Make Your Christmas Activity
Each one opens in a new tab, ready to print.
Words used in these worksheets (20)
angel
bell
bow
candle
candy cane
Christmas lights
Christmas tree
elf
gingerbread man
mistletoe
ornament
presents
reindeer
Santa Claus
sleigh
snowflake
snowman
stocking
toys
wreath
Need different words? Remove words or add more from the full Christmas set. Your saved custom list is not changed.
More quick worksheets and games
If your students are ready, this set is good for practicing this and these, he and she, and what and who: "What are these?" "They're presents." "What's he?" "He's an elf." "Who's he?" "He's Santa Claus."
In my curriculum, I drop a holiday set like this one into the open vocabulary slot whenever the timing is right. It builds vocabulary while giving students time to practice the language they already know.
Useful phrases for Christmas
Pair the vocabulary with one sentence pattern at a time. Each level builds on the one before.
Starting out
First lessons, once students know the words- What's this? It's a candy cane.
- What are these? They're presents.
- Merry Christmas!
Next step
Building on the basics- What's he? He's an elf. / What's she? She's an angel.
- Who's he? He's Santa Claus.
- I want ___ for Christmas.
Challenge
For older or more advanced students- There's a star on the tree. There are presents under the tree.
- On Christmas Eve, Santa ___.
- How does your family celebrate Christmas?
Teaching tips for Christmas
Vocabulary first
Introduce the words with flashcards and quick games before handing out a puzzle. Students who can already say "reindeer" and "stocking" enjoy the word search far more than students meeting the words for the first time.
Use the set for grammar
Christmas is a fun way to practice structures students already know: this and these with presents and ornaments, he and she with elves and angels, and who with Santa.
Bingo for listening
Call the words aloud instead of showing the cards. For a harder round, describe the word ("It's red and white and you can eat it.") and let students find the candy cane.
Remember not everyone celebrates
This set focuses on Santa, snow and presents rather than religious images, so it works in most classrooms. For a culture lesson, invite students to share how their own families celebrate the winter holidays.
Christmas lesson and party ideas
Free Santa
Santa and his reindeer are trapped in mazes. Teams complete a task (a review question, a jumbled Christmas word) to earn a turn freeing one reindeer, then the next task, until the team saves Christmas. The printable version is on MES English.
Christmas party bingo
Print 3x3 picture bingo boards for a class party. Small candies make good markers, and the first student with three in a row reads all three words aloud to win.
Letter to Santa
After the vocabulary sheet, students choose three words and write a short letter: "Dear Santa, I want a ___." Display the letters around the classroom.
A two-week Christmas unit
Flashcards and the vocabulary sheet first, then word search, crossword and the board game, with Free Santa or a bingo party for the last class.
More Christmas resources from MES
- Christmas flashcards large cards, game cards and the Free Santa game
- Christmas listening exercises audio and worksheets
- Christmas online game vocabulary, spelling and Q&A practice
- Printable Christmas cards 40+ customizable styles
All Christmas images (35)
Click a picture to add it to your worksheet list or take it out. Up to 30 words. Words in your list are shown first.
No images match your search.
Build once. Make everything.
Planning a full unit? The Custom List Maker lets you mix words from any category, save your list, and make 19 different worksheets and games from it all week long.