The holidays are one of our most important family times during the year. The kids are out of school and often the relatives are in town. So family games are a must. Play your cards right, as they say, and you can be playing outdoors. Even during the holidays. Thank heaven for your artificial grass lawn!
Games are a fun way to keep the kids occupied during a party. And incorporating games for adults and/or kids can even add an element of friendly competition to holiday parties. Standing around chatting and nibbling is fun, but games can be even more festive.
Stumped for ideas? Here are 30 you might want to consider. If the weather turns wet or too cold, you can always move the action indoors.
1. Football
As long as the weather holds, you can play virtually any outdoor summer game in the fall or winter, too. And let’s not forget football, the team sport that heads the roster in colder months. That family touch football game you played on Thanksgiving? Get the teams back together for a rematch during the year-end holidays. We’ll see who’s really on top come New Year’s.
2. Volleyball
Another popular team sport? Volleyball. Lots of Californians are fanatic about it. If that includes your family, you might have installed permanent pole holders at the time your artificial grass was installed. We can do that, and it’s a great solution. You get sturdy support holes below the surface, with a virtually invisible cap at the surface you can remove to install the poles. For the holidays, why not string lights up the poles and across the top and bottom of the net, for a little nighttime volleyball action? No, it’s not regulation, but who cares? This is the season for fun and sparkle!
3. Lawn Games
We know you just finished putting them away for the season, but you could bring some of your summer lawn games back out and re-theme for the holidays. Give them a different paint job, decorate them or add lights. What’s fun?
- Corn hole (who needs bean bags, when you can toss artificial ornaments or pine cones?)
- Sack races and other silly stuff that adults can enjoy as much as kids.
- Instead of “pin the tail on the donkey,” make it “pin the red nose on Rudolph.”
- Charades.
- Organize a gift hunt, or hide holiday candies inside baby socks instead of plastic Easter eggs.
4. Board Games
Move your annual holiday board game tournament outdoors. Spread out a blanket or two on your artificial grass. Set up a beverage bar on the patio with icy cold drinks, hot cocoa or cider, and some wine or whatever for the adults. Pop a huge pile of popcorn, and get to it. If you receive new games as holiday gifts, you can start an entirely new tourney tradition.
5. Bocce ball or putting contest
If you’ve installed a new bocce ball court or backyard putting green at home, you won’t have to wonder what games to play outdoors! No line at the buffet table this year, your guests will all be lined up courtside or by the tee box, waiting their turn.
OK, it won’t be that dire – your friends and family know you put on an exemplary spread, and they love seeing each other, so they won’t forsake your indoor action for outdoor games. But they will want to have a go at bocce or a few putts or chip shots.
Whether you choose formal, organized outdoor activities or simply put out some board games and sports equipment, adding play time to your parties and family time will help you spend more time with the people you love most. And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?
