Other than the obligatory hearty Christmas dinner washed down with enough alcohol to drown all the relatives, since my childhood I have always remembered Christmas by the games. Whether it meant losing against my Grandmother over a Scrabble board or getting too greedy expanding my property portfolio in Monopoly, games always had an active way of bringing all the family together. With this in mind I have created a round up of my Top 10 Games for Christmas; here you will most certainly find something to bring even the extended family together.
1.) Charades:
Easily one of the most traditional Christmas games in the UK (or at least in my family), Charades is a word guessing game where one player acts out the word or phrase. Cheap and cheerful, but who says you need money in order to have a good time? Available from Marks & Spencer at just £3.50
2.) Monopoly:
One of my all-time favourite games and currently available in some many guises that I was unsure which to choose in this round-up. Anyhow, given that it is usually such a time consuming game of greed and money-making prowess, I thought that the novel new Monopoly ‘Millionaire’ edition is perfect. Instead of needing to bankrupt your competitors, the first one who makes it to a million wins, so this is a highly accelerated version of the popular game that favours early investors on the property ladder. Available from Amazon at £24.99
3.) Scrabble:
Who says that being a geek is a bad thing? The thing about Scrabble is that suddenly the loud beer-guzzling joker of an Uncle, or too-cool-for-school cousin, soon find themselves in the shadow, whilst the quiet sober ones, or in my case my Gran gets her moment in the spotlight. This Prestige Edition is as beautiful as Scrabbles sets come and definitely one to keep in the games cupboard, even if only for that annual Christmas usage. Available from Amazon from £64.99
4.) Table Football:
As boisterous as they come, but as great for two fanatical players as getting 4 or even 6 novices involved, Table Football (or ‘Foosball’) is guaranteed to engross friends and family for hours on end. This stunning example is produced in Barcelona and made from high quality materials coated with a durable polyester paint. The table is available in four colours: red, white, black, and silver. Available at The Conran Shop priced £2,995
5.) Pick Up Sticks:
Sometimes the simplest things are the most enjoyable, and Pick Up Sticks is just such a game. The aim being to simply remove the sticks one-by-one from a pile without moving any of the others, Pick Up Sticks can be played in teams or with individuals of any ages and as good in the living room as being the perfect accompaniment to any summer garden party. This particular version by Jaques of London comes in giant (36 inch) size and are available at The Conran Shop priced £19.99
6.) Chess:
Perhaps a little heavy going for Christmas, but from Harry Potter enthusiasts to aspiring Chess masters, this stunning limited-edition set was designed as a recreation of the final challenge in the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Every individual piece is beautifully crafted and sit on an ornate 50cm square board. Available from Harrods at £360.00
7.) Poker:
Always a firm favourite later in the evening amongst the male side of the family. Why not gamble in style with this suave 300 piece black lacquer poker set from Harrods at £159.00
8.) Market Meltdown:
This is definitely one for the Bankers and City Professionals amongst you, this time instead of helplessly watching the financial crisis unfold, you have the opportunity to make billions of pounds out of it! Certainly not for the faint-hearted, you make money by gambling on the stock market, which is represented by a roulette wheel. The only question is will you play it safe or risk it all by “going rogue” and borrow a billion pounds? Available from Amazon at £29.99
9.) Backgammon:
Hand made in Italy, as you would expect from Ferrari, this remarkable backgammon set is crafted in carbon fibre covered wood then personalized with an enameled metal Ferrari shield on the front. The backgammon board is made from inlaid leather sections and also comes with 16 black and 16 red aluminium pieces. The set also includes two leather covered dice throwers with the word Ferrari impressed on the front and five resin dice. Available from the Ferrari Store, priced at £1,136.00
10.) Majhong:
Having originated in China, Mahjong is similar to the card game rummy; a game of skill, strategy and calculation, but thankfully chance also plays a big part of it, meaning that newcomers need not be too put off whilst learning the art. This Ferrari version is completely handmade and comes in a carbon fiber case bearing an enamelled metal Ferrari shield. Available from Ferrari Store at a £1,482.00
Written by Sam Bryan-Merrett
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