Go back to Night 4, here.

Board games. Card games. Role playing games. Heck, even video games. I’m open to almost any game, as long as we can play as a family.

I like to make our Eight Nights of Hanukkah Gifts things that we can enjoy together. Games are an obvious choice.

Personally, I like any game better when I have a good chance to win. That rules out quick action games with a lot of hitting like Slamwich, but leaves plenty of great options for agile minds that can outrun nimble fingers: Syzygy (my favorite letter tile word game, released in 1997, but similar to widely available 2007 knockoff Bananagrams), Settlers of Catan, and Robo Rally are popular with me.

Yeah, that’s right. I’m not one of those moms who throws a game for her kids’ self esteem. I like to win! Here’s hoping there’s some evidence somewhere that says my kids will turn out okay in spite of that.

After yesterday’s electronic extravaganza, and with some heavy metal tunes percolating in the background, tonight, the kids opened two small gifts before we turned our attention from Hanukkah to the celebration of a family birthday.

There was a D&D Monster Manual for the little boy whom I imagine sweeping the world’s competition to become the ultimate dungeon master someday, and a card game from Think Fun entitled “The Last Letter“ opened by DS₁.

With a house full of company, we didn’t play any of our new games tonight, but some of us took care to spend a little time learning their rules. After all, how else is Mommy supposed to maintain her winning streak?

Happy Hanukkah!

חגחנוכהשמח

Watch this space for Night 6.

♦