The Olympic Snow Games

Remember my version of Reindeer Games from Christmas Eve two years ago? It was such a hit, that this year with family in town, I created a similar activity centered around SNOW, mainly because I could only dream of a White Christmas in Texas this year....

Suitable for for the holidays, winter break, or the next time your family is "snowed in", this lil' family event will have you all laughing, cheering, and having "snow" much fun together!


Here's what you'll need for your Olympic SNOW Games:

1 - the Game Board. You'll invite the competitors to view the Game Board for each game's title as you read the game description and/or rules for each corresponding game. (I noticed that the younger kids in our group kept looking at it and getting excited about the next game. Some of the titles are deceiving and I was cracking up as they guessed what they thought the game would be about and they were waaay off! haha.) 

2 - The Olympic Snow Rings, made out of paper plates from Dollar Tree and centers cut out. Note: you will have to tape the slits you made from cutting and intertwine each ring the proper way in order for them to hang correctly. It's trickier than you'd think. Either that or I'm just a little slow. :)

3 - The Olympic Snow Torch - made from a long paper umbrella (or anything else long and cylindrical like this!). I just wrapped white wrapping tissue around it and then wrapped again with a sheer, glittery wide ribbon. When you get to the top (fire part), wrap the base of the tissue in with the rest and then leave enough of top to give you a torch.

4 - White Medals, grab yourself a few packs of White KitKats, white ribbon and a hot glue gun. (obviously, a low-temp glue gun is best because you will be gluing the ribbon directly onto the back of KitKat. I didn't have any problems with the chocolate melting...if it did, it was the tiniest bit. No big deal.

5 - The Official SNOW GAMES Instruction Packet, it's a PDF download I've created just for you! It includes rules and instructions for the games, supplies list for each game, and pretty much just organizes it all for you in one easy-to-read packet.

Okay, it's game time. Here's how it works.

Opening Ceremonies

On a computer, phone, or tablet, have the Olympic theme song playing from this youtube video. I started at the beginning and stopped it at 1:06. When the music starts, have your chosen carrier-of-the-torch make an entrance into the living room (or wherever your group is sitting) and hold the torch high! Then, about 10-20 seconds into the song, have your Master of Ceremony announce something like this:

"Welcome to The 2014 Olympic Snow Games: Celebrating the _____________(family name)'s Quest for the White Medal! (Show the White Medal) Required of each competitor is outstanding sportsmanship, a team spirit, and most importantly, a great sense of humor (because the gamemakers tend to be a little corny!) We wish for all to have "snow" much fun! Let the Games Begin!!"

Games

v  Snow Blowers 
It may be cold outside, but there's plenty of hot air in this game! Each competitor will blow up their white balloons and use the air from it to blow snow from the table down to their bucket. Whoever has the most snow in their bucket wins the round.  The winners of each round play a final round to determine White Medal winner.

v  Blind Snowman 
A blizzard of snow has blown in and covered everything in a blinding blanket of white! But, the games must go on and a snowman must be built! In this individual sport, each competitor will draw a snowman...with eyes closed!  No peeking!
(Instructions & rules included the Game Instructions PDF download below. You'll need these instructions for the game to work!)

psssttt, there's a free printable for this game!
Download links at bottom of post.

v  Snowball Fight
In this favorite Snow Games team sport, the two 

top-ranked teams in the world meet for this snowball showdown. Who will be victorious? Who will get socked? (Play like dodge ball.)

 v  Snowbowls
A well-loved individual sport, Snowbowls has each competitor picking up 

as many mini snowballs as they can with chopsticks and drop them into a bowl, while a timer runs for one minute. The winners of the initial rounds will play a final round and the winner takes the WHITE! (4 at a time, or as many chopsticks as you have. Not all at the same time, because you want some to watch and some to play. Winner of each round plays a final round and the winner gets the White!)

v  Eat Snow
Only the fiercest of competitors are invited to face off in this event, but winning comes with sweet rewards! Each competitor starts with a snowball (white chocolate oreo) on their face and follows these rules: (Instructions & rules included the Game Instructions PDF download below.)(Variation of this game: If you can't find white chocolate oreos, just name the game "Dirty Snow" or "Eat Dirty Snow" and use regular oreos.)

   v  the Silly Snow Song 

As the Olympic Snow Games of ________(year) come to a close, all competitors come together to sing the beloved theme song of the games. (I used the lyrics of "Let it Snow!"  (Instructions for this madgab are included the Game Instructions PDF download below.)

