Christmas tambola is an easy party game for families, offices and church halls. Print up to 600 unique Christmas tambola tickets in red and green, with a Christmas tree on every ticket, then call the numbers and hand out prizes such as the Star Line, Four Bells and Santa’s Full House. The pack has a caller sheet, a prize list and a rules page, and you can play Christmas tambola live on phones if you do not have a printer.
Christmas tambola to print (PDF)
These four pages show a Christmas tambola set: a page of tickets with “Merry Christmas, Patel Family” on every one, the 1 to 90 caller sheet, the prize list with the themed prize names, and the one-page rules. Click a picture for the PDF, or use the generator at the top of the page to change the greeting, the date, the paper size and the number of tickets.
What is in the Christmas tambola pack
Everything below is made in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded. Put your family name or your office name in the title box so every ticket doubles as a keepsake.
| Page | What you get | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tickets | Real strips of six: each strip uses every number from 1 to 90 exactly once | Up to 600 tickets, red and green with a Christmas tree motif and a gold star, with your title and the family name on every ticket |
| Caller sheet | A 1 to 90 grid to cross off as you call | Keep it to check every winning claim |
| Prize list | The six Christmas prizes, from Jingle Five to Santa’s Full House | Space to write each prize and the winning ticket number |
| Rules page | A one-page script to read out before the first number | Covers claims and what happens after a wrong one |
Christmas tambola prizes and what they mean
The Christmas theme gives each prize a festive name, so reading the list aloud sets the scene. Here is what each prize means and how to win it:
| Prize | How to win | Christmas link |
|---|---|---|
| Jingle Five | Early Five: the first five numbers marked on a ticket | Like the first jingle of bells on the sleigh |
| Star Line | Top Line: all five numbers on the top row | The star sits at the top of the tree |
| Stocking Line | Middle Line: all five numbers on the middle row | Stockings hang in the middle of the fireplace |
| Sleigh Line | Bottom Line: all five numbers on the bottom row | The sleigh runs along the bottom of the snow |
| Four Bells | Corners: the first and last number of the top and bottom rows | A bell for each corner of the ticket |
| Santa’s Full House | Full House: all fifteen numbers marked | The biggest present of the night |
Number calls for your Christmas tambola
Christmas gives you plenty of number names. The carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” runs from 1 to 12, and the calendar supplies 24 and 25. Use them to replace the plain number with a festive call.
| Number | Call it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A partridge in a pear tree | The first gift in the carol |
| 4 | Four Sundays of Advent | Advent has four Sundays before Christmas |
| 5 | Five gold rings | The famous high note of the carol |
| 9 | Nine ladies dancing | The ninth day of Christmas |
| 10 | Ten lords a-leaping | The tenth gift in the song |
| 12 | Twelve drummers drumming | The last day of the carol, which runs from Christmas to Epiphany |
| 24 | Christmas Eve | The night before, when stockings are hung |
| 25 | Christmas Day | December 25, the day of presents and a family feast |
| 17 | The unlucky number in Naples | In Italy 17, not 13, is the number people avoid |
| 90 | The last number on the board | In the Neapolitan numbers game, 90 stands for “fear”, so call it dramatically |
How long does a Christmas tambola game last?
A Christmas tambola should fit between dinner and dessert, so it helps to know how long the game will run. The table shows when each prize is usually won and how many minutes the whole game takes at the default speed of 10 seconds a call.
| Tickets | Typical crowd | Early Five | First full line | Full House | Time at 10 s a call |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 tickets | a family around the table | call 16 (13 to 18) | call 47 (41 to 53) | call 78 (75 to 81) | 13 min |
| 18 tickets | a family gathering with cousins | call 13 (12 to 15) | call 39 (35 to 45) | call 74 (71 to 76) | 12 min |
| 30 tickets | an office or school party | call 12 (10 to 14) | call 36 (31 to 41) | call 72 (69 to 75) | 12 min |
| 60 tickets | a church hall or community party | call 11 (9 to 12) | call 31 (26 to 36) | call 69 (66 to 72) | 12 min |
The numbers come from real simulations of this generator: 300 games for each ticket count, with the typical call number and the middle half of results in brackets. More tickets mean the first prizes arrive sooner, but with 6 to 60 tickets the Full House still comes around call 69 to 78, because someone must complete all fifteen numbers. With a big room, set 6 or 8 seconds a call and cut the Full House to the last prize, so the game finishes while the food is still warm.
