80 New Year’s Charades Words + Free Printable Game

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Add some extra fun to your New Year’s Eve celebrations with New Year’s Charades. There’s no denying that party games make everything more fun and this is such a simple party game that you can play with guests of all ages or with your family!

Best of all, I’ve got a free printable New Year’s charades game for you to print at home! If you’re looking for a unique way to ring in the New Year with friends and family, this New Year’s party game is perfect and will get you all laughing, for sure! And of course, a little friendly competition.

Why Play New Year’s Charades?

Charades is a classic party game that encourages interaction and showcases everyone’s acting skills. It’s suitable for all ages, making it an excellent choice for family gatherings, parties with friends, or any New Year’s Eve celebration.

With the right words and phrases, you can create an unforgettable experience that gets everyone in the festive spirit.

Charades is the game my girls ask for every single time we have people over, and New Year’s Eve is the one night a year they’re allowed to stay up long enough to actually finish a full round.

How to Play New Year’s Charades

Charades is a classic party game that can be easily adapted to a New Year’s theme by using words related to New Year’s Eve celebrations, traditions and activities.

There are a few different ways to play with these New Year’s Charades cards, to make it extra fun! Below I will share a few variations for you so you can change it up and keep it interesting.

Ideally, you use a timer to play. Although not essential, it does keep things fair and keep the game moving. If you don’t have a timer or similar, you can use the timer on your phone too.

1. Basic Charades Rules

Playing the classic version of charades is simple! Here’s how to do it:

1. Gather Your Supplies: All you need is a set of New Year’s-themed charades words and a timer. You can use my free printable word list to make it easier!
2. Divide Into Teams: Split your guests into two teams. You can have as many players as you want on each team.
3. Act It Out: One player from the first team picks a word or phrase from the list and acts it out without speaking while their team guesses what it is. Set a timer for 1 minute for each turn.
4. Keep Score: If the team guesses correctly, they earn a point. If they don’t, the other team gets a chance to steal the point by guessing.
5. Switch Turns: After each round, switch teams until everyone has had a chance to act.
6. Declare a Winner: The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, either when you reach a set number of points (i.e. first team to 10 points) or when you decide to finish playing.

2. Fast Charades

This version works similarly to regular New Year’s party charades, except this time you have rounds for a set amount of time, such as 2 minutes. During this time, teams must try and guess as many New Year’s Eve charades words as they can before the timer ends. Then switch to the other team to do the same.

Typically each round has a different person acting out the words so it rotates per round rather than per word.

This can be a much quicker, fast-paced way to play and it’s a great New Year’s Eve party game for teens and adults for when you aren’t playing with small children who need a slower pace.

3. New Year’s Pictionary Charades (Draw It)

For a twist on the traditional game, you can also play New Year’s Eve Pictionary using the same word list. This version does require a little extra prep since you will need paper and pencils to play.

A pair of large sketch pads or scrapbooks work great! Alternatively, use a large dry-erase board and some dry-erase markers or a chalkboard and chalk instead.

List Of Common Charades Cues

If you’ve played charades before, you might already know a few of these charades actions that help your team guess a bit easier during your New Year’s Eve party game night. Start your actions with these cues to help speed up the process, especially if you’re playing rapid charades!

• Number of words: Hold up the corresponding number of fingers.
• Song: Pretend to sing (without making a sound).
• Movie: Mimic cranking a film camera.
• TV show: Use your fingers to draw a square (a TV shape).
• Book: Open and close imaginary book covers.
• Play: Pull an imaginary curtain open.
• Sounds like: Tug on your ear then mimic the action of a word that rhymes.
• Quote or phrase: Make air quotes.
• Person: Point to yourself.
• Object: Hold out your hand as if presenting an object.

If you’re looking for more Charades themes to try, grab my free printable Halloween Charades cards, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Charades cards.

New Year’s Charades Word List

To get you started, here’s a list of New Year’s themed words and phrases that are perfect for charades:

Easy New Year’s Charades For Kids

1. Blowing a party horn
2. Putting on a party hat
3. Popping a balloon
4. Throwing confetti
5. Waving a sparkler
6. Counting down from ten
7. Fireworks going off
8. Cheering
9. Dancing
10. Yawning
11. Looking at the clock
12. Making a wish
13. Hugging everyone
14. High fiving
15. Jumping up and down
16. Spinning around
17. Blowing up a balloon
18. Waving goodbye
19. Clapping along to music
20. Pulling a party popper

Countdown And Traditions

21. The ball drop
22. Times Square
23. A midnight toast
24. Clinking glasses
25. Popping a champagne cork
26. Singing Auld Lang Syne
27. Writing a resolution
28. Kissing at midnight
29. Watching the fireworks
30. Taking down the Christmas tree
31. Hanging up a new calendar
32. Blowing out a candle
33. Checking your watch
34. Turning the page of a calendar
35. Setting off a confetti cannon
36. A disco ball
37. Hanging streamers
38. Wrapping up in a blanket
39. Taking a group photo
40. Pouring champagne

Funny New Year’s Charades

41. Falling asleep before midnight
42. Forgetting the words to Auld Lang Syne
43. Snoring on the couch
44. Knocking over someone’s drink
45. Eating way too much
46. Getting sunburnt
47. Losing a thong at the party
48. Dropping your phone in the pool
49. Getting hit in the face with confetti
50. Trying to blow up a balloon and giving up
51. Starting a conga line nobody joins
52. Dancing badly
53. Taking a terrible selfie
54. Doing the sprinkler
55. Sneaking food off the table
56. Hiding from the camera
57. Yelling at the TV
58. Chasing a runaway balloon
59. Tripping over
60. Pretending you’re not tired

New Year’s Charades For Adults And Teens

61. Karaoke
62. Doing the limbo
63. A conga line
64. A dance battle
65. Posing in a photo booth
66. Shaking a cocktail shaker
67. Mixing a cocktail
68. Firing up the barbecue
69. Swimming at midnight
70. Calling a taxi
71. Setting an alarm
72. Joining the gym
73. Quitting smoking
74. Getting a haircut
75. Cleaning out your wardrobe
76. Going for a run
77. Unpacking the dishwasher
78. Scrolling your phone
79. Washing the car
80. Meal prepping for the week

Want the whole night sorted? My New Years Party Game Bundle has 27 printable games and activities, so you’re not setting up each one from scratch on the day.

Charades works just as well on a quiet New Year’s Eve at home as it does at a full party, which is why it’s the one game worth having ready every year. If you want something else for the table, the New Year’s would you rather game needs no setup at all, and there are plenty more in my 34 New Year’s Eve party games.