Name: Christmas
SKU: santa
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5.00 (12 reviews)

Ho, Ho, Ho ... Nooooooooo!! In this Christmas murder mystery party game, Santa has called an emergency North Pole Crisis Meeting.

But someone needs to be on Santa's Naughty List! Jolly old Mr Claus has been poisoned before the meeting could happen.

Attempted murder has struck the North Pole. Our famous Mr Claus has been poisoned with a mysterious sleeping potion.

Unexplained acts of vandalism have happened. Santa's sleigh has been damaged, the toys in the Toy Factory have disappeared, the Naughty and Nice lists have become jumbled and spies from the rival South Pole PLC have been spotted.

Santa called a North Pole Crisis Meeting to discuss these terrible issues.

The day of this meeting, he fell into a magical sleep.

Is Santa Slayed? Or will YOU save Santa and let Christmas happen again?

Instant download lets you host a Christmas murder mystery party or dinner party your friends and family will remember! Easy-to-download, easy-to-print and easy-to-run. Now with a virtual option!

Virtual party option - plays well on Zoom and similar video call software. Ideal for Work Christmas parties or connecting with friends and family during Covid.

Face-to-face party option - let our family-friendly murder mystery game brighten your Christmas day or festive season; also ideal to play with friends.

In this family-friendly, adult-challenging Christmas Murder Mystery Party or Dinner Party, magic abounds, intrigue is afoot and it is up to YOU to solve the murder mystery so Santa can survive and Christmas may yet happen.

A Few Customer Reviews

"Absolutely amazing. We loved it! Really funny characters – we all really got into our characters which made it hilarious. Will definitely be doing another."

Robyn

"Wonderful entertainment. Well thought out characters and storyline. Entertaining whodunnit that’ll keep you guessing throughout. Highly recommended for a fun-filled evening."

Mark P.

"Very great! Played during a work event, everybody got into characters which made it very fun. The characters are amazing and it’s a real pleasure to discover “Is Santa Slayed” and its universe."

Vincent

"A fantastic, festive murder mystery. Fun characters, a highly entertaining script, lots of laughs and thoroughly recommended to get you into the Christmas spirit. A great way to spend an evening with friends or family. We all loved it."

Carolyn

See our 12 Reviews

Characters for this Christmas Murder Mystery Game

Family Christmas Murder Mystery Party - 6-8 player version - held via Zoom

Christmas party photos - Bear and Deeerie Deer

Christmas party costumes - Deerie Deer, Scrooge and Chaser

This Christmas murder mystery party game has a festive mix of traditional Christmas characters, with Mrs Claus, Jinxy Claus, elves and reindeer

and

others you - might - find in a magical Christmas Kingdom such as that found at our version of the North Pole!

Polite note: please check that you have the correct number of guests BEFORE purchase; after purchase, a 40% discount for different versions of the SAME game is available if you email us via our contact form.

Note: the two free optional/minor characters do not have quite as large a role as the main characters. They are, however, fully integrated. (They have small motives and opportunities, a clue to read and are shown in the list of speakers in light grey italics.)

Murder Mystery Party Game: 8 - 10 Players

Gender of essential players: 1 female, 7 neutrals
Gender of optional (minor) players: 2 neutrals
Number of suspects: 8-10

Essential Female Suspect

Mrs Claus – Santa's glamorous wife is a former New York model and a terrible cook, even though she is Head of North Pole Catering!
Darling, I love my wonderful husband soo much.

Essential Gender Neutral Suspects

Magician Tinsel – in charge of The North Pole Magical Services and claims to be the inventor of the Christmas Eve Sleeping Potion. NOT the expert magician that some would wish for.
Waves wand when annoyed: I'll turn you into a toad!

Grouchy Scrooge – Head of North Pole Productivity and Accountability; miserly, anti-fun, anti-Christmas and hated by all.
Baaaah fun! Baaaah inefficiency! Baaaah Christmas! Wretched children.

Jinxy Claus – Santa's mischievous niece / nephew, in charge of the Santa Express train and wanting to modernise North Pole operations.
Loves telling bad Christmas jokes. Oho! Oho! Oho!

Merry Claus – Santa's niece / nephew and cousin of Jinxy; assists Jinxy in running the Santa Express train and wanting to modernise North Pole operations.
Like Jinxy, loves telling bad Christmas jokes. Ho-Oh! Ho-Oh! Ho-Oh!

Elfie – Head Elf in charge of the North Pole Toy Workshop for over 300 years; hates modern technology and wants every toy made absolutely perfectly by hand.
I’ve been running this workshop for over 300 years, thanking you kindly.

