Christmas Murder Mystery Games For Your Holiday Party
Anyone looking for something fun to do this holiday season would benefit from a Christmas murder mystery party game.
These types of events are fun any time of the year. But if you find one that is holiday themed, then it’s such an incredible way to get everyone engaged in a single activity.
I’ll talk a little bit about why they work so well, and then I’ll give suggestions of some of the best Christmas murder mystery games that are out there.
I’ll also share some holiday-themed boxed murder mystery sets and why it sometimes makes sense to just buy a ticket to a professional event.
| Players | 6 to 16 |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 15 or 30 minutes with a boxed game |
| Run time | Two to five hours |
| Cost | Free; boxed kits $30 to $80; murder mystery dinners $20 to $135 |
There’s a game finder a little lower on this page that will help you sort through some of the mystery games that I’ve found that seem like they’d be ideal for Christmastime.
I’d recommend looking through those because you’ll be able to sort based on price, based on players, and you’ll quickly find what you need that’ll fit your party.
Jump to the game finder
What’s a Christmas murder mystery?
A holiday murder mystery party is different from a Christmas mystery party in some cases. A holiday mystery party could be something like The Elderflower Inn, which is a cozy, autumnal financial mystery.
A Christmas mystery is something that is played specifically at Christmas. That’s a broad definition, and it’s getting pretty wild to see what comes out every year.
You can get pretty specific with what you’re looking for. For example, you might want a mystery set in a Dickensian world with Scrooge and Jacob Marley and all those fun characters. That sounds like a perfect option for a Christmas-themed game, and I have no doubt several versions of it already exist. (I just haven’t played them yet.)
Not finding what you want? You can make your own murder mystery pretty easily.
Pick a game that fits your group
The best murder mystery games for a holiday party are the ones that suit your group’s size and location.
If you have a church youth group in a basement with only 10 kids, you may want to choose a different game than if you have a Christmas party for a bunch of bar workers after hours.
You can play a Christmas murder mystery game with just a handful of people, or you can play them with much larger groups, but you may have a easier time doing that if you make your own murder mystery.
Boxed Christmas murder mystery games
One of the reasons I like murder mysteries so much is that it makes it so much easier for a host to prep. You can reduce the prep time for a Christmas party with a boxed game.
A boxed game can reduce your prep time from hours and hours to just 15 or 30 minutes, depending on how much decorating you wanna do beforehand.
These types of games can run anywhere from two hours to five hours, depending on how involved they are.
There are free options if you’re looking for a Christmas murder mystery game, and there are paid options.
If you’re looking for a boxed kit, then you can expect to spend anywhere from 30 to 70 or $80, depending on how involved that kit is.
More expensive kits tend to come with more stuff. Sometimes that’s worthwhile, but sometimes it’s just extra flavor. I usually prefer to spend extra time making my own decorations. That way, I can choose any game I want and add some holiday flair to it.
There are some pre-made options that are ideal for playing murder mystery parties during the holidays, and you can usually find good options from some of the most well-known murder mystery companies out there.
Some of them are sold on Amazon, but you can also find them on their own sites. So most of these game manufacturers have the site or have the games available on their own sites.
But these aren’t the only options. One of the best ways that you can set up a murder mystery party at the Christmas time is to just go to an existing murder mystery party company, and if you’re in a city like New York or Chicago or LA or even Minneapolis or Milwaukee, you’ll often have a murder mystery company that puts on dinners at actual locations, at restaurants.
I like these professional events when I want something done for me. They already have the mystery written and a bunch of professional characters ready to act the part. And they’ve always rewarded me for being a bit of a character myself.
That said, they’re expensive. Home events and office events can (and usually are) cheaper to organize.
If I’m paying someone else to host my murder mystery, I always check for the theme of the event before I book.
That’s one thing I always list when I’m updating my calendar of upcoming larp events. I also have a calendar that shows upcoming murder mystery games. During the holiday season, that calendar tends to show holiday-themed mysteries and shows. They’re on-theme for the holiday, and I’d reach out if I wanted to organize a special showing just for my friends or coworkers.
Make your own Christmas mystery game
If you wanna do your own mystery game around Christmas, you can do that for free. There are ways to fit them in around existing holiday party games. Things like costume parties where you’re in theme for the holidays, and things like Secret Santa, where people give each other gifts and keep those gifts the gift giver a secret throughout the event.
Those are all fun and part of it, and if you want to make them more into a clue-following game or puzzle-solving game, it’s also very easy to make your own that way. You can even do a scavenger hunt where you have different clues that lead people to different places, and it’s very easy to make those holiday-themed.
