To think I have drawn the Christmas task short straw?

[BeanInMyBelly]

We are going to my Aunt and Uncles this year for a big family Christmas. My mother emailed my aunt asking if she could bring anything, to which my aunt responded, cc'ing me in as well, saying that my grandparents were bringing some ham, her sister is bringing {insert other random food item here}, and could my mum and dad bring some wine for the toast. Then came my request. What, you may ask, have I been asked to bring? Nothing...
I've been given the 'amazing' task of arranging entertainment for the evening, to include games that both the kids and the adults can join in, as well as games to keep the children entertained. I'm allowed to use the whole of the house in my plans, and I'm allowed to let the kids run around.
AIBU thinking that I have drawn the short straw? Don't kids just amuse themselves on Christmas Day? There is only 3 kids, 1 6 year old boy, 1 9 year old girl, and 1 10 year old boy. I am currently 6 months pregnant and keep passing out and having fits once or twice a week (seeing a specialist wednesday) and I seem to have been given the most stressful job!
I was under the impression that by the end of Christmas day, kids would play with their abundance of presents, play Wii and shout stuff at the remote, eat chocolate and pass out on the sofa while watching disney movies etc?
However, I am trying to get into the spirit of things, and wondered if anyone had some ideas to help a poor gal out? So far I've come up with games like 'Wink Murder', 'Blindmans Bluff', 'The Giant's Keys' and Christmas Bingo. Any advances? Also was thinking of doing a scavenger hunt, so any items you think would be fun to find (and easy to source), as well as a riddle to go with each item, I will be forever grateful if you could share your wisdom!! x

I like the taste the crips idea.

YANBU.
Here are two to get you started:
2 teaspoons tied to very long pieces of string. Split into 2 teams. The teaspoon has to be passed up/down the clothing of each member of the team. It should go down the ladies clothing, and up the gents clothing. Try to make the teams boy/girl. The winning team is the one who does it the quickest. For added frisson, put the teaspoons in the freezer beforehand.
Again 2 teams, tie string around the waist & then dangle a banana from the waist tied on another piece of string. Use the banana & much hip-thrusting to push a ping pong ball the length of a room & back again. Then the next person on the team has to do the same. The winning team is the one who does it the quickest. If ping pong balls elude you, those cat toys which are plastic balls with bells in work fine, as does tinfoil scrunched into a ball.
Since you've got the run of the house this is a very good board game for families. Ignore the +8 bit - anyone can play it.
Don't google Adult Party Games like it did wasn't quite what I had in mind.
We have Rapidough as well, which is pretty much multigenerational.

Ooh or the one where you each have half of a couple on the card and you have to find your other half and then you become a team for the next game/quiz round.

Can make it child-friendly too - Mickey and Minnie / Posh and Becks - and have more obscure ones for cantankerous Uncle Tony or whomever!

Download a free quiz from the internet and play in teams. If you have a lap top and projector it is even easier if you can do it as a powerpoint. We have been invited away this year and my job is to do the quiz- I get everything off the net including picture rounds you can print off.

Get the Adults drunk....stick the TV/Wii on and no one will even notice if the kids are 'entertained'!!! I dont remember ever needing to be organised into having fun at Xmas - it was all very spontaneous....

Also, you could always say you 'forgot' ...blame it on hormones or something.. he he

Play this. Works for all ages

2 teams. Everyone writes 5 names on bits of paper (or 6 or 7 etc - depends on how long you want the game to be). Should be names that at least 2 other people will recognise, but does not have to be recognisable by everyone.

Then put all names in a hat. First team to go, 1 person has 60s to pull a name from the hat, descibe the person to the others on their team. When they have guessed it, they pull another name. Everyone must pay attention.

Alternate teams and people until all names are drawn. Score bother sides (if you want to).

Then put all names back in (everyone should know them now). Then repeat, only ONE WORD only is allowed as a description.

Then repeat using mime only.

Children with good memories are just as likely to know the names as adults, and of course they will have put some names in.

Hmm, can understand you feeling exhausted/overwhelmed at the thought of this task. What could you plan that need to be supervised from a comfy chair?!

I think it sounds like your aunt has old fashioned "country house Christmas" games in mind. What about "sardines"? One person has a headstart to go and hide, then everyone else goes to look for him or her (toddler could go with a partner). When someone finds the original hider, they silently join them in their hiding place, until everybody ends up in the same hiding place (squashed like sardines in a can). I have never played this, but it is one that always seems to be played in old country houses in stories!

After that, then the "run of the house" AND the "get everyone involved" criteria will have been fulfilled. Then you can put on the wii and anyone who wants can join in, leaving others to watch/have their own conversation and a glass of wine!

