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There have been some pretty interesting and unusual prizes that have been offered for bingo games. One such prize has been a tradition since 1914 and has been going on for over 100 years.

On November 19th 2016, the Saturday before the Thanksgiving holiday, the Danish Society of Dania of California and Nevada offered 60 turkeys as bingo prizes at the Solvang Veterans' Memorial Building in Solvang, California. In recent years, in addition to the 60 turkeys, the prizes included all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving Day meal. 

This long-held tradition was started in 1914 by Hejies Minde, of the society as a fundraiser for the organization. It was later taken over in 1937 by the Danish Ladies Aid. The new organization then ran it an additional 50 years until it was continued by the Alpha Pi Charitable Organization that runs it today.

In the first years of the Turkey Bingo event, live turkeys, geese, and ducks were tied up to their necks inside burlap sacks. Today, the prizes offered by El Rancho Marketplace in Valencia are what you’d find in the store, but they’re perfect for the family planning a big holiday meal.

Bingo is a part of many holiday get-togethers across the country. Non-profit organizations and companies have come up with many other interesting ways to use bingo to give away holiday prizes and incentives while allowing customers to have fun. 

Giveaways of shopping carts filled with groceries, a gift basket laden with an assortment of fruit, chocolate treats, or a voucher to get a year’s worth of free milk, meat or pizza are just some of the incentives and prizes that are offered to bingo players at these events. Other prize ideas might be an all-expenses paid vacation, free hotel vouchers, a complete day at a full-service spa, cinema tickets or gift certificates or gift cards to area merchants. Other bingo events are used to raise funds for charities such as the Make a Wish Foundation or Habitat for Humanity.  Some halls charge admission for bingo players in the form of a new toy to be donated to the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots.  

One interesting twist that one company came up for its gift exchange was actually a combination of bingo and a white elephant sale. Everyone who attended was to bring a wrapped gift that was placed on a long table. Attendees at the event would all play bingo or other games of chance. When they won they would be able to choose a gift from the table. The winner could unwrap the gift and keep it if they wished. Winners of subsequent games could either choose to pick another wrapped gift from the table or they could decide to exchange the unwrapped gift with something that a previous winner had. The exchange can become rather lively especially if some of the gifts end up being gag gifts.  

The nice part of these kinds of holiday games of chance, there’s no minimum bet in order to play. Often players get in for free or pay only a small donation in order to participate. 
Online bingo venues also will offer special holiday games and promotions as a way to celebrate the season, too. Look for holiday-themed games and be sure to check out the bingo games, slots, poker and our various promotions here on BingoMania.