Christmas music bingo with classic carols

Christmas music bingo with classic carols tips

• Build a playlist of every carol on the call sheet before the party, so you are not searching for the next song while guests wait. Then shuffle it. Instrumental versions work best: if the lyrics start with the title, guests mark the square before the melody has a chance to do the work.
• Play about 15 seconds of each carol, then pause so players can scan their cards. Several carols, like Joy to the World and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, are recognizable from the first notes; less familiar ones such as the Coventry Carol may need a longer clip.
• Mixed-age groups can play in teams. Pair a child who knows Jingle Bells and Twelve Days of Christmas with a grandparent who can tell While Shepherds Watched from O Little Town of Bethlehem, and both get to contribute.
• End with a sing-along chosen by the winner. The first player to complete a line picks one carol from their card, and the whole room sings a verse together with the lights dimmed. Print the lyrics to a few carols in case nobody remembers the second verse.
• Keep prizes seasonal and cheap: a candy cane for each line, an ornament for a full card. Announce the winning pattern before the first carol so nobody argues about four corners halfway through.

Best for

Ages

6 and up, including teens and adults

Group size

6 to 30 players, with one host

Duration

20 to 40 minutes