Family Games for Large Crowds

Posted on December 20, 2005 by moonbridgebooks

One of the really fun things to do during those holiday visits with all the relatives is to play games – all together now. A number of games can be played at large gatherings by simply making many and/or large teams. Teams should ideally be of mixed families, ages, and abilities to be fair and to avoid problems with overly-competitive groups. Children too young to play well can be helpers.

The ever-popular Pictionary can be played using a chalkboard or dry-erase whiteboard so that the whole crew can see what’s being drawn. Alternately, a big pad of newsprint can be used. “All Plays” have to be counted as missed turns unless you have another drawing board or another large paper pad.

Trivial Pursuit is another old game that can be played with many and large teams. Try out the related, but new and higher-tech, Scene-It games that use DVDs (included). The Harry Potter and Disney editions look particularly good for mixed ages to play.

The object of Taboo is to get your team to guess what word or phrase is on your card – without you saying any of a list of taboo words on the bottom of that card. How many cards can you go through before the timer goes off?

Guesstures is a charades-type game with a timer. It is good for laughs, but is not for the uptight person – although it sure is fun to watch the slightly inhibited get uninhibited. It is good for the soul to loosen up a little.

Finally, there’s The Family Fun Game, new from Cranium, which looks promising. What do we do with the frogs?

The family that plays together stays together, isn’t that the old saying? So, gather together and make the holiday a happy, fun memory.

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com
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New Traditions

Posted on December 18, 2005 by moonbridgebooks

It is never too late to start new traditions. It’s fun to try something new. If it doesn’t work out – oh, well. It might even be something to talk about in years to come… remember when we tried that?… In the last couple years I’ve been making dark moist gingerbread cookies from my sister-in-law’s recipe that makes so many gingerpeople that I freeze bagfuls and we get to eat them until mid-spring. On both my and my husband’s sides, our families have started playing “The Present Game” since our gatherings have gotten too large to give presents to everyone, with the addition of children and spouses. Young and old, we look forward to rolling the dice and either picking a present from the pile or stealing one from someone else. My sister gave me a new-old videotape of my favorite Christmas TV “shorts” from childhood days, so now I like to watch the “Hard Rock, Coco, and Joe,” “Suzy Snowflake,” and “Frosty the Snowman” trilogy several times during December. My kids are amazed to see the kind of primitive stuff their mom used to run to the TV to watch. Now you can find this trilogy on DVD at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, or www.museum.tv.

Sometimes it is really difficult to break with traditions as they can turn into something sacred. Some traditions may be retained throughout generations, but often when children are born (or become teens or get married) things change. Each generation has its own ideas of what to do to make their occasions special or just more manageable. I remember how traumatic it was to stop trying to visit both sets of faraway parents’ houses for Christmas. Now we leave the day after Christmas and take turns each year as to which direction we go and I am so much less grinch-like. It is okay to be flexible, to allow each generation to do what it enjoys most, mixing old and new ideas to create their own meaningful rituals. The idea is to create a pleasant, fun holiday that makes for happy memories for all (or almost all!).

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com
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The Least, the Lost, the Left-Behind

Posted on December 13, 2005 by moonbridgebooks

Holidays are a time for fun, food, and festivities. For most of us. It is easy to look only within our immediate families to share happy times, but I would like to challenge you to look beyond to others who are alone, who are homebound, who are in need. The winter holidays, especially, are a time when sharing and caring are honored. Look beyond your own home to relatives, neighbors, or friends who are alone or cannot get out to celebrate with others. Invite them to join in your celebration, give them transportation, gather them into the fold. Visit those who are unable to leave their homes. Help them enjoy the light of the holiday season.

The winter holidays are a time for helping others in need. This month our newspaper publishes sad stories each day of desperate local families overcome by poverty and sickness. Donate to some of the many charities, help serve at a food kitchen, join an adopt-a-family program. By serving others, you feed your own spirit.

Sharing and caring is a valuable lesson for children. Teach them to look beyond themselves to see others who need help, and to lend a hand or a kind word to lift someone up. The ability to be thoughtful and caring is a great gift that brings joy to the giver as well as those that are helped.

The holiday light is not meant to be hidden in your own little corner of the world. Let it shine out to brighten other corners and you will see that your own light will merge with the flicker of another and the two will grow stronger… and memories will glow.

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com
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