My husband and I are going to have a house full of people over the upcoming holidays (mostly Christmas). Most of them are going to stay overnight at our house. Usually, when people come during the day, we sit around and talk, eat dinner, clean up, have dessert/coffee, then everyone goes home. Since everyone's going to be hanging out at our house for what will seem like forever, I was trying to think of things we could do to entertain..especially during times that I'm preparing meals/cleaning up, etc. I don't want to just sit everyone down in front of the tv. I was thinking along the lines of family games or something? What do you do with your families? Any ideas appreciated!!
ETA: Sorry, Toni V. MORE INFO: About 10-12 adults, no kids, all 21 or over. We have sleeping room for everyone (3 extra bedrooms plus the living room).
I love the ideas so far!! Keep them coming!
I 2nd everybody's ideas....we do it all!
The ###-###-####pc puzzles are always a big hit..not many guests can resist helping!
I leave a stack of games & cards out. I leave food/goodies out....the buffet is a nonstop dessert bar!
AND I ALWAYS let everybody help....with everything: cooking, cleaning, laundry....I mean everything! If they offer, I accept. If I need help, I ask. It makes for One Big Happy.
Have magazines strewn about.
A few in their rooms, as well.
Have a couple of decks of playing cards on the kitchen table.
Have a few movie DVD's available for them to watch.
Turn on some music.
Have a checker board game laying out ready for them to play.
Backgammon
Have a bowl w/strips of paper which they will pick out.
Each strip of paper has a fun question they will need to answer at dinner.
Nothing crazy.
Play the Guess What Celebrity I have on my back.
You take post it notes & tape them to your guests back.
They can ask each person two questions.
Each question can only require a yes or no answer: for ex.,
am I singer, do I act on TV, am I female etc.
They have to surmise you they are.
Winner gets a prize.
Have a 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize for the first 3 ppl who win.
Apples to Apples, Charades, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Yatzee, have everyone read the same book and have a book group discussion, home movies, get outside and hike, skate, play football in the snow......
At one family get together we had a bit of warning and did a talent show. It sounds corny, but it was hilarious and really fun! Ask the most outgoing of the bunch to MC and get a microphone and just see what happens. Don't forget to video the whole thing!
jigsaw puzzles are a huge hit at the holidays in my house. We don't do this, but get groups together to go caroling and deliver gift baskets to your neighbors. Do you have video games that everyone can take turns at like Rock Band or Just Dance? You could also send everyone out for a hilarious "christmas hunt", split into groups, everyone has a list of simple Christmas items they have to go find and the first group back to the house gets a present. Or, you could have a "cookoff", everyone bring their best guacomole recipe (or whatever) then everyone votes, again, the winner gets a prize.
No ideas, but I just have to say that I very much envy that you are able to accommodate all of those guests! What a blessing to be able to provide a place for them to stay during the holidays!
We once had the entire family come up with a skit or game to perform for the herd. They got 2 months notice so they could put time and effort into it.
This was a ton of fun. My mom broke out old family slides and we watched a slide show, one brother's family sang "All I want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" and the kids teeth were blacked out, my sister played a game with the family, my other brother's family did a skit and my family did a Saturday Night Live skit (The cowbell one....but we changed it to Jingle Bell). We had so much fun..I don't think I have ever seen my family get so involved and laugh so hard.
We also gave the kids an old camcorder and they went upstairs and used old Halloween costumes and filmed some skits that they showed us later.
We also have gone out caroling in the neighborhood then back for hot chocolate and cookies.
When there is a lull you can always end up watching old school Christmas movies..or Elf..or A Christmas Story.
Good luck and best wishes at having a fun time with the herd!!
Apples to Apples is an awesome game.
Cards.
Backgammon.
Wine & good music.
Go through old photos.
Jenga?
Monopoly Marathon?
And my family's personal favorite: Win, Lose or Draw!
We love "Apples to Apples" game. Kids can help collect cards from everyone or sit with an adult and be their helper.
Or the kids can have holiday crafts or coloring books.
We also love to play white elephant game on Thanksgiving day. We get cheap "Under $2" items and wrap them up. There are kid things (play-doh) and adult things (candle) and it's fun to watch, esp if you throw in a few crazy items (panties, some crazy-huge stuffed animal)....
taboo is fun
scattegories is fun
charades
drinking games :-)
We play hearts. A lot. Until 1 or 2 am. Also Monopoly or Scrabble. We often will set up a puzzle board in a quiet corner for people to work on as they choose. Mai Tais are also not a bad idea.
Our new favorite game is Bloxus, which is a Mensa game so it it smart and fun, and can be played by different ages and skills. (We like the square one better than the triangle one). We also like Uno Blast, Charades-based games, and just got Luck of the Draw that we have not yet played but seems like an Us type game. Oh, another favorite is Encore, you get a category and have to come up with all the songs to do with that topic. We have had lots of giggles with that one. (You don't have to buy the games, just have lots of categories on strips of paper and which ever team gets the most songs wins.)
We also like cooking together. Each person makes their specialties and it becomes a weekend long pot luck. Those that don't cook get to do the dishes. So in the end, everyone cooks and everyone does the dishes.
Have Fun!
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L.:
Sounds like you have a big home!! YAY!!! We would be able to house 7 people (one guest bedroom, one other double bed and the family room sofa/bed).
Games are always the way to go....canasta is a card game that up to 10 people can play and it's fun!
Since it sounds like you have the room - set up tables for things like backgammon, chess, etc. charades, taboo - love that game!!
Hearts and spades are fun too!!
Have a blast!!
MORE INFO REQUIRED....How many people, what are the ages, do you have sleeping room (which doesn't really matter as long a the family will bring sleeping bags, air mattresses,etc.
Blessings....
