Aunt C's Holiday Games

It must be my event planner tendencies, but I think family Christmas celebrations need to involve some type of hands-on activity beyond eating and tearing wrapping paper.  It’s not a forced march of “Synchronize your watches; we’re playing a game at 4:00p,” but, more often than not, everybody in the house eventually wanders toward the action, and, before you know it, we’re laughing, arguing over the rules, and calling out the cheaters (you’d be surprised at who tries).

My family doesn’t regularly gather around the Scrabble board or play Trivial Pursuit with mad skillz.  If you do, you don’t need this post, so stop reading and come back another day. But, if your family, like mine, has a broad range of ages and interests, then maybe this will spark some ideas for after the presents are opened, the dinner dishes are washed, and you’ve already seen A Charlie Brown Christmas five times this year.

Go simple. Good Baptist girl, I don’t have extensive experience with Hearts, Spades or poker—too many rule permutations—but Phase 10 or Uno brings out the competitive spirit in just about anybody.  Think your grandmother won’t throw down a Skip card?  Oh, yes, she will, and she’ll smile while she’s doing it.  You were never sure where your killer instinct came from; now you know. 

Find something that everybody can play. Yes, you might have to tweak the rules, but when the oldest niece and nephew were young, they started the timer, rolled dice, or partnered with one of the grown-ups. They’re full participants and there’s a great-niece that I hope to put in this year’s rotation.

I took the Northern niece and nephews to the local Wal-Mart in Fordyce (population 4,900) this weekend and they chose Fact or Crap (catchy name, huh?). I was impressed by the way they determined whether it would work for everybody in the house.  SongBurst remains one of my all-time faves—my singing is awful; just ask anybody who knew me in college—but my sister-in-law and I team up and think Vegas is missing out by not calling.  We’re especially proficient with any disco tune.

Listen. Last year, Table Topics triggered stories and dreams I hadn’t heard, even though we’re a family of “sharers.”  Years ago during Scattergories, some topic prompted my grandmother to tell us about living in a boxcar for six weeks after their family farm in the Arkansas Delta was flooded, a story even my mom didn’t know.  During another game, we learned my mother-in-law had dated Don’s dad (Beverly and David’s, too) for only six weeks (!) before she married him.

Be creative.  So, games just won’t work for your family?  Then try something else.  We’ve decorated cookies; refrigerated dough and canned icing work fine with some simple cookie cutters and lots of sprinkles.  Gingerbread kits don’t require any advance prep either and even tweens and teens (and grandparents) end up posing proudly by their creations.  Last year’s limo ride for a night-time tour of the DC monuments isn’t something that we’ll do regularly, but it was a big hit and didn’t cost any more than taking 10 people out for a moderately priced dinner.

I love all things technology about as much as anyone in my generation can, but this is just a gentle reminder that old-school, “high touch” activities can yield some amazing results. Got any special activities that are your family traditions?  Please share with the class.