There Might Be No Christmas

$39.95

(110 customer reviews)

Add intrigue to your next party with this mystery game, set at a the North Pole.

Format:
30 Minute Mystery
Setting:
The North Pole
Time:
30+ minutes
Ages:
Family / Children
Players:
8-16 (Standard Game)
17-100+ (Expanded Game)
Printer next to phone
Play with Printed Sheets or the App
Hosts have the choice of playing the game with printable documents or using the PWM Party Assistant app
View app gameplay guide
Friendly cartoon people on device screens
Play In-Person or Over Video Chat
You can host this game in-person or over video chat. The game is built to be run either way!
Santa’s presents are gone! We need them back tonight!

Backstory

Your guests will play the roles of various inhabitants of the North Pole, including elves, reindeer, snowmen, and other creatures from Christmas folklore. Santa Claus has summoned everyone to his workshop. The normally jolly old man has a stern look on his bearded face as he solemnly tells us that his workshop has been broken into and his magic sack of Christmas presents has been stolen! Without the sack, there can be no Christmas.

Solving the Mystery

Santa has called everyone to gather because they are under suspicion of theft! One of the helpers is responsible, and the group needs to find out who. There’s no time to spare; it’s Christmas Eve, and if the sack of toys isn’t recovered soon, Santa won’t be able to deliver presents to all the good little boys and girls!

Customer Images

110 reviews for There Might Be No Christmas

  1. Anonymous


    Headline : Fun for inexperienced murder mystery people


    I didn’t fully read the description to see that this was a 30-minute mystery, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. It was very easy to run the party and very self explanatory, but since it’s mostly just script that people read, there’s very little room for improvising and discussion. Where the discussion (and the schmoozing) during other Playing with Murder parties takes up the bulk of the time, there was almost no discussion for this (maybe 5 minutes), both because it was easy, and because most of it was scripted. I think this would work fabulously with kids or with folks who are unfamiliar and tentative about murder mystery parties. If you have an experienced or folks who are excited to try new things, I would recommend going with a harder (regular) Playing with Murder party!

    (0) (0)
  2. fernando Riveron


    Headline : Wonderful Christmas entertainment for a large group

    Nickname : Fernando

    Menu Highlights : Held after dinner with libations and Christmas treats

    Theme Highlights : We held the event in a candlelight wine cellar. Each participant wore some kind of paraphernalia not full costumes. They each adopted an accent or funny boys, a 10-year-old and eight-year-old participated with a little help. Everyone had a great time.


    Well, orchestrated well scripted. Short enough to maintain everyone’s attention excellent ability to express personality, and ad Lib.

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  3. fernando Riveron


    Headline : Wonderful entertainment for an evening evening before Christmas.

    Nickname : fernando

    Menu Highlights : We played the game after dinner with wine and christmas treats.

    Theme Highlights : Candlelight basement, wine cellar


    We held the event under candlelight in a wine cellar, and the characters war, some paraphernalia not full costumes. We had several children involved one 10-year-old and an 8year-old. The latter needed an adult helping. Each of the participants really got into the swing of things with accents and acting. The areas available for ad-lib were marvelous. This was truly a highlight. I agree that you might want to consider developing alternates with the same characters. Each of our participants really owned their character. it was hilarious well worth the investment in time to set it up. thank you.

    (0) (0)
  4. Shelly Kraus


    Headline : Awesome Time had by All

    Nickname : Sk

    Menu Highlights : Passed out script shortly before we performed and made sure everyone understood how to follow along.

    Theme Highlights : Purchased props from dollar store, elf hats, reindeer ears, etc that helped everyone get into character.


    We had a wonderful time putting on There Might Not be a Christmas at our family celebration. Everyone who participated got into character. All ages participated and found the script easy to navigate. Lots of laughs and comments of wanting to do another one.

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  5. Laura


    Headline : fun game for all ages!

