Family Game Night

 

As I was growing up, my family was into board games. When we were very little we would play Fish, Chutes and Ladders. and Mouse Trap. We used to like playing Scrabble, Life, Clue, Monopoly, Yahtzee just to name a few. As my brother got older, my parents and him used to play Risk. That game just didn't interest me, so I would do my own thing while they played for hours together. I remember we were also into playing card games. It was very common as I was growing up to have church game nights as well. Various board games would be set out, we would make pizza bread and make a night out of it -- usually on a Saturday evening. We would play Charades too. When with church friends, I used to love when we would play Bible Trivia. It was a great way to learn about the Bible and the stories it contained.

I can't remember what the game was called, but in the 60's there was a board game that used pool sticks and disks. I bring this up, because I remember the wood board games were very expensive, so my Dad ended up creating one made out of plywood. I remember he sanded it, painted several games on each side and coated it with resin. He did this when we were in elementary school and mostly to keep my brother from getting bored. I believe they worked on it together. The final product was amazing and provided years and hours of fun. My Dad was also an excellent chess player. He taught my brother, sister and I how to play -- along with our children. My Dad always had very nice chess boards and pieces. One of his favorite chess boards was one he had purchased from the Bradford Exchange.

As I had my own family, our home was full of games as well. Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Apples to Apples, Perfection, Operation, etc. I always owned a Scrabble game as that was one of my favorite games to play. It was hard to find family members who wanted to play that one with me though. I remember as my two oldest children grew older, technology kicked in and they would be more interested in playing computer or electronic games. Sometimes my best friend and her husband would join us for game night and we would play Mexican Train (Dominoes). This particular game took us hours to play. Remember Farkle -- that one is so much fun just to say the name when someone Farkled. We had so much fun. I always remember the laughter we would have as we played.

When I was younger playing with my family, it used to be frustrating when someone was losing, because more times than not, they would end up throwing the game board up and messing up the game, because they were a sore loser. Oh and then there was the occasional cheater. Those were just a couple drawbacks, but for the most part it was a fun time for us.

Eventually electronics, video games and computers would take over the board games. Pretty soon families were playing on their own individual platforms rather than together. It's funny even today, you can be in the same room next to someone and rather than socializing with each other, everyone is looking at their phones or tablets. I've witnessed my whole family when we are together for the holidays at some point, each silently consumed by our electronics. In my opinion, TV isn't as popular as our phones and tablets now.

Covid sure did change how we interacted. It was a time when families were forced to isolate from each other. As a means for our family to be able to connect, we initially started to Zoom with each other just to chat, then it grew into us playing a game on our phones together (Jackbox.tv) -- we made it a point to meet up at least every other week. Sometimes, it would be more or less depending on our schedules.

I remember soon after Covid and because of the families being apart for such a long period of time, there was a campaign to bring families back together again at the table. I remember for a while it was like they lowered the prices on board games so families would start playing again. It worked for awhile. I have a cupboard full of new games we bought at each of my homes. I'm pretty sure my kids have cupboards full of games as well.

During the holidays when we get together, we usually pull out a board game or two to play together. My greatest joy is when I get to have all my grown kids under one roof with me. Sometimes, I don't play the games with them, because I enjoy watching their interactions with each other as they strategize the game moves. Quite often my twins are accused of using their twin brains to communicate to win some of the games.

I know the saying is that when families pray together, they stay together -- I believe it 100% to be true. But, I also believe when families play together they also build amazing memories together and it is a great way to spend time with loved ones -- both family and friends.

My blog today is actually the result of my family getting together this evening on Google Meet. Our lives have all taken different directions demographically and sometimes time gets away from us, so we like to get together digitally, if we can't get physically together. Because of schedules, sometimes only some of the family can meet at any one given time in person. I'm so grateful for technology, so now families who want to spend time together are able to digitally connect from where they are together in one place.

Proverbs 22:6. -- “Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won't depart from it.”

Hebrews 10:25 -- Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.