New Year’s Eve charades: year-in-review words and a plan until midnight
New Year’s Eve charades fills the trickiest stretch of the night, from dinner to the countdown. The twist that makes it special is year-in-review charades: your group’s own year turned into a word list. Here is how to set it up, 100+ words to mix in, and a timeline that gets you to midnight without a lull.
Every New Year’s party has the same lull. The food is gone, the ball drop is hours away, and people start drifting toward their phones. Charades works here because it needs nothing, everybody knows it and it can absorb latecomers. Give it a New Year’s twist and it becomes the part of the night people talk about on January 1.
How to play year-in-review charades
Year-in-review charades is regular charades played with words from your group’s year: trips, new jobs, the show everyone binged, the running jokes. It only works on New Year’s Eve, and it is worth ten minutes of prep.
- Collect words over dinner.Pass a notepad or a phone around and ask everyone for three moments from their 2026.
- Mix personal and public.A few shared memories ("the camping trip in the rain") next to things everyone knows: the year’s big movie, a viral moment, a new gadget.
- Add them to the deck.Write them on slips, or with Guessy premium type them in as your own category, so they get shuffled and nobody knows when their own memory comes up.
- Two teams, 60 seconds.Acting first, then a describing round once people loosen up.
- End with the best one.The winning team picks the group’s word of the year.
- best trip
- new job
- moving day
- new pet
- the show everyone binged
- worst haircut
- concert of the year
- kitchen disaster
- the wedding we went to
- new hobby
- lost luggage
- the family group chat
- biggest purchase
- longest road trip
- new baby
- gym phase
- the World Cup summer
- that one rainy vacation
New Year’s Eve charades words
If you skip the personal round, or need filler between memories, these lists work for any crowd.
- popping champagne
- the ball drop
- fireworks
- a countdown
- a midnight kiss
- confetti
- a party hat
- a noisemaker
- Auld Lang Syne
- a toast
- a sparkler
- clinking glasses
- Times Square
- a disco ball
- dancing until 2 a.m.
- a taxi line
- a selfie at midnight
- the last song
- going to the gym
- eating healthy
- quitting sugar
- learning a language
- running a marathon
- saving money
- reading more books
- waking up early
- drinking more water
- less screen time
- meditating
- learning guitar
- traveling more
- cooking at home
- Dry January
- cleaning out the closet
- calling grandma more
- taking the stairs
- a hangover
- a brunch line
- finding glitter everywhere
- cleaning up confetti
- a lost shoe
- leftover pizza
- regretting the last shot
- a New Year’s Day walk
- watching the parade
- sleeping until noon
- a polar plunge
- the first gym visit
New Year’s Eve charades for families
When grandparents and kids share the table, skip this year’s memes. Stick to animals, jobs and simple actions, and let kids act out resolutions like "eating vegetables" or "cleaning my room". Our charades for kids guide has rule tweaks for mixed ages, and the charades generator can deal family-safe words from Animals or Act It Out.
Timeline: charades until midnight
| Time | What to play | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 8-9 p.m. | Collect year-in-review words over dinner | Everyone is seated and talkative |
| 9-10 p.m. | Team charades with general words | Peak energy of the night |
| 10-11 p.m. | Year-in-review round | People are warm, memories land best |
| 11-11:45 p.m. | Humming round with the year’s songs | Slower, warmer pace before midnight |
| 11:50 p.m. | Stop, pour drinks, find the countdown | Ten minutes of buffer |
Small charades ideas for the countdown
- Last word of the year. Just before 11:50, the winning team acts out one final word, chosen by the losers.
- Resolution charades. Everyone acts out their own resolution. The group guesses, then votes on how long it will last.
- Countdown in teams. Each team counts one part of the last ten seconds. Silly, and everyone does it anyway.
Planning more than charades for the night? Our sister site has a full list of New Year’s Eve games, and our Christmas charades lists cover the week before.
Built-in timer, tilt to score, 8 free topics. With premium, add this year’s memories as your own category.
Download freeFrequently asked questions
How do you play New Year’s Eve charades?
Play regular team charades, 60 seconds per turn, with New Year words: countdown, champagne, resolutions. The best twist is year-in-review charades, where the words are moments from your group’s year.
What are good New Year’s Eve charades words?
Popping champagne, the ball drop, fireworks, a midnight kiss, Auld Lang Syne, and resolutions like going to the gym or learning a language. Add personal memories from the year for the best laughs.
When should you play charades on New Year’s Eve?
Start after dinner, around 9 p.m., when energy peaks. Stop about ten minutes before midnight so nobody misses the countdown.
Can kids play New Year’s Eve charades?
Yes. Use animals, simple actions and kid-sized resolutions like "eating vegetables", set the timer to 90 seconds and skip pass penalties.