Holiday Bingo Game Ideas for the Family (Free Printables)
If you are hosting a holiday party or family gathering, one game that fits all ages and occasions is Bingo. It is my go-to game for any party when I want games to be simple and fun. And with holiday season prep and work, bingo is a great option, and to make it easier for you. I have bingo game ideas perfect for all holidays, along with a free printable bingo for each holiday. Whether you are looking for Halloween games between trick-or-treating or games for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. I have got you covered.
Why Bingo At Holidays?
Bingo is one of those games that just works, no matter who’s at the table. It’s quick to set up, simple to learn, and fun for all ages. When we play this game, everyone is comfortable, from the grandparents to that one cousin who never wants to play games but somehow ends up winning. The best part is you don’t need fancy supplies or a big space. Just print the cards, grab some markers (coins, buttons, candy, whatever you have handy), and you are ready for a fun game.
Bingo is so versatile that you can easily adapt it to any occasion and theme. With just a few changes to the images and calling cards, it transforms into the perfect holiday game. Which you don’t even need to do, by the way, as I have already made some awesome holiday-specific bingo sheets.
Whether it’s spooky fun at Halloween, cozy gatherings at Christmas, or a cheerful Easter brunch, holiday bingo is an easy way to keep everyone entertained. Here are six seasonal bingo game ideas to make your family gatherings even more memorable.
How to Play Bingo
The beauty of bingo is that you don’t have lots of rules that can confuse the crowd. Just a few basics, which probably many will already know.
Here’s how to play the classic way:
- Hand out the bingo sheets: Everyone gets their own card. No two are exactly the same (that’s what keeps it exciting).
- Pick your markers: Coins, buttons, candy, or even scraps of paper. Anything small enough to cover a square.
- Choose a caller: One person calls out the clues, numbers, or pictures. You can even take turns if you like.
- Call and mark: When the caller randomly calls an item. Players check their cards and cover the matching spot if they have it.
- Call for win: Whoever gets the first five in a row wins and shouts “Bingo”. The row can be across, down, or diagonal. Just everyone double-checks the winning card before handing over the prize.
It’s a quick, easy, and no-pressure game that everyone can play. These basic rules are just twisted to make them match the holiday vibe, which I have explained in the next sections.
Halloween Bingo Ideas
Halloween Bingo is a great way to keep up the festive spirit, after the pumpkin carving and before the trick-or-treating. We like to play it once everyone is back from trick-or-treating, lazy on the couch, and snacking. It is also a good idea to bring some extra fun to the Halloween party. With Halloween-themed printables featuring pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and haunted houses, the game instantly feels festive and engaging.
Instead of the usual markers, use candy corn, plastic spiders, or glow-in-the-dark stars to mark the items, and you spot them in your bingo sheet. When someone makes a row instead of saying “Bingo,” the person must say “Boo” or, even more funny, make a sound like a witch’s cackle.
Thanksgiving Bingo Ideas
Thanksgiving Bingo is a perfect way to bring family and friends together after the big meal and before the pie is even served, or as a cozy activity during a family gathering. It’s easy to set up with printables featuring turkeys, pumpkins, autumn leaves, and cornucopias, making the atmosphere warm and festive right away.
Instead of usual markers, try using small autumn-themed tokens like mini pumpkin candies, cranberry-shaped beads, or acorn buttons. You can even try any other items that you feel like pumpkin seeds or pecans, just to bring a bit of Thanksgiving vibe.
Instead of calling out items, say a little riddle to let people guess. Like, instead of calling an acorn, you can say, “I am a type of nut that is small and brown. I grow on trees, and squirrels love to eat me. ” For a fun twist, you can ask players to say something they are grateful for every time they make a square. This will help you keep up with the true meaning of thanksgiving and share gratitude in a fun way that will make everyone’s day.
When anyone makes a row, they must say “Turkey” instead of bingo. Or you can come up with any other fun word symbolizing the occasion. You can try this Thanksgiving bingo sheet, which has riddles to ask too.
Christmas Bingo Ideas
Christmas Bingo is a fantastic way to keep the holiday cheer going after decorating the tree or before unwrapping gifts. I think Christmas is not a one-day celebration, and we should plan something for the 12 days of Christmas to make the most of the celebrations. And bingo, being such an easy game, can surely fit the Christmas schedule. The Christmas bingo has items like candy canes, wreaths, snowflakes, and gingerbread men, which you can call out by riddling to warm everyone up for Christmas celebrations. For example, instead of saying “elf” you can say “I work all year round to make presents in Santa’s workshop. I have pointy ears and shoes”.
When anyone finds the item on their bingo card, they mark it with red and green buttons, peppermint candies, or anything that is perfect for the season.
And when some makes a row, they must say a cheerful “Ho Ho Ho!” It instantly gets everyone in the holiday spirit and with smiles. You can make the game longer by adding variations like whoever gets a square gets a hot chocolate drink, or they must share holiday stories.
New Year Bingo Ideas
Waiting for the countdown to midnight, play bingo. But with a twist of the new year. Get some snacks and drinks ready and play New Year’s Eve Bingo. The bingo sheet is full of fun New Year items to mark. You can make it fun with a twist to play photo bingo. Instead of someone calling the teams. Players need to take a selfie with the bingo items on the sheet and mark a row to win. It will really get people thinking, especially when one of the items on the sheet is not easy to spot. Once, when we played this at a New Year’s Eve party, we did not have the new year calendar at home, and one of the items on the bingo sheet was a calendar, and everyone was scratching to find a solution.
If you are playing the traditional bingo way, mark the items with some fun markers, like shiny gold coins, colorful confetti pieces. Or mini happy new year charms, guests can take them as keepsakes after the party.
For added fun, when anyone makes a row, they say “Midnight.” The New Year Bingo card includes fun riddles to make the game a bit tricky.
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo Ideas
In between the festive parade, you can play bingo or just play to find who is lucky by playing St. Patrick’s Day Bingo. This theme bingo cards will be full of items representing the day, like shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold, and leprechauns. Use gold coin chocolates or green jelly beans to mark the items on the bingo sheet. And much on them after the game.
To match the vibe of the day winner must say loud “Pot o’ Gold!” instead of “Bingo!” or “Leprechaun Chase”. Make it more fun by adding a rule that anyone who makes a square must say a St. Patrick’s Day joke or spot something green in the room before continuing. This makes the game lively and competitive.
Easter Bingo Ideas
Easter Bingo is a perfect way to bring family and friends together after playing a game of find the egg or as a cheerful break during a spring gathering. These bingo cards are super cute with all things Easter, like colorful jelly beans, bunnies, chicks, and mini chocolate eggs, to set a bright and festive mood for everyone playing.
And for the fun part, use jelly beans or mini chocolate eggs as tokens to mark the items. You can riddle the item or make it more engaging by hiding the items in the room, and the player must find them. Whichever is found gets marked on the bingo sheet. And the fun treats you used to mark can be eaten later.
Now you must be convinced with me when I say bingo is a versatile game. It so perfectly gets adapted to all celebrations, and with these 6 bingo ideas for the major holidays, you are sorted for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter. Make sure to get your free holiday bingo sheet and have fun with family and friends.
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