Christmas lights bingo
Christmas lights bingo turns the drive around the neighborhood into a game: every square is something to spot, from an inflatable snowman to a house with blue lights only. Nobody calls the words; players mark them as they see them. Print a different card for every passenger, so the back seat has something to look for besides each other.
Download 30 cards (PDF) Paper and print options
30 different numbered cards, two to a page. Free, no sign-up. The same link prints the same cards next time.
Card 1 - every card is different
Christmas Lights Bingo
The 48 words on these cards
- Inflatable snowman
- Inflatable Santa
- Blue lights only
- White lights only
- Lights synced to music
- Candy cane lane
- Lit-up reindeer
- Star on a rooftop
- Santa on a roof
- Lights on a tree trunk
- Wreath on a door
- Wreath on a car
- Projector snowflakes
- Icicle lights
- Lit-up nativity scene
- Lights in a window
- Lit-up gingerbread house
- Blinking lights
- Rainbow lights
- Snowman made of lights
- Lit-up archway
- Lights on a mailbox
- Giant ornament
- Lit-up present boxes
- House with no lights
- Lights on a fence
- Lit-up train
- Penguin decoration
- Lit-up angel
- Nutcracker statue
- Light-up candy canes
- Red and green only
- Lights on a boat
- Lit-up sleigh
- Snow on the ground
- Someone else looking at lights
- Lit-up Christmas tree in a yard
- Lights spelling a word
- Moving decoration
- Lit-up elf
- Lit-up polar bear
- Garland on a porch
- Lit-up star on a pole
- Blow mold figure
- Lights on a balcony
- Lit-up bells
- Purple lights
- Lights on a bush shaped like a ball
How to play in the car
Give each passenger a card, a pencil and something hard to lean on, like a clipboard or a book. As the car rolls past houses, players mark what they see; the first full line calls bingo. Agree on the rule before you start: either anyone can mark a square once someone points it out, or you mark only what you spot yourself. The second makes it a race; the first keeps little ones happy.
In the dark
Cards are hard to read at night. Print one card a page so the words are big, and give each player a small flashlight or clip-on book light, or turn on the reading light at stops. Crayons in a bright color show up better than pencil. If you are walking, a clipboard with the flashlight taped on top is a trick worth stealing.
Plan the route
Neighborhoods with a candy cane lane or a street that decorates together fill cards fastest. Drive slowly, and stop for a few minutes at a big display: that is where the synced music, the moving figures and the giant ornaments are. Twenty to forty minutes is usually enough for a line; play for blackout on a long drive.
Make your own card
Every town has its own classics: the house with the dinosaur in a Santa hat, the church with the star, the light show by the park. Add them in the form below, each square up to 40 characters, and print new cards. A smaller 4x4 card, with the size set in the form, suits younger children who only need to spot 16 things.
Questions
How do you play Christmas lights bingo?
Each player gets a card of things to spot while looking at Christmas lights, like an inflatable snowman or lights synced to music. Mark a square when you see it; the first full line wins.
Do I need a caller?
No. Players spot things themselves, so the PDF for this set has no caller sheet.
Can we play it walking instead of driving?
Yes. It works the same on a walk through a decorated street or a light festival. Bring a flashlight to read the cards.
Why does every card have different squares?
The set has 48 things to spot and each card shows 24 of them, so players are not all looking for the same house. It keeps the race fair and the conversation going.
Can I add local displays?
Yes. Edit the list in the form on this page and download new cards. Each square can be up to 40 characters.