Giant Christmas Crossword Puzzles for Family Gatherings: How to Pick One and Play Together

Every family gathering has the same lull. Dinner is still in the oven, the little kids are wound up, the grown-ups are standing around the kitchen, and somebody suggests a board game that only four people can play. A giant Christmas crossword fixes that lull. It lies flat on a table or hangs on a wall, anyone can walk up and fill in a clue, and by the end of the night the whole room has finished one puzzle together. This guide covers how to pick the right crossword for your crowd, how to set it up, a few ways to play, and how to fit it into the flow of a gathering.

Why a crossword works when the whole family is in one room

• It is big enough to share. Each giant crossword is 30"x44.5", so it covers most of a dining table and several people can write at once without crowding each other.
• Everyone knows something. Grandpa knows the old carol, the teenager knows the movie line, and the eight-year-old knows what Rudolph's nose does. A crossword turns those bits of knowledge into teamwork.
• People can drop in and out. Nobody has to commit to an hour. Guests fill in a clue between conversations, wander off to refill a drink, and come back later to see how far it has gotten.
• It gets people talking. Half the fun is the arguing over an answer, the "oh, I know this one," and the stories that come out of a clue about a family tradition.

Pick the crossword that fits your crowd

The best puzzle is the one your guests will actually know the answers to. Here is a quick way to choose.

A mixed crowd of all ages

• Christmas Giant Crossword Puzzle is the safest all-around pick. The clues cover traditions, decorations and carols, so grandparents and kids both get a turn.
• Christmas Decorations Giant Crossword Puzzle is great for a tree-trimming party, since the answers are hanging all around the room.
• Christmas Treats Giant Crossword Puzzle belongs on the table at a cookie exchange or baking day.

Families with younger kids

• Rudolph Giant Crossword Puzzle, Frosty The Snowman Giant Crossword Puzzle and The Polar Express Giant Crossword Puzzle are built around stories kids already love, so they can call out answers even if a grown-up does the writing.
• Santa's Workshop Giant Crossword Puzzle is a fun pick for the week before Christmas when the Santa questions are at their peak.

Movie-loving teens and adults

• Christmas Vacation Giant Crossword Puzzle and Christmas Story Giant Crossword Puzzle are for the family that quotes these movies every December.
• Home Alone Giant Crossword Puzzle and Miracle On 34th Street Giant Crossword Puzzle work well when the cousins span a wide age range.
• Die Hard Is A Christmas Movie Giant Crossword Puzzle is the one to put out at the grown-ups' party. It settles nothing and starts everything.
• Christmas Movies Giant Crossword Puzzle pulls from a whole list of holiday films, so it is a good pick when nobody can agree on one favorite.

Church groups and faith-centered gatherings

• The Nativity Giant Crossword Puzzle and He Is The Gift Giant Crossword Puzzle fit a church Christmas party, a Sunday dinner, or a quiet Christmas Eve at home.
• A Christmas Carol Giant Crossword Puzzle is a nice choice for a group that loves the classic story of second chances.

A puzzle about your own family

For a reunion-style gathering, the Custom Personalized Giant Crossword Puzzle uses your own clues: grandkids' names, the street Grandma grew up on, the year of the famous burnt turkey. It tends to become the thing everyone talks about on the drive home.

How to set it up

1. Choose the spot. A cleared dining table works best before the meal. If the table is needed for food, tape the sheet to a wall or the back of a door with painter's tape so it peels off cleanly.
2. Put out the right pens. Markers, gel pens, colored pencils and crayons all work. Skip permanent markers, which can bleed through. A cup of pens in the middle of the table invites people to join.
3. Add a "stuck" sticky note. Keep a few sticky notes nearby so people can jot a guess without committing to it in ink. Kids love moving them into place once the answer is confirmed.
4. Name a clue reader. Ask one grown-up to read clues out loud when a group gathers around, so kids who are still learning to read can shout out answers too.

Four ways to play at a gathering

1. The all-night puzzle. Lay it out when guests arrive and let it fill in on its own over the evening. Read the last few clues out loud before dessert and finish it as a group.
2. Generations team up. Pair each kid with a grandparent or older cousin. The kid reads the clue and writes the letters, and the grown-up helps with the answer. Little kids feel included and the older generation gets a reason to sit down together.
3. One color per family. Give each household its own marker color. At the end of the night, the sheet shows which branch of the family knew the most, and you can bring it back out next year for a rematch.
4. Clue relay. Split the room into two teams. Teams take turns answering one clue at a time, and a correct answer earns a cookie or the first pick of dessert.

Fit it into the flow of the day

• While people arrive: The crossword gives early guests something to do besides hovering in the kitchen.
• While dinner cooks: This is the stretch where kids get restless, and a shared puzzle keeps them at the table instead of underfoot.
• After the meal: Pull it back out while the dishes soak. It is a calm, screen-free way to end the night together.
• The next morning: At a sleepover or multi-day visit, leave the half-finished puzzle out with breakfast, and someone will always pick it up.

Pair it with something for the little ones

If you have very young guests who are not reading yet, set a giant word search or coloring sheet next to the crossword so they can work alongside the big kids. The Christmas Giant Word Search Puzzle is a natural match for the Christmas crossword, and its letters can be colored in as words are found.

Keep it after the holiday

A finished crossword is a record of who was there and who knew what. Write the date and everyone's names in the margin, then roll it up and store it with the ornaments, or hang it in a hallway for the rest of the season. Some families keep one from every year.

Order in time for your gathering

Sheets ship rolled, so they arrive without creases. To have them before Christmas, place your order by Saturday, Dec 12. If your gathering is in early December, ordering in November gives you the most breathing room.

Frequently asked questions

How big is a giant Christmas crossword?

Each giant crossword is 30"x44.5", big enough for a whole table to work on at once.

Is it too hard for kids?

Kids do best paired with an older reader. The story-based puzzles, like Rudolph, Frosty or The Polar Express, are the easiest for young fans to help with.

Can we hang it on the wall?

Yes. Painter's tape holds it to a wall or door and peels off cleanly, which keeps the table free for food.

What is the best pick for a group we don't know well, like an office or church party?

The Christmas Giant Crossword Puzzle or Christmas Decorations Giant Crossword Puzzle, since the clues are general holiday knowledge rather than one specific movie.

Pick a puzzle that fits your crowd, put out a cup of pens, and let the whole family solve it together this Christmas. Every sheet is made in the USA.