Games galore

Tired of hosting yet another dinner party? If you’re looking for a new way to entertain, a Games Night may be just the thing. And who knows, you might have so much fun you’ll want to do it on a regular basis. Games Clubs have long been a great excuse for friends to gather. Whether you meet to play Bridge, Euchre or Scrabble, your club can be tailored to your tastes and be as formal or informal as you like.

Getting started

To put together a successful gaming club, all you need is a fun-loving group of people and a comfortable, casual atmosphere. It’s usually a good idea to rotate houses each month to make sure one person isn’t always the one playing host/hostess. Make sure you gather a group of friends that truly enjoy playing games – and who maybe even have a little bit of a competitive attitude to keep things interesting.

If you have just moved into a new area and you don’t know many people, a games night is a great way to get to know your neighbours. Games can spark conversation that you may not normally have when you are just passing on the street.

Hosting your first games night

When your guests arrive, start off by chatting about ideas for the games club.This is a great opportunity to answer questions such as

– How often do you want to get together?
– Do you need any other players?
– Who is willing to play host/hostess?
– What type of food to serve?
– What game(s) will be played?

As far as food goes for the first get together, think about asking each guest to bring their favourite snack food. Usually the best recipes for this type of evening are for finger foods that are easy and do not take much prep time. Think veggies and dip or nachos. Here’s a delicious snack, that’s easy to prepare.

Layered Nacho Dip

What you will need:

1 package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup of sour cream
2 cups of cheddar cheese
2 cups of salsa1 diced tomato
1 chopped green pepper
1 small onion
1 package lean ground beef
1 package of taco spice
1/2 cup of water
2 cups of guacamole
1 bag of tortilla chips

You will need a large rectangular dish, it is best to use one with edges to prevent a mess.

Preparation

1. Fry the ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink.

2. Add taco spice and water – stir in and set aside. Take off heat in order for sauce to thicken.

3. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream.

4. Spread the cheese and sour cream along the bottom of your dish – approximately 1/4 inch thick.

5. Pour the salsa over the first layer evenly.

6. Do the same for the guacamole.

7. Sprinkle the ground beef over the last layer.

8. Next place the tomatoes and peppers on the beef. Make sure you do not put them under the beef or they will get extremely soggy.

9. Lastly, sprinkle the cheese over top. Enjoy!

Simple recipes like this are great for game nights, especially because youcan prepare them beforehand and not have to be stuck in the kitchen while guests are arriving. For other recipe ideas, go to kraftfoods.ca or cookingnook.com

The games

A classic card game enjoyed by many is, of course, Bridge. Invented in the 1920s by Ely Culberston, it occupies a position of great prestige and is the most intensely organized card came in North America. If you choose bridge as your game of choice, make sure you have a committed group with you that are in it for the long haul. Bridge clubs have been known to stay together for over 30 years.

Board games are another great idea. Here are just a few:

Scattergories – this is a great one to play with friends. (The box says it’s for 2-6 players, but if you have more people you can easily improvise with your own paper and pens.) Scattergories is a fast-thinking category game.The objective is to score the most points by uniquely naming objects withina set of categories when giving a certain letter, within a time limit.

Scrabble – this classic word game is always a favourite. Players earn points by forming words from particular letters. They words are formed across and down in ‘crossword’ style and the words must appear ina standard dictionary.

Balderdash – let your creativity soar with this game of bluffing.

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