Introduction
Use this Easter game as an introduction to the empty tomb and Christ’s resurrection

Game Description
Kids will play a game where they must either be inside the tomb or outside. The leader tries to get the players to miss a jump by pointing to outside as they call out “in”, by repeating the same command, and/or changing the pace.

Game Materials
Circle of string big enough to accommodate the entire group

Game Preparation
Make a circle of string in the middle of the room. (Alternatively you can have several circles for an odd shaped room.

Game Play

1. Have the kids scatter about the room, some inside the circle or outside.
2. Yells “out of the tomb” or “in the tomb”.
3. The children must the jump “in” the circle or jump “out” of the circle based upon the instruction given.
4. If the children jump in the wrong direction or don’t jump to the other side when it’s a valid command, they are out of the game.
5. The last player in, wins the game.

Variation
As the game continues, shrink the circle on occasion so that not everyone can fit inside!

Discussion
In this game you might gotten confused about whether is was inside or outside. The disciples had the same confusion on Easter morning. Was Jesus in the tomb or out of the tomb? Its a question many people are still asking today! Scripture tells us he was no longer in the tomb. Jesus has Risen! We don’t need to be confused anymore.

Closing Application
Do you believe Jesus has risen and is no longer in the tomb? Have you placed your faith in Christ so that you also can rise with him in the future resurrection?

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Introduction
This variation of charades began as a TV show in which participants drew illustrations of the phrases in order for team members to guess the correct phrase. For a New Year’s Party Game, use events from the past year for items. You can still use the typical categories of charades like TV shows, Movies, books etc, but use those that were released in the previous 12 months!

Game Description
Participants split into teams of 6 or more members and try to guess the events from the illustrations that are drawn.

Game Materials
You will also need large white sheets of paper or a whiteboard and colored whiteboard markers.

Game Preparation
You will need to create a list of items relating to events, and things that were done within the past 12 months. For inspiration look to the internet, the newspaper, magazines, etc. Print them on slips of paper and put them in a bag to be drawn from during the game.

Game Play

1. Divide players into two teams.
2. High die roll decides which team will play first.
3. The first team selects a Sketcher; all other first team players are then the Guessers. The sketcher must rotate so that everyone is required to sketch a clue before someone can go again.
4. Each time a new sketcher begins, he must draw a new name or phrase.
5. The Sketcher then announces the category of the name or phrase to be sketched. For example: Books, TV Shows, etc. and begins drawing.
6. A timer is used… an hourglass can be used or a 1 minute timer. (The opposing team keeps track of the time limit.)
7. As one team sketches and guesses a name or phrase, the opposing team watches.
8. As the Sketcher sketches, the Sketcher’s teammates start shouting out what they think is being drawn. Players can guess as many times as they want. Guessing is NOT done in turn!
9. If part of a name or phrase is guessed correctly, the sketcher may write that word next to his sketch.
10. If the Sketcher’s team guesses correctly before the timer is emptied, the Sketcher’s team gets one point and marks the score on a separate sheet of paper. It is now the opposing team’s turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card.
11. If the Sketcher’s team does not guess correctly before the timer is emptied, they do not win the point. The opposing team then gets ten seconds to make one guess to win the point. If the opposing team guesses correctly, they win the point and mark the score on a separate sheet of paper. It is then their turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card. If the opposing team does not guess correctly, no one wins the point. It is now the opposing team’s turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card.
12. Play alternates between teams with each phrase to be sketched.
13. At the end of game play or the end of your clues, the team with the most correct guesses wins!

Sketching Rules

• No letters, words or numbers can be drawn. Symbols such as dollar signs($), arrows, plus signs(+), etc. are acceptable. However, if part of a name or phrase is guessed correctly, you may write that word next to your sketch
• No speaking is allowed while sketching — but you may gesture to indicate whether the guess is close or off-track!
• You may draw an ear to mean “sounds like” and then sketch a rhyming word.

