🎁 Jessie’s Official Holiday Board Game Gift Guide 🎁

Looking for a few fun games to bring your family, friends, or team together this holiday season? Below are some of my top picks – whether you want easy‑to‑learn laughs, a quick “pop‑in” game, or a deeper card‑game challenge. Many are great for holiday gatherings or unplanned cozy evenings. And yes, I’ve played some of these with the Deck Builder Marketers team, so they can vouch for the good times firsthand.

Monikers

Monikers is a legendary party game that’s perfect for big holiday get‑togethers or casual fun nights. The premise is simple: get your team to guess as many names (famous people, fictional characters, etc.) as possible in the time limit. What makes it brilliant is the three rounds with escalating constraints. In round one, you can say anything (no part of the name, though), in round two you only get one word, and in round three, you’re reduced to gestures only – basically charades. Because you use the same cards across all three rounds, by the end you and your group will have built a stack of inside jokes. It’s fast, fun, and perfect for a mix of ages or personalities.

Flip 7

A different kind of card‑game energy. Flip 7 is what you get when press‑your‑luck meets simple arithmetic and a bit of risk. The deck is cleverly built: there’s only one “1” card, two “2” cards, three “3” cards, and so on. This goes all the way up to twelve “12” cards, plus some special action and modifier cards. On your turn, you draw cards one by one, trying to build a high‑scoring hand without drawing a number you already have (if you do, you bust and score nothing that round). If you manage to draw seven unique number cards in a row, you trigger a bonus. Players race to reach 200 points across rounds. It’s fast (about 20 minutes), keeps you on the edge of your seat, and is surprisingly fun even for younger kids. I played this with the DBM team at Deck Expo in Vegas and it was a hit – even Daniel, our SEO Expert,  ended up buying it.

Scout

Scout is probably the most complex game on this list, but it's also one of my favorites of all time.  In this card game, you work to create runs or sets of numbers (from 1–10), but with a twist— you can’t reorder cards in your hand! Instead, you pick up cards from the center and carefully insert them where they help your sequence or set grow. That constraint really pushes you to think ahead and adapt. It’s subtle, strategic, and has become one of my favorite card games to pull out when I’m in the mood for something brainy but still casual.

Hot Streak

For something a bit wilder and more unpredictable, Hot Streak brings in some silly chaos and lighthearted competition. In Hot Streak, you’re betting on a race between four quirky mascots. Players draft betting tickets, then use cards to influence the race – sometimes playing it safe, sometimes going risky. It’s not a heavy strategic game; it’s more about the fun, the chaos, and the laughter that can come from surprise turns. My kids absolutely love this one, and I think it’s a great pick if you want a laugh‑out‑loud game that’s still easy enough for newcomers.

Just One

Perfect for cozy family nights or larger holiday gatherings, Just One is an easy‑to‑learn cooperative party game for 3–7 players. One person draws a secret word, and the rest each write a single clue word – but if two or more people write the same clue, it gets discarded. That means creativity and being unique counts more than being obvious. The guesser then tries to identify the word from the remaining clues. It’s a little puzzle, a little improv, and a lot of laughs. Plus, it’s collaborative, so you’re all working together, not against each other. It’s also quick (about 20 minutes per game), making it great for playing multiple rounds or mixing in between other holiday plans.

Why I love this mix

• Something for every vibe – Need laughs? Go Monikers or Hot Streak. Want cooperative fun? Just One. Craving strategy and tension? Scout or Flip 7.
• Flexible group sizes – From family of 3 to a bigger crowd, there’s a game here for you.
• Easy to learn but worth repeating – Most of these games can be taught in minutes but still offer depth, replayability, and – most importantly – fun memories.

I am always here if you want more board and card game recommendations!