Closing Ceremony:
Make sure you take a group photo with everyone and their White Medals......

 and then move onto some yummy snacks and treats!

Because it was right after Christmas, we still had sooo many goodies leftover, so I didn't go all out for this part of the activity. However, the sky's the limit here. Here are some ideas for ya:

*Pepperidge Farm Snowball Cookies (citrus)
*White Powdered Donuts

*Vanilla Snow Cotton Candy (holiday section, Walmart 2014)

*SnoCaps nonpareils candies
*Betty Crocker Snowball Cookies (mix)
*Hostess SNOBALLS
*Cadbury Snow Bites

*Chex Mix Muddy Buddies or Homemade Puppy Chow (call them Snow Chow)
*Little Debbie White Fancy Cakes
*White Cheddar Snowballs
*White Cheddar Popcorn
*White Fudge Flipz (white chocolate pretzels)
*Reese's White or KitKat White
*White candies & taffies (look at your local party store)
*Lindor White Chocolate truffles
*White Jordan Almonds
...seriously, this list could go on forever. White ANYTHING :)

And of course there are oodles of ideas for homemade treats that take a bit more effort, but might just earn YOU the White Medal in your family's eyes... try this collection of 25 "snow" themed treats from Something Swanky.

And, as promised, the download links are below. Please, please, please..if you use these ideas with your family, I would so completely enjoy seeing your pictures if you wish to blog about it and comment or email me the link!

Full Instruction Packet
Blind Snowman Drawing Sheets
Game Board Text Strips: (includes PDF images so you can print out the text and cut & glue to scrapbook paper to make the board like mine)
Board Title, 2 options*
Game Titles 1*
Game Titles 2*

*okay, I don't know what happened but some of the text and/or swirls on the game board strips are not showing fully after I converted to PDF... it's a minor detail, but fill it in by hand and no one will even know!  :)
.............................................................

Oh, and just in case you were going to try some games of your own, here are some other fun ideas that I decided not to incorporate this time around (mainly because I didn't want the whole activity to be too long).

Just a bunch of Snow-flakes - cut paper snowflakes. have everyone vote for best one. any ties have to create another and then revote.  

Build a Snowman - Pair people off into groups of two. This will be a race to make one person in each group a toilet-paper wrapped snowman. You can just give them the supplies they need, or create some sort of riddle or hunt for each item: the scarf, pipe, carrot nose, hat, and buttons. 

SnowBunny - I thought this could work just like Chubby Bunny, where it's a contest to see who can stuff the most "snow" (aka jumbo marshmallows) into their bunny cheeks and still say SnowBunny audibly.

Other possible game title ideas: Snow Blizzard; Up to Snow Good; Ready, Set, Snow!; Snow Flurries; Don't Be Snow-flaky!;

Christmas Coupon Card: Easy, Last Minute Spouse Stocking Stuffer

My husband and I have this funny thing about coupons...we actually both LOVE receiving these dumb, cliche coupons...love them enough that we hint outwardly ask beg for them for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's, anniversary... but neither of us love giving them because we know we'll have to own up to whatever we write on those dang coupons at some point later in the year when we've all but forgotten about them and then, "hey hunny...remember this coupon you gave me??!"  And the trouble is, most people think that in order for it to be a substantial-enough of a gift, it needs to be a full coupon BOOK. seriously? I can't be responsible for honoring the redemption of a BOOK of coupons for massages, breakfast in bed, win-an-argument...and you know, the like. (PS...I don't ever give win-an-argument coupons. that's just crazy. haha)

BUT...in the spirit of giving this Christmas, we agreed to give each other 3 coupons in our stockings. THREE. I can handle three. and maybe even an extra one for a lil' extra love.

 I decided to try being funny and write some disclaimer nonsense including some inside jokes (so, if you read it, you're gonna think it's dumb.)  ...if you're anything like me, you'll realize there may even be a little bit of truth to the disclaimer notes. :) Here's what my Christmas Coupons Card looks like:

...and you know I won't let you leave the blog empty-handed if you want to do something similar. I have a blank version that you can either hand-write on or edit in photoshop (just add your text over-top of the pdf/image). 

Merry Christmas! Download HERE.

Reindeer Games on Christmas Eve

Last year, we spent Christmas with my husband's parents and his sister's family. We decided it would be fun to play some festive reindeer games...but not just ANY reindeer games. Allow me to introduce you to the Christmas Eve Reindeer Games...a perfect mix of interactive games for kids and adults! Gather the family where they can all see the game board (pictured below) and read this lil' four line poem to kick things off...

