Updated 25 October 2026
Christmas in Australia is 35 degrees, a ham the size of a small dog and three generations who agree on nothing. A board game fixes one of those.
So here’s a gift for every relative, from the in-laws who need something safe to the cousin who’ll argue with the rulebook. Order early: we can tell you what to buy, but not when the post will get there.
Heads up: shop links here are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a commission. You pay the same price, and nobody pays us to recommend a game. How we make money
Photo: JIP, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
Trains, a map and a rulebook short enough to read after lunch. Competitive enough to be fun, polite enough that nobody brings up the 2019 incident.
Watch out: If they already own it, Kingdomino is the safe swap.
Claim you’re the Duke. You’re not the Duke. Call someone’s bluff or get assassinated. Fifteen minutes of shameless lying in a box that fits in a stocking.
Watch out: Players get knocked out. Rounds are short, so they won’t wait long.
Photo: Pongrácz Zsolt, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
Attract birds to your wildlife preserve and build an engine of eggs, food and cards. Gorgeous on the table and deep enough to keep them busy until New Year.
Watch out: Not a quick teach. Give it to someone who enjoys learning a game properly.
Photo: El Pantera, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
Pass the cards, pick a dish, steal the last pudding. Up to eight players, quick rounds, and adults sneak in once they see the kids winning.
Watch out: Lots of small cards. Keep it away from the pavlova.
Photo: Harrison Keely, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
Everyone writes a one-word clue and identical clues get cancelled. Nobody can lose alone, nobody needs to read a rulebook, and Nan will be suspiciously good at it.
Watch out: Needs three or more players, and it’s best with a crowd.
Photo: Urci dream, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
A handful of cards, a royal court and a race to get your letter to the princess. Pocket-sized, teaches in a minute, and survives a camping trip.
Watch out: Very light. Pair it with something bigger for the serious gamer.
Photo: Mannivu, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
A small deck of cards: build a fireworks show together while holding your hand backwards, so everyone can see your cards but you. Fits in the beach bag.
Watch out: It’s a deck of cards and it’s windy. Weigh them down with a thong.
Pilot and co-pilot land a plane together with dice and no talking. A gift for two that tests the relationship in the nicest possible way.
Watch out: Strictly two players.
Photo: Vadim Golembo, via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Shows the game in play; editions and box art may differ.
Play the island’s spirits and drive off the invaders. A heavyweight cooperative game that even serious gamers may not own yet.
Watch out: Heavy and long. Only for someone who loves a big game.
Our own Havenscar is the gift that can’t miss the post: it’s digital, from A$34.95 at havenscar.com, and plays on the TV with up to six phones. We make it, so it isn’t ranked above. Mayhem isn’t on sale yet, so it can’t go under the tree this year.
About HavenscarWe matched games to the kinds of people who end up at a Christmas table, then checked each game’s player count, length and age with its publisher. This guide is for Christmas 2026 and we’ll refresh it next year. Check delivery dates with each retailer before you rely on them: we don’t run the post, and neither does Santa.
Heads up: shop links here are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a commission. You pay the same price, and nobody pays us to recommend a game. How we make money
More buying guides →
.jpg){kind=link}
