Christmas Murder Mystery Game: Play Online With Family and Friends
A Christmas murder mystery is the rare party game that works for the whole table. The people who love puzzles get a puzzle, and the people who love arguing get to argue. ColdCase Party has two Christmas cases you play in the browser. One person hosts and pays once, everyone else joins free on their own phone or laptop, and you name the killer in about an hour.
Play The Last Toast Try a free case first
The Last Toast: Christmas Eve, 1938
The Last Toast
Thornwood Manor, Christmas Eve, 1938. Reginald Thornwood gathers his family for dinner and promises an announcement.
Hard · 3-8 players · 45–75 min (estimate)
Individual case · $4.99
This is the family Christmas case: a dinner table, a will, and a toast that goes very wrong. 3-8 players, about 45–75 min (estimate), Hard difficulty. It is one of the harder cases, so it suits groups who like to dig.
Case detailsThe Secret Santa: the office party version
The Secret Santa
The annual Ellison Digital holiday party has everything: an open bar, a Secret Santa pile under the tree, and a CEO who brings his grandmother's eggnog in an engraved silver thermos every December. Moments after raising his traditional toast, and minutes before the gift exchange, Douglas Ellison collapses on the twelfth-floor lounge carpet.
Medium · 3-6 players · 40-50 min
Individual case · $4.99
Shorter and a little lighter, which makes it a good first case for a group that has never played. 3-6 players, about 40-50 min, Medium difficulty.
Case details · Planning it for work?Want snow but no Santa? Snowbound Secrets
A blizzard, a 1932 mountain lodge, and five snowed-in guests. No holiday theme, all winter. 4-8 players, about 75-90 min, Expert difficulty.
Snowbound SecretsHow to host a Christmas murder mystery night
- Pick the case. The Last Toast for a group that wants a challenge, The Secret Santa for a first game.
- Open a room before dinner. It takes a minute. Share the room code in the family group chat.
- Start after dessert. Everyone joins on their own device. Give it an hour.
- Let the table argue. The best moments come from two people reading the same clue differently.
- Vote, then reveal. Make everyone commit to an accusation before the answer appears. No changing votes after.
Playing with family in other cities
Everyone joins the same room from wherever they are, so the case works over FaceTime, Zoom, or a group call. Put the call on the TV and the case on everyone's phone, and it feels like the same room.
Prefer paper on the table?
Silent Mode is a printable murder mystery set at a retreat where every guest handed in their phone at check-in. It is the one for the family that cannot put their phones down at Christmas. $19.99, instant PDF.
Silent ModeFrequently asked questions
Is there a Christmas murder mystery game you can play online?
Yes. ColdCase Party has two Christmas cases, The Last Toast and The Secret Santa, that run in any browser. The host opens a room, guests join with a code, and nobody downloads anything.
What is the best Christmas murder mystery for a family party?
The Last Toast is set at a family Christmas Eve dinner in 1938, with eight relatives at the table, so it fits a family gathering. If your group is new to murder mysteries, start with The Secret Santa, which is shorter.
How many people can play a Christmas murder mystery?
The Last Toast plays with 3-8 and The Secret Santa with 3-6. For bigger family parties, open two rooms and race each other.
Can we play over Zoom or FaceTime with family who live far away?
Yes. Each player joins the room on their own device, wherever they are, and you talk it through on the call.
Do we need to print anything?
No. The online cases need only a browser. If you want paper on the table, the printable kits are a separate option.
How much does a Christmas murder mystery cost?
The host pays $4.99 once per case, and guests play free. The first objective of Canvas of Death is free if you want to try the game first.