Make sure everyone "dons" their antlers before you take a fun group photo! These came from the Dollar Tree last year.

Here's the game board: (nothing fancy..just a piece of foam board with scrapbook paper)

You will reveal (turn over) each game title one by one...so it'll look like the picture above at first,
then slowly turn into the picture below! (I don't know why I did it that way...maybe for the anticipation...?)

Once the game title has been revealed on the game board, read the game description and play each game one at at time!

Scrambled Reindeer - Unlike scrambled eggs, scrambled reindeer isn't very tasty. Kids, team up with an adult as you hurry and unscramble these famous reindeer names. The first person to be done with correct answers or the person with the most correct reindeer names in this one minute race wins! *handout sheet for each pair; Answer Sheet (in order): Donner, Comet, Blitzen, Dancer, Rudolf, Prancer, Dasher, Cupid, Vixen

                Dasher - asreDh
                Dancer - cneraD
                            Prancer - nacPrer            
                Vixen - xiVne
                Comet - meCot
                Cupid - iduCp
                Donner - noDren
                Blitzen - zitnBle
                Rudolf - oldRuf

Oh , Deer! - The North Pole is not a safe place to get lost with all that snow...but every now and then, Santa and his elves must go looking for a lost reindeer. Kids, there are 9 lost reindeer for you to find. Clues will help guide you. You must find each one in order! If you find one along your way, leave it there until the specific clue leads you to it. If you need help with a clue, ask the adults! When you find the lost reindeer, shout "Oh, Deer!"

                They all work together and receive small prizes after finding all 9 reindeer.

Here's how our clues looked... (attached to chipboard reindeer from Michael's last year)

        

Deer in the Headlights - Couple's Questionnaire. Give each adult a questionnaire handout and have them fill out. Give 5-10 minutes then go through each question and have each couple give their answers and compare. (Note: EACH person gets a questionnaire. The left column is what you say. The right column is what you THINK your spouse would say about you to that same question.) clear as mud, right? ;) 

ReignDeer Bubble Blowing Contest - Reindeer know just where to fly when Santa pulls the reins. But Sometimes, it snows heavily on Christmas Eve night and the reindeer must be skilled at blowing snow out of the way of the sleigh as it glides through the air. It's kind of like blowing bubbles with bubble-gum. Here's your chance to practice. The person to blow the biggest bubble will be the "reigning" champion!

Reindeer Poop - Reindeer sometimes can be a bit messy, it's true. It's the elves only complaint, having to pick up the reindeer poop! YUCK! But, it has to be done. Kids, grab a spoon and head out to the backyard tundra and let's have a race to see who can scoop up the most reindeer poop!

               (This is a timed race game in the backyard (or garage, or wherever!) where the kids pick up cocoa puffs (aka: reindeer poop) with a spoon and carry back to a designated spot to fill up their container.  

Rain-Deer Homes - In the North Pole, it's sure to rain and snow, and that is why reindeer must have a safe place to go! Kids & Adults, team up and get ready to build a Reindeer home out of marshmallows and toothpicks. You'll only have 5 minutes to build!  (provide enough toothpicks and mini marshmallows for all groups)

Reindeer Gear - Reindeer have some heavy duty gear to wear every day, not just on Christmas Eve. The antlers of reindeer can get up to 39 inches in width and 53 inches in length! That's quite the load to carry on your head! Let's give it a try, shall we? Kids, grab an adult partner and line up for further instructions.

You will be making antlers to go on each of the kid's heads. Blow up your balloons, and stuff them into the legs of the pantyhose. There should be 4 on each side. Then, the top part of the pantyhose should be worn on your head to complete your Reindeer Antlers!
         (pantyhose bought from walmart for less than a dollar; balloons from dollar tree)

Deer John - In their free time, reindeer love to write letters and re-write songs...  Their favorite one to rewrite and sing is "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Let's rewrite the song ourselves and sing it loud for all to hear!

               This is a Mad Lib game - fill out the madlib on the poster board with the group's shoutouts as you ask for each kind of word. Then reveal it at the end for everyone to read and sing.

Endeer to the End! - Reindeer have quite the job...flying all around the world in just one night! This is the last reindeer game and you must "enDEER" to the end!  Remember, reindeer are all tied together when they fly, but they work together to deliver all the toys. Kids, you must work together to pick up all these chocolates on the floor and put them in the bucket in 15 seconds. Any leftovers go to Grandpa!