Discussion

• What were the key events in your personal life during the past year?
• What were some of your achievements?
• What dreams and goals did you have? Did you reach them?
• Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of last year? Did you keep them?

Closing Application
What is your vision of what the new year will look like for you? On a separate piece of paper create a picture with symbols and sketches of some things you would like to see in the upcoming year. If you want to, you can share it with someone in the group to help keep you accountable to achieve it, or if it is personal, that is also ok… Seal it away in an envelope and write the date on it. Put it someplace where you can see as a reminder of the resolution you have made for the upcoming year!

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Introduction
Can you predict what will happen in the new year? This little game gives you a chance to give a small party favor (gag gift) to each visitor to your new Year Party and generate a few laughs at the same time.

Game Description
Guest will open up a gift related to a prophecy about their future in the upcoming year.

Game Materials
Numbered Gifts and corresponding clues.

Game Preparation
Wrap the gifts and number them to match the descriptions. Guests will draw out a piece of paper and read the clue and then open the gift with the matching number. Tape the response to the gift inside the wrapped paper.
You can make up your own gag gifts, but here are some suggestions:

1. Clue: “Your wisdom will begin to show”
   Gift: “Black hair dye to cover the gray hairs”
2. Clue: “There will be unexpected revelations in the new year.”
   Gift: “Safety pins for when you have a busted zipper”
3. Clue: “You will be at a loss for words”
   Gift: “Here’s a dictionary so you can find some!”
4. Clue: “You’ll need to wipe away the results of your efforts”
   Gift: “Here’s a roll of toilet paper for a clean break!”
5. Clue: “I expect you will lose more than a few”
   Gift: “Here’s some golf balls to replace the ones you lose”
6. Clue: “Things will move a little too slow for comfort” Gift: Here’s some Chocolate Ex-Lax to make things move a little faster”
7. Clue: “You will be a little short of dough”
   Gift: “Here’s a cookie recipe and cutter”
8. Clue: “Circumstances may be a little bitter”
   Gift: “Here’s some sugar to sweeten things up”
9. Clue: “You will not quite measure up”
   Gift: Here’s a ruler to help”
10. Clue: “With great changes you will need a new yard stick”
    Gift: “Here’s a stick from my yard to help”
11. Clue: “You will need to clean up a mess!”
    Gift: “Here’s a dust pan to make it easier”
12. Clue: “You will need to release a little stress”
    Gift: “Here’s some stress relieving capsules” (Bubble wrap)
13. Clue: “You’ll need a washer and dryer”
    Gift: “Here’s a dual purpose washer or dryer” (hand towel)
14. Clue: “You will discover a great deal”
    Gift: “Here’s a deck of cards to help you learn”
15. Clue: “You will want to take a bubble bath”
    Gift: “Here’s jar of beans. Boil and eat 1 hour in advance for a natural bubble bath.”
16. Clue: “You will need to make some great calculations”
    Gift: “Here’s a pencil – use your head!”
17. Clue: “You will make more than a few mistakes.”
    Gift: “Here’s an eraser for a clean start”
18. Clue: “You will want a bigger paycheck”
    Gift: “Here’s a magnifying glass to help”
19. Clue: “everyone will believe you have lost your marbles!”
    Gift: “Now you have at least a few.” (bag of marbles)
20. Clue: “You will want to pull your hair out in furstration.”
    Gift: “Here’s a wig to hide the bald spots!”

Game Play

1. Guests draw a numbered clue from a bag and read the prophecy aloud.
2. Guest then open the matching gift and show it to everyone while reading the attached response.

Discussion

• What predictions would you like to make for yourself for the next year?
• How can you make those dreams become a reality in your life?

Closing
God’s gifts are no joke.
Read Jeremiah 29:11-14
God says that he has plans for each of us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us! Plans for a hope and a future. How do we discover these plans? He will bring them to pass when we seek him with all our heart!