Find a game for your party
Showing all 18 games.
| Game | Guests | Time | Type | Who | Cost | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic and Lies Recommended Played | 5–10 | About 3 hrs | Parlor larp, Hidden role | Teens, adults | From $10 digital | Karolina Soltys (opens in a new tab) |
| Arsenic and Lies by Karolina Soltys is one of my favorite easy-to-play murder mysteries. | ||||||
| Body on the Boardwalk | 1–5 | 45–60 min | Murder mystery | 14 and up | $31.99 | Hunt A Killer (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A murder mystery game kit with evidence to review, made by HuntAKiller. This one has some pretty neat clues in the set. | ||||||
| Brindlewood Bay Someone runs it | 2–6, plus a GM | A campaign, at least three 3-hr sessions | RPG, Murder mystery | — | $40 | The Gauntlet (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A ttrpg where you play elderly women solving a mystery without being professional detectives. The mystery itself isn't written until the characters play it out, and it's up to the game master to wrap everything up nicely. | ||||||
| Clue Conspiracy | 4–10 | 45 min | Murder mystery, Hidden role | 14 and up | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Technically, this is a murder mystery game kit. It's not the kind of thing I expect with a murder mystery dinner though. It's made by Hasbro, and it's closer to a board game than a parlor larp. | ||||||
| Crypt Kickers Recommended Played | 4–6 | 90 min | Parlor larp, Party | Any age | Free | Autumnal Games |
| I had so much fun writing this one for Golden Cobra a few years back. | ||||||
| EXIT: Dead Man on the Orient Express Recommended Played | 1–4 | 1–2 hrs | Escape room, Murder mystery | 12 and up | $17.95 | Thames & Kosmos (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Kind of a mix between a murder mystery and an escape room in a little box. We played on our dining room table. Recommended for a date night activity. | ||||||
| How to Host a Murder (series) | 8 | — | Murder mystery | — | $15–$50 used | ebay |
| Lakeside Slaughter | 1+ | 90–120 min | Murder mystery | 14 and up | — | Hunt A Killer (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Mardi Gras, Masks, and Murder | 9–20 | 90 min | Murder mystery | Adults | About $50 | Playing With Murder (opens in a new tab) |
| Mistletoe and Malice | 6 | 2–3 hrs | Murder mystery | 18 and up | $24.49 | University Games (opens in a new tab) |
| It's a festive take on a traditional murder mystery party kit. This one includes recipes and decorating tips in addition to the characters and clues. | ||||||
| Murder at Mardi Gras | 8 | 2 hrs | Murder mystery | Adults only | $25.99 | universitygames |
| Murder at the Magic Mirror Casino | 1–10 | About 2.5 hrs | Murder mystery | 14 and up | $25 | Cryptic Killers (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A cold case file where you try to solve a murder mystery. This one includes 27 pieces of evidence. It's not a parlor larp. This game focuses on brain teasers and puzzles. | ||||||
| Murder of a Millionaire | 1+ | 2–3.5 hrs | Murder mystery | 14 and up | $25 | Cryptic Killers (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| This game brands itself as a murder mystery, and that's true. It's just not the kind where you get up and play a suspect. It's closer to a cold case file, where you're solving clues to figure out whodunit. With that in mind, this is a very popular choice. | ||||||
| Pasta, Passion & Pistols | 8 | — | Murder mystery | Adults only | — | University Games (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The Elderflower Inn Recommended Played In development | 6–10 | About 2 hrs | Parlor larp, Hidden role | Teens, adults | Unknown | Autumnal Games |
| I'm delighted by the playtester feedback on this game. It's a fun one, and it wraps up in a single evening. | ||||||
| The Haunting at Wicker Ridge | 1+ | 90–120 min | Murder mystery | Teens, adults | $29.99 | Hunt A Killer (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The Salem Slicer | 1–6 | 90–120 min | Murder mystery | Teens, adults | $29.99 | Hunt A Killer (opens in a new tab) Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The gals behind the Morbid podcast (a true crime classic now) are listed as co-producers on this title! | ||||||
| There Might Be No Christmas | 8–16 | 30+ min | Family | Family, children | $39.95 | Playing With Murder (opens in a new tab) |
| Less of a murder mystery and more of a theft to solve. Santa's gifts have been stolen and everybody here wants to find the culprit. It takes about 30 minutes to get through all three rounds. | ||||||
Nothing matches those filters. Maybe widen your search?
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As I looked for other options, I kept finding crappy unplaytested slop being presented as actual murder mystery parties. The ones I’ve listed here seem like the best options.
If you’ve played one, I’d love to hear about it. There’s a “contact us” section of the site where you can reach out if you want to share your experience!
The best mystery game during the Christmas season
There are plenty of murder mysteries out there for holiday parties. That said, many of them look pretty sloppy.
I’m working on my own holiday murder mystery right now, and I’ll release it once it has been playtested with a variety of players.
The Elderflower Inn makes a good fit for holiday play. And, while it isn’t a traditional murder mystery, it is a financial crimes mystery set at a cozy hotel in the autumn.
Those interested in playing can join the newsletter to be the first to hear about it and other holiday murder mysteries that come from Autumnal Games.
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More from Autumnal Games
- The best murder mystery party kits
- Christmas party games
- How to plan a murder mystery party
- What to expect at a murder mystery party
- Social deduction and party games
- The Elderflower Inn
- Murder mystery dinners and events
- Murder mystery dinners in Chicago
Jim makes games and events that invite people to embrace a shared fiction.