Christmas Spirit Foundation blog

Christmas Games for the Family, Office and Children

© Emily Rogers, Suite101.com Contributing Writer

Adding some fun and exciting Christmas party games to a seasonal party makes for a Christmas everyone will remember.

Christmas is a time where individuals gather together with loved ones to enjoy the holiday season. Most everyone enjoys the fun of Christmas party games, as they make individuals laugh out loud bringing out the holiday spirit. This holiday, why not put together the best Christmas party games? This will be sure to create a holiday season to remember.

Name That Christmas Tune, an Exciting Christmas Game to Play

Have a stereo set up and have everyone gather around the Christmas tree. Have one designated person to be in charge of playing a few lines of a particular Christmas song, as everyone tries to name that Christmas tune. Who ever guesses the most tunes, wins a Christmas gift.

It is best to try and use old songs that will be more challenging. Individuals can also make it a little more tricky by having the players not only guess the name of the song, yet also guess the name of the singer, as well. This is a great game, as it gets everyone in the mood for Christmas, all while challenging each other’s minds.

How Well Do You Know Your Family/Friends? A Holiday Trivia Game

One individual can contact everyone who will be attending the Christmas party and have them email two specific holiday trivia details about themselves. Example: “I received a bright red reindeer sweater for Christmas last year.” “ I volunteer at the homeless shelter every holiday season.”

The individual will then need to type up a sheet of paper with two separate columns. One column will consist of the trivia statements and the other will state the names paired with letters or numbers. Once copies are made, they can be distributed throughout the Christmas party and whom ever gets the most answers correct will win a Christmas gift. This is an exciting game and it also allows individuals to better get to know each other’s holiday secrets, as well as see how well everyone knows one another.

The Christmas Alphabet, a Fun Christmas Game

One person will give each player a piece of paper that has the letters A-Z vertically written. The players must then come up with a Christmas related word for each letter and whom ever finishes first wins a Christmas gift. It’s important to have the players start at the same time, therefore it’s best to have them turn their sheets over until you say “Go.” This is a fun game that everyone can enjoy.

The Mystery Stocking Game, a Funny Christmas Game

One person will have prepaid stockings filled up with holiday items. The stockings will then be tied shut with holiday ribbons. Make sure to have the items loosely spread throughout the stocking, so that individuals can properly feel the items.

During the Christmas party you must separate the players into groups with their own holiday stocking. One individual will set a timer for 3 minutes and the team will then try to write down the correct items on their sheet of paper. The team who correctly guesses the most items will win a small Christmas gift. This game will be sure to get everyone laughing as they try to guess the stocking items.

The Santa Hat Game, a Fun and Exciting Christmas Game

As everyone arrives to the Christmas party, hand out a Santa hat to each individual. As the individual gives the person a hat, that person must tell the player that the rules are to not take their hat off at any time or say the word “Christmas.”

If one of the players hears another person saying the word Christmas or sees them taking off their hat, that person gets to steel the players hat. Which ever player ends up with the most hats at the end of the party wins a Christmas gift. This will be sure to get everyone laughing as they interact throughout the Christmas party.

Christmas party games are always a hoot and everyone seems to have a good time when interacting with each other while playing funny and exciting holiday games. So during this holiday season, make sure to add some new and exciting Christmas party games to your holiday gathering, making this holiday a Christmas to remember.

View Emily’s Article: http://holiday-entertaining.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_absolute_best_christmas_party_games

Plan a Fun and Exciting Christmas Party Game

© Emily Rogers, Suite101.com Contributing Writer

Starting a holiday tradition can bring individuals closer together, brining out the holiday spirit in everyone.

Everyone enjoys participating in a holiday tradition. For those looking to start a holiday tradition for the family, office or classroom, the “White Elephant Gift Exchange” is known as one of the most exciting Christmas party games around.

Setting Specific Rules for the White Elephant Gift Exchange

When it comes to the “White Elephant Gift Exchange,” individuals often make up their own rules to accommodate their guests. If a teacher is using this game for their classroom, it’s probably best to set the valued gift at a low price of under $5 dollars. However, if the game is going to be played amongst family, friends or co-workers, everyone must agree on a specific gift price. 

White Elephant Gift Exchange, a Traditional Christmas Game

First off, it’s important to set up specific rules for this game that apply to all of the players. The party guests must decide on a reasonable valued amount in which all of the players must abide by. Example: Each gift must be a $15 item. It’s also important to state whether the gift needs to be brand new and whether it could be for male or female, or whether it must apply to both sexes.

Once all of the rules are set in stone, each player is responsible for bringing a “White Elephant” wrapped gift to the Christmas party. There should be a designated area set up so that individuals can place their White Elephant gifts in that one specific area. It’s important to let the individuals know that they must have brought a gift in order to be able to participate.

One person must place numbers equal to the amount of players inside a cup or hat. The person must then walk around to each player and have them draw a number. The game starts out with the person who has drawn #1, as this person must choose a gift to open first. The next person in line will have the choice of choosing a gift to open or the player may choose to steal the first player’s gift instead, causing that player to have to open another gift.

This will keep going until each person has a gift, allowing the player to open a gift or steal someone’s gift. However, once a gift has been stolen 3 times, it is no longer touchable and that person gets to keep their gift.

Starting a Holiday Tradition with a Fun and Exciting Christmas Party Game

This is a traditional Christmas game that many families and friends play each year, as well as employees. It allows everyone to gather together and have a good time. Each person ends up with a gift to take home.

Starting a holiday tradition, like a fun and exciting Christmas party game , can certainly bring individuals closer together. With the “White Elephant Gift Exchange,” individuals can save on the cost of having to purchase gifts for everyone, all while making the gift opening experience a little more exciting.

View Emily’s Article: http://holiday-entertaining.suite101.com/article.cfm/starting_holiday_traditions

My dad was listening to one of his favorite CD’s by the Gaither’s a few years ago. There is a song on there called, “Give it away.” My dad liked it because it had a nice beat to it, but as he listened to the words of it, he was inspired with an idea. He was going to ‘give it away.’ It was getting close to the Christmas Holiday and he was in the spirit of giving. He shared his idea with his boss and she was thrilled about it. It was only a month before Christmas and my dad’s boss is just like him – she loves to give. She took $4500.00 and split it up 9 ways for the 9 different departments they had. Then they drew a name from each department. The person who got their name drawn was given $500. The deal was that they had to give their $500 away. They had to find an organization, a family or an individual who needed this money and they had to give it to them. That wasn’t the only thing. After they gave the money away, the boss wanted them to come back to the office and give her some kind of feedback; for instance, what happened when they gave this money away? How did the person react? How did it feel when they gave the money away?

Some of the guys had very negative feelings about this project at first. A few of them even felt aggravated to have this kind of responsibility. They didn’t know how to handle it or who to give it to. One guy in particular came home and told his wife about it. Immediately her and their children said, “What about the neighbors across the street?” The neighbor’s husband had just passed away. The woman was really struggling, raising her two children alone. He thought for a moment and said, “That would be a pretty a good idea.” He handed the money to his wife and said, “Go ahead and take it over there.” His wife smiled and said, “The money was given to you. This is about you – not me. It’s your blessing.” He is a very tough guy with a rugged image. He’s not a sentimental type person and he dreaded walking over to the neighbors. In fact, he had never even officially met them. He procrastinated a day or two before he went over and knocked on the door. He didn’t even know what to say. When she came to the door, he just handed her the envelope and told her that he understood that she was having a rough time and he thought she may need this; then he handed her the envelope. She hugged him and started crying. Of course, he is not that type of person to display his emotions and he gets uncomfortable if someone begins crying in front of him. This, however, got him a little choked up. When he got back to the house, his wife asked him how it went and he couldn’t even talk about it. Later the lady came back over to their house to thank them again. When he handed her the envelope, she didn’t know how much was in there. She had to wait to come over because she couldn’t stop crying. She did not know how she was going to make it through the Christmas season, but that envelope changed things completely for them. She couldn’t thank them enough.

Another guy, who received $500, took it home and talked to his family about it. He was kind of aggravated to have this responsibility on his hands also. His two children jumped up right away and said, “Dad, there are kids at our school who can’t even afford lunch or any extra curriculum.” His wife reminded him also of a couple of people they knew who could really use the money. They ended up splitting up the money between four different families – $125 for each one.

There is also a couple who works together at the office. His name was drawn for one of the $500 gifts. He and his wife were on their way home from work and they were discussing what they could do with the money. They stopped by the grocery store and while they were standing in line, they noticed a poor little lady standing behind them in line. She had two cute little girls and it looked like she had one on the way. The man looked at the groceries she had in the cart and he could tell that she was watching her budget. They were clean, but not dressed very well. His heart went out to her. Then he thought about the money. He nudged his wife, pointed to the woman with her children and then pulled out the money. His wife smiled at him and gave him the thumbs up. The lady was very leery at first to accept the money, but once she did, she began crying. She told them that their children would have a good Christmas now because of that money. They all went out of the store with tears in their eyes and warmth in their heart. The cashier even started crying.

There was another man who received one of the $500 gifts. He went to his pastor to find out if there were any needy families at the church who were struggling. They found a couple of families and split it up between them. The man told the Pastor to go ahead and hand it out to the families. The Pastor said, “It’s your gift. You have to give it.” Even though the man was a little uncomfortable, he passed out the money to the families. He was really touched as he found that he received just as much of a gift as the families did. It made him feel so good inside. It was very touching how the Pastor made him handle it.

Some of the people, who got the money, split it up in several different ways. One guy put $25 in 20 different envelopes, took them to a poor neighborhood and dropped an envelope in 20 mailboxes, along with a special Christmas message. Another man, bought $500 worth of groceries, divided them up in 8-10 different boxes, slipped a Walmart gift card in there and left it on several porches, for them to find it on Christmas morning. There was a man who took the money to the Mayor. He asked him to pass the money out as he seen it needed. He wanted the Mayor to deliver the money but not to mention where it came from. One of the guys took it to the Fire Department, to see if they could divide the money up among needy families in the area. The other guy took it to the Police Department for them to pass out the money to some families who may have needed it. My dad’s boss is a very kind-hearted woman. It made her feel good to be able to hand out this money. However, it even made her feel better to get the feedback from the people who passed out the money. Then it made the guys feel good, who passed out the money. Most of them admitted that they were not looking forward to doing it at first; however, it ended up being the most memorable Christmas they ever had. It wasn’t all about the people who received the money, it was about the people who gave it away and how it made them feel as well. What a beautiful way of giving – and receiving. Just give it away.

