court by enlisting influential characters to deliver their love letter to the Princess.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Love Letter
Decrypto
Engage in the riveting team-based challenge of Decrypto, where players strive to correctly interpret coded messages from their teammates while unraveling the intercepted codes of the opposing team.
Nominated for 15 awards and won 7.
More details for Decrypto- 3 - 8 Players
- 15 - 45 Minutes
- 12+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Decrypto
Codenames: Pictures
Uncover the mystery behind peculiar symbols on the map in Codenames: Pictures, where these enigmatic codes signify locations where spies connect with secret agents. In this clandestine world, two rival spymasters possess knowledge of the agents in each location, communicating coded messages to guide their field operatives to discreet meetings. Operatives must navigate these visual puzzles with utmost precision, as a decoding misstep might lead to an unfortunate encounter with an enemy agent – or worse, an encounter with the deadly assassin! The race is on for both teams to contact all their agents, but only one can emerge victorious.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 3.
More details for Codenames: Pictures- 2 - 8 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Codenames: Pictures
Unmatched: Cobble & Fog
Unmatched: Cobble & Fog is a captivating expansion to the Unmatched system, featuring a quartet of iconic characters drawn from literary lore, each with their unique playstyle and abilities. This expansion introduces the Invisible Man, Sherlock Holmes with Dr. Watson, Dracula along with the sisters, and the duo of Jekyll & Hyde, all brought to life in a highly asymmetrical miniature fighting game.
Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.
More details for Unmatched: Cobble & Fog- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 9+ years old
- Easy to learn
Pictures
Players simultaneously attempt to replicate an image using one of five different materials: building blocks, sticks and stones, picture cards, colored dice, or a rope. Afterward, each player guesses which of the 16 displayed images was copied. The game concludes after five rounds, with each player having used every material once. It is also language-independent.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.
⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2020
More details for Pictures- 3 - 5 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Pictures
Detective Club
Detective Club is a social deduction and party game that involves both cooperation and deception. Players are drawn into rounds of intrigue, where one player secretly passes clues to their accomplice to reveal a secret word, while others, acting as detectives, try to unveil the conspiracy. Creativity and persuasion play crucial roles as players discuss and defend their choices to avoid suspicion.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.
More details for Detective Club- 4 - 8 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Detective Club
Ohanami
More details for OhanamiOhanami is a serene and strategic card drafting game that seamlessly blends simplicity with deep strategic choices. Over three rounds, players cultivate their gardens by selecting cards and building sequences in a quest for the most points.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Silver & Gold
Silver & Gold is a board game that offers players the thrill of discovering distant islands filled with golden treasures.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Silver & Gold- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Flamme Rouge
Flamme Rouge presents an exhilarating bicycle racing experience where strategy, timing, and tactical decisions are paramount to success. This fast-paced game captures the intensity of a real bike race, offering players a blend of excitement and strategic gameplay.
Nominated for 10 awards and won 2.
More details for Flamme Rouge- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Flamme Rouge
Secret Hitler
Secret Hitler is a compelling board game set in the tumultuous political landscape of 1930s Germany. This game of deception and deduction requires players to conceal their identities while working towards opposite goals, depending on whether they are liberals or fascists.
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Secret Hitler- 5 - 10 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 13+ years old
- Easy to learn
Fantasy Realms
Fantasy Realms immerses players in the role of rulers striving to build the most powerful realm. This card game is all about strategic combinations and choices, with every decision shaping the strength and nature of your realm.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2021
More details for Fantasy Realms- 2 - 6 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One
Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One is a highly asymmetrical miniature fighting game that brings together a roster of legendary figures, each represented by a unique deck that reflects their individual style and mythology. The game combines tactical movement with a no-luck combat resolution system, offering a distinct play experience that emphasizes skill and adaptability.
Nominated for 5 awards.
More details for Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 9+ years old
- Easy to learn
Santorini
Santorini is a beautifully re-imagined strategy game that combines abstract elements with accessible gameplay, suitable for a wide range of players.
Nominated for 7 awards.
More details for Santorini- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Insider
Insider is a unique board game that offers a fresh and engaging experience for players. With its distinctive gameplay and innovative mechanics, it stands out in the world of board games.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Insider- 4 - 8 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 9+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Insider
Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter Game
More details for Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter GameJabba's lair is a place of danger and deception. Players compete with members of the Rebel Alliance and the residents of Jabba's Palace, using the abilities of iconic characters while trying to outsmart their opponents. The game retains the simple and fun mechanics of the original, introducing Agenda cards that offer new victory conditions and additional strategic depth.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Bärenpark
Bärenpark is a charming and strategic board game that invites players to delve into the world of bear parks. Your task is to construct a visually appealing and efficiently designed bear park.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 4.