    Nickname : Nana


    We were looking for a mystery game to play over Xmas for ages 9 to 71 and we found it! Good fun for the whole family and the kids really enjoyed helping folks get into costume. Easy to follow and we didn’t even have to help the 9 year old follow the scripts etc. I only wish the game lasted a little longer with another few clues. There Might Be No Christmas overall was a winner! We will look for a longer slightly more challenging game next year 🙂

    (0) (0)
  6. Rebecca


    Headline : So much fun!

    Nickname : Rebecca

    Menu Highlights : Using the online option allowed the entire family to play, even if they couldn’t come home for Christmas. It was simple to set up and super easy to use.

    Theme Highlights : We played on Christmas Day after opening gifts.


    We played this on Christmas with our family. Most of us were together but we had a couple people playing via FaceTime. We all used the online option to play. It was fairly simple to set up and use. We will definitely be buying more games for other get togethers.

    (0) (0)
  7. Ginger Bell


    Headline : Super Fun!

    Nickname : Ginger


    We did this Mystery with our daughter, son in law and 4 grandsons Christmas Eve. It was filled with fun and laughter. we especially We especially like the easy use of the digital apps as our older grandsons were all able to see their line with ease. Would i be interested in another Christmas mystery next year? Absolutely!

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    (0) (0)
  8. sonia winke


    Headline : 30 minutes of fun

    Nickname : MomWinke

    Menu Highlights : This was part of our Christmas celebration, so it pretty well part of the theme, but we did no special menu for the game.

    Theme Highlights : This was part of our Christmas celebration, so it pretty well part of the theme. This was a crafters delight! I made packets for each person complete with name tag, headpiece, guess card and note pad. We also did boards for the clues and decorated our grand prize as Santa's sack.


    This was our second adventure with this company. It was equally as fun. It added a fun dimension to our Christmas celebration.

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    (0) (0)
  9. Alicia Waters


    Headline : Santa Christmas Eve Saved

    Nickname : Alicia

    Menu Highlights : We did our own buckwheat and canapés

    Theme Highlights : Santa’s workshop


    I held a small party gathering this Sunday afternoon and everyone came dressed in red or green and I had lots of tinsel and elves had etc for prop costume
    It was bring a plate and I allocated characters on the spot
    It was heaps of fun and we broke for break at each round to eat and be merry

    (0) (0)
  10. Tori Tomlinson


    Headline : Great Family-Friendly Fun! (P.S. no murder in this one!)

    Nickname : Tori

    Theme Highlights : We had christmas music playing, holiday food and cheer, and encouraged everyone to dress their part on the day of the event!


    Had a great time going through this with my Team – everyone was committed to their role, came dressed to impressed and we had a great time finding out who stole Santa’s presents for all of the good girls and boys! Only about half of the group guessed right!!

    (0) (0)
  11. Frosty


    Headline : Christmas

    Nickname : Frosty


    We acted out this mystery with a lot of laughter and it was great to have the kids be able to participate. Everyone loved how easy it was to follow along and know who spoke and who answered. Of course we improvised as well.

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  12. Twin mom


    Headline : Excellnt product, Blast for everyone who played

    Nickname : Twin mom


    We had 20 people for Christmas eve ranging in age from17 to 80. We paired people together for parts which worked well. Everyone had a lot of fun and we made alot of great memories.

    (0) (0)
  13. There Might Be No Christmas Mystery


    Headline : Fun Christmas Mystery for our Office party!

    Nickname : There Might Be No Christmas Mystery


    It was such a fun mystery! We had the characters dress up as the parts of the mystery. Santa was the narrator and all the rest of the audience were the investigators. Everyone really enjoyed it!
    We did not do play by 8 people at a table. It was a live performance – like the characters had come to life! I might have to check out another one for next year! But that is a year away. Thanks for giving our office a fun activity to do at our staff Christmas office party. I found costumes for all the characters. We changed a few names to fit who played the parts. For not practicing with the whole team of characters ahead of time- it went over well, adlibbing was done very well too.
    Everyone gives it a great review. Thanks for your help in sending our agency the mystery! We had a variety of answers as to who the investigators thought did it. “There Might Be No Christmas” Mystery was a hit at our office party!