Sherri Stanczak

If the approaching holiday season finds you Not-So-Very-Merry, try these tips to replenish a weary spirit, and rediscover some of the joy you long for. Balancing personal needs with year-end responsibilities can create over-the-top stress levels that challenge even the jolliest among us. Winter bustles with list-making, mall-crawling and web surfing. Then, the delicious sigh of relief as the last ribbon is curled. This year, rather than seeing holidays glimmering on the horizon, many are finding them looming, challenging us to create joy amid economic concerns.  We can choose to make this holiday season about what’s broken, but we need not.  The Holiday Season tends to escalate stress levels but at the end of the day, most of us find “Attention to Personal Needs” somewhere at the bottom of our To-Do List. This year, ease pressure and re-invent the season with a Magic all its own.  Ask yourself, “How could I simplify, or eliminate, just one task?” Ask your family to reevaluate the more labor-intensive or costly traditions. Create new ones. Sharing responsibilities and decisions allows families to give to one another in ways that embody the true spirit and values of the Holiday Season. This year, make your holidays easier, take good care of yourself, and everyone will benefit.

 Top Tips to Simplify the Holidays
1. Make a Pre-Season “To Do” List. (HINT: Save a copy for next year.)  Note when you’d like to have each task done. Avoid last-minute pressure. Browse catalogs early, plan crafts projects, address cards while you watch TV.

2. Ask for Help. If you have guests, everybody brings part of the meal–it actually makes us feel more a part of the festivities when we contribute to them.

3.  Wrap-as-You-Shop! Don’t wait until the last minute. Better yet: shop at stores that wrap for you!

4.  Swap baby-sitting with friends to get shopping done, hands-free. Patronize  local businesses you really like and ask how you can help keep their small business strong. Is there a barter that could help you both?

5. Creative surprises are wonderful, but asking what people really want can make shopping easier. It’s fun to know we’re giving just what others are wishing for.

6.  Carpool, carpool, carpool. Combine errands with neighbors.
 
7. Clip coupons and trade with friends. Note Specials & Double Coupon Days. Check store brands. Some are cheaper, some not.
 
8. Co-op cook: Bake two pies while a neighbor makes 2 pots of soup for both families.
 
9. Make Brown-Bagging Fun. All family members take turns enclosing daily fun holiday notes or drawings in everybody else’s bag lunch.

10. Make holiday gifts. Use your imagination. Last winter a friend helped me organize photo albums. This year another friend asked me to help her organize a home office. Great gifts, huh? Build, knit, sew, bake, do crafts.
 
11. Within the next 24 hours, plan three inexpensive recreational activities to enjoy this month as an investment in your wellness to refocus attention on joy. Got a friend in another state? Consider a house-swap vacation.
 
12. Start a family savings account for a vacation or TV or other long-term goal to which each and every family member contributes. Jan.2nd start a Next-Holiday-Season savings account and auto-transfer a little in each week. Little by little, you’ll make next December so much easier!

13. Take Care of Yourself:
Read something that makes you think, feel or grow, every day.
Do something you love every day.
Organize a girls’ (or guys’) night-out.
Eat healthily and exercise. Then, when you splurge enjoy every bite.
Far-away friend or loved one? Schedule an uninterrupted catch-up call.
Schedule naps, time to read, swim.
Make one new friend this holiday season.
If you find yourself alone, plan a getaway, join a choral group or donate your services

14. Soothe Other People’s Stress:
Smile and thank 6 people daily, (e.g. the mailman, a 1st responder, teachers).
Let someone go first at the market — just Because.
Invite someone to join your family for a holiday meal. If they offer to help say, “Sure!”
Invite friends and rent a movie, play a board game and have everybody bring a wrapped grab-bag gift under $10.
 
15. Under stress, we can become vulnerable to addictive behaviors that put our safety or those we love at risk. Watch for any excesses. Immediately seek help from heath professionals, and/or the various 12 Step recovery programs.  
 
16. Creat Home-Made Coupons to Be Redeemed–Whenever!
-One Chore-Free Week
-Back/Foot/Head-Rub
-One “Do Not Disturb” Day
-All-Weekend “Control” of Remote Control
-Setting the Table for a Week
-Dishes for a Week
-Favorite Dinner in Bed
-3 Carpool Shifts
-Blind-folded Surprise Treat
-One Big Smooch (…etc.)
-One Day of Child-Care
-2 Hours of Listening
-Geisha-style bath & shampoo (his/hers)
-Make Up Your Own!

By award-winning author / stress-relief expert Susie Mantell at www.relaxintuit.com