The snow is falling, the carols are playing, and there's a definite chill in the air... but this year, there's also a mystery afoot at the North Pole! Planning a family murder mystery can sound daunting, but with a little sprinkle of magic and the right kit, it's an unforgettable holiday experience for everyone from tiny elves to wise old Father Christmases. We're going to dive into how to host an amazing North Pole mystery using the Guilty Games kit, complete with a cookie baking contest and costumes galore!
Your Guide to a Festive Whodunit
Here are 10 tips to make your North Pole mystery a festive hit:
1. Secure Your Secret Weapon: The Guilty Games Downloadable North Pole Mystery Kit! 🦌🎅
This is the most important step! Start by getting the Guilty Games North Pole Mystery kit. It's specifically designed for family fun and takes the guesswork out of plot development, clue creation, and character assignments. The downloadable format makes it easy to print materials for your 5 to 15 players, ensuring a smooth setup.
Each murder mystery game is delivered via email within 24 hours of your order: it includes character packets (with characters like Santa himself, the leader of the elfs, reindeer trainers, and north pole performers!), an introduction, autopsy report, extras, confession, and host guide. The host can also play along--no one gets left out of the family fun!
2. Age-Appropriate Player Assignments (5-15 Players)
The beauty of this kit is its flexibility. Review the character descriptions and tailor the roles to your family members. For younger children, assign roles that are less demanding in terms of dialogue and clue interpretation, perhaps focusing on "being" the character. Grandparents might enjoy roles with more storytelling or central clue-giving aspects. Make sure the role suits the player's enthusiasm level! Perfect for full family gatherings--there's a role to play for everyone!
3. Kick things off with a family cookie baking competitions! 🍪
Before the mystery even begins, get everyone in the festive spirit (and fill their tummies!) with a friendly cookie baking contest. This is a brilliant, low-pressure icebreaker. You can even assign judging roles to non-players or have players incorporate their character's "cookie preference" into their judging style. The winner gets a Head Elf apron!
You can either bake cookies from scratch or get pre made cookies. Looking for an even easier cookie contest? Get some icing and draw on scarves and bows onto premade gingerbread cookies!
4. Get dressed up in North Pole costumes--Ugly sweaters, santa hats, and elf ears! 🧑🎄
Costumes are half the fun! Since the setting is the North Pole, dressing up is simple: think Santa hats, elf ears, fairy wings, jingle bells, and fuzzy scarves. Encourage players to use props that represent their characters. A grandparent playing Mrs. Claus can bring a tray of cookies, and an elf can have a toy list.
| Character Element | What You Need | DIY/Thrift Store Tip |
| Colors | Red and Green clothing (T-shirts, sweaters, tights, pants). | Mix-and-match stripes or solid colors. |
| Hat | A simple Santa hat or a beanie. | Fold the brim up on a green beanie and add a jingle bell to the top. |
| Ears | Felt or paper cut into a pointy elf ear shape. | Attach the ears to a simple headband. |
| Belt/Suspenders | A wide black belt or red/green suspenders. | Use a black piece of ribbon or scarf for a belt and attach a gold construction paper buckle. |
| Bonus | Jingle bells, small toy props, or a toy hammer. | Pin jingle bells to shoelaces or the edge of a tunic. |
5. Decorate the house with holiday decorations! 🎄
Use holiday decorations you already have to transform your living room or dining area into Santa's Workshop or a cozy Arctic lodge. Think twinkly lights, faux snow, stockings, and lots of red and green. Mood lighting and some instrumental holiday music really set the scene!
6. Set up a "Clue Station" for the Kids
To make the clues accessible for younger players, designate a central "Clue Station" or evidence table. Instead of only relying on dialogue, place physical, simple-to-find clues here that everyone can examine. This gives hands-on engagement to children who might struggle with prolonged questioning.
7. Start off with an alibi interview! 🕵️👀
Every character includes clues related to their alibi: start the game off by having everyone share their alibi for an easy starting point!
8. Get food and drinks that match the holiday theme! 🥛🍪
Keep the energy up with festive refreshments. Serve "Melting Snowman Water" (regular water), "Reindeer Food" (snack mix), and Hot Cocoa—of course! Having snacks accessible throughout the game means you don't have to pause the fun for a formal meal. And eat the cookies you made earlier!
9. Keep things light-- it isn't a competition, everyone can work together!
Since this is a family game, emphasize that the goal is fun and creativity, not winning. Remind players that they don't have to be master actors; they just need to embrace their holiday character. If the plot gets complicated, gently guide the group back to the core clues and don't let anyone feel stressed about solving it perfectly.
10. Give out awards! 🏆
Once the mystery is solved (or the time is up), host a mini awards ceremony. Give prizes not just for the Guesser of the Guilty, but also for the Best Costume, the Most Convincing Alibi, and the Cookie Contest Champion. End the night with a celebratory hot cocoa toast to a successful holiday mystery!