Christmas Family Party Games

Who doesn’t like family party games at Christmas?!

You’ve been working hard in the run up to Christmas, and Christmas family party games is the last thing on your mind. Isn’t this a holiday anyway!? In that winter sleepy stupor, whilst on your Christmas break, the last thing you want to do is to see anyone, do anything, or even be forced to think about anything for that matter.

But there’s always someone, after an overdose of lethargy, who wants to break free and join in with life. Apparently somehow, and for some reason, that will involve you. Or, most likely, there’s a child who wants to play. As if giving birth to them wasn’t enough. They’ll drag you by the arm into another game of charades, cards or Monopoly. Com’on, wake up, look lively! Let’s play Twister! Urgh.

Once going though I bet you’re the life and soul, just like me. It’s just the getting started that’s difficult, after that it’s actually a lot of fun. So perhaps you’d like to try some new family party games.

Here are three of our faves.

1. Are you there, Moriarty?

It’s a game, I’m not calling you names.
It involves teaming up in pairs and playing in rounds.

Two people lie on the floor, holding hands with one hand and blindfolded. The other hand is armed with a rolled up newspaper (sometimes we selotape it up for extra stiffness). Both start with the newspaper positioned behind their backs.

The first person asks: “Are you there, Moriarty?”

The second replies, trying to throw their voice, ‘Yes’, then has to roll quickly and quietly out of the way before the first person goes for a whack. If they miss it’s the other persons turn, If they hit, they can have another go.

Not sure how anyone wins. It seems more of a spectator/adrenaline sport to me, but it’s fun.

2. Evolve, Amoeba or Food Chain Game.

Gosh, how to describe this one?!

Ok. Everyone sits round in a circle-ish. I’m a bit of a sofa slouch (could you tell) which is probably why I quite like this one. One person, the person who’ll be starting, is the amoeba. They will have to make up a sound and an action for how they think an amoeba should move and sound like. Yes, I know, keep with it. Then going round clock-wise, each person has to be an animal one ‘step up’ from the person on their right. And think of a sound and a small movement for that animal. So the next could be a fly – with a buzzing sound and flapping of hands, then a bird with a beak movement – “tweet tweet”, then a cat, purring and washing itself, so on and so forth. The last person has to be a bear. Not sure why, but it is.

The amoeba starts. They make their noise and action followed by another animals noise and action from the group. That person then repeats their own action and a different animal’s noise and action from the group. They are able to ‘throw’ it back to the person they received it from, but only once. The bear can never send it back to the person they got it from. One of the main aims is to try to catch the bear out, but anyone who gets the action and sound wrong, or is too slow, will be out.

By ‘out’ I mean they are then become the amoeba and have to start at the bottom of the food chain. They physically have to get up and move to where the amoeba sat. Everyone else has to shuffle round and become the animal on they were sitting next to on their left. The faster this game is played the better, and with as many silly noises as possible. No proper ending…

Although you could give the game a time length, deeming the person who’s the bear at that point, is the winner.

3. Good’ay Bruce.

Again everyone in a circle-ish (slouching further into the sofa). Now, with your finest Australian accent…. if you happen to be Australian you will have an advantage here … say to the person on your left:

“Good’ay Bruce”

They must reply “Good’ay Bruce”

You say back, “Say Good’ay to Bruce, Bruce”

They will then turn to the person sitting on their left and repeat exactly the same thing.

Now after a while you may begin to wonder what is the point. Something I think often.

However, eventually someone will make a slight mistake or hesitation and become a ‘Sheila’ so the conversation from the person sitting next to Sheila is like this:

“Good’ay Sheila“

They must reply “Good’ay Bruce”

Bruce says back, “Say Good’ay to Bruce, Sheila“

Then, if Sheila makes another mistake the conversation is this… of course we’re not conforming to stereotypes here….

“Good’ay Charlene“

They then reply “Good’ay Bruce”

“Say Good’ay to Bruce, Charlene“

If other people start making mistakes you can end up with conversations like this:

“Good’ay Sheila”

“Good’ay Charlene”

“Say Good’ay to Kylie, Charlene“

Other names you can add, depending how long you want the game to go on for: