Free Christmas bingo generator 🎄

How to make and run Christmas bingo

Making your cards

1. Check the word list: the box opens with 32 Christmas words. Edit it, delete words or add your own, one per line. You need at least 24 different words. Duplicates are ignored, and so are repeats that only differ in capitals. If you edit the list and want the originals back, choose “Christmas classics” under Quick-fill and tap “Fill my list.”
2. Choose how many cards: anything from 1 to 100 per batch. Print one per player, plus a few spares for people who show up late.
3. Choose cards per page: 1 (extra large), 2, 4 or 6. One or two per page suits young children and anyone who has trouble reading small print. Four or six per page uses less paper.
4. Add a title (optional): up to 50 characters, such as “Smith Family Christmas” or “Room 12 Holiday Party.” It’s printed at the top of every card.
5. Free center space: it’s on by default and puts a “FREE” square in the middle. If you turn it off, every card gets 25 words, so use at least 25 words in your list.
6. Generate, then print: each card is shuffled separately. If you print before generating, the cards are generated for you first.

Printing tips

• In the print dialog, turn on “Background graphics” if you want the colored B-I-N-G-O headers. Leave it off to save ink.
• Check the print preview first, because how many cards fit on a sheet depends on your browser and paper size.
• Every card has a small code at the bottom: a four-character batch code and a card number. All cards from one generation share the same batch code, so a card left over from last year’s printout is easy to spot.
• Tapping Generate again replaces every card with a new batch, and the cards aren’t saved. Print everything you need before you leave the page.
• To reuse cards, slip them into sheet protectors and use dry-erase markers.

Calling the game

The B-I-N-G-O letters across the top are just decoration, so any word can land in any column. To call, write each word from your list on a slip of paper, fold the slips and draw them from a bowl or a stocking. Read each word aloud and put the slip to one side. When someone shouts “Bingo,” have them read their marked words back to you and check them against the called slips.

The ratio of words to squares controls how long the game lasts. With the default 32 words, each card shows 24 of them, so cards overlap a lot. Lines come quickly and several people often win on the same call. That suits a short game for a small group. For a big party or a full classroom, add words until your list has 40 to 60, so wins are spread out and ties are less common.

Game variations

• Patterns: start with any line (across, down or diagonal), then play four corners, an X, a picture frame around the edge, and finally blackout for the big prize.
• Movie bingo: make a list of things that happen in a favorite Christmas film (snow falling, a sleigh, someone hanging lights, a dog, hot cocoa) and players mark them as they spot them. No caller needed.
• Carol bingo: fill the list with words from carols and play songs. Players mark words when they hear them.
• Family in-jokes: add names of relatives, pets and things that happen every year (“Grandpa naps,” “someone burns the rolls”) and mark them through the day.
• Classroom: for younger children, use short words they can read, print one or two cards per page and let them mark with stickers.

Markers and prizes

Wrapped candies, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips or buttons all work as markers. Crayons are fine if each card is only used once. Keep prizes small and wrap a few extras so ties are easy to handle: candy canes, ornaments, hot cocoa packets, socks or a dollar-store grab bag. If you’re drawing names for gifts at the same party, the Secret Santa generator works on the same phone. There are more themed card sets on the bingo games page.