Bear – Polar Bear heading the "Claws for Claus" North Pole Security team; maintains The North Pole Invisibility Field to protect Santa's operations.
Threatens with claws when annoyed: Say that again and I'll eat you - I'm feeling rather hungry right now!

Deerie Deer – Rights for Reindeer representative; assists Bear with North Pole Security
Reindeer demand our rights! I'll have you know ...

Optional (Minor) Characters - Gender Neutral

Chaser – Deerie Deer's militant trainee and the Reindeer Sparring Champion; assists Bear and Deerie Deer with North Pole Security; enthusiastically threatens anyone who transgresses!
My antlers are nice and sharp ...

Holly – Tinsel's magician apprentice; the brains behind the scenes and annoyingly conceited.
As the cleverest apprentice the North Pole has ever seen, I will TRY to stop Magician Tinsel making so many mistakes …

Optional (minor) characters have smaller parts that suspects.

Murder Mystery Party Game: 10 - 12 Players

Gender of essential players: 1 female, 9 neutrals
Gender of optional (minor) players: 2 neutrals
Number of suspects: 10-12

Essential Female Suspect

Mrs Claus – Santa's glamorous wife is a former New York model and a terrible cook, even though she is Head of North Pole Catering!
Darling, I love my wonderful husband soo much.

Essential Gender Neutral Suspects

Magician Tinsel – in charge of The North Pole Magical Services and claims to be the inventor of the Christmas Eve Sleeping Potion. NOT the expert magician that some would wish for.
Waves wand when annoyed: I'll turn you into a toad!

Holly – Tinsel's magician apprentice; the brains behind the scenes and annoyingly conceited.
As the cleverest apprentice the North Pole has ever seen, I will TRY to stop Magician Tinsel making so many mistakes …

Grouchy Scrooge – Head of North Pole Productivity and Accountability; miserly, anti-fun, anti-Christmas and hated by all.
Baaaah fun! Baaaah inefficiency! Baaaah Christmas! Wretched children.

Jangle – a "young" elf who grew up in the 60s and loves hippy clothes and 60s' slang; wants to be in a Christmas band with Wrapper.
Hey, man, that's fab man ...

Jinxy Claus – Santa's mischievous niece / nephew, in charge of the Santa Express train and wanting to modernise North Pole operations.
Loves telling bad Christmas jokes. Oho! Oho! Oho!

Merry Claus – Santa's niece / nephew and cousin of Jinxy; assists Jinxy in running the Santa Express train and wanting to modernise North Pole operations.
Like Jinxy, loves telling bad Christmas jokes. Ho-Oh! Ho-Oh! Ho-Oh!

Elfie – Head Elf in charge of the North Pole Toy Workshop for over 300 years; hates modern technology and wants every toy made absolutely perfectly by hand.
I’ve been running this workshop for over 300 years, thanking you kindly.

Bear – Polar Bear heading the "Claws for Claus" North Pole Security team; maintains The North Pole Invisibility Field to protect Santa's operations.
Threatens with claws when annoyed: Say that again and I'll eat you - I'm feeling rather hungry right now!

Deerie Deer – Rights for Reindeer representative; assists Bear with North Pole Security
Reindeer demand our rights! I'll have you know ...

Optional (Minor) Characters - Gender Neutral

Chaser – Deerie Deer's militant trainee and the Reindeer Sparring Champion; assists Bear and Deerie Deer with North Pole Security; enthusiastically threatens anyone who transgresses!
My antlers are nice and sharp ...

Wrapper - Elfie's assistant; a "young" elf who grew up in the 90s and has a liking for rap and grunge; has dreams of being in a Christmas band with Jangle
Yo dudes …

Murder Mystery Party Game: 12 - 14 Players

Gender of essential players: 1 female, 11 neutrals
Gender of optional (minor) players: 2 neutrals
Number of suspects: 12-14

Available November 2021

Running Your Christmas Murder Mystery Party

It's not necessary to decorate, dress up or cook sumptuous festive food to have a great Christmassy murder mystery party.

But, during this festive season, many will already have decorations up, little costume accessories such as tinsel are readily available and mince pies and other festive food are so easy to come by.

For virtual mysteries, guests can just decorate that small area where the camera will focus - our free Party Decoration Pack gives lots of free printables to help. Alternatively, choose a virtual festive background using free photos from sites such as Pixabay, Pexels or Unsplash.

