Christmas Party Bingo Game

The Basic Bingo Game

Before considering the Christmas party bingo game, you must first understand how to play a traditional game of bingo. To start, each player takes a card covered with a five by five grid. The word bingo is written across the top of the grid, one letter for each column. The grid squares are filled with numbers. Each card offers a random assortment of numbers, so no two cards are alike. Once a letter and number is selected and called, players with that square on their cards will cover it.

The game ends when someone gets a "bingo." The standard way to get a bingo is to have an entire row or column covered. The winning player then shouts, "Bingo!" to let everyone know he or she has a winning card. There are also alternative ways to win, like covering the four corners or making an X on the card. The method of winning will be determined and announced before each round of play.

The Modified Christmas Party Bingo Game

Bingo Cards

The most popular way to play a Christmas bingo game is to change the game cards to include Christmas words or pictures. Some popular choices include:

• Christmas tree
• Stocking
• Candy cane
• Santa
• Reindeer
• Package
• Snowman
• Snowflake
• Elf
• Sleigh
• Lights
• Candle
• Ornament
• Bow
• Wreath

You can keep the word bingo at the top of the cards, or substitute a Christmas-related word like Claus. Be careful not to have any repeating letters in your word. For instance, the two a's in Santa would make it difficult to call out letter and number combinations. Custom bingo cards can maintain the usual five by five grid or change in size. For instance, a three by three grid may make the game easier for small children.

Christmas bingo can also be an educational tool. The basic game tests a student's matching ability. Using words instead of pictures on the grid can increase word recognition and reading skills. In a foreign language classroom, teachers could read words in the target language and ask the students to cover pictures on the grid, or read the words in one language and ask the students to find the words on the grid in the other.

Game Play

Once the cards are customized, the game is then played like a normal bingo game, with someone choosing words or pictures and calling them out to the group. Players can cover their boards with traditional bingo chips or small cards with pictures matching the images or words in the grids. Instead of bingo, you may ask players to yell, "Merry Christmas!" when they win.

One Christmas-themed bingo variation doesn't need specially-designed cards; it just involves a special pattern. The winner must cover his or her card in a tree shape. The N column should be completely covered, and the third and fourth rows should have the three middle spaces covered to resemble the branches.

Online Resources

If you don't want to design your own Christmas party bingo game cards, visit one of the following sites to print pre-made cards:

• BlackDog's Christmas Bingo site includes Christmas bingo cards with words.
• Anne's Quizzes offers a bingo card generator using the words listed on the site's main page.
• Activity Village provides a unique take on the game by making the cards actual trees. Instead of a grid, players must cover colored shapes, and the winner is the first person to cover all six shapes on a tree.
• DLTK's Custom Bingo Cards lets visitors make highly-customizable Christmas-themed cards in three sizes.