    (1) (0)
  14. Frellzilla


    Headline : Great fun at company Christmas party

    Nickname : Frellzilla


    Ran the game twice side by side at a company Christmas party and everyone had a great time. We made minor adjustments so that an Investigator role also functioned as the facilitator in each room and people got their characters a day in advance to know what was going on. People went from nervous to all in really quickly and lots of fun was had. Many mentioned wanting to try something similar again in the future.

    (0) (1)
  15. Ros T


    Headline : Too much wine

    Nickname : Ros T

    Menu Highlights : Gourmet bbq - salmon and butterfly lambs, with some very fancy salads and roasted kipfler potatoes

    Theme Highlights : We sprung it on the characters after lunch and played all rounds at once


    Charity Christmas lunch at a vineyard, with an average age of +65
    6 out of 9 characters really got into the script, but 3 characters just read out their lines and in fact read the wrong round on two ocassions, which mucked up all the responses. We had a practice before we started to make sure they understood the process, but 3 of them still went off track. I wouldn’t do this for an older crowd again. But I’m giving it another go with my family Christmas day so that should be more fun

    (0) (0)
  16. Robin


    Headline : Awesome dinner meeting!

    Nickname : Robin

    Menu Highlights : We had a Christmas spread of Hors d'oeuvres and wine that we during our short meeting. We then sat around the table together following a surprise of this event.

    Theme Highlights : Passed out props after dinner and assigned parts. Most items were purchased from the dollar store.


    We had a dinner meeting that included using “There Might Be No Christmas”. It was an enjoyable surprise for the guest, and everyone had a good time. Props were passed out and characters were assigned. I believe it was one of our best meetings.

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  17. Aunt Kari


    Headline : Holiday Party Hit!

    Nickname : Aunt Kari


    The grandchildren played during the Christmas party, and it connected the six-year-olds, the sixteen-year-old, and everyone in between in such a fun way!

    (1) (0)
  18. Happy Family


    Headline : Holly Jolly Fun!

    Nickname : Happy Family


    It went sooooo well! There might be no Christmas. Played Chistmas evening with grandparents and preteens, before opening presents. We gave no advance notice or did any special preparations, and it flowed seamlessly. Everyone was able to get into their parts so well, much fun and so much laughter

    (0) (2)
  19. Party Planner


    Headline : Great Christmas Eve Activity!

    Nickname : Party Planner


    We played There Might Be No Christmas on Christmas Eve with 24 people. We had 3 tables playing at the same time and one host walking them through it. Our ages ranged from 7-76 and everyone had a blast!

    (0) (0)
  20. Granny


    Headline : Fun!

    Nickname : Granny


    Family Christmas party with 13 people, all ages. Everyone got into their characters with voices and accents. 10 year old won the prize with the best voice for his character. Adults did well also and were very funny. The game was just the right length, about an hour. Everyone enjoyed it. Sons-in-law were so funny as investigators asking hilarious questions. Grandpa organized game, explained rules and directed so everyone knew when to speak. That was very helpful. This was first time playing – we will do it again.

    (0) (0)
  21. Anna Boncha


    Headline : Clever and entertaining!

    Nickname : Anna Boncha


    This was the perfect icebreaker for our Christmas dinner of 15, family, friends and neighbors who had not all met before, including 4 teenagers. Other mysteries seemed too extensive and involved, this one is just 3 rounds, 30 minutes, we did it during dinner and it kept the conversations flowing. A reasonable price and you can immediately download the files and print everything out.

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    (1) (0)
  22. Mark


    Headline : Children's church group activity success!

    Nickname : Mark


    We used it for a boys group activity for our church and the kids loved it (ages 8-10). They were all engaged through the whole activity and really got into their characters, even the ones that got stuck with the girl characters.

    (0) (0)
  23. MaryY


    Headline : Silliness for everyone!

    Nickname : MaryY


    On Christmas Day our family played this game after dinner. I assigned roles to everyone else. It was great fun! The roles were fun to act out and it was just the right tone.

