Making Christmas bingo: 50 Christmas words, 30 Christmas hits and a sample card
Word or music bingo, fifty Christmas words and thirty Christmas hits for the cards, a sample card and a set-up for three rounds.
Christmas bingo is the game that works at every Christmas drinks: nobody needs an explanation, everyone joins in and the moment someone shouts bingo is always good for a laugh. Below you’ll find how to make your own Christmas bingo, with fifty Christmas words and thirty Christmas hits for the cards, an example card and a plan for three rounds.
Choose your type of bingo
- Word bingo. The card has Christmas words on it. You read them out in random order. Works anywhere, even without sound.
- Music bingo. The card has titles of Christmas hits on it. You play the first twenty seconds of each song. More atmosphere, because the room sings along, but you’ll need a speaker.
- Picture bingo. For children or mixed groups: pictures instead of words. You show a picture and whoever has it crosses it off.
How to make the cards
- Take a grid of five by five squares. The middle square is free.
- Pick twenty-four words per card from the list below, in a different combination and order each time.
- Make a unique card for each person. With fifty words you have enough variety for a room of a hundred people.
- Print on sturdy paper and put a pen or a felt-tip with it. For music bingo a felt-tip works better, because people are singing and writing at the same time.
- Cut out the fifty words for yourself and put them in a bowl or a Santa hat. That way you really draw them.
This is what a card looks like:
Fifty Christmas words for the cards
- Christmas tree
- Tree topper
- Garland
- Bauble
- Snowman
- Reindeer
- Sleigh
- Father Christmas
- Elf
- Present
- Bow
- Nativity scene
- Angel
- Shepherd
- Star
- Candle
- Log fire
- Fireplace
- Christmas stocking
- Mistletoe
- Holly
- Pine cone
- Christmas wreath
- Poinsettia
- Icicle
- Snowflake
- Skating
- Glühwein
- Kerststol (Dutch Christmas loaf)
- Turkey
- Gourmet (table grill)
- Christmas dinner
- Santa hat
- Mittens
- Scarf
- Ugly Christmas jumper
- Christmas card
- Christmas market
- Bells
- Choir
- Midnight mass
- Advent
- Lights
- Presents
- Wrapping paper
- Hot chocolate
- Oliebol
- Fireworks
- New Year
- Christmas holidays
Thirty Christmas hits for music bingo
Play the first twenty seconds of each song. If you choose fewer songs, keep the best-known ones so everyone recognises them.
- Last Christmas
- All I Want for Christmas Is You
- Driving Home for Christmas
- Jingle Bells
- White Christmas
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
- Fairytale of New York
- Do They Know It’s Christmas?
- Feliz Navidad
- Santa Tell Me
- Merry Xmas Everybody
- Step into Christmas
- Wonderful Christmastime
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
- Blue Christmas
- Let It Snow!
- Jingle Bell Rock
- Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
- It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
- Underneath the Tree
- Merry Christmas Everyone
- Mistletoe
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Frosty the Snowman
- Let It Go
- Winter Wonderland
- Silent Night
- Little Drummer Boy
- Run Rudolph Run
Three rounds for drinks
- Round 1: a line. Horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Takes about ten minutes and gives you a quick first winner.
- Round 2: the four corners and the cross. A bit harder, and the tension builds because more people are nearly there.
- Round 3: a full card. The main prize. Turn the music up a little and keep the pace high.
Fetch fresh drinks between the rounds and the bingo takes three quarters of an hour in total, without feeling like a long sit.
Do it yourself or have it done for you
Christmas bingo is easy to do yourself with the lists above, a printer and someone to lead the rounds. Most of the work is in the cards and in keeping track of what’s already come up.
If you’d rather have it taken care of, we bring the cards, the screen, the music, the prizes and a host who gets the room going. On the Christmas activities page you’ll find the Christmas bingo alongside the other Christmas options, and on bingo at your venue you can read how we put together a bingo evening. You’ll find more quiz questions for the same evening in the Christmas quiz with a hundred questions.
Frequently asked questions
How many bingo cards do you need?
One per person, or one per pair if you play bingo as a team game. Make a few extra, because there’s always someone who joins late. Make sure no two cards are the same, otherwise every line has two winners.
How long does a Christmas bingo last?
A round to the first full line takes ten to fifteen minutes, and to a full card about half an hour. At drinks you usually play three rounds: one line, two lines and a full card. Allow three quarters of an hour.
What’s the difference between ordinary Christmas bingo and music bingo?
In ordinary Christmas bingo the card has Christmas words on it and you read them out. In music bingo the card has titles of Christmas hits on it and you play a bit of each song. Music bingo has more atmosphere, because the room sings along. Ordinary bingo is easier if there’s no sound in the room.
How do you stop people cheating?
Keep your own list of everything you’ve already called. Whoever calls bingo reads out their line and you check. In some venues a false bingo costs a round of drinks, but with a funny forfeit, such as singing a Christmas song, it becomes part of the evening.
Want us to run your Christmas bingo?
We bring the cards, the music, the prizes and a host to your Christmas drinks. Tell us the date and the number of people and we’ll send a proposal.
Request a proposal
