Christmas board games

[Secretsantaofficefairy]

Looking for recommendations for Christmas board games that can work with family members aged 80, 82, 78, 74, 50, 48 and 12.

the 12 year old amongst us likes complex card and fantasy games but the older ones will not tolerate it! We find Catan a bit slow. Don’t enjoy monopoly, game of life etc. is there anything out there for us?

Couldn't you just play Pictionary or charades rather than a board game, or find something you could play in teams, like Codenames. It might work better with such a wide age range.

Or Consequences! We loved playing that as a family.

Qwirkle was an intergenerational hit

So many incredible and fun board games out there! Let’s narrow it down, what are you looking for and what does your crowd like, how about budget?

Are you after for something fun and lighthearted, a quick game, a strategic one, a cooperative one, or perhaps a party game.

Ticket to ride is a a hit with all ages (and a crowds pleaser), and the gateway game into board gaming. Plays up to 5 players. The US version is my favourite.

Generally I would steer clear of card games, as I find them pretty hit and miss/boring.

Bit meatier: Cascadia, Quacks of Quedlingburg, Parks, WingSpan, Pandemic.

Popular light games: Banagrams, Codenames, Dixit, Hues and Cues, Tiny Towns, Herd Mentality.

Have a look on Board Game Geek, they have lists or post in there for recommendations too.

Herd mentality is a go to favourite in our family for mixed age groups / lighter social occasions (we do play long serious strategy games and fantasy games but they’re not suitable for
christmas really, only for select groups who do enjoy that sort of thing). Here mentality is really easy to pick up, everyone can join in, it’s as long or short as you like and it’s really fun.

We had a lot of fun with the traitors board game a few years ago which may work if you’re fans of the show.

There are some good cooperative board games but your group may be a bit big for them - forbidden desert for example.

The Great Game of Britain. Known as the Train Game in our house.

Not a board game as such but we found The Sock Game a huge hit with ask the generations in our last five family get togethers. Literally age 4 to 81 and it was great fun with everybody invested. We just made sure the teams are as evenly matched as possible with a a mix of ages on each.

Herd Mentaility

(which we call the cow game)

Bingo

Dice game

Ticket to ride is awesome - we play it with 70+ year old relatives and everyone enjoys it!

Logo game is always good with all ages!