Left Right Nativity Story: A Fun Christmas Game For All Ages
Get your group laughing, listening, and passing with this free printable Christmas Left Right story game!
It’s is a simple Christmas party game with a nativity-themed story that’s perfect for:
- youth groups
- church Christmas parties
- Sunday school classes
- small groups
- holiday gift exchanges
Players pass a gift, candy, or another small object to the left or right whenever they hear those words in the story. By the end, everyone has something different than what they started with!
It’s easy to set up, works with small or large groups, and requires almost no preparation.
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Contents
Materials Needed:
You only need a few things to get started:
- A group of 4 or more people
- Left-Right Christmas nativity story printable – See below. Click the blue “download” button.
- Wrapped gifts, prizes, or objects to pass (see the ideas below)
How To Play The Left-Right Christmas Nativity Story Game
This Christmas game is as simple as listen, pass, and keep!
1. Have everyone sit or stand in a circle. Give each person a wrapped gift, piece of candy, or another object.
2. Choose one person to read the Christmas Left Right nativity story aloud.
3. Whenever players hear the word LEFT, everyone passes the item they’re holding to the person on their left. Whenever they hear RIGHT, everyone passes the item to the person on their right.
4. Continue passing as the narrator reads the entire nativity story.
Pro Tip: Have the narrator emphasize the words LEFT and RIGHT as they read. This makes it easier for everyone to keep up, especially with a younger or energetic group.
5. When the story ends, everyone keeps the gift, prize, candy, or object they’re holding.
Use It as a Christmas Gift Exchange Game
This game makes a fun alternative to a traditional Christmas gift exchange.
Ask each participant to bring a wrapped gift within a set price range. Place everyone in a circle and give each person one gift to start.
As the nativity story is read, the gifts travel around the circle. When the story ends, the gift in your hands is the one you take home.
This adds a fun element of surprise because nobody knows where their gift will end up!
Explore more wildly entertaining Christmas gift exchange games!
No Gift Exchange? Try These Ideas!
You don’t need wrapped presents to play this Christmas Left Right game.
In fact, smaller items can make the game even easier for a youth group, Sunday school class, or Christmas gathering.
Christmas Candy
Give each person a piece of Christmas candy, such as a candy cane, chocolate, or other individually wrapped treat.
Everyone passes the candy as the story is read and gets to keep whatever they are holding at the end.
Pass a Santa Hat
Place a Santa hat on one person’s head to start. Whenever the story says LEFT or RIGHT, the hat gets passed in that direction.
Whoever is wearing the hat when the story ends gets to keep it!
Pass a Christmas Ornament
Start with one or two small Christmas ornaments and pass them around the circle according to the story.
The people holding the ornaments at the end win them as prizes.
Pass a Christmas Object
You can really use almost anything that is easy to pass around.
Try:
- Fun Christmas glasses
- A small stuffed Christmas character
- A jingle bell
- A small Christmas decoration
- Candy canes
- A gift card
- A wrapped snack or treat
For a larger group, use several objects at once so multiple people can win a prize.
Make It A Teambuilder
Use the left-right story game to make partners or teams for team-building activities. Every player gets a colored marker or object. Players pass throughout the game and then match up with the person(s) holding the same object to partner with for the next activity.
Free Left Right Christmas Nativity Story Game Printable
Ready to play?
Grab the free printable Christmas Left Right story below and you’re ready to go!
Also try this Christmas Left Right Story Game, too!
Looking for even more holiday fun?
Don’t miss the Christmas Games pack! You’ll find Christmas family feud, taboo, and more in pdf form. Print and play!
More Exciting Ways To Celebrate Christmas
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