Ah, Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year, the time where we bring good tidings, and, if you’re anything like any other normal family, a lot of bickering around the dining table.
“Whose idea was it anyway to break out the Monopoly?” scream out vexed mothers while they clear up the remains of the latest war zone that was the last family game. So much for the season of good will.
Despite the bickering however, there’s clearly something pretty fun about the humble Christmas table game, or else we wouldn’t find ourselves getting into the same bloodshed every Christmas. In light of this, games makers bring out a few gems every Christmas, but you don’t have to break the bank – here’s a round up of the best Christmas table games, new and old.
Zombie Monopoly
It may be the mother of all wars but there’s a new version of Monopoly being rolled out this Christmas that’s considerably un-festive: The Walking Dead Monopoly. Based on Robert Kirkman’s gory novel which made its way into the HBO series, players can make their way round the Zombie-ridden Atlanta, complete with stop off points such as the Alexandria safe zone and the hunters’ base.
Blackjack
This old school classic really doesn’t have to break the budget for those who want something fun and a little more traditional. All you’ll need is a pack of cards, and, if you want to make it really interesting, some chips. The basic principle of the game is to challenge the dealer to dish you out cards totalling 21, but there are far more adventurous methods of play for those who want to learn and really challenge their families.
Scrabble
How good a speller do you fancy yourself to be after one too many Christmas sherries? The famed game of Scrabble has a pretty simple premise, but that doesn’t stop it from becoming a challenge, particularly when the supply of letters begins to deplete. Challenge yourself to make as many colourful words as possible using just seven letters, and outwit your folks by landing on the coveted triple word score.
Articulate!
For those who are better with the spoken word than the written one, Articulate! is a quickfire game which requires a huge grasp of general knowledge and quick wits. Players pair up into ‘reader’ and ‘speaker’ and have a limited time to describe a word on a card without accidentally uttering the term. It may sound simple enough, but when you have 30 seconds do describe the word ‘anathema’, the tension can get a little too much!