Introduction
This game provides a reflection on the previous year by requiring participants to remember which month key events of that past one year occurred!

Game Description
Participants can be given photos, objects, newspaper clippings or headlines, as reminders of key events. They must identify the month that event took place.

Game Materials
photos, objects, newspaper clippings or headlines, or other reminders for events that occurred during the past 12 months.

Game Preparation
Go through old newspapers, magazines, or Internet articles from the past year. Make a list of notable things that happened, and the dates that they took place. You can list the events, read headlines, or even show object and photos for key events… You can put them into powerpoint slides and project them for everyone to see or simply call them out and show them any objects.

Game Play

1. Give each player a piece of paper and something to write with.
2. One by one, reveal the events from the past year.
3. Each player must write down what month they believe that event took place.
4. After all the events have all been revealed announce the correct answers and reward the person who had the most correct answers.

Discussion

• What was the most important event for the world in the past year? Why?
• What event will forever be etched in your mind? Why?
• What was the most important thing that happened to you during the past year? Why is it significant?

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Introduction
A traditional New Year’s Tradition is to think of something you want to change in the new year and commit yourself to it. Here are some hints for making an effective New Year’s Resolution:

1. Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Don’t set something as a resolution for which you have no control – like winning a lottery.
2. Describe your resolutions in specific terms. The more detail you provide, the more likely you are to accomplish it. Instead of “I want to improve my health” choose “I will exercise at least once a week!” or “I will only have a maximum of 1 carbonated drink each day.”
3. Break down large goals into smaller ones. For instance, instead of “I want to live a healthier lifestyle”, commit to losing weight by resolving to join a gym and eat at least one healthy meal each day”
4. Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change. If you want to lose weight, but eat to reduce stress, what other ways can you reduce stress?
5. Target things that are truly important to you. Do not choose things you think you ought to do or what others think you should do.

Game Description
Everyone writes New Years Resolutions which are randomly read by particpants. Can you guess who wrote it?

Game Materials
A slip of paper and something to write with for each guest

Game Preparation
Prepare slips of paper for people to write their resolution(s) on

Game Play

1. As each person arrives, give them a piece of paper and ask them to write down a new years resolution (which is not too personal or embarrassing)
2. Put all the new year resolutions in a bowl.
3. Each person must pick one piece of paper out of the bowl.
4. Resolutions are read, one by one and everyone must write down who they think wrote down each new years resolution.
5. The person who correctly guesses the most is the winner.

Variation
Instead of writing single resolution, participants must write down 4 resolutions (3 true and one false). Everyone tries to guess the author based on the resolutions and then try to also guess which one is false.

Discussion

• What is a change you would like to see in your life for the next year?
• How can God help you to make this change?
• What steps can you take to see this change in your life?

Closing Application
Commit yourself to this change and find someone to help keep you accountable for it and pray for you in this area of your life.

Holiday Collection

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Description
It’s a common custom to hold New Year’s Parties and distribute party hats and noisemakers to the guests. In this game, the objective is to NOT be the last person wearing the party hat!

Materials
Party Hats for all participants

Game Play

1. Announce the simple objective of this game – NOT to be the last person remaining with your hat on. The only rule is that no one can take their hat off until the has has removed his or her hat. Then continue with the rest of your celebration activities!
2. As time goes by, people will take their attention off you, and even forget about the game. At that point, casually remove your hat and watch as people catch on.
3. Gradually the hats will come off, amidst snickers, smirks and giggles.
4. Eventually, one unsuspecting person will be last to notice, while everyone else gets a good laugh!
5. Serve up an appropriate forfeit (see the forfeits below), then put the hats back on and give the loser the chance to start the next game.

Funny, but fairly innocuous forfeits

• Tell your best joke in the style of the cookie monster from Sesame Street
• Make at least 3 people laugh.
• Tell a joke no one in the room has heