Cutthroat Christmas Bingo

Now that I've typed that title, it is dawning on me that the words "cutthroat" and "Christmas" wouldn't normally be placed side by side, much less used in the same sentence.  However, at our house, on Christmas eve or Christmas night, that is exactly what will be happening - a rowdy and very competitive bingo game, with contestants ranging from six to sixty.

It all started last year when I picked up a simple Christmas bingo game in the Wal-Mart aisle where all the trinkets and stocking stuffers were displayed.  I was thinking that maybe with all the company coming in (we have 4 children, 3 of them have spouses, and there are 4 grandchildren) that perhaps at some point we could have fun doing a family game.  Oh, don't forget the two cats that come along to taunt our puppy, too.

I also went out and purchased or found about 15 small gift items and packaged them up in those cheap Christmas bags that are about the size of a lunch sack.  The only other thing needed were two rolls of pennies to use as the bingo chips.

We started the games, and all was pleasant for about the first round or so.  Even the 5 year old twins could play the game, as there were no numbers or letters to identify.  I would just call out what picture to look for, and they could find it on their cards and place a marker.  They were really enjoying themselves.

However, little did I know how bawdy and cutthroat these games could become.  Maybe it was the thrill of the prizes - I mean who doesn't want a large pencil with a pom pom or a handy shower cap?  Believe you me, the level of competition escalated in no time at all.

To keep the young prizeless ones happy and engaged, every 3 rounds whoever had a prize at that point had to give one away to someone else.  It's better to give than to receive, right?  Unbelievably, a father (you know who you are) gave the dirty sock gag prize away to one of his daughters.  I'm tellin' you, it was cutthroat.

It really was great family fun, though, with lots of laughs.  I shouldn't have been surprised then, that starting way back before this past Thanksgiving, I was hearing rumors of family members warning that "there better be bingo again this year...."

I'm ready.  The bingo cards are excavated from within the Christmas boxes, the pennies are ready, and the prizes are wrapped and are better than ever.

Let the games begin!