Oh, I like the idea of a jigsaw on a side table too.

Hope it goes well!

Sounds like you are having a really rough time of being pregnant - maybe you should play doctors and nurses and they can all look after you and make sure they tend to your every whim and that you are OK

For the Wii have you seen this game - family trainer outdoor adventure - it's less than £14 from amazon (haven't looked elsewhere. might be even cheaper) and includes a dancemat type thingy you use to control the games, great for all ages, especially the kids ages, will wear them out as they do things like escape from mines or water rafting using it. depends on how much you value your balance board - I keep mine for me (don't have many games that use it!) and use this for the kids to destroy play with, much cheaper if it gets broken!

But yes, definitely think you should ask to swap with whoever is doing the wine (or whatever you think would be easiest) if you are that far pg (assuming nobody else is also pg) as you ought to be getting the easiest things to do!

We've found the "cereal box game" works well for both adults and children (though you'll probably have to sit it out due to pregnancy).

Take an empty cereal box, and everybody has to have a go at picking it up off the ground by bending down and using their mouth and not their hands - they can't let their hands or knees touch the floor. Once everyone has had a go, tear about an inch off all around and everyone has another go. Keep going like this - people will start to drop out as it gets smaller and eventually you will have winner.

Works a treat at keeping my friends and family and friends entertained (but then maybe we're just simple folk! ;-)

My favourite party game is this:

Get together an old coat, hat, scarf, a pair of gloves, a knife, a fork, a plastic plate and a dice. Buy a big bar of chocolate (a thick bar like Cadbury's works best). Everyone sits in a circle and takes it in turns to roll the dice. When someone rolls a 6, they have to run to the middle, put on all the clothes and start to unwrap then eat the chocolate using only the knife and fork. As soon as another person rolls a 6, the first person has to take all the extra clothes off and get back in the circle. Person 2 then puts on all the clothes and gets going on the chocolate with the knife and fork. You can wrap the chocolate in a few layers of wrapping paper to make it more difficult if you want.

Pass the bomb Junior, I've played it at a new years eve party with a similar range of ages. Fab and easy!!!

Well, how lovely to see so many great suggestions when logging on a minute ago - thanks so much to everyone for all the great ideas. Loving Pictionary idea, and I remember playing the card on your forehead game at my grans when I was younger, so will def try to build that into the evening.
WherecanIhide - as Fruitful pointed out, I'm not ungrateful at all, I love my family and am glad we are such a close one. Reading my OP, I fail to really see how I was 'moaning' either, I was a little sarcastic and asked if it was fair to say I wasn't being unreasonable thinking I'd been given the hardest task.... .
Thanks also to BelligerentGhoul for the positive comments regarding that.
My Aunt does know I'm not very well, but I think she doesn't really think about tasks like that - as itwascertainlyasuprise said, I think she thought it would be nice to do as I am the youngest adult that will be there.

Loving all the ideas, any more, keep them coming! At this rate I will be forcing them all into playing games well into the New Year!!
Or, as a last resort, I may just use MerlotMonsters idea....
Thanks again for all the suggestions. x

You could always do the "tray" game - where you have a selection of random items on the tray. Everyone gets a minute to look at them, and then you cover the tray up, take one item away and the others have to guess what it is. You could do it in teams, each team getting a point for the item they have noticed missing.

You don't have to do any prep for it, just go into the kitchen, get a tray and pick up any old tat that takes your fancy. Cover with a teatowel and Voila!

YANBU

A great Christmas Day game, which requires no preparation as the fact that it is Christmas day does all the prep for you is this:

Make two teams of all the people at the party; divide up all the christmas wrapping paper, bows, string, ribbon etc from the unwrapped presents; select someone from the team who will be the model for the Christmas Tree; the rest of the team use the wrapping etc (and the person) to create the best Christmas tree - the winning team is the one with the most originally decorated Christmas Tree (person). No prizes required, it's just lots of fun.

Hope all goes well with your pregnancy, and your appointment tomorrow sorts out your 'fits'.

Have a great Christmas :)

Classic game in our family that never ceases to amuse the kids is Penny Up the Bum - each person has to clench a penny (although a 2p is easier) in their (clothed!) bum cheeks, walk across the room, and try and drop it in a pint glass.

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Personally I wouldn't stres,doesn't everyone else just pass out with a box of chocolate on the sofa by 3pm...

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Sorry. As they say on 'The Only Way Is Essex' I'm well geal

Board games! Keep it simple. Make chilled games in between frantic ones.
And make yourself a referee rather than a participant as you are not feeling 100%!