Thief! On the Christmas Express A Festive Mystery Game for 20+ Players

Thief! On the Christmas Express is super flexible, super simple to play, and lots of fun!

I wrote this game for a church activity, so it’s appropriate for all ages. Playing time approximately 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of people playing, and how the host decides to structure the game. It COULD take even less time, if you wanted to use it as an ice breaker for a small group - just set a timer and tell everyone to rush!

Thief! On the Christmas Express is about as loosey-goosey as it gets. The Host Guide included in this download is short and sweet, because the host can pretty much structure this game however they want.

What is included in this digital download:

20 Essential Character Tickets

25 Optional Character Tickets

One kid (nonreader) ticket that can be reprinted as many times as you need

One adult ticket that can be reprinted as many times as you need

One clue to hide

The thief’s confession

Host Guide

This game has 45 unique characters, but can accommodate many, many more!

A minimum of 20 players are required to play Thief! On the Christmas Express.

The host can play too, but the host will know all the secrets - including the thief's identity.

***Please note that this is a silly mingling mystery activity for all ages. The character storylines and objectives are not thorough. This is meant to be a jumping-off point for being silly and interacting with other players. Do not take it too seriously, and don’t take yourself too seriously, either.***

How to play:

Each "passenger" will get a ticket. Each ticket has a secret, a clue to share, and an action to take (sometimes this is just another thing to say).

The passengers will mingle and share their clues. This is a mingling game – the players will talk to each other one on one. The players will NOT share their clues to the group as a whole, unless specifically told to do so.

Once the guests are done mingling, the host will announce that there’s a clue hidden on the train.

Once the clue is found, the host will ask the passengers to make an accusation.

After all the accusations are made, the host will demand the thief to confess.

That's it! Pretty simple.

Want to play music during the game? Bearded Rat Mysteries has a playlist on Spotify.

Don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @beardedratmysteries, and sign up for my newsletter to keep up with new games, sales, and giveaways! Just go to https://www.emchaffin.com/newsletter

Essential characters

Timmy Porter

Barnard Bibbleton

Davey Jackson

Eddie Minkus

Archie Sanders

Penny Gold

Robbie Rex

Jack Frost

Sparkle the Sugar Plum Fairy

Shimmer the Sugar Plum Fairy

Tony the Toy Maker

Wally Barron

Susie Primm

Julie Jenkins

Betty Williams

Billy Tomkins

Emma Fields

Sophia Clark

Amy Lewis

Vickie Parker

Optional Characters, Group 1

Blake Rogers

The Christmas Partridge

Casper Crane

Ebenezer Scrooge

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Ghost of Christmas Present

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Addie Scott

Alex Whitman

Optional Characters, Group 2

Teddy the Turtle Dove

Tilly the Turtle Dove

Francine the French Hen

Francis the French Hen

Finley the French Hen

Melody the Calling Bird

Precious the gold ring

Greta the Goose

Gertrude the Goose

Sven the Swan

Millie the Milkmaid

Lacey the Lady

Lance the Lord

Piper the Piper

Drew the Drummer

This game is LEVEL: FLEXIBLE

ANYONE, experienced murder mystery game players and novices alike, can enjoy all three levels of my mystery games. But in case you’re curious, here’s how I break down the three levels:

LEVEL: FLEXIBLE This level is super flexible and allows players to be involved as much or as little as they desire. It’s a great game to play as a first-time murder mystery player and can be a great get-to-know-you activity for groups of people that have yet to bond.

LEVEL: INSPECTOR The characters in this level tend to have more clues and secrets, so there’s a little more reading before each round. It’s a great game to play for everyone!

LEVEL: INTRIGUE The essential characters in this level tend to have a lot of secrets and clues. There’s more to keep track of, but that also means there’s more intrigue, more twists, and more laughs! It’s a great game to play with your friends and family, people you know really well and can really “vibe” off of, if you know what I mean.

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