Change "bingo" to different words for different holidays.
Bingo is easily adapted to holidays. The game accommodates unlimited players, making it ideal for large family or community gatherings. Bingo is a legal fundraiser with very little overhead, other than a hall or a professional caller. You can find used bingo cages at thrift stores or yard sales or make your own.
Feast: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa
Make bingo cards with the word "feast" at the top for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Use candy corn as bingo markers for Thanksgiving, to commemorate the Native Americans' gift of seed corn to the pilgrims. The muhindi, which is Swahili for corn, stands for the children in the family when decorating for and celebrating Kwanzaa, says its creator, Dr. Maulana Karenga.
Wrap tiny plastic babies in strips of cloth for Christmas bingo, or use ribbon candy as markers. If your bingo game is for a church, Sunday school or youth group, substitute the word "Jesus" for the word "feast."
Lucky: Chinese New Year/St. Patrick's Day
Print "lucky" in red and gold or green and gold ink across the top of your bingo cards. Use foil-wrapped gold coins for markers on Chinese New Year and St. Patrick's Day. Fill a takeout box with fortune cookies and foil-wrapped gold coins for your Chinese New Year door prize. Use bags of gold dust bubble gum and shamrock or leprechaun toys in a plastic cauldron for St. Patrick's Day.
Mommy/Daddy: Mother's and Father's Days
Print "Mommy" or "Daddy" across the top of your cards for Mother's or Father's Day. Use baby-themed metallic sequin confetti as bingo markers for Mother's Day and tool-shaped confetti for Father's Day markers. Have each child fill a foam coffee cup with soil and sprinkle marigold seeds in it before watering, to give to Mom or Dad. Have a spa certificate as your door prize. Dad could use a little pampering just as much as Mom, so no need for tools or ties.
Flags: Flag, Independence and Veteran's Days
Use the words "brave, flags or thank" at the top of you bingo cards. Give every veteran or civilian emergency services personnel a free bingo card. Have the kids assemble a large gift basket with flavored coffee, tea, a travel mug and a microwaveable neck pillow as your door prize. Donate your game proceeds to a local veteran's hall on Flag Day, Independence Day or Veteran's Day.
Ghost/Skull: Halloween/Dia de Los Muertos
Print the words "ghost" or "skull" at the top of your Halloween or Dia de Los Muertos bingo cards. Make individually wrapped sugar skulls for your door prize. Use mellowcreme candy pumpkins, candy corn or other Halloween candy as bingo markers. Give a pumpkin-carving kit and a set of sugar skull molds as your door prize.
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