The Family That Plays Together... {2015 Holiday Gift Guide}

This year, for the first time, I am participating in the 4 Gifts blogging series! Not sure what 4 Gifts is about? There are 4 categories and the idea is that you buy something from each category. The categories are: Want, Need, Wear and Read. Hopefully our lists will help to take some of the guess work out of Christmas shopping for you! And for something super fun, there's a GIVEAWAY too! The giveaway will go on for the next 4 weeks and each week you'll have more chances to enter. Be sure to scroll down & enter for your chance to win! This week, we are kicking things off with the WANT category, and for our family this means new games to play together!

Nothing brings families together like a good, old-fashioned Family Game Night.

In our family, playing games together is an important part of any gathering... and also just everyday life! We also love to have game nights with friends, and one particular couple always introduces us to the best games! So, each Christmas we try to add a new board game or family game to our collection. It is a great way to give a gift that will lead to lots of great memories and encourage family time! Here are some of our favorites from the past year that I would definitely suggest adding to your collection.

These unique card games are both fun to play and easy to pack for entertainment on-the-go while traveling!

Duck Duck Bruce | Sushi Go! | Deer in the Headlights

Duck Duck Bruce is without a doubt the best game we have for playing with Aiden when other adults want to join in. It is a super cute game that our extended family loves as well! It is currently out of print, but you can still find more reasonable priced copies used if you search. Sushi Go! is a game that is fun and different from any other game I have played for sure. And you cannot go wrong with happy, smiling sushi. Deer in the Headlights is our go-to game when we need something that doesn't require a lot of strategy. It is just plain fun!

Games that require both a little strategy or planning and a little luck tend to be popular in our family!

Machi Koro | Splendor | Qwirkle

Machi Koro is hands-down our favorite game right now. It isn't one that younger players will be able to join in on, but it is perfect for when the grown-ups want to play something engaging. Splendor is a game that was instantly a hit with it's interesting mix of cards and tokens. It is a very visually appealing game. Qwirkle is great a game that requires your brain to process a little differently as you use tiles to build a grid by both shape and color. 

Having a variety of games for different ages and audiences makes it easy to please a variety of guests!

Settlers of Catan | Swap! | Phase 10 Twist | Surprise Slides

Settlers of Catan is a well-loved game for me and my siblings. My mom, however, banned it from her house because it drives her crazy, ha! Catan nights are some of my favorite game nights! Swap! was the absolute hit last Christmas. It is a pretty easy game that moves fast and brings lots of laughs. I love Phase 10, but I have trouble finding people to play with me because it takes so long! Phase 10 Twist keeps the play moving along so there is the fun of the original without quite as much waiting. Surprise Slides is one kid game I really don't mind playing. Any parent knows that some games get to where you simply cannot play one more time. This one is a fun one that we really enjoy.

Don't forget to include charitable giving on your lists this Christmas season!

For the past few years we have kept the gift-giving part of this season to a minimum. We prefer to focus our resources, both time and finances, on creating memories and focusing on the Christ child and the gift of salvation that has already been freely given to us! While we don't cut out gifts completely, one of the things I really want to focus on this year is making sure that we are thinking outside our family and friends when it comes to giving this Christmas season. I love this 4 Gifts idea for my own family, but I wanted to find ways to tie in each gift category with a service project or charitable giving. For the WANT theme, we are packing a box for Operation Christmas Child. 

Our church is participating as a congregation, and it is heart-warming to see the display set up with all of the boxes outside the sanctuary. If you are not familiar with Operation Christmas Child you can read more here. I plan to share more about our experience with this fun and meaningful project in a later post! I did want to point out something awesome that I found today, though! They suggest that you can write a letter to include in your box, but if you are working with a preschool child to pack the box that can be challenging. This year they have fun coloring pages that you can print and have your child color and record a little bit about themselves. Check them out here! 

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$130 Target Gift Card  ||  $25 World Market Gift Card  ||  Lace Arm Warmers - Forgotten Cotton  ||  Personalized Cutting Board (9x12") - Laserworkz  ||  Gypsy Dreamcatcher Necklace - Gypsies Box Jewelry  ||  $30 Credit for Keep Collective with Kassie  ||  Adult Coloring Book - This Girl's Doodles