Christmas Family Game Night Ideas: A Wooden Tic-Tac-Toe Gift Guide

Some of the best Christmas memories are made after dinner, when the table is cleared, the lights are low and someone suggests just one more game. A family game night needs no batteries, no screens and no complicated rules — just a good game and everyone in the same room. Here's how to plan one, plus a beautifully made wooden set that makes a lovely gift in its own right.

Keep the rules simple

The best family games are the ones grandparents and young children can both play straight away. Tic-tac-toe — noughts and crosses — is a perfect example: everyone knows it, a round takes a couple of minutes, and even the youngest players can win. A handsome wooden board turns a game most of us played on paper into something worth keeping out on the coffee table.

A gift that gets used all year

Our featured set, the Tic Tac Toe Wooden Kids Toy in Olive Wood, is priced at £29.95. Made from olive wood with a natural grain, no two boards look quite alike, and it comes in regular or irregular shapes. It's the kind of gift that suits a child, a grandparent or the whole family — and unlike many Christmas presents, it won't be forgotten by January.

Plan the evening, not just the game

Set a start time after dinner, put phones in another room, and lay out drinks and nibbles before you begin. A little tournament — first to five wins — keeps everyone involved, including players waiting for their turn.

Mix ages and abilities

Pair younger children with an adult for team rounds, or let children make the house rules — silly forfeits, double points for a win in three moves, or a rematch clause for the loser. The point is laughter, not winning, and a simple game like tic-tac-toe is wonderfully fair: a clever seven-year-old can genuinely beat a grown-up.

Find more presents in our Under £50 collection, and for another handmade Christmas idea, read Make a Christmas Tree Twist & Squish: A Festive Craft Gift for Kids.