Virtual Christmas murder mystery party via Zoom

View Customer Photos

Typical Christmas Party Food

Buffet Food

Cold sliced roast meat - turkey with cranberry sauce, spicy, glazed ham

Christmas tree platter (for example, cheese, tomatoes, grapes and/or olives arranged to resemble a Christmas tree)

Christmas food wreath (antipasto and olives or green and red vegetables arranged in a wreath shape, decorated with bows or a few rosemary leaves as preferred)

Santa platter (a mix of vegetables, sliced fruit, pickled onions, cheese and antipasto or smoked salmon slices arranged to make a Santa face)

Candy Canes (sliced tomatoes and mozzarella arranged into a cane shape)

Festive pizza (cut pizza dough or puff pastry into the shape of a Christmas tree, Santa's boot or candy cane, top with tomato sauce and then decorate with Mozarella cheese and tomatoes or pepperoni)

Fancy bread rolls or tear-and-share bread, possibly arranged into a Christmas tree shape

Cranberry and brie puff pastry bites, sausage rolls or vegetarian sausage rolls

Baked Brie sprinkled with brown sugar and dried cranberries or sprinkled with a cranberry, maple syrup and rosemary mix

Salads - winter coleslaw or winter salad with green leaves, cranberries, walnuts, pomegranate and a citrus dressing

Watermelon Christmas Trees - cut into slices with the rind on, then use a cookie cutter to make tree shapes, with the rind forming the trunk

Dessert

Christmas cake

Christmas pudding with rum butter or white sauce

Mince pies trifles

Sugared cranberries

Gingerbread cake with salted caramel buttercream

Gingerbread biscuits decorated with reindeer antlers and a red nose

Gingerbread cheesecake trifle

Yule log

Mince pie cupcakes with brandy buttercream

Cut cookies or brownie cake with festive cookie cutters and decorate

Strawberry Santa hats - slice the top off a strawberry; sandwich the two halves together with whipped cream; optionally place on top of a small biscuit using ore whipped cream to make an attractive layer

Drinks

Eggnog

Christmas punch

Mulled wine

Hot spiced apple cider

Pomegranate and cranberry sparklers

Fancy Dress / Costumes

You can enjoy the game without dressing up. Or you can just adapt what you already have in your house - for example, a few strands of tinsel can create token costume for Magician Tinsel and Apprentice Holly.

But we do provide a Best Costume Award - and the Pre-Party Booklets do give ideas for how to create fun costumes for your character ...

Fancy Dress Suggestions for the Major Characters

Mrs Claus and Jinxy Claus - Santa suit; Mrs Claus needs a handkerchief to dab her eyes.

Bear - a white polar bear costume is obviously great. Failing that, try a white top and white trousers/skirt with black and white facepaint (white face with a black nose and black whiskers). Match with white polar bear ears (eg a white headband with white ears attached). White gloves with black claws are ideal.

Elfie - a red or green tunic or dress – or a long-sleeved green t-shirt with a patterned red jacket or waistcoat over it. Wide black belt with large buckle. Red, green or striped leggings. Elf hat or add a feather to a red or green slouch beanie hat. Optional pointy ears, sleigh bells round your ankles or hat and pointy shoes (create your own with felt).

Scrooge - think formal, Victorian and dark colours. Black suit, crisp white shirt, black bow tie or cravat; black bowler hat. Optional walking cane, fob watch and starched white pocket-handkerchief. If male, optional neat moustache.

Magician Tinsel and Apprentice Holly - magician's cape, pointy hat and wand. Tinsel strands make great accessories for hat, earrings, necklace, belt, wand.

Deerie - a homemade reindeer costume is easy using brown sweats and a long-sleeved brown t-shirt or jumper. Optionally add white or cream felt spots to the front and a cord tail to the back of the sweats. Brown antlers can be cut out of felt and added to a headband. Red nose is optional.

Generally family-friendly and suitable for ages 11 - 12 - 112 as there are no references to affairs, sex or drugs. For younger guests, no "Christmas secrets" are revealed. Please read below, however.

References to Eggnog

Santa was drinking Eggnog on the morning he was poisoned; some other characters also like Eggnog. Parents do not need to discuss the ingredients of Eggnog.

Mild, Comic "Violence"

The level of "violence" implied in the dialogue is very light-hearted. Bear often threatens claws and threatens to eat people; Magician Tinsel and Apprentice Holly threaten to turn people into a toad.

Only Santa is 100% "Nice"

Nobody has a bad word to say about jolly old St Nick. That said, children must be old enough to cope with the central premise of this Christmas murder mystery: Who poisoned Santa and Will Santa Survive? All characters have secrets and therefore none of these North Pole characters are perfect people!

Reading Ability

If children are playing a role by themselves, they do need to be old enough to be able to read the party booklets and deliver their lines when the booklet shows it is their turn.