    (0) (0)
  24. Team Region III


    Headline : Fun!

    Nickname : Team Region III

    Menu Highlights : virtual

    Theme Highlights : it was a holiday party so the game's theme was the theme. it was virtual so no costumes, etc.


    Had a virtual work holiday party and played the game. It went well and the team got into their characters. It was fun. Everyone was able to solve the mystery. I gave a prize for the best actor. It was team member that played Krampus. I would buy another game and play again!

    (0) (0)
  25. Patricia easy and fun


    Headline : Great family fun!

    Nickname : Patricia easy and fun

    Menu Highlights : Easy to organize and fun to play!

    Theme Highlights : Costumes.


    Family weekend trip. Fun game. Even the children had a great time. They loved the costumes and reading their part. Great fun!

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  26. Yvette Figueroa


    Headline : Best Christmas for a New Tradition

    Nickname : Yvette Figueroa


    Family Christmas Party – Everyone enjoyed themselves so much.

    Loved having this delivered via computer!

    (0) (0)
  27. Mike S


    Headline : Perfect activity for youth group!

    Nickname : Mike S

    Menu Highlights : Chocolate milk with marshmallows (too warm outside for hot chocolate!) and cookies - traditional Christmas fare! Some candy canes from a past Christmas also made it onto the treat cart.

    Theme Highlights : Decoration was key for out party - a tree with lights, lawn decorations in the foyer, lights on the walls and ceiling. We also had a Christmas music playlist in the background on a wireless speaker. We replaced the clues with the real thing in gallon sized ziploc bags - marked as evidence from the NPPD - North Pole Police Dept. A white elephant exchange after the mystery was also a lot of fun.


    We held the mystery with our youth group at church, with ages ranging from 11-17. The story was great! Everyone has something Christmas to wear and it wasn’t a murder, so it was perfect for our setting at church!
    We had the eight characters assigned out a week before the activity so they could prepare and come in simple costume and had about 15 investigators.
    The format was great for the ages of ours kids – making sure that some things needed to be said, but leaving room for a little improvisation and fun.
    Everyone loved it! We decorated with a Christmas tree, hung lights and stockings, Christmas themed refreshments…all in September!

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  28. DDW


    Headline : Fun family Thanksgiving entertainment!

    Nickname : DDW


    Fun family activity after Thanksgiving dinner! Ages 5-70. The 5 year old partnered with Nana, the other kids were 10, 12, and 14. I hosted as well as played a character. I gathered props from supplies at my house as well as purchased a few from the dollar store. I put each character’s props and information sheet in different sized and style of paper bags and stapled them shut. The bags were lined up against a wall and each person chose a bag (from youngest to oldest). Everyone went off to different rooms to familiarize themselves with their character and put on the props. We allowed about 15-20 min for this, making sure the kids understood what was on their papers.
    The game was easy to follow and the kids were able to follow along and keep up. It was fun to see adults and kids alike bring their character to life.

    (1) (0)
  29. gamesgramma


    Headline : Fun For Small Ones without Killing Anyone!

    Nickname : gamesgramma


    Family Christmas Party. This was such a fun way to introduce small ones to the Murder Mystery process by finding Santa’s sack and saving Christmas. We will be back!

    (2) (0)
  30. Steph


    Headline : Great way to spice up a family Zoom!

    Nickname : Steph


    We’ve done a couple of these virtually as family holiday events. The ages ranged from 5-80 and a ton of fun was had by all! Lots of laughs all around.

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    (0) (0)

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There are 8 primary characters in this game. Read the "How to Play" section for instructions on how to play this game with more than 8 people.


* = Optional character


  • Donner: One of Santa's eight tiny reindeer, Donner is well known for his frequent complaints regarding the difficulty of the Christmas sleigh flight.

  • Ivan Blizzard: Lead Foreman at the Toy Factory, Ivan is an enthusiastic go-getter whose utter devotion to Christmas has never been questioned.

  • Ernest Winters: One of Santa's elves, Ernest's enthusiasm for Christmas has notably waned in the past six months.

  • Kristina Kringle: Also known as the Christmas Fairy, Kristina Kringle was once a famous holiday icon; some suspect that she is bitter that Santa Claus has stolen her glory.

  • Caroline Claus: Mrs. Claus is Santa's wife and second-in-command; she is one of the most beloved inhabitants of the North Pole.

  • Tonya Baum: A beautifully decorated singing Christmas tree planted outside the Toy Factory, Tonya is a gentle soul who always has a kind word and a Christmas carol for any passersby.

  • Jacky Frost: An animated snowwoman brought to life by an enchanted hat, Jacky Frost is responsible for imbuing all of Santa's toys with a dash of Christmas magic.

  • The Krampus: Santa's least-beloved helper, the Krampus is the monster who brings coal and switches to the children on Santa's "naughty" list.


Extra Players


  • *Investigator: If you have more than 8 players, additional players have the option of playing the role of "Investigators". In this role the players are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players.

This game kit includes:

  • Hosting guide – Guidebook that takes you through all the steps for running the game
  • Character sheets – Information sheets for eight unique characters and one generic “Investigator” character
  • Name cards – Printable name cards that can be placed in front of players for in-person games (optional)
  • Introductory Handout – A brief description of the game that can be sent to your guests ahead of the event (optional)
  • Invitation template – Printable template that can be used to send paper invitations to your guests (optional)

Our line of 30 Minute Mysteries is specially designed for fast setup and easy play, whether your playing in-person or virtually over video chat.

All you need to do is:

  1. Gather a group of players
  2. Distribute character sheets
  3. Follow the party guide instructions

If you’re playing in person, you have the option of printing out the hosting script and character sheets, or you and your guests may view them on your electronic devices.

Best of all, the party facilitator can choose whether they join in the game and solve the mystery along with the other guests!

Playing the Game

While this mystery has 8 primary characters, it is designed to accommodate any number of additional players. See the “Expanded Game for Large Groups” section below if you have more than 8 players.

Each of the players will be assigned a character and given a character sheet that explains who or what their character is, what information their character knows, and how their character should respond to events that occur during the game.

The game will progress in rounds.

Round One will start with the party’s host or hostess reading a script that explains the nature of the mystery that is afoot. After the introduction is read, each player at the table will share a piece of information from their character sheet, which will often be met by a response from another player.

Round Two begins with the host sharing a clue that should shed further light on the mystery. After the clue is revealed, the players will once again go around, providing another piece of information.

Round Three, the final round, begins with the host sharing the last clue. The players then go around the table a final time, sharing their last piece of information.

By this point, the players should have enough information to piece together a theory about who was responsible for the crime. Everyone will vote for the culprit, which the host will then reveal. Any player or couple who correctly guessed the identity of the killer is declared a winner.

From start to finish, the game typically requires half an hour to complete.

What Do I Need in Order to Play?

Our 30 Minute Mysteries are specifically designed to not require very much in the way of supplies. All you need is:

  • Playing area
    • In-person – Table to sit around or large playing area where the guests can sit in a circle
    • Virtual – Video chat room (links to 3rd-party providers like Zoom included in game)
  • A group of players (minimum 8 people)
  • Access to a printer or electronic device (so you can distribute game materials)

Expanded Game For Large Groups

If you have more than 8 players, there are three ways that you can accommodate everyone:

  • Investigator Role – Using this method, eight guests play the primary characters while the remainder of the guests each play the Investigator role. Players in this role are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players.
  • Teams – Each primary character can be played by 2 or more people that work together as a team. This works well if you’ve invited several couples to your event, but also works if you break up your guests into eight larger teams of 3 or more guests.
  • Multiple Groups – If you have 16 or more guests, you can break them up into groups of 8 players and run multiple instances of the game on their own. This method is best for large events (e.g. fundraisers) where each table of people can play through the game independently. This method goes well with the Investigator method, which allows you the flexibility to add more than 8 people to any group.

Both the standard and expanded games are included with the purchase of any game kit.

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