This year, things look a little different.
The Christmas Eve service will be a little smaller, a little simpler, and maybe completely virtual, with choir members scattered and singing from their homes.
The children’s Christmas Pageant will be presented via Zoom with an array of virtual backgrounds (no really, here’s a virtual Christmas pageant kit).
And the annual choir Christmas party? Well, that’s going to be different, too.
But don’t let a global pandemic keep you from celebrating the season with your singers! You can still have a (virtual) Christmas party even if you aren’t able to gather together in person.
Whether you’re planning a Zoom Christmas party for your adult choir or looking for a few Christmas activities to use with your children’s choirs next month, here are a few virtual Christmas games and activities that are both festive and easy to facilitate online.
Play a Christmas Game
These are fun Christmas games that work well in a virtual setting (and for people of all ages). Also, they require minimal setup and explaining of rules!
Name that Tune
This is a simple game that’s fun for all ages. All you have to do is play a mix of Christmas songs and see who can name them first. Use this Christmas Classics Playlist from Spotify or create your own playlist in advance.
A few fun variations:
Assign choir members to teams and have someone from each team call out the name as they know it. Award 1 point for the correct title and 1 point if they can also name the performing group.
Have everyone write down the names of the songs as they hear them. Then compare answers at the end.
Try this Christmas Classics Playlist >>
Pro Tip: When playing music over Zoom, click Share Screen, then the Advanced tab, then select “Music or Computer Sound Only.” This way, you can share the sound directly from your computer (without any extra speaker or microphone noise) without sharing your screen to reveal the playlist.
Christmas Music Bingo
This is another easy game to play virtually and it’s great for all ages. First, download a set of printable Christmas Music Bingo cards. This set includes eight Bingo cards and 24 clue cards. Divide your choir into 8 groups and assign a bingo card to each. Then email each group of choir members a copy of the bingo card so they can print it out before the party.
Laura, the creator, outlines three ways to play:
Name that tune. Choose a clue, then read only the lyric at the top. Have players name the song and mark their card accordingly. The first person to get five in a row wins, but only if all the answers are correct!
Match the title. If you’re working with a children’s choir, play this the traditional bingo way by reading the song title and having players cover the corresponding space on their board. The first player to get five in a row wins!
Listen and play. This is a fun way to include some music-listening. Simply create a playlist with each song in advance, then hit play (see not above about sharing your computer sound via Zoom). Have choir members mark each song on their board as they hear it. Again, the first person to get five in a row wins!
Create a Virtual Choir
This is an activity that could be done outside of a Zoom Christmas party, but you could also play the accompaniment track, share your screen with the music pulled up and sing along (muted) together. Here are a few virtual choir options for church choirs this year:
Virtual Caroling
The Podd Brothers have created a collection of Virtual Caroling Kits, including secular and sacred options. Each one includes:
Guide videos for each voice part (scrolling sheet music with a professional singer to sing with)
Sheet music (PDF)
Accompaniment track
Step-by-step directions for singers and organizers
All permissions for virtual performances and YouTube licenses
There are three Virtual Caroling Kit arrangements available (choose from Unison, SA, SAB, or SATB voicing):
‘Tis the Season: A Secular Caroling Medley (Deck the Hall, Here We Come A-Caroling, and, Jingle Bells)
Let Heaven and Nature Sing: A Sacred Caroling Medley (Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Silent Night)
O Christmas Tree: A Vocal Jazz Setting
UMC Worldwide Virtual Christmas Choir
Here’s another virtual choir option (or again, playing the accompaniment track and singing along on Zoom).
Discipleship Ministries is creating a 2020 Worldwide Virtual Christmas Choir for the United Methodist Church. They will manage all the video submissions and all the editing and congregations will be able to use the video in their Christmas worship services and share on social media.
Submissions are due December 1, 2020 and will be limited to the first 225 participants.
Host a Christmas Trivia Night
Everyone loves a good game of trivia, right? This is a perfect activity for Zoom.
Christmas Movie Trivia
Christmas movies are the best, right? Test your knowledge with a little Christmas movie trivia. Here’s a free Christmas Movie Trivia printable (with answers!) from Creative Cynchronicity. Here are a few ways to use this on Zoom:
Share a link to the trivia printable in the chat so everyone has access to it. Divide your choir into small groups and assign them to breakout rooms (make sure you have this enabled on your Zoom account before you start the meeting). See who can answer all the questions correctly in the given amount of time!
Share your screen and go through the questions as a group. See who can be the first to answer each one!
Print the trivia sheet ahead of time and cut into strips. Place in a bowl. Write the names of each choir member on strips of paper and place in another bowl. Then, choose a trivia question from the first bowl and a choir member’s name from the second and see if they can answer the question.
Download the free Christmas Movie Trivia printable >>
Pro tip: Have the answer sheet handy!
Christmas Movie Quotes Trivia
Here’s another fun trivia game from Creative Cynchronicity to play with your choir. This one includes 18 questions — each one is a quote from a Christmas movie. Can you name all the movie titles?
Download the free Christmas Movie Quotes Trivia >>
Christmas Carol Opposites
This is a fun one! This free printable Christmas game features 30 riddles or Christmas carol opposites. Players must read and then interpret each one to determine the correct title of the Christmas carol (ex. Riddle: “Dewey, the Flower Girl,” Answer: “Frosty, the Snowman”).
Here are a few ideas for how to use this on Zoom:
Share a link to the printable in the chat so everyone has access to it. Divide your choir into small groups and assign them to breakout rooms (make sure you have this enabled on your Zoom account before you start the meeting). See who can answer all the riddles correctly in the given amount of time!
Share your screen and go through the riddles as a group. See who can be the first to answer each one!
Download the free Christmas Carol Opposites printable >>
Christmas Carol Clues
Similar to the Christmas Carol Opposites game above, this free printable includes 28 Christmas carol clues (ex. Clue: “Who’s the Mystery Kid?” Answer: “What Child Is This?”).
Again, you could divide your choir into small groups and have them work through these clues in breakout rooms or you could do this as a large group by reading the clues out loud or sharing your screen.
It would be fun to play this one in teams (divide your choir into teams first so everyone knows which team they’re on when playing).
I hope this inspires you and gives you a few festive ideas for Christmas games and activities you can do with your choir over Zoom.
Have a game or Christmas activity to share? Please leave a comment below.
