Holiday Party Games: A Necessary Distraction

If there was ever a time we needed a humorous distraction, this would be it. No matter if it is just you and the family this year (and I use the term “family” quite loosely. Your current family could include those in your care facility for example) or if you’re safely entertaining a few holiday guests, games should be an essential component of your gathering.

Why? Because games distract us, for just a short while, from the not-so-nice things happening around us or within our lives. Games get us interacting with one another in unique and funny ways. Games help us learn new things about one another. Games allow you to act in ways different from your normal, work-a-day lives. For those reasons and others, games are needed now perhaps more than any other time in our lives.

So, here’s my list of kid-friendly and adult holiday games…

Hallmark Christmas movie drinking game. I think these types of drinking games began with “Hi Bob” in the 1970s. The rules were quite simple, while watching The Bob Newhart Show with drink in hand, you drank whenever someone on the show said, “Hi Bob,” and holy crap did they say it a lot. Well, the principle is the same here, although the rules are a bit more complicated…meaning more occurrences in the movie cause one to imbibe. Such as drinking when you see mistletoe or when you hear “Jingle Bells.” You also get to take a shot when the main characters fall in love, so have those shot glasses ready. The “unofficial” rules can be found here, but feel free to alter them or add your own.

The gift-wrapping game is more nefarious than it sounds. Yes, it involves wrapping a gift, but it must be done in pairs and each person is only permitted to use one hand. You could determine the winner based on time, quality of the wrapping or both. The prize could be the gift they just wrapped if you plan ahead or the rest of the evening apart from your wrapping partner.

The Christmas movie emoji game is a modern update on the classic pictures-to-words game with the emojis replacing the pictures. The emojis represent words in the movie’s title or themes present within it. For example, a Christmas tree, book, boy, eyeglasses, gun, and an eye would represent “A Christmas Story.” This game is fun for all ages and could be played individually or with a team. Get the emojis and answers here.

Guess the number of ornaments game forces you to count the number of ornaments on your tree (it’s best to do this as they’re being hung). This simple game asks your guests or family members to guess the total number of ornaments on your tree within a set period of time…like ten seconds so they can’t stand there and count. The winner gets to dispose of your live tree or dismantle your fake after New Year.

The “Who am I?” game, Christmas version. When my kids were younger, I played this with my family, but we called it “Hedbanz.” If you’ve watched “Inglorious Bastards” you watched a version of this game in the infamous “bar in a basement” scene with Frau von Hammersmark. The concept is simple enough…write Christmas themed characters (fictional or non-fictional) on something that sticks to one’s forehead, but do not let the person wearing it read it. They then have 20 yes or no questions to figure out who or what they are. Some ideas: Clark W. Griswold, John McClain, The Grinch, Mrs. Claus, Blitzen, elf-on-a-shelf, Heat Miser…you get the idea. Winners get to clean up after the party.

I’ve actually played all of these at one time or another (Yes, even the Hallmark movie drinking game and now I’m hooked on those horrible movies) and they’re all great fun. I hope you give a few a try. You’ll be glad you did. Stay safe out there.

And while you’re playing, especially if you’re drinking, remember to hydrate and eat! Easy meals and snacks are always available for delivery here!

Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels