Make learning the alphabet extra festive with this free Christmas Alphabet Matching Game! Featuring adorable Christmas tree cards, this fun, hands-on activity helps preschool and kindergarten kids practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters while building important early literacy skills.
Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
Looking for a fun way to practice letter recognition this holiday season? This Christmas Alphabet Matching Game is a festive, hands-on activity that helps preschool and kindergarten kids practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters while having tons of Christmas fun!
With adorable Christmas tree cards and a free printable, this easy Christmas literacy activity is perfect for classroom centers, morning tubs, homeschooling, or learning through play at home.
Free Printable Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
Christmas is such a magical time of year, and I love finding simple ways to bring a little holiday excitement into everyday learning.
As a former teacher, I’m always looking for hands-on activities that help young learners build important early literacy skills without making learning feel like work.
That’s exactly why I created this Christmas Alphabet Matching Game!
This festive printable features 52 adorable Christmas tree cards, including all 26 uppercase letters and their lowercase matches.
Each Christmas tree has colorful ornaments, a bright yellow star, a red bow, and a big letter in the center.
The goal is simple: children find the matching uppercase and lowercase Christmas trees to make alphabet pairs.
It’s an easy, low-prep activity that combines Christmas fun with meaningful letter recognition practice.
And the best part? You can download and print the game for free!
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
There are so many reasons to add this Christmas literacy activity to your December lesson plans.
- 🎄 Hands-on learning – Children practice identifying and matching letters through play.
- ⭐ Fine motor practice – Picking up, sorting, and arranging cards helps develop coordination.
- 🎅 Low-prep activity – Just print, cut, and play!
- ❤️ Versatile learning – Perfect for literacy centers, morning tubs, small groups, or independent play.
- 🎁 Reusable printable – Laminate the cards and enjoy them throughout the Christmas season.
- 🔤 Complete alphabet – Includes uppercase and lowercase letters A–Z.
What You’ll Need
You only need a handful of basic supplies to prepare this Christmas alphabet activity.
- 🎄 Christmas Alphabet Matching Game printable – download the free pdf file at the bottom of this blog post
- 🖨️ Color Printer
- 📄 White cardstock
- ✂️ Scissors
- ✨ Laminator or self-laminating sheets
Teacher tip: I recommend printing the Christmas tree cards on good quality white cardstock instead of regular printer paper. The thicker paper makes the cards sturdier and easier for little hands to pick up.
If you’re planning to use this game in a classroom, laminating the cards is a great way to keep them in good condition throughout the holiday season.
How to Prepare Your Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
Getting this Christmas alphabet matching game ready couldn’t be easier!
Step 1: Download and Print
Start by downloading the free Christmas Alphabet Matching Game printable using the download box below.
Print the alphabet cards on white cardstock for best results.
The printable includes 52 Christmas tree cards, with one card for each uppercase and lowercase letter of the alphabet.
Step 2: Cut Out the Christmas Tree Cards
Use scissors to carefully cut along the dotted borders around each Christmas tree card.
You’ll end up with 52 individual cards that are ready for matching.
For younger children, I recommend preparing the cards ahead of time so they can jump right into the activity.
Step 3: Laminate the Cards (Optional)
If you’d like to reuse your Christmas alphabet cards, laminate the printed sheets before cutting them apart, or use self-laminating sheets.
This is especially helpful for classroom literacy centers and morning tubs where the cards will get lots of use.
Step 4: Start Matching!
Spread the Christmas tree cards across a table or learning mat.
Invite children to choose an uppercase letter and find its matching lowercase letter.
For example, children might find the Christmas tree with an uppercase A and match it with the tree featuring a lowercase a.
Continue until all the uppercase and lowercase Christmas trees have been paired together.
And that’s it!
You’ve got a fun, festive Christmas literacy activity that children can enjoy again and again.
5 Fun Ways to Use This Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
One of my favorite things about printable alphabet matching games is how many different ways you can use them.
Here are five simple ideas for making the most of your Christmas tree alphabet cards.
1. Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching
This is the classic way to play!
Place a selection of uppercase Christmas tree cards on the table and invite children to find the corresponding lowercase letters.
For children who are just beginning to recognize letters, start with 4–6 familiar letter pairs instead of using the entire alphabet.
As their confidence grows, gradually introduce more letters.
2. Christmas Alphabet Memory Game
Turn your alphabet cards into a festive memory game!
Choose several uppercase and lowercase letter pairs, shuffle them, and place them face down on the table.
Children take turns flipping over two cards, trying to find an uppercase and lowercase match.
If the letters match, they keep the pair. If they don’t, turn the cards back over and try again.
This is a wonderful way to practice letter recognition, concentration, and memory skills.
3. Christmas Literacy Morning Tub
Add the Christmas alphabet cards to a small plastic bin or basket for a simple December morning tub activity.
Children can sort the cards into uppercase and lowercase groups, find matching pairs, or arrange letters in alphabetical order.
It’s a great independent activity for those first few minutes of the school day.
4. Christmas Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
Want to add a little movement to your alphabet practice?
Hide a selection of lowercase Christmas tree cards around your classroom or learning space.
Give children the corresponding uppercase cards and challenge them to find their matching lowercase Christmas trees.
This is especially fun for active preschoolers who love learning through movement.
5. Christmas Letter Sound Practice
Once children are comfortable recognizing letters, use the cards to practice beginning sounds.
Choose a Christmas tree card and ask children to identify the letter and its sound.
Then encourage them to think of a word that begins with that sound.
For example, the letter S could stand for snowman, while T could stand for tree.
This simple extension helps connect letter recognition with early phonics skills.
Skills Practiced With This Christmas Alphabet Activity
Although this Christmas alphabet matching game looks like a simple holiday activity, it helps children develop several important early learning skills.
Letter recognition: Children learn to identify uppercase and lowercase letters.
Uppercase and lowercase matching: Children practice recognizing that two differently shaped letters can represent the same letter of the alphabet.
Visual discrimination: Finding matching letters encourages children to notice differences and similarities between letter shapes.
Fine motor skills: Picking up, moving, and arranging the Christmas tree cards helps develop hand-eye coordination.
Concentration and memory: Matching and memory games encourage children to pay attention, remember letter locations, and stay focused.
Alphabet sequencing: Children can arrange the cards from A to Z to practice alphabetical order.
Tips for Using This Game With Preschoolers
If you’re working with younger preschoolers or children who are just beginning to learn their letters, keep things simple.
Start with a small selection of letters your child already recognizes, such as the letters in their first name.
You can also place the uppercase cards in a row and give children just a few lowercase cards to match.
As children become more comfortable, increase the number of letters and introduce some of the trickier uppercase and lowercase pairs.
Remember, the goal is to make learning fun!
There’s no need to rush through the entire alphabet in one sitting.
Download Your Free Christmas Alphabet Matching Game
The printable includes:
- 🎄 26 uppercase Christmas tree alphabet cards
- ⭐ 26 lowercase Christmas tree alphabet cards
- 🎁 A complete A–Z matching activity
- ❤️ Festive Christmas tree designs
Simply download, print, cut, and start matching!
Download Instructions
Ready to give this Christmas Alphabet Matching Game a try?
Getting your hands on our Christmas Alphabet Matching Game template is easy. Fill out the form at the bottom of this post and click the “Send Me the Printable” button.
After signing up, check your email to confirm your subscription. You will then be redirected to the printable PDF containing the template.
Already subscribed? No problem! Enter your information in the form again and you’ll be taken directly to the download.
Tip: Be sure to check your spam or promotions folder if you don’t see the email right away.
Still having trouble downloading our Christmas Alphabet Matching Game template Check out this step-by-step download guide with images!
Please note: This printable is for personal and classroom use only. Redistribution, resale, or uploading the files to other websites or shared platforms is not permitted.
More Christmas Crafts and Activities for Kids
Looking for even more fun ways to keep little hands busy this holiday season?