Reindeer Snacks - After a long night of flight, reindeer love going back to the north pole for a cool, refreshing Root-Deer....along with some salty reindeer chex!

Oooh...if you can't tell, we had a lot of fun! Here are the printables you'll need if you'd like to host the Reindeer Games this Christmas Eve!

Game Board - Reindeer Games Title

Game Board - Game Titles 1 
Game Board - Game Titles 2
Game Board - Game Titles 3
Treat Table Labels
Reindeer Scramble Cards
Oh Deer! Reindeer Scavenger Hunt Clues
Deer in the Headlights - Couples Questionnaire
Full Reindeer Games Instruction Sheet (with game descriptions)

Reindeer Food Labels

Okay, I know that everyone (and their mom) has made these as a printable....and many of them are way cuter than mine! 

BUT, we did this for our Ward Christmas party last week and I had to make my own labels to fit the containers we bought. 

We got these mini containers (10 pk) from Dollar Tree. It was the cheapest option and worked wonderfully after I made myself a little round printable for the lid. 

Thought I'd share in case anyone is wanting to make these last minute! And in case you don't know what exactly goes inside these little containers, check out THIS post from Our Best Bites.

Here's the printable:

"Date of the Month Club" Gift - Now Taking Orders!

I am now taking orders for customized "Date of the Month Club" kits!!

If you weren't a follower of Love Actually Blog or this blog last Christmas or Valentine's Day, allow me to introduce you to a one-of-a-kind homemade Christmas gift. Perfect for your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, or fiance, it's a gift that lasts throughout the year!

Enroll him (or her) in the Date of the Month Club!

(this is the Valentine's Day Version, all assembled... of course, yours will be the Christmas Version as shown below) 

I designed this kit to fit inside a small box (mine is a Godiva Chocolate box). (When you purchase the kit, I will send you the JPEG files so you can size the kit pieces larger or smaller depending on the size of your box.)

Here's an up-close look at each part of the kit, which could be customized for YOUR sweetheart, of course!  You'll receive the DIGITAL kit by email (no physical product will be shipped to you!)

First, the tag for the box:

then.... The Membership Enrollment Card:

 then....the "Date" Calendar Cards

Explanation: (You'll give your Valentine a list of 12+ dates on this card. A few more than 12 would be nice. Keep in mind, these don't all have to be fancy dates from Love Actually Blog. Guys like simple dates, too...like, throwing a frisbee at the park. Put some of his interests in there as dates with you. Then, he will choose which date he wants for which month. Then, it's up to you keep that card and plan those dates each month (Hence, "date of the month club")

then...

Explanation: Give at least 2 vacation cards, but only give as many as you can handle having to plan throughout the year! (remember--these don't have to be REAL vacations...they can be "homestyle vacations" or recreations like mine).

then.... the Romance Reward Tickets

Explanation: These are "love coupons" of sorts...the trick is actually honoring them when he/she decides to use them throughout the year--no backing out! And, make sure you really personalize them (make them lovey-dovey, sexy, or whatever you want...well, whatever your valentine wants, that is!)

Finally, add your Hershey Kisses Tag with a baggie of chocolate kisses (each redeemable for the real thing...a kiss!)

And there you have it! A year's worth of romance and fun....all tied up with a bow under the tree!

(again, this is the Valentine's version pictured above...but you get the idea)

You can have a fully customized version of this kit for
$19.99!

Custom options include:
- Specific names on the To: and From: lines on the box tag

- Adding a name after "Congratulations" on the Membership Enrollment Card

- Your choice of 2 different Vacation Cards and related image (you can use the ones I gave for examples or your own!) Colors of text customizable. (each additional @ $2 each)
- 5 different Tickets with wording of your choice (each additional @ $1 each)
- the Kisses bag tag will be as shown

If you would like further customization, I'd be happy to let you know if it's included with the package or if it will be an additional cost.

How to Order:
Email lifedesigncraft@live.com

I'll send you instructions for getting started..it's a simple process!

How fun would it be to give this unique, personalized gift for Christmas? And the best part is all the fun to come out of it! Email me and we'll get started!

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Below are examples of wording for the vacation cards and tickets to get your mind thinking of what you'd like included in your kit.



Here are some more examples from an older version of this kit... just to give you more ideas for wording...

(the below vacation card examples were designed using a previous template. Yours will have the updated look as you saw in the post above!)