Well now, games are not as practical a gift as say…socks and tweezers. But I like giving games as gifts because they bring people together for fellowship. Games create great family fun and are a wonderful way to learn.

(I don’t think I would actually ever give tweezers as a gift, by the way…it was simply the first practical item I could think of after socks, mainly because my eyebrows could stand some plucking right now.)

That was more than you needed to know, wasn’t it?

First I’ll list my favorite recommended games, then I’ll take care of the eyebrows. Here are my family’s favorite games in no particular order:

CandyLand, Hi Ho Cherry-O and Chutes and Ladders

Okay actually, I don’t really like playing Chutes and Ladders. I really, really don’t like it. It feels like the game that never ends. It just goes on and on my friends. As soon as someone gets almost to the top of the board to win, they hit a chute and down they go to practically the bottom which means that they have to start over and a mom can only handle so much of a good thing before she wants to flick a little game character across the room. However, it’s a great counting game and it’s inexpensive. I enjoy CandyLand and Hi Ho Cherry-O much better and while you’d think Hi Ho Cherry-O would make me hungry for fruit, CandyLand makes me hungry for gum drops. Why? I don’t know. I don’t even like gum drops.

Apples to Apples and Apples to Apples Junior

We love playing a few rounds of Apples to Apples Junior some evenings and it’s great for building up vocabulary. If you play the regular version of Apples to Apples with your kids (not the junior version), be aware that you’ll be teaching them some vocabulary, or some characters, that you’d rather not teach them about right now. Like Madonna.

Farkle

Even our littlest guy can play Farkle. It’s a great dice game that’s very inexpensive.

Pass the Pigs

We got Pass the Pigs last year and it’s really fun! Of all things, there are two little rubberized piggies that you toss and get points for how they land. WHO thought of this, I’d like to know? But whatever. It’s a fun and uncomplicated game.

Settlers of Catan, and a bunch of Catan add on games

My husband (and now my older sons) are very much into long, drawn out strategy games (like Risk). The game of Risk makes me want put my tweezers in my shoe, stand on it and pluck my eyebrows out with my fingernails, but they like it so what’s a mom to do? But Settlers of Catan? That’s a strategy game I can handle. Usually. And then there are add on games that you can get to go with it like Cities and Knights and Seafarers of Catan.

Manhattan

Okay, now Manhattan is very much a game I recommend if your husband likes strategy games and you really don’t like thinking hard while you play a game. Manhattan takes about an hour to an hour and a half to play and is not complicated at all, yet there is strategy involved. I REALLY like Manhattan and reallllly recommend it. More about Manhattan when I talk about Gifts for Men.

Uno Attack

Uno Attack is just regular Uno with a goofy twist. The machine spits out cards at you and kids love it. This game has given us lots of laughs, and often too many cards to hold at one time.

Sequence

Sequence is fun for kids about seven years old and up. I really like playing this with my kids. I’ve noticed a Sequence for Kids, but haven’t played it. Anyone want to share thoughts about Sequence for Kids?

Disney Scene It

We first played Disney Scene It while at some friends house for a party. It was SO much fun to watch the different scenes on the screen and try to see if you could yell out the answer first. Yeah, the kids almost always beat the adults. :)

Quelf

I’ve recently been introduced to Quelf by my friend Rhonda. She said it’s a hoot! Anyone else played Quelf? I’m thinking my boys would like it and I may put it on our list sometime.

Okay everyone…pipe in here with your own favorite games! Which great ones did I forget? Which of the ones I mentioned are your favorites?