It’s that wonderful time of the year
Christmas is, without a doubt, high on the list of best holidays. It doesn’t matter whether or not you choose to celebrate it religiously. There is just something about the festive nature of the season that makes it enjoyable across the board.
One of the best things about Christmas is getting to spend time with your family. According to a powerful poll from Harris Interactive, two out of three people believe getting to see family is the best part of Christmas. This is the time when you get to see your long-lost wildcard cousin and your kids get to hang out with grandma and grandpa. With that in mind, it is important to figure out how to keep your friends and family busy. This is especially the case if you are the host. To help you along, here are a few ideas on fun games and other activities that will make Christmas magical – whether it is just you and the kids or your entire family.
Games you can play as a family
Games are awesome if you are a family of fun-loving competitive people. You can split up into different teams and include motivation such as extra gifts or exemption from cleanup duty. Here are seven games perfect for the holiday season.
1. Charades
Charades is one of the most popular group games there is. Whether you are acting out your favorite Christmas movie or mimicking a seasonal icon this is definitely a game that should be on your list. The most important thing to remember is not to use words at any moment.
2. Pictionary
This is a great alternative to charades and allows your family to express their artistic sides; or lack thereof. As with charades, the aim is to have members of the team guess something right based on a description by one of their own. The only difference is that with Pictionary you use images instead of actions.
3. Ball Games
This is a great idea if your family has numerous fans of outdoor activities. The specific game depends on your interests and the available materials. It could be a simple game of touch football, catch, badminton or even croquet if you are feeling a little fancy.
4. Christmas 20 Questions
With this game, one player from each team has to think of an object, person or place related in some way to Christmas. The members of their team then have to ask questions that will give them clues as to what the subject is. The rule is not to exceed 20 questions. Whoever gets it right first wins.
5. Christmas Card Games
This is a lot of fun mainly for adults. Crack open a deck of cards for a game of poker as the kids are out playing. This is where motivations like treats and chore exemption come in handy to make things more interesting.
6. Pin the Nose on Rudolph
This game is particularly fun if you have toddlers in the house. It is a fun Christmas twist on Pin the Tail on the Donkey and is perfect for some light fun.
7. Gift Wrap-Off
This is a great way to tick chores off the list while still having a lot of fun. Here, divide yourself into groups and time yourself to see who will wrap a batch of gifts the fastest and the neatest. This is perfect if you have gifts for a charity that you need wrapping before delivery.
Other fun activities to try out
After all the fun games and competitions, you will need some time to come together and work as a single unit on low stakes activities. In this case, you want to find something that is not only interesting but in line with the Christmas theme. Here are 6 ideas you should try out.
1. Cooking and Baking
According To the National Retail Federation (NRF), preparing Christmas dinner is the most popular group activity this festive season. Some of you can prepare the roast, while others are out grilling up some yummy barbecue and a few people take care of the tasty baked treats.
2. Art and Crafts
This is a great way to keep kids distracted and entertained as the adults handle major Christmas chores. Have a coloring station or a crafts table where all the kids can hang out and have some fun. You can also get them in on the cooking fun by allowing them to decorate the cookies or gingerbread house with colored frosting. They will love this.
3. Decorating
This is particularly awesome if you are celebrating just as a nuclear family. It will be a lot of fun digging out those old decorations and finding new ways to place them all over the house for that festive feel. Don’t forget to save the star placement for last. This is every child’s favorite part; some adults too.
4. Storytelling
Imagine this; your family is stuffed after an awesome meal and you are all hanging out in the living room with a cup of cocoa each and a tray of yummy cookies going around. Then grandpa starts telling a story of this one really crazy Christmas experience. Then everyone starts chipping in with their interesting experiences. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? It is, therefore, something that should definitely be on your Christmas to-do list.
5. Caroling
If your family loves Christmas carols then this is an activity that you will all definitely enjoy. You could make it a little interesting by putting your own lyrical twists to the songs. This will definitely make you stand out from all the other caroling families out there.
6. Charity work
This season gives you and your family a great opportunity to give back to the community. You could do whatever you want here whether it is donating gifts or volunteering to serve dinner at your local soup kitchen. This is also a really great way to teach your children the value of charity and appreciating what they have.
Bottom Line
With these fun activities on your Christmas itinerary, there will never be a dull moment this holiday season. One great option is to have all these activities before Christmas Day, saving the best part (gift exchanging time!) for last. However, it is entirely up to you to choose how you will plan your time.
Content courtesy of Kidguard • see original post here