Every family thinks their Christmas Day is unique. It isn't. Somewhere between the first chocolate at 7am and the last leftover turkey sandwich at 10pm, the same little moments play out in living rooms up and down the country. We've rounded up 25 of them. Grab a pen, keep score, and see how many your family manages this year.
How to play: give yourself one point for every one that happens in your house. Scores at the bottom. No cheating — Nan is watching.
The morning
- Chocolate before breakfast. The selection box is open before the kettle's boiled. Nobody says a word. It's the law.
- Still in pyjamas at noon. Bonus point if someone answers the door in them.
- A present needs assembling. And it's always the one with 47 tiny screws and instructions in eleven languages.
- Batteries not included. The most devastating three words in the English language. Someone checks the TV remote with a guilty look.
- "Oh, you shouldn't have." Said with a smile. Meant with total sincerity. Mostly.
- A present is the wrong size. "It's fine, I'll grow into it" — said by a 74-year-old.
The big dinner
- The oven timer goes off at the worst possible moment. Usually mid-present, mid-phone call or mid-argument about whose turn it is to baste.
- The sprout debate begins. Two camps. No common ground. It has been this way since 1987.
- A cracker doesn't bang. Two people pull. Nothing. A stunned silence. Do you even get the hat?
- The cracker joke gets a groan. "What do you call a man with a seagull on his head? Cliff." Every. Single. Year.
- A cracker toy breaks straight away. RIP, tiny plastic fortune-telling fish. You had one job.
- Someone wears the paper hat all day. Usually Grandad. Usually still wearing it at teatime. Possibly still wearing it on Boxing Day.
- A paper hat lands in the gravy. A tragedy for the hat. Arguably an improvement for the gravy.
- The gravy runs out. There was a whole jug. Where did it go? Who had three helpings? We have our suspicions.
- A toast to the cook. Raise a glass. They've been up since 6am and they deserve it.
- "I'm absolutely stuffed." Said moments before accepting a second helping of pudding.
The afternoon
- The King's Speech goes on. Some families watch in reverent silence. Some talk all the way through it. All of them put it on.
- Someone nods off after dinner. Mouth open, head tilted, paper hat at a jaunty angle. Photographic evidence is encouraged.
- A walk is suggested. Enthusiastically proposed. Rarely taken. If it does happen, it lasts eleven minutes.
- Somebody cries at a film. They'll blame the onions. There were no onions.
- A board game argument. Monopoly, Scrabble, charades — doesn't matter. Someone storms off. Someone else "didn't know that was the rule".
- Someone wins suspiciously. Nobody can prove anything. But we all know.
The evening
- The chocolate tin gets raided. Only the coffee creams and toffee pennies remain. The strawberry ones were gone by 3pm.
- Leftover turkey sandwiches. Somehow the best meal of the day. Stuffing on top is non-negotiable.
- "Same time next year?" Said at the door, with a hug, every year. And every year, it's true.
How did your family score?
- 0–5: A calm, civilised Christmas. Are you sure you were all in the same house?
- 6–12: A proper family Christmas. Plenty of chaos, nobody's been banned from Monopoly. Yet.
- 13–19: Textbook. You could be in an advert. Possibly one for indigestion tablets.
- 20–25: Full house! Your family is Christmas. Someone should be writing this down — and luckily, we can help with that.
Play it for real: free Christmas Day Bingo cards
We've turned these moments (plus a few more) into printable Christmas Day Bingo — eight different cards, so everyone at the table gets their own. Hand them out with the crackers, tick them off as the day unfolds, and crown your winner at teatime. Trust us: watching someone wait for "The gravy runs out" is more entertaining than the film.
It's completely free. Just pop your email in the sign-up box on this page and we'll send the cards straight to your inbox. Print as many as you like.
Turn this year's chaos into next year's favourite memory
Here's the thing about all these little moments: they're the bits you'll laugh about for years — if anyone remembers them. That's why we made Christmas At Ours, a family Christmas book with space for ten Christmases. There's a two-page spread for every Christmas with space for a family photo, plus pages for your traditions and the Christmas dinner menu. There are games too, including this bingo, the Cracker Joke League and the Christmas Awards.
Ten years from now, you'll open it up and find out exactly who fell asleep in the paper hat in 2026.
And if there's a grandparent at your table with stories worth keeping, take a look at our 75 questions to ask your grandparents — Christmas afternoon is the perfect time to ask a few — or our Christmas gift collection.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Christmas Day Bingo?
Give everyone a bingo card at the start of the day. Each square is something that often happens at Christmas, like "the gravy runs out" or "someone nods off after dinner". Tick squares off as they happen; the first person to complete a line shouts "Bingo!" and wins.
Is Christmas Day Bingo suitable for all ages?
Yes. It's a gentle, all-ages family game. Younger children can play with a grown-up, and grandparents tend to be fiercely competitive.
What are some fun Christmas Day traditions to start?
Christmas Day Bingo, a cracker joke competition, family awards at teatime, a group photo in the same spot every year, or a family Christmas book you fill in together each December.
Which number is guaranteed in your house? Tell us on Facebook — we'll be keeping score. — The Memory Store Co