View Sample Pre-Party Booklet

View Sample Party Booklet

The Origins of Father Christmas

We all know and love those stories of that jolly old man with a red suit and white beard who lives in the North Pole together with a team of elves, flying reindeer and famous magical sleigh.

The real Father Christmas, however, was Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 3rd - 4th-century saint who lived in the Roman town of Myra (now Demre in Turkey). St Nicholas's Day is 6th December, not 25th December. Whilst St Nicholas isn't thought to have been either jolly or rotund (he actually spent years in prison for defending church doctrine during the 303 Great Persecution), he was known for charitable giving. Among other things, he became the Patron Saint of Children.

Gradually, over time, St Nick morphed into the Santa Claus.

Reindeer and Flying Sleigh

In 1809, Washington Irving portrayed St Nicholas as driving a flying wagon, delivering presents to good children and switches to bad children, in "Knickerbocker's History of New York ".

The still famous 1823 poem, “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore, turned St Nick into a plump, jolly man whose eight flying reindeer enabled him to deliver presents in his magical sleigh:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!"

North Pole

In the 1860s, cartoonist Thomas Nast drew 33 Christmas drawings for "Harper’s Weekly"; one featured a village called “Santa Claussville NP". Thus St Nick gained a new home - the then-unchartered and unknown North Pole, a place where magic might (conceivably) happen.

Red Suit

In 1931, illustrator Haddon Sundblom painted Santa for Coca-Cola's Christmas advertisements. Sundblom resurrected the jolly, plump man of Clement C. Moore's “The Night Before Christmas, gave him a red coat (instead of the furs previous illustrators had used) and the rest is history. Our jolly old man in a red suit, the Santa Claus beloved of many, took shape in the public's imagination.

Naughty and Nice Lists

Children the world over have long been told to be good if they want St Nicholas to bring them presents. Children from countries such as Britain, America and Australia were taught that if they were naughty then they would just receive a piece of coal; in Holland, children where warned that naughty children would get a bundle of sticks.

In the 1930s, the still popular song "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie solidified this tradition into a formal Naughty and Nice List.

Our Version of the North Pole

Santa was entrusted by The Guardians of the Earth to deliver presents to good children, using his magical sleigh and team of flying reindeer.

He is married to Mrs Claus, a former New York model and has a niece or nephew called Jinxy. (Larger party versions also have an extra niece or nephew called Merry).

Santa's North Pole community includes a team of elves who make presents in the Toy Workshop. There are a magician and apprentice magician whose job it is to use magic to help Santa's operations.

And then there is the terrifying talking polar bear - Bear's ancestors were given the gift of speech by Santa and have repaid this gift by running Claws for Claus Security, maintaining the Invisibility Field around Santa's North Pole operations.

Then of course, there are the reindeer, another animal whose ancestors were given the gift of speech by Santa.

And finally, in an unashamed steal from Charles Dickens' "The Christmas Carol", there is Grouchy Scrooge, that hated Head of North Pole Productivity and Accountability.

With such a mix of characters, what can possibly go wrong? ...

Included With Your Murder Mystery Game Kit Purchase - All Ready for Instant Download!

1 Easy-to-Follow Host Instructions

View Host Instructions for Virtual Party

We provide full, easy-to-follow host instructions so you can throw a festive mystery your friends will remember! In the suggested format, the host instructions are highlighted in red.

2 Printouts to Turn Your Home into a Festive North Pole

party kit printouts include North Pole sign and a Claws for Claws security poster

North Pole party kit - posters of Christmas Saboteur and Scrooge's Productivity drive

North Pole party pack posters include a Do ot Feed the Reindeer poster and a contrasting Rights for Reindeer poster

Christmas party room signs and North Pole signs

More Info

Posters

North Pole Crisis Meeting
Rights for Reindeer
Christmas Saboteur Warning
Do Not Feed the Reindeer
Claws for Claus Security
Productivity and Accountability

House Printouts

Little Elves' Room (Bathroom)
Mrs Claus' Kitchen

North Pole Signs

North Pole Sign - Red
North Pole Sign - Blue
North Pole 2-page with a White Background
Toy Workshop

North Pole Arrow Printouts

Mrs Claus's Cafe
Reindeer Races
Toy Workshop
North Pole

3 Pre-Party Character Booklets and Editable Invitations - Print or Email as You Choose

Just one fold and you have an attractive A5 booklet with borders and an easy-to-read font. The front page, a copy of North Pole News, gives easy to digest snippets of the mystery background.

