We all know Thanksgiving and Christmas are quickly approaching. Unlike others, I’m not determining what food I’m going to make, nor am I making a Christmas list or buying Christmas gifts. Instead, I’m on the hunt for new and exciting games to play with my family. Looking back on all my holidays and family gatherings, I can vividly recall the games we played and the laughs we had. If you’re ever stuck on a game to play with your family, check out my top eleven family games.
1. Cards Against Humanity: This humorously, inappropriate game has had many effects on my family. To begin with, it sent my uncle into tears due to his extreme laughter. It also caused my sister to become highly embarrassed due to playing with her mother and grandmother. All joking aside, I wouldn’t recommend playing this game around children.
2. Apples to Apples: If you need a kid-friendly version of cards against humanity, apples to apples is your game. Even at twenty-one, this game is still one of my favorites. It’s probably one of my favorite games because my cousin bursts out in extreme laughter every time his card is read. Of course, this causes him to lose every time, but it sure makes everyone else laugh themselves to the point of tears.
3. Catchphrase: “I am round. I am round. I am round.” Only my family will truly understand this; however, what I’m trying to say is that people who repeat the same clue over and over again probably shouldn’t be playing this game. In fact, this game works best when more the one clue is given.
4. Pie Face: What could be better than getting cool whip randomly smashed into your face? Well, maybe there are a lot of better things, but it makes for a great laugh. Even the most challenged gamers can play this one. All you do is spin a spinner and crank a lever until cool whip smashes into your face. Don't worry about wiping it off with a towel, it's edible.
5. Monopoly: For my family, monopoly is a tradition on snow days. Keep in mind that the person who volunteers to be the banker is most likely a “cheater.” In my family’s case, this person is my mother. It never fails, she is always eager to volunteer as banker, and it never fails, she always wins. My dad, sister, and I have determined her eagerness to volunteer as banker is only because it is an open shot to “cheat” her way into first place. Of course, she claims it’s her clever manipulation that causes her to win.
6. Just Dance: In my family while playing Just Dance on the Wii, it is considered cheating if you aren’t moving your feet and if you aren’t looking like a crazy person. My mom moves her entire body, and she looks like an extremely crazy person while doing it. You would think she would win every time, right? Well, you’re wrong. Her score always tells otherwise, and I’m the dominant Wii dancer in our family.
7. Wheel of Fortune: It’s a competition between who gets to be on my mom’s team and who get’s to be on my grandpa’s team. It’s clearly obvious they are related because after awhile, the game becomes a competition between the two of them, and their teammates get left in the dust. Sorry, Dad and Grandma, that no one begs to be on your team.
8. Telestrations: There’s no doubt in my mind, my aunt would dominate at this game. The object of the game is to draw a picture of the word seen on the page and pass it around. At the end, the last person should guess the original word! However, it doesn't’ quite work out that way when you’re playing with a bunch of inartistic people.
9. Telestrations After Dark: Although I have yet to play this version of the game, it’s on my list for a holiday must do. When I think about this game, I can only image a Cards Against Humanity pictionary version. I thought my uncle almost passed out from laughing during Cards Against Humanity. I can’t imagine how he will react when playing this game.
10. Speak Out: I come from a family of great speakers, but I think that may be altered if we were to play this game. Speaking with our lips pulled up and our teeth showing is probably going to make us sound like babies again. Can you hear the laughter?
11. Bean Boozled: Is this jelly bean barf flavored or peach flavored? You might be surprised, but in order to find out, you actually have to chew the jelly bean! There’s nothing funnier than watching someone with braces chew the barf flavored jelly bean. In fact, when I played this game, I watched someone with braces get the jelly bean stuck. This meant that they tasted barf the rest of the night. Of course, this game is only hilarious when it isn’t you risking your taste buds on the flavor of the jelly bean.
It won’t matter if my hunt for new and exciting games to play with my family is successful or not. I’ll continue to relive the memories associated with these eleven games, and I’ll even add new memories. Afterall, laughing with family can be the best way to spend the holidays.