15 Hilarious Christmas Taskmaster Ideas

It’s hard to think of more perfect inspiration for Christmas games than Channel 4’s Taskmaster!  That fabulous combination of challenging and seriously entertaining.  And, to top it off, so much scope for belly laughs! 

Perfect for festive family fun, a laugh with friends or something a little bit different for a Christmas work party or school classroom in the last week of term!

So if, like us, you always circle the Taskmaster Christmas Special in the Radio Times then we’ve certainly got a cracker for you!

We’ve created 15 hilarious Christmas Taskmaster ideas.  Simply allocate yourself a Greg Davies and let us be your little Alex Horne!

How To Play

We’re assuming you’ve watched an episode or two.  So hopefully you have the general idea.

In brief summary – pick a handful of challenges from the list below.  Around 3-5 in total – sufficient to create a full game but without tipping over into too much of a good thing!

For this home version, the Taskmaster will oversee the challenges as well as being the final decision maker when it comes to points.  But if you have enough people, you could appoint an Alex Horne-esque assistant too. 

For each challenge, success is in the eyes of the Taskmaster only and their word is final!  Points for each challenge should be allocated as 1 for last place, 2 for second to last, etc. up to the winning player.  And the overall game winner takes home the prize pot at the end.

Before You Start

Once the Taskmaster has been chosen – the tallest, most sweary person in the group perhaps?! – their first job is to ensure each player brings along a prize for the winning pot.

Playing Before Christmas?  How about an ornament with a story … to be displayed on a small Christmas tree or plant whilst you’re playing.

Playing After Christmas?  Why not ask each player to contribute a gift they received to the prize pot?  The justification of choices is sure to get people into the spirit of proceedings!

15 Christmas Taskmaster Challenges

1. Ornamental

Make a Christmas decoration from things you find around the house.  Must be able to hang on the Christmas tree independently for at least 30 seconds.  You have 10 minutes.  Most Christmassy wins. 

Resources:  None needed in advance.

2. That’s A Wrap

Taskmaster selects an awkwardly shaped item in advance.  (Alternatively this could be played in conjunction with the Prize Pot items brought by the players.)

a) Wrap the present and add a gift tag for the Taskmaster without the use of Sellotape, scissors, pens, pencils or crayons. You have 10 minutes.  Best wrapped present wins.

b) [Not to be announced until part a) is complete!] Unwrap the gift and return the paper to the roll as neatly as possible.  You have 5 minutes.  Most neatly returned paper wins. 

Resources: Awkward shaped item, roll(s) of wrapping paper, gift tags for each player.

3. Bow So Pretty

Cover yourself in as many Christmas gift bows as possible whilst blindfolded.  You have 3 minutes.  Most bows wins.

Resources:  Blindfold, bumper bag of gift bows (or leftover bows from Christmas Day!).

4. The Simon Cowell-ers

Create and perform your own brand new Christmas song, including at least one full verse and a chorus.  It cannot contain any part of an existing song or carol.  You have 5 minutes to prepare.  Best song wins.

Resources:  None needed in advance.

5. Surprise Selection

Taskmaster to provide each player with an empty selection box.  Refill the box with things you find around the house.  You have 10 minutes.  Most unusual but well-fitting items wins. 

Resources:  Empty selection boxes (or full ones if you’d prefer to include a little treat / mid-game snack for your group!)

6. For The Glove Of Christmas!

a) Put on as many pairs of gloves as possible. You have 2 minutes.

b) [Not to be announced until part a) is complete!]  With the gloves still on, unwrap a tightly wrapped gift. You have 2 minutes. 

Most gloves and best unwrap combination wins!

Resources: Large pile of pairs of gloves.  A tightly wrapped Christmas present per player.

7. Hot Choc & What?!

Taskmaster prepares a number of mugs of hot chocolate into each of which an additional ingredient (or two!) has been added (e.g. salt, cranberry juice, gravy, toothpaste, amaretto).  Players need to guess what extra flavours are in each.  Most correct guesses wins.

Resources:  Mugs & hot chocolate – may we suggest our delicious slow cooker hot chocolate here!  A selection of additional ingredients.

Do be sure to collect any dietary requirements and allergy information before playing this challenge!

8. Munch, dangle, poise

Provide each player with a mince pie, a chocolate finger & an after eight.  You must eat one, balance one on the end of a chopstick and hang one on the Christmas tree.  You have two minutes.  Most successful wins.

Resources:  Mince pies, chocolate fingers, after eights, chopsticks. 

Do be sure to collect any dietary requirements and allergy information before playing this challenge!

9. Bad Santa Karaoke

[Do not disclose the next part of the challenge until the previous section has been completed.]

a) Write down your favourite Christmas song and your favourite Christmas carol.

b) Sing the lyrics of your favourite song to the tune of your favourite carol. You have 3 minutes to prepare.

c) Sing the lyrics of your favourite carol to the tune of your favourite song. You have 3 minutes to prepare.

Most accurate overall performance wins.

Resources: Pens and paper.

10. What’s In The Stocking?

Prior to game, the Taskmaster fills a large sock or Christmas stocking with as many different items as possible and seals the top.  You have to guess what’s in the stocking by touch of the outside alone.  Taskmaster can decide whether to tell the players the number of items inside.  You have 5 minutes.  Most correct answers wins. 

Resources:  Socks / stockings filled with a selection of items in advance.

11. You’re Pulling My Leg

Pull a Christmas cracker with the Taskmaster using something other than your hands.  You have 2 minutes.  Most successful cracker pull wins.

Resources:  Christmas Crackers (one per player).

12. Christmas Strictly (That’s Not) Dancing

a) Choreograph a dance to a Christmas song of the Taskmaster’s choice. You have 5 minutes.

b) [Not to be announced until part a) is complete!] Teach this to the rest of the group and perform together.  You have 5 minutes to prepare. 

Best performance wins.

Resources:  None needed in advance.

13. Santa Baby

Dress up as a Christmas icon using things you find around the house.  You have 10 minutes.  Most convincing dress-up wins. 

Resources:  None needed in advance.

14. Noël’s Kitchen

a) Create the most interesting leftovers sandwich you can for the Taskmaster. It must contain at least 8 different elements between the two slices of bread.  You have 7 minutes.

b) [Not to be announced until part a) is complete!] Share the sandwich with the Taskmaster.

Most interesting (and edible!) sandwich wins!

Resources:  Access to a reasonably well stocked kitchen!

Do be sure to collect any dietary requirements and allergy information before playing this challenge!

15. Supply Chain Crisis

Make a paper chain out of anything but paper.  It must be capable of being hung on the wall.  You have 5 minutes.

Best non-paper paper chain wins.

Resources:  None needed in advance.

One Last Thought

If you’re looking for year-round Taskmaster inspiration or a gift for a Taskmaster fan, we highly recommend the board game that accompanies the series.  It’s always a giggle when we play, no matter what group is joining in.

Click below for more details and to order your copy.

More Christmas Game Inspiration

In the mood for more festive fun?  Check out more of our Christmas games & ideas at the links below:

• Christmas Movie Bingo
• Never Have I Ever Christmas Edition
• Easy Christmas Family Game Ideas
• Mince Pie Taste Test Party
• Christmas Songs Emoji Quiz

Let us know which is your favourite challenge!  What other tasks would you include in your Christmas Taskmaster?