Fun Board Games for the Holiday Season

To Grandmother's house we go this Thanksgiving or Christmas? Getting together for the holidays gives everyone the chance to catch up on family news over a little turkey and stuffing or pumpkin pie. This year while the turkey is cooking or after dinner, while the meal is digesting and before the pies, how about pulling out a fun game for the family to play? Here are six lively, fun games, any one.perfect for the family during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday get-togethers!

Holiday Family Game Idea #1 - Scattergories

Ages: 12 up
Number of Players: 6+
Can be played in teams? Yes

Scattergories is a fun holiday game for quick thinkers that can be played around the kitchen table or sitting on the living room sofa. Family members can play single or partner up to include more people. This is a game that will get played over and over!

Players have a list of twelve categories that changes each round.(birds, ice cream flavors, colors, etc).The die is rolled which determines the first letter of each category word, and players are given 3 minutes to write down answers in each category that start with that letter. Players get one point for each word they come up with that is unique from the other players.

Holiday Family Game Idea # 2 - Balderdash

Ages: 12 up
Number of Players: 6+
Can be played in teams? Yes

Balderdash is a game of bluff. Players are given a word that most people have never heard of. Each player writes down the definition of the word, even if they have no idea what it really is! One player reads aloud all the answers plus the real definition and each player picks the answer they believe is accurate. The best bluff will get the most guesses and the most points. This game will get more outrageous as the holiday evening goes on!

Holiday Family Game Idea # 3 - Cranium

Ages 13+
Number of Players: 4+
Can be played in teams? Yes

Cranium is never boring as it requires that players show off a number of talents (or not!). Good or bad, each player tries to perform well enough that their team mates can guess what they are doing. Hmm, is that a cat he's making from clay? What is that song she's humming? Is he acting out Jim Carey or Robin Williams? During the holidays why not add a holiday twist? The team that moves along Cranium's board to the center of its brain wins!

Holiday Family Game Idea # 4 - Taboo

Ages: 8 up
Number of Players: 4-10
Can be played in teams? Yes

Taboo is a race against the clock to get a partner (or team) to get as many of the point phrases as possible, using clues. The catch? There are "taboo" words that the player can not use as a clue, and of course, those words are the best ones!

Holiday Family Game Family # 5 - Apples to Apples Party Edition

Ages: 12 up
Number of Players: 4-10
Can be played in teams? No

Apples to Apples is not your typical game of cards. Players match adjective cards to either verb or noun cards, but in secret. For instance, the adjective word picked from the center pile is stinky. Each player has to choose a word from their hand that relates somehow to stinky and adds it to the stack from the other players. Of course, sometimes players have to become very creative to find a connection and the result can be hilarious. (How about stinky U.S. Senators?) The player whose turn it is picks the card match they like the best and the person who had picked that match gets the point. Its not always easy to find a match, or to figure out what match will win the round, but it is easy to laugh playing this game!

Note: There is an Apples to Apples Kids which can be played with kids as young as 7! Give the kids their version of Apples to Apples while the grown ups play theirs!

Holiday Family Game Idea # 6- Guesstures

Ages: 8 up
Number of Players: 4 +
Can be played in teams? Yes

If the family likes charades, this is the game. In a limited amount of time, each player works to get their team to guess up to four words before the timer swallows up the card. Fast paced and fun!

Any one of these games will provide several hours of fun and laughter for the family during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. Try them all!

Related reading:
Turkey Bowling and Stuffing Anyone?
Calorie Burning Activities for the Holidays