Left Right Across Christmas Game

Q: Is there a left right across Christmas game free printable?

Yes. Choose a story under Story, add your names and press Print. The sheet holds only the story, in 13-point type, with your words in bold. The short story takes about one sheet and the long one about two.

Santa Takes a Wrong Turn

Santa had one town LEFT on his list, and it was Pinecone Falls. "Nearly done," he told the reindeer. "Turn LEFT at the water tower and we will be RIGHT on time."

The reindeer turned RIGHT.

"Other LEFT," said Santa, and the sleigh swung ACROSS the sky in a wide loop until the water tower was back where it belonged.

The first stop was the home of Uncle Walt, who had LEFT a plate of gingerbread and a note: "Chimney is stuck. Please use the door on the RIGHT." Santa tried the door on the RIGHT. It was a closet. He tried the door on the LEFT, and there was the tree. He LEFT a snow globe under it and tiptoed out.

Next came Cousin Bea, who lived ACROSS the river. Cousin Bea was still awake, so Santa hid to the RIGHT of the snowman and waited. The light stayed on. Santa shuffled to the LEFT of the snowman. The light stayed on. At last Cousin Bea yawned, the window went dark, and Santa got RIGHT to work.

"Two houses LEFT," said Santa, checking the list. "Aunt Marnie and Little Gus share a fence, so this will be quick."

It was not quick. The gift for Aunt Marnie had slid to the RIGHT side of the sack, and the gift for Little Gus had slid to the LEFT. Santa dug RIGHT to the bottom, found them both, and carried one in each hand ACROSS the snowy yard.

That LEFT only the big house at the end of the lane, where Grandma Dot was throwing a party the next day. Santa set the very last present RIGHT in the middle of the rug, where nobody could miss it.

Back on the roof, he looked LEFT toward the hills, then RIGHT toward the lights of Pinecone Falls. Not one gift was LEFT in the sack. "We got every house RIGHT," he told the reindeer. "Home, please. And this time, when I say LEFT, I mean it."

The reindeer turned RIGHT, and RIGHT again, and somehow they made it home anyway. Merry Christmas to every one of you. Now open the gift in your hands.

All 3 stories

Show the list

The Last-Minute Cookie Run Short, about 2 minutes. LEFT 8, RIGHT 7, ACROSS 2. With an even number of players, every gift ends one seat to the left of its giver. Asks for 5 words: 3 × name, 1 × town, 1 × gift.
Santa Takes a Wrong Turn Standard, about 4 minutes. LEFT 13, RIGHT 13, ACROSS 3. With an even number and nobody at the table ends, every gift ends straight across from its giver. Asks for 7 words: 5 × name, 1 × town, 1 × gift.
The Missing Star Long, about 5 minutes. LEFT 15, RIGHT 13, ACROSS 4. With an even number of players, every gift ends two seats to the left of its giver. Asks for 8 words: 6 × name, 1 × town, 1 × gift.

The kinds of words the game asks for

Name a first name; a made-up one is fine. More examples: Sir Reginald, Professor Plum, Doctor Noodle.

How these stories were written: All three stories were written for this site in September 2026; none is adapted from a circulating text. One gift per seat was passed through every story for 4 to 61 players, seated by this page's rules: nobody ended with the gift they brought. One wrapped gift each, of similar value, is the usual convention (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange, checked 2026-09-20). Licence: own work

How it works

In a left right across Christmas game, everyone holds a wrapped gift while one person reads. Pass on every LEFT and RIGHT; on ACROSS, hand your gift to the person facing you. Press Start: give me 7 words, then Print.

Read the full guide

Who counts as across

In an even circle, ACROSS goes to the seat directly opposite. At a long table it goes to the person facing you, LEFT and RIGHT loop round the ends, and two people at the ends are partners. At an odd long table, the end person holds their gift on ACROSS; skip Santa Takes a Wrong Turn there, which hands them their own gift back.

Pick a story by where gifts end

With an even number and nobody at the table ends, The Last-Minute Cookie Run (2 minutes) leaves every gift one seat left of its giver, Santa Takes a Wrong Turn (4 minutes) straight across, and The Missing Star (5 minutes) two seats left. Other seatings shift the endings.

Couples together? In an even circle, or a table with empty ends, Santa Takes a Wrong Turn ends straight across.
Before you start, have everyone point at their ACROSS partner. In a wide circle, wait while people walk gifts over.
Phones do not capitalize names in the word box, so add capitals yourself. Type candle, not a candle.

Questions and answers

How do you play the left right and across Christmas game?

Four or more players sit in a circle or at a long table, one wrapped gift each. The reader pauses at each cue word while gifts move; ACROSS sends them to the far side, mixing a big group. At the end, open what you hold.

Is there a left right across Christmas game free printable?

Yes. Choose a story under Story, add your names and press Print. The sheet holds only the story, in 13-point type, with your words in bold. The short story takes about one sheet and the long one about two.

Does a right left across Christmas game work with an odd number of players?

Yes, in a circle of five or more. On ACROSS, pass to the right-hand one of the two people facing you, never the left-hand one: with that one, The Last-Minute Cookie Run and The Missing Star hand every gift back.