Christmas party games the whole family can play
Christmas party games have to work for a six-year-old and a great-grandmother at the same time. Tambola does, because it needs no reading beyond numbers and no skill beyond listening. Children can use a crayon, adults can use a pen, and the host can read the numbers aloud in any language. It is also a game that nobody has to leave early: there is always one more number to come.
The Christmas tombola of Naples
Tambola has a Christmas tradition of its own. In Italy the game is called tombola, and families in Naples have played it over the holiday for generations. The Italian version uses the same 90 numbers and cards with 3 rows and 9 columns, with prizes called ambo for two numbers on a line, terna for three, quaterna for four, cinquina for five and tombola for the full card. The Christmas tambola on this page follows the same idea, with prizes named after sleighs and bells.
Christmas bingo 90 ball and 75 ball compared
Christmas bingo 90 ball is the style played in the UK, Ireland, Australia and India: tickets have 3 rows and 9 columns, and prizes are lines and a full house. Christmas bingo 75 ball is the American style, with 5 by 5 cards. This page makes the 90 ball version, and the bingo card generator makes the 75 ball version.
Christmas housie for offices and schools
Christmas housie is the name many people use in India and the UK for the same game. It works well as an office party because it needs no teams, no budget and no setup: print the tickets, bring wrapped prizes and read the numbers over a microphone or a video call. If your office is remote, host the live game and send the link to everyone.
How to run a Christmas tambola in six steps
- Before December: decide how many tickets you need, one per guest, and add a few spares for latecomers.
- A week before: type your greeting and date into the generator, print the tickets and cut the strips.
- Wrap the prizes: choose six small gifts, one for each prize, and label them with the prize names.
- At the party: give every guest a ticket and a pen, or a handful of candy canes or peppermints as markers.
- Before the game: read the rules page aloud, then call a number every 10 seconds and read out the Christmas call.
- After the game: check each win against the caller sheet, hand out the wrapped prizes and let the winners shout the Full House together.
Prize ideas for a Christmas tambola
- A box of chocolates or a tin of cookies for the Jingle Five
- A pair of festive socks for the Stocking Line
- A set of tree ornaments for the Star Line
- A candle or a mug for the Sleigh Line and Four Bells
- A bigger gift, a book or a gift card for Santa’s Full House
Type any of these into the “Extra fun prizes” box and they print on the prize list:
- Twelve Days: the first guest to mark three numbers between 1 and 12
- Christmas Day: the first to mark the number 25
- Advent: the first to mark the four Sundays of Advent, which you can choose as 1, 8, 15 and 22
- Reindeer: the first ticket to mark nine numbers, one for each of Santa’s nine reindeer
Host tips for a smooth game
- Use candy canes, peppermints or small pom-poms as markers, and eat the markers after the game.
- Give each prize a wrapped gift in advance, so that winners can open it straight away.
- Play carols quietly in the background and turn the music down while numbers are called.
- Print one ticket per child on a large size (3 per page) so that small hands can mark them easily.
Wikipedia’s tombola article explains the history of the Italian game and how it is played.
Play Christmas tambola live on phones
Hosting from a sofa? Run the same game on your phone or a TV. Guests open your link, type the ticket number you give them and their e-ticket marks itself as each number is called, so family members in other homes can play along. Numbers are called automatically at the speed you choose, read aloud in English or Hindi if you like, and you can check any winning claim by ticket number. No app and no sign-up.
Christmas tambola: frequently asked questions
What are good Christmas party games for a big family?
Tambola works for any size of group, because every guest has their own ticket. Print one ticket per person, call the numbers at about 10 seconds each and add fun prizes. A full game takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Can I use this as Christmas bingo?
Yes. Christmas tambola is the 90-ball version of bingo, so it is a good fit if you want Christmas bingo with 90 numbers rather than 75. The tickets have 3 rows and 9 columns, and you can play lines and a full house.
Where does Christmas tambola come from?
The game is called tombola in Italy, where Neapolitan families play it every Christmas. It is the same game as housie in India and 90-ball bingo in the UK.
How many tickets can I print?
From 1 to 600 in one go, with 3, 6, 8 or 12 tickets per page. Press New tickets for a completely different set, and choose Letter or A4 paper, in color or black and white.
Are the christmas tambola tickets free?
Yes. The tickets, caller sheet, prize list, rules page and live game are all free for home, club and classroom use, with no sign-up.