Liven Up Family Gatherings With The Card Game Spoons

Christmas brings families together. For some family members Christmas is the only time we see them. Many times family members are added through births, marriages and serious relationships and we meet them the first time over Christmas dinner. Keeping a steady flow of entertainment for others can be exhausting. After the initial round of generic questions,things can go down hill quick. Suddenly you find yourself saying goodbye much too early and wondering what you could've done to keep everyone entertained.

This holiday season start a family tradition of playing a game of Spoons. I learned the game as a kid and now play it with my kids. It never fails to bring everyone together. Arguments may break out between my boys but a game of spoons will have them laughing together, leaving behind their differences.

Spoons is easy to learn, fun to play, acceptable for most ages and the number of players can be anywhere from two to ten or more. The only items needed is a deck of cards, paper and pen for score keeping and spoons. The number of spoons needed will be one less than the number of players. For example if there are four players, only three spoons are used. Instructions for the game are as follows:

1. Pick someone to start the dealing. Dealing will rotate around the table after each hand, so everyone will get the opportunity to deal.

2. Place the spoons in the center of the table. You can place themside by side, in a circle or other positions as long as they're notstacked one on top of the other. They must be placed at an equaldistance from all players.

3. The dealer deals four cards, face down, to each player. Theremainder of the deck is placed face down next to the dealer.

4. Players study their hand for a moment before play begins. The object of the game is to get four of a kind. It must be four kings, four fives etc.

5. Play begins with the dealer. He will pull a card off the top of thedeck, look at it and decide if he wants to keep it or discardit. If the dealer keeps the card he must discard a card in his hand Players may only have four cards in their hand at all times.

6. The dealer passes his discard by placing the card face down so thenext player may pick it up. The dealer then pulls another card from the deck and continues as above. The dealer doesn't wait for other players to see the discard. He continues by pulling cards from the top of the deck and passing his discards to the next player.

7. Player #2 picks up the discard, examines it and decides whether he will keep or pass it. If he keeps the card he discards one in his hand, face down to the next player. He then turns to pick up the next card in the discarded pile beside him.

8. The faster the cards are passed the more energetic the game becomes. If the dealer goes through the entire deck, without anyone getting four of a kind, he then picks up the discards from the last player and starts through the deck again.

9. Once a player has four of a kind he grabs a spoon. When other players see a spoon taken they all grab for a spoon as fast as they can.

10. As there is one less spoon than there are players one player will not get a spoon. That player is the loser of that hand and receives an "S" on his score. The game continues with a player given a letter each time he doesn't get a spoon. The first player to spell spoons is out of the game. A spoon is removed and the game

continues until only one player is left as the winner.

Rules
1. You can try to "fake out" other players by pretending to grab a spoon and making everyone else grab one. This works only if you don't touch the spoons. If you touch a spoon without having four of a kind you receive a letter on your score. This includes grabbing a spoon when a player pretends to grab one, as long as that player didn't actually touch the spoon.

2. If you have more than four cards in your hand when you grab a spoon you receive a letter.

3. You must pass the cards quickly but not slide them off the table. If youslide or drop a card you must retrieve the card but you may miss a turn because play doesn't stop once the cards are dealt.

4. The player that has the four of a kind and grabs the first spoon must show all other players his hand.

Spoons is an exciting game the whole family can enjoy. If smaller children are playing you may want to slow down. The faster the cards are dealt the more excitement generated. That excitement spills forth when someone grabs the first spoon. In the rush smaller children may be hurt, especially when playing with older children or adults. When my boys get four of a kind they practically fly across the table in order to get a spoon. If two grab the same spoon it then becomes tug of war. When I have four of a kind I like to slowly pull the spoon away so the others don't notice. I keep passing the cards as if I'm playing and see how long it takes one of them to figure out I've got a spoon.

Games are a great way to liven up parties and bond with family members. So this holiday season start a new tradition of playing spoons. Everyone will be amazed at how much fun you can have with only spoons and a deck of cards.