Have fun saving money this Christmas with LoanPig
So this is Christmas. And what will you DO?!
You’ve opened the presents, eaten the food, watched enough TV to give you square eyes. And if you hear one more Christmas song you will not be responsible for the consequences!
Well how about some family games?
Here are five ideas for free fun and games this Christmas. Better still, they won’t cost you a penny.
1. Board games
Everyone loves a good board game, and between you and your family there will probably be so many to choose from. Many of the games that have stood the test of time – such as Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit – now come in a variety of themes. There are also new ones to add such as Strictly Come Dancing, The Crystal Maze and even When in Rome – the first Alexa-powered board game!
So if anyone has a new game for Christmas then now is the chance to try it out; otherwise dig out those old favourites and everyone will be happy to join in.
2. Traditional party games
Ok so these are primarily for children but most adults love joining in too! The list is endless, but how about the following for starters:
* Hide and Seek
* Musical statues
* Musical bumps
* Musical chairs
* Pass the parcel
* Pin the tail on the donkey
* Spin the Bottle
* Murder in the Dark
Google any of the above that are not familiar to you to find out how to play.
Small prizes can easily be rustled together from the vast array of Christmas stuff lying around. These games can be tremendous fun and a great bonding experience for all ages.
3. Group games
There are also a variety of more adult-oriented games that are easy to organise and great fun to play. For example, most people are familiar with charades, where the aim is to act out a TV show, film or book. A variation on this is Pictionary, where the item to be guessed is drawn out rather than acted.
But there are many more group games that are not as familiar but can be great fun. One example is Fizz Buzz. Players sit in a circle and take turns to start counting from 1 upwards. When a multiple of 5 comes up, the person must shout “Fizz” instead of the number, and the direction of the game reverses. When a multiple of 7 or a number with a 7 in it comes up, the person must shout “Buzz” instead of the number, and direction of the game reverses again. Players have 3 lives each and every time you make a mistake, you lose a life.
Other games are slightly less mentally taxing but more emotionally revealing. For example, Truth or Dare – where you either have to answer a revealing question or perform a forfeit; or Two Truths and a Lie – where everyone shares two things about them that are true and one that is a lie, and others have to guess which is which.
Some of these games – for example Truth or Dare – can be run as drinking games to add an extra twist.
4. Family Quiz
Quizzes are usually very popular, so why not run your own Christmas version? You can either download quiz questions online, or get various family members to organise one round each. They can be great fun for all the family, and a brilliant ice breaker if there are also newcomers who do not yet know many people: working together as a team helps everyone to feel involved.
5. Indoor sports
For the more energetic amongst us, there are a wide range of indoor sports that are easy to organise as long as you have a little bit of space available. Indoor darts are always popular – and there are many safe versions available with soft darts. Another option is that you can get table tennis tops for dining tables so that you can temporarily convert your dining table into a games area. Or if you have floor space then how about your own indoor version of petanque (boules)?
We hope that these ideas help you to start planning how to have the best fun ever this Christmas whilst still saving money. Happy Christmas from all of us at LoanPig!