More details for Bärenpark- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Bärenpark
6 nimmt! 25 Jahre
More details for 6 nimmt! 25 JahrePlayers aim to collect as few points as possible in the game. After shuffling the 104 number cards and laying out four to start the rows, each player receives ten cards. Players simultaneously choose and reveal a card, adding it to a row based on its number, and if the sixth card is added to a row, the player takes the previous five cards.
- 2 - 10 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
ICECOOL2
More details for ICECOOL2ICECOOL2 is both a standalone game and an expansion for ICECOOL. It introduces tasks on 1-point cards, fish movement power on 2-point cards, and an optional tournament scoring. Combining both ICECOOL sets allows for new layouts, a new game mode called "The Race," play for up to eight players, and the ability to create custom layouts.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for ICECOOL2
Set & Match
More details for Set & MatchPlayers bring tennis to the dining table, flicking a coin instead of hitting a ball with a racket. The board represents a tennis court, and players aim to land the coin in high-scoring areas while following traditional tennis scoring. The game concludes when a player wins the predefined number of sets.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
ICECOOL
ICECOOL is an energetic and playful flicking game set in a penguin school, where players assume the roles of rascally penguins trying to snatch fish and the vigilant Hall Monitor trying to maintain order.
Nominated for 14 awards and won 6.
⭐️ Kinderspiel des Jahres 2017
More details for ICECOOL- 2 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 6+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for ICECOOL
7 Wonders: Architects
7 Wonders: Architects invites 2-7 players into a fast-paced race to leave a lasting legacy in the ancient world by constructing an architectural marvel. Each player starts with an unconstructed wonder and embarks on a journey to gather resources, develop their society, and achieve greatness.
Nominated for 15 awards and won 5.
🔥 Deal: 12% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for 7 Wonders: Architects- 2 - 7 Players
- 25 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
CABO (Second Edition)
More details for CABO (Second Edition)Spy, swap, and sneak in this simple card game to find the unicorn Cabo. The goal is to minimize the total value of your cards, but you start the game not knowing what they are. Use special powers to look at your own cards, spy on your opponents' cards, or swap a card with an opponent, and call "CABO" when you believe you have the lowest value to end the round. The player with the lowest total value wins.
- 2 - 4 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Lovecraft Letter
More details for Lovecraft LetterLovecraft Letter transports you into the eerie world of H.P. Lovecraft in the 1920s. This card game, a unique take on the Love Letter system, blends mystery with an "insanity" mechanic that adds depth and intrigue to the gameplay.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 5 - 15 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Lovecraft Letter
Similo
Similo is a cooperative deduction game where players work together to guess a secret character from a set of twelve displayed in the middle of the table. Each version of Similo - such as Fables, History, or Myths - comes with a deck of thirty beautifully illustrated cards by Naïade, featuring characters that share a common theme.
Nominated for 2 awards.
More details for Similo- 2 - 8 Players
- 10 - 15 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
Wandering Towers
Players aim to bring all their wizards home to the Raven Castle before their opponents. The game board is set up in a circle with towers placed in a specific order, and each player starts with a certain number of wizards and movement cards. Players move their wizards or towers based on their played cards, capture opponents' wizards to fill their potion bottles, and ultimately try to place their last wizard in the Raven Castle to win. The game can also be played in teams with a variant that adds various spells.
Nominated for 10 awards and won 8.
More details for Wandering Towers- 2 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Century: Spice Road
Century: Spice Road is the first game in a series that delves into the rich and vibrant history of spice trading. Set against the backdrop of the legendary Silk Road, players take on the roles of caravan leaders, journeying across continents to trade spices and achieve fame and glory. This game combines elements of strategy and resource management, making it an engaging experience for players who enjoy economic and trading games.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 2.
More details for Century: Spice Road- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Video reviews for Century: Spice Road
Exploding Kittens: Party Pack
More details for Exploding Kittens: Party PackPlayers take turns drawing cards in a cat-themed version of Russian Roulette until someone picks an exploding kitten and loses. The deck includes cards to avoid explosions, force opponents to draw multiple cards, or shuffle the deck. This standalone game accommodates 2 to 10 players and features content from the Exploding Kittens series and its app.
- 2 - 10 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 7+ years old
- Immediately playable
When I Dream
When I Dream is a whimsical and imaginative board game that delves into the world of dreams, blending elements of storytelling, deduction, and teamwork in a playful setting.
Nominated for 6 awards and won 2.
More details for When I Dream- 4 - 10 Players
- 20 - 40 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for When I Dream
Bohnanza: 25th Anniversary Edition
More details for Bohnanza: 25th Anniversary EditionThe 25th Anniversary Edition includes a new bean variety and three game variants, one featuring a collector's coin. Players plant and harvest bean cards to earn coins, managing their hand without changing the order of cards. On their turn, a player lays down cards, trades with others, and eventually collects coins based on their beans before the game concludes with a final harvest.
- 2 - 7 Players
- 45 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
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