Christmas bingo is played with cards of holiday words instead of numbers: the caller reads out a word, everyone who has it marks it, and the first person with five in a line wins. Below the generator you’ll find a clue for each of the 40 words, so the caller can describe “the reindeer with the shiny red nose” and let players work out Rudolph themselves. The red 5×5 cards also put Santa’s face over Santa and a stocking over Stocking, so the youngest players can hunt for shapes while the clue is still being read.
Turn every call into a riddle
Reading words aloud is fine for little ones, but older kids and adults finish faster than you can pour the eggnog. Read the clue instead. Give players a few seconds to think, then say the answer so nobody falls behind. Mixed ages work well this way: the adults race to solve it, the children race to find it.
| Word | Clue |
|---|---|
| Santa | Says ho ho ho and comes down the chimney |
| Reindeer | Pulls the sleigh through the sky |
| Snowman | Has a carrot nose and coal buttons |
| Stocking | Hung by the fireplace, filled with small gifts |
| Candy cane | A striped sweet shaped like a hook |
| Gingerbread | A spiced cookie you can build a house from |
| Mistletoe | Hang it over a doorway and watch who stands under it |
| Wreath | A green ring on the front door |
| Ornament | A shiny ball hanging from a branch |
| Christmas tree | The evergreen you decorate indoors |
| Presents | Wrapped boxes waiting to be opened |
| Sleigh | Santa’s ride, no wheels needed |
| Elf | Santa’s little helper in the workshop |
| Star | Sits on the very top of the tree |
| Bells | They jingle all the way |
| Snowflake | No two are alike |
| Hot cocoa | A warm chocolate drink, marshmallows optional |
| Cookies | Left on a plate for Santa |
| Carols | Songs sung from door to door |
| Twinkle lights | Strings of tiny bulbs that blink |
| Angel | Wings, a halo, and sometimes the top of the tree |
| Holly | Prickly green leaves with red berries |
| Tinsel | Shiny strands draped over the branches |
| Fireplace | Where the logs crackle and the stockings hang |
| Chimney | Santa’s way into the house |
| North Pole | Where Santa’s workshop is |
| Rudolph | The reindeer with the shiny red nose |
| Nutcracker | A wooden soldier with a strong jaw, and a famous ballet |
| Eggnog | A creamy holiday drink with nutmeg on top |
| Scarf | Wrap it around your neck when it’s cold |
| Sled | Ride it down a snowy hill |
| Poinsettia | A plant whose red leaves look like petals |
| Ribbon | Tie it around a present |
| Bow | The fancy knot on top of a gift |
| Wrapping paper | Covers a gift so nobody can peek |
| Snow globe | Shake it and it snows inside |
| Gift tag | Says who the present is for |
| Advent calendar | Open one little door each day in December |
| Ugly sweater | Worn on purpose for a contest |
| Candle | Light it and watch the flame flicker |
Before the party
Download the cards and, separately, the caller sheet: it shuffles all 40 words and gives each a box to tick, so you can’t lose your place between clues. If a TV or laptop is handy, the Call the game tab does the shuffling on screen and keeps a board of every word so far, which ends any “you never called Tinsel!” argument. When someone claims a win, their card number goes into the checker under the board.
Chocolate chips or mini marshmallows make edible markers, though expect a few squares to be cleared early.
Making it your own
Add your family’s own traditions (the dog in a Santa hat, Grandma’s fruitcake) and delete anything your group won’t recognize: 24 words is the minimum for these cards. Prefer a smaller card for toddlers? Choose 3×3 under Card size. Printing an extra card later for a late guest is easy too, because the code shown under the settings rebuilds the same set.
Running a gift exchange too? The family Secret Santa generator draws names with household rules. For a music round, use Christmas music bingo.
When you reload, this page goes back to the set-up described here, with the same card set code, so printing again gives the same cards. The number of cards, the paper size and, where this page doesn’t set them, cards per page and color are remembered from the generator. To keep an edited list, use Share result, or start from the bingo card generator, which remembers everything.