Goblins Hate Xmas!
2025
2 - 4 players
10 - 20 min
From BoardGameGeek
As happens every Christmas, Santa Claus is running short on little helpers to prepare the presents. And who better to turn into the perfect elf than a goblin stripped of its wickedness? So, in the hope that someone will fall for the trap, Santa sends gifts to the goblin village - including one containing the feared Absorb Malice. Goblins, being curious and mischievous creatures, love opening gifts… but they know danger could be lurking inside. Whoever opens the Absorb Malice loses their wicked essence and risks turning into an elf. Any goblin who becomes a "half-elf" has until the final Event to make things right: by collecting the right cursed gifts, they can brew the Enema of Malice and steal wickedness back from another goblin. At the end of the game, any goblin who hasn't reclaimed their wickedness will be shipped off straight to Santa's workshop… let's hope they enjoy singing Christmas carols for eternity. Goblins Hate Xmas! It's a card-game. Each turn, the first player draws an EVENT card, then everyone draws SABOTAGE cards until they have three. Players use TRAP cards to give face-down GIFTS to opponents, ACTION cards to steal, destroy, or move cards, and INSTANT cards for immediate effects. You can defend with ACTION or INSTANT cards even when it's not your turn. After sabotage, the EVENT card is revealed and resolved, then all gifts are opened. Normal goblins discard opened gifts, but half-elves can keep the gifts needed to perform the Enema of Malice. If you find ABSORB MALICE in a gift, you become a half-elf. Half-elves must collect the right cursed gifts to brew the Enema of Malice - a ritual that lets them steal wickedness back from another goblin, transforming back into a goblin while turning their target into a half-elf. To Win: Be a full goblin when all EVENT cards are exhausted (midnight strikes). To Lose: Remain a half-elf at game's end and get shipped to Santa's workshop. The tension: normal goblins avoid gifts, but half-elves desperately need them for redemption! -description from the designer
Watch first
Which Goblins Hate Xmas! video should I watch?
Goblins Hate Xmas! has 4 videos from 3 creators: 1 review, 1 how-to-play guide, 1 playthrough and 1 other video. They date from July to September 2025.
To learn the rules, start with "OFPG - Goblins Hate Xmas! Preview (Holly Jolly... or NOT!)" by Our Family Plays Games, which runs 8 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Goblins Hate Xmas - DT Preview with Mark Streed" by The Dice Tower. To see it played, watch "Gameplay and test" by Goblins Hate XMas.
All videos
Creators who cover this
Goblins Hate XMas
2 videos of this game
Our Family Plays Games
1 video of this game
The Dice Tower
1 video of this game
About Goblins Hate Xmas!
From BoardGameGeek:
As happens every Christmas, Santa Claus is running short on little helpers to prepare the presents. And who better to turn into the perfect elf than a goblin stripped of its wickedness? So, in the hope that someone will fall for the trap, Santa sends gifts to the goblin village - including one containing the feared Absorb Malice. Goblins, being curious and mischievous creatures, love opening gifts… but they know danger could be lurking inside. Whoever opens the Absorb Malice loses their wicked essence and risks turning into an elf. Any goblin who becomes a "half-elf" has until the final Event to make things right: by collecting the right cursed gifts, they can brew the Enema of Malice and steal wickedness back from another goblin. At the end of the game, any goblin who hasn't reclaimed their wickedness will be shipped off straight to Santa's workshop… let's hope they enjoy singing Christmas carols for eternity. Goblins Hate Xmas! It's a card-game. Each turn, the first player draws an EVENT card, then everyone draws SABOTAGE cards until they have three. Players use TRAP cards to give face-down GIFTS to opponents, ACTION cards to steal, destroy, or move cards, and INSTANT cards for immediate effects. You can defend with ACTION or INSTANT cards even when it's not your turn. After sabotage, the EVENT card is revealed and resolved, then all gifts are opened. Normal goblins discard opened gifts, but half-elves can keep the gifts needed to perform the Enema of Malice. If you find ABSORB MALICE in a gift, you become a half-elf. Half-elves must collect the right cursed gifts to brew the Enema of Malice - a ritual that lets them steal wickedness back from another goblin, transforming back into a goblin while turning their target into a half-elf. To Win: Be a full goblin when all EVENT cards are exhausted (midnight strikes). To Lose: Remain a half-elf at game's end and get shipped to Santa's workshop. The tension: normal goblins avoid gifts, but half-elves desperately need them for redemption! -description from the designer
Publisher
Self-published
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