The festive Invitation is supplied as a Word document with editable fields and a Christmassy background. The virtual version of the game also includes virtual game tips for all guests.

View Sample Pre-Party Booklet

4 Audio Introduction and Solution

A short MP3 audio introduction to set the scene; a short MP3 audio solution in addition to the optional Whodunnit round. Should you have any problems, there is a printed backup.

5 Party Character Booklets Featuring Our Unique Prompt Cards

View Sample Party Booklet

Suitable for both beginners and experienced crime-solvers! Our prompt cards CAN be read like a script (ideal for those who find ad-libs difficult). More out-going players, however, can use their own words and ad-lib as much as they wish.

These neat A5 booklets include the game instructions, round prompt cards, map, accusation sheet and optional interactive whodunnit round in one easy-to-print booklet for each character with a festive theme.

6 Attractive Clues

Clues enable evidence to be presented in bite-sized chunks. They are attractively presented with a festive background.

7 Award Certificates

Certificates for the best actor, best costume and best solution are in a fun, festive style. Optionally, you can provide prizes as well. The Christmas season offers so many possibilities - small festive decorations, a box of mince pies, a small Christmas pudding to name just a few.

Themes: Christmas = the North Pole, Santa

Murder Mid-Party?: No

Host Plays a Character?: Yes

Format: optional initial mingling session, 6 rounds (flexible "script" where players can substitute own words, ad-lib and don't know what others will say) optional interactive whodunnit

Availability: instant download on payment receipt (pdfs + 2 audio MP3 files with a printed fallback + editable Word invitations & menus); supplied in zip files

Essential Printing Required by host or guests (unless players use a device to read): invites, pre-party booklets and party booklets = 6 A4 pages per player (if double-sided) or 12 A4 pages per player (if single-sided). There are also 10 pages of essential clues. We provide other optional files that players and hosts can if they wish print.

File Sizes: 3 zip files, 2 audios, plus two optional zip files

Time: 1.75 - 3+ hours (depends on party size and number of ad-libs); food and chatting breaks in addition

Age: Families and adults; generally, 11 - 111 depending on reading age and parental judgement. (See Age & Sensitivities above).

Type: virtual party (ideal for Corona lockdown) or face-to-face party.

Dinner Party: 6 - 8 Players - 1 female, 5 - 7 neutrals (£17)

Dinner Party: 8 - 10 Players - 1 female, 7 - 9 neutrals (£21)

Party: 10 - 12 Players - 1 female, 9 - 11 neutrals (£25)

Cost: £17 - £25 (payment via PayPal)

Discount for an additional version (different number of players) of THIS mystery: 40% discount. (Please email us via our contact form if this is required.)

We Hope You Enjoyed this Murder Mystery Game and We'd Love to Hear From You!

12 reviews for Christmas

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Is Santa Slayed?

A Few Customer Reviews

Characters for this Christmas Murder Mystery Game

This Christmas murder mystery party game has a festive mix of traditional Christmas characters, with Mrs Claus, Jinxy Claus, elves and reindeer

and

others you - might - find in a magical Christmas Kingdom such as that found at our version of the North Pole!

Murder Mystery Dinner Party Game: 6 - 8 Players

Murder Mystery Party Game: 8 - 10 Players

Essential Female Suspect

Essential Gender Neutral Suspects

Optional (Minor) Characters - Gender Neutral

Murder Mystery Party Game: 10 - 12 Players

Essential Female Suspect

Essential Gender Neutral Suspects

Optional (Minor) Characters - Gender Neutral

Murder Mystery Party Game: 12 - 14 Players

Running Your Christmas Murder Mystery Party

Some North Pole Ideas

A few more ideas

Deck the Halls and Create a

North Pole Christmas Wonderland

Typical Christmas Party Food

Buffet Food

Dessert

Drinks

Fancy Dress / Costumes

Fancy Dress Suggestions for the Major Characters

The Origins of Father Christmas

Our Version of the North Pole

Included With Your Murder Mystery Game Kit Purchase - All Ready for Instant Download!

1 Easy-to-Follow Host Instructions

2 Printouts to Turn Your Home into a Festive North Pole

3 Pre-Party Character Booklets and Editable Invitations - Print or Email as You Choose

4 Audio Introduction and Solution

5 Party Character Booklets Featuring Our Unique Prompt Cards

6 Attractive Clues

7 Award Certificates

We Hope You Enjoyed this Murder Mystery Game and We'd Love to Hear From You!

12 reviews for Christmas

Keep Informed of Future Mysteries and Receive Discounts

Our Mysteries

Our Future Mysteries Planned for Early - Mid 2022