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Free Christmas Story Games for Family Night and Primary
Most of us have heard the Christmas story every December of our lives. But try this at the dinner table: did the wise men visit the manger? Which Gospel has the shepherds? Who was Anna? In a 2025 Lifeway Research survey, only 22% of U.S. adults said they could tell the Christmas story accurately from memory.
That gap is a gift for a family night. Children love catching grown-ups who mix up Matthew and Luke. And once you go back to the verses to settle it, you're reading the Nativity together.
This guide covers four free games for December that keep the scriptures open. They work for family home evening, a Primary activity, a youth Christmas party or a quiet night by the tree.
Christmas Story Sort: Matthew, Luke or both?
Christmas Story Sort shows 12 events from the birth of Jesus Christ, one at a time. For each one, you decide: is it in Matthew, in Luke, or in both? After every answer, the game shows the verse and links to it, so a wrong guess turns into a short scripture reading.
The game is harder than it looks, because we usually blend the two accounts. Here's a quick cheat sheet for the parent running the game:
| Only in Matthew | Only in Luke | In both |
|---|---|---|
| An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:20) | The angel Gabriel visits Mary (Luke 1:26–38) | Jesus is born in Bethlehem |
| Wise men follow a star (Matthew 2:1–2) | Shepherds hear the angels (Luke 2:8–14) | Mary is His mother and Joseph is her husband |
| The family flees into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15) | Jesus is laid in a manger (Luke 2:7) | The child is named Jesus |
| Herod and the wise men (Matthew 2:3–12) | Simeon and Anna at the temple (Luke 2:25–38) | The family settles in Nazareth |
How to play it as a family: put the game on the TV and let each person call out an answer before anyone taps. Keep a set of scriptures handy. When someone is sure it's "both," have them find it in each Gospel.
The Christmas week recap: Good Tidings of Great Joy
The Come, Follow Me Weekly Recap has a review for every week of the New Testament year, and one of them is the Christmas week: December 20–26, "Good Tidings of Great Joy." It has 8 questions, and every answer links to the verse.
This makes an easy Christmas Eve lesson. Read Luke 2 together first, then play the recap. Children who were listening will notice how many answers they already know.
One verse from the story deserves special time. Luke 2:10–12 is one of the 24 New Testament doctrinal mastery passages that seminary students learn: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." If you have a teenager in seminary, let them lead that part. Our guide to the New Testament doctrinal mastery passages has ideas for memorizing it together.
More games for the Christmas season
The Christmas story is the start of a bigger one. These short games help children see where the Nativity fits in the life of the Savior:
- Life of Christ Timeline: tap five events in order, from teaching in the temple at age twelve to the Resurrection. There are 3 rounds, for a score out of 15.
- Emoji Parables: guess the parable or story from a row of emoji. This is the favorite with younger kids.
- Verse Quest: New Testament: one verse a day. Find the book and chapter in six guesses. See our Verse Quest guide.
A simple Christmas family night
- Open with a carol and a short prayer.
- Read Luke 2:1–20 together. Little ones can act it out with towels and bathrobes.
- Play Christmas Story Sort on the TV. Everyone guesses aloud before you tap.
- Read Matthew 2:1–12 to settle the wise-men questions.
- Talk about one question: "If you had been there, what gift would you have brought Him?" Then think of a way to give a gift like that to someone this week.
That last step fits the spirit of the Church's Light the World invitation, which encourages people "to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by sharing His light with others during the Christmas season through acts of kindness."
Mark these December dates
- Sunday, December 6, 2026: The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional streams at 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, BYUtv and Gospel Library, according to the Church Newsroom.
- December 20–26: Play the Christmas week recap.
- December 28: The 2027 New Testament year of Come, Follow Me begins with Matthew 1 and Luke 1. The Family Showdown game for that week, "Be It unto Me According to Thy Word," is ready to play. Read more in our Come, Follow Me 2027 guide.
Questions parents ask
What ages are these Christmas games for?
Christmas Story Sort and the weekly recap work well from about age 8 up, and younger children can play on a team with a parent. Emoji Parables works from about age 5.
Do I need to print anything?
No. Everything runs in a web browser on a phone, tablet, laptop or TV. There's no app, login or cost.
Can I use these for a Primary or youth Christmas activity?
Yes. Put Christmas Story Sort on a projector and split the room into two teams. Each question takes about a minute with discussion.
Are these official Church games?
No. Weak Things makes them independently. They are not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every scripture link goes to the Church's official Gospel Library.
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