We’ve got plenty of easy Christmas crafts and activities that are perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners!
From colorful Christmas trees to beautiful snowflake crafts, these hands-on activities are a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season while practicing important early learning skills.
Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft
This adorable paper plate Christmas tree craft is a fun and creative way for kids to celebrate the holiday season!
Children transform simple paper plates into festive Christmas trees decorated with colorful pom-poms and a bright yellow star.
It’s a wonderful Christmas art project for preschoolers that encourages creativity, fine motor development, and hands-on learning.
Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree Craft
Turn ordinary craft sticks into an adorable Christmas tree with this easy popsicle stick Christmas tree craft!
This festive project is perfect for little hands and makes a wonderful addition to your December craft plans.
Children will love creating their own Christmas trees while practicing fine motor skills and following simple directions.
Christmas Wreath Name Craft
Combine Christmas crafting with name recognition practice using this adorable Christmas wreath name craft!
Children create a festive Christmas wreath featuring the letters of their name.
It’s a fun way to practice letter recognition, spelling, and fine motor skills while making a personalized Christmas decoration.
Snowflake Suncatcher Craft
Brighten up your classroom windows with this beautiful snowflake suncatcher craft!
Using colorful tissue paper, children create eye-catching snowflakes that look gorgeous when the sunlight shines through them.
This easy winter craft is perfect for practicing fine motor skills and makes a beautiful seasonal classroom display.
Snowflake Mosaic Craft
This colorful snowflake mosaic craft is a wonderful way to combine creativity with fine motor practice.
Children use small pieces of paper to create their own beautiful snowflake designs.
It’s a simple, hands-on winter art activity that’s perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and early elementary students.
Recommended Christmas Books for Kids
One of my favorite ways to extend a holiday activity is by pairing it with a wonderful Christmas picture book!
Reading together helps build vocabulary, listening comprehension, and early literacy skills. And during the Christmas season, there are so many beautiful stories to choose from.
These Christmas picture books pair especially well with our Christmas Alphabet Matching Game and other festive classroom activities.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a charming Christmas classic about a tree that’s just a little too tall.
When the top gets trimmed, it begins an unexpected journey, bringing Christmas cheer to several different homes.
Children will love following the adventures of the Christmas tree in this sweet and funny holiday story.
Pair it with our Christmas tree alphabet cards for a festive literacy activity that combines storytelling and letter recognition.
The Little Christmas Tree by Loek Koopmans
The Little Christmas Tree is a gentle holiday story about a small evergreen tree that wishes it had beautiful leaves like the other trees.
As the seasons change, the little tree learns an important lesson about appreciating what makes it special.
This beautifully illustrated picture book is a lovely choice for quiet Christmas read-aloud time.
It’s also a wonderful companion to Christmas tree crafts and activities.
The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro
The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains is a heartwarming holiday story about a little Christmas tree that loves watching the trains go by.
When the tree’s world changes, it discovers that friendship and Christmas magic can appear in unexpected ways.
This sweet story is a wonderful addition to your December picture book collection and pairs beautifully with Christmas tree-themed learning activities.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Bear Stays Up for Christmas is a delightful holiday story about Bear’s friends trying to keep him awake long enough to celebrate Christmas.
With its playful rhymes, lovable characters, and heartwarming message about friendship and giving, it’s a wonderful read-aloud for preschool and kindergarten children.
After reading, invite children to use their Christmas alphabet cards to find the first letters of familiar words from the story, like B for Bear and F for friends.
Before You Go
I hope your little learners have as much fun with this Christmas Alphabet Matching Game as I had creating it!
It’s such a simple way to sneak meaningful letter recognition practice into the excitement of the Christmas season.
Whether you’re using it for preschool literacy centers, December morning tubs, or a quiet afternoon activity at home, these adorable Christmas tree cards are sure to be a hit.
And don’t forget to explore our other Christmas crafts, activities, and picture book recommendations for even more screen-free holiday fun!
Happy learning and Merry Christmas!
