The holiday season is a time of togetherness, and there’s no better way to embrace it than gathering around the table with family for a round of board games.
- 7 Wonders
- Carcassonne
- Dixit
- Family
- Games
- Monkey Palace
- Nightmare Before Christmas
- Seasonal Favorites
- Ticket to Ride
- Who's playing?
The holiday season is a time of togetherness, and there’s no better way to embrace it than gathering around the table with family for a round of board games. Whether it’s the nostalgia of classics like Ticket to Ride or CATAN, or the excitement of discovering new games, playing together creates moments of laughter, learning, and bonding that last well beyond the season.
Bringing Generations Together
One of the great things about board games is their ability to bridge generational gaps. Grandparents, parents, teens, and even the youngest members of the family can find common ground. The right game creates an atmosphere where everyone’s engaged, contributing to a shared goal or partaking in friendly competition. Games can bring different age groups together, fostering conversations and learning from each other’s skills or perspectives.
Tip: Consider selecting a game with varying levels of difficulty or team options, so everyone can feel involved and successful.
Creating Traditions and Memories
For many families, certain board games are as much a part of holiday traditions as the meal itself. The act of dusting off a well-loved game can trigger warm memories of past holidays, reconnecting everyone with shared moments. Whether it’s the inside jokes that spring up over time or the familiar rituals of setting up the board, these traditions grow deeper with each passing year.
Tip: Consider introducing a new game each year that might become a future family favorite. This adds a sense of novelty while maintaining the familiar comfort of shared time together.
Choosing the Right Game
Selecting the right board game for family gatherings is crucial to ensure everyone enjoys the experience. Here are a few recommendations:
Dixit
Age: 8+ / Players: 3-8 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Dixit is a classic, simple, lighthearted game of storytelling and guesswork, where your imagination unlocks the tale.
Why it’s perfect
This beautiful game based on surreal-like art, imagination, and communication, will engage players of all ages, making it perfect for time spent with family over the holidays.
Ticket to Ride
Age: 8+ / Players: 2-5 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Ticket to Ride is a beautifully illustrated title that sees players embark on a cross-country train adventure, where they compete to claim railway routes connecting cities in various countries around the world.
Why it’s perfect
Simple to learn and fun to play, Ticket to Ride keeps players engaged by requiring continuous strategic thinking and a dose of opportunism. But it won’t overwhelm the uninitiated, which is why it makes a perfect option to play over the holidays with family.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Age: 10+ / Players: 2-6 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
Add a little more fright to your holiday celebrations, with this quick-playing tactical card game. Take on the role of Jack Skellington, Sally, Oogie Boogie, The Mayor, Dr. Finkelstein, or Santa Claus, and strive to collect as many Holiday tokens as possible, while making sure you gather the right ones for your character! Adapt your strategy to each character’s unique abilities and carefully place your cards to secure your victory!
Why it’s perfect
Channel the spooky spirit of the holidays in this quick-playing, tactical card game, great for a twist on the traditional holiday family game night.
Carcassonne
Age: 7+ / Players: 2-5 / Duration: 45-60 minutes
Perfect for those new to tabletop gaming, Carcassonne is deceptively simple, with a hint of strategy. Set in the city by the same name, Carcassonne is a tile-placement game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it.
Why it’s perfect
With its easy-to-learn rules, beautifully illustrated tiles, and iconic components (meeples), this modern classic is sure you please the whole family, without tiring anyone out.
Monkey Palace
Age: 10+ / Players: 2-4 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
A long time ago, an impressive palace was erected in the Jungle. It lay abandoned for many years, until a monkey moved in. One day the Monkey accidently removed a brick from the palace and the whole palace collapsed! Now it’s up to all of you to rebuild the Monkey Palace. Compete against each other while you help the Monkey rebuild the LEGO® Monkey Palace in this innovative and strategic building board game. With different game boards and no single route to victory, you’ll always want to play this amazing LEGO® board game again!
Why it’s perfect
Monkey Palace is a game of light strategy that involves both cooperative and competitive elements, great for holiday family time.
LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group.
7 Wonders
Age: 10+ / Players: 3-7 / Duration: 30-45 minutes
With more awards than any other game on the planet, 7 Wonders is sure to be a hit for holiday game day. In this elegant, family-friendly game, players attempt to build wonders and lead one of the seven great cities of the ancient world.
Why it’s perfect
7 Wonders keeps players engaged with its quick and elegant gameplay, making it a sure hit for the holidays.
A Meaningful Way to End the Year
Board games during the holidays offer more than just entertainment. They create opportunities for families to reconnect in a meaningful way, laugh together, and even learn something new about one another. As the year winds down, spending time around the table with loved ones brings warmth and joy to the season, making it truly memorable.
So this holiday season, dust off the board games, gather the family, and let the fun, competition, and bonding begin!
Looking for more great games to play with family over the holidays? Check out our holiday gift guide here.
