About Christmas
Christmas is celebrated on 25 December by Christians as the birth of Jesus, and many people of all backgrounds enjoy it as a winter holiday of family, food and giving. In the Southern Hemisphere it falls in summer, so beach picnics are as common as snowy scenes.
Many favourite customs are only a couple of centuries old and came from different places: decorated trees from Germany, crackers from Victorian London, and greeting cards from 1840s Britain. The words on these cards mix those traditions with simple winter words, so they work for young readers and grown-ups alike.
Did you know?
Decorated Christmas trees were a German custom. They caught on in Britain after a picture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's family tree appeared in a London newspaper in 1848.
In December 1965, two astronauts on the Gemini 6 mission played Jingle Bells on a tiny harmonica and bells. It was one of the first songs performed in space.
Christmas crackers were invented in London by a sweet maker named Tom Smith in the 1840s.
The poinsettia plant is named after Joel Poinsett, a US diplomat who brought it from Mexico to the United States in the 1820s.
Early candy canes were plain white. The red stripes became common around 1900.
Words in this puzzle 58
Party list 32 words
- bells
- Hollow metal objects that ring when they are shaken or struck.
- candy cane
- A hard, hook-shaped sweet, usually striped red and white and tasting of peppermint.
- carols
- Cheerful songs sung at Christmas, sometimes by groups going from house to house.
- chimney
- A tall pipe that carries smoke from a fire up and out through the roof.
- cookies
- Small, flat, sweet baked treats. In Britain they are often called biscuits.
- eggnog
- A rich, creamy holiday drink made with milk, eggs, sugar and spices such as nutmeg.
- elf
- A small, magical helper from stories. In Christmas tales, elves make toys.
- fireplace
- An opening in a wall where a fire can burn safely to heat a room.
- fruitcake
- A heavy cake packed with dried fruit and nuts, often made weeks before Christmas.
- gingerbread
- A sweet, spicy biscuit or cake flavoured with ginger, often cut into people shapes.
- holly
- An evergreen bush with prickly, shiny leaves and red berries.
- hot cocoa
- A warm drink made with chocolate or cocoa powder and milk.
- ice skates
- Boots with a thin metal blade underneath for gliding on ice.
- lights
- Strings of small bulbs used to decorate trees, windows and houses.
- mistletoe
- A plant with white berries that grows on tree branches. The berries are not safe to eat.
- mittens
- Gloves that cover four fingers together, with a separate space for the thumb.
- north pole
- The most northern point on Earth, in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. In stories, it is where Santa lives.
- nutcracker
- A tool for cracking nut shells. Wooden soldier nutcrackers are a popular decoration.
- ornament
- A decoration, such as a glass ball or small figure, hung on a Christmas tree.
- pinecone
- The woody, scaly seed holder of a pine tree.
- present
- A gift given to someone, often wrapped in paper.
- reindeer
- A deer from the cold far north. Both males and females grow antlers.
- ribbon
- A long, narrow strip of fabric used to tie up presents or decorate.
- scarf
- A long strip of warm fabric worn around your neck.
- sleigh
- A sledge pulled by animals, such as horses or reindeer, that glides over snow.
- snowflake
- A single ice crystal that falls as snow. Most have six arms or six sides.
- snowman
- A figure built from big balls of packed snow, often with a scarf and a carrot nose.
- star
- A shining point of light in the night sky. A star shape often sits on top of a tree.
- stocking
- A big decorated sock hung up at Christmas for small presents to be put inside.
- tinsel
- Long, shiny, glittering strands used to decorate trees and rooms.
- wrapping paper
- Decorated paper used to cover presents.
- wreath
- A ring of leaves, branches or flowers, often hung on a front door.
Short words for young readers 26 words
- bell
- A hollow metal object that rings when it is shaken or struck.
- bow
- A knot with two loops, used to tie ribbon on presents.
- cake
- A sweet baked food made from flour, sugar, eggs and butter.
- card
- A folded piece of stiff paper with a picture and a message, sent for special days.
- coat
- A warm piece of clothing worn over your other clothes outdoors.
- cold
- Having a low temperature; the opposite of hot.
- deer
- A fast, gentle animal with long legs. Males of most kinds grow antlers.
- fir
- An evergreen tree with flat needles, often used as a Christmas tree.
- gift
- Something you give to someone to show you care, without asking for anything back.
- glove
- A covering for your hand with a separate part for each finger.
- green
- The colour of grass and evergreen trees; one of the classic Christmas colours.
- hat
- Something you wear on your head, for warmth or for fun.
- joy
- A feeling of great happiness.
- lamp
- Something that gives out light, such as a bulb in a stand.
- moon
- Earth's natural satellite, which shines in the night sky by reflecting sunlight.
- pie
- A baked dish with a pastry crust and a sweet or savoury filling.
- red
- The colour of holly berries; one of the classic Christmas colours.
- sled
- A small vehicle on runners for sliding down snowy hills.
- snack
- A small amount of food eaten between meals.
- snow
- Soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from clouds when it is very cold.
- sock
- A soft covering for your foot, worn inside a shoe.
- song
- A short piece of music with words that you sing.
- toy
- Something children play with, such as a doll, ball or puzzle.
- tree
- A tall plant with a woody trunk. At Christmas, an evergreen tree is decorated indoors.
- wish
- Something you hope will happen.
- wrap
- To cover something completely, such as a present in paper.
Christmas bingo for a class party or family night
Christmas bingo is the rare party game that works for everyone at once: toddlers on a grown-up's lap, competitive cousins and the grandparent who just wants to sit down. Buying a pack of printed cards gets you the same twenty sheets every year. This generator makes as many unique cards as you need, so there are no ties between identical cards and you can print a fresh batch for each game.
Two lists are built in. The party list has 32 festive words and phrases, from mistletoe and eggnog to wrapping paper and ice skates. The classroom list uses short, decodable words (snow, gift, sled, joy) that early readers can find on their own. Swap in your own words any time: family in-jokes, the names of everyone at the table, or things you'll spot on a light-viewing drive.
Ways to play
- Classic: call words from the caller sheet; the first to complete a line shouts “Ho ho ho!” instead of bingo.
- Gift-opening bingo: cards with the free centre on, and guests mark squares as matching gifts or moments happen.
- Cookie bingo: use chocolate chips or mini marshmallows as markers. Eating them before the game ends is a classic risk.
- Blackout round: the last game of the night, where the winner needs every square, makes a good finale with a small prize.
Printing tips
Print on white card stock if you want to reuse the cards next year, or two per page on plain paper for a big class. Turn on calling cards to get slips you can draw from a stocking. Everything is generated in your browser, and there are no character or brand names in the lists, so the cards are safe for school use.
Questions people ask
Why is Christmas on 25 December?
The Bible does not give a date for Jesus's birth. Church leaders in Rome were marking it on 25 December by the 300s, and that date spread. Some Orthodox churches use an older calendar, so their Christmas falls on 7 January.
What words are on these Christmas bingo cards?
Two original lists: a 32-word party list (sleigh, nutcracker, eggnog and more) and a 28-word list of short words for young readers. Every word is defined on this page, and you can edit either list.
Is this suitable for a school or church party?
Yes. The lists are friendly and generic, with no film characters or brand names.
Can I print a different card for every child?
Yes. Set the number of cards (up to 100) and every card is unique. The ready-made Medium and Hard PDFs each have 20 cards and a caller sheet.
What is the difference between the Medium and Hard PDFs?
Both use 5×5 cards with the party and classroom lists combined (58 words). Medium has a free centre square; Hard has no free square, so players need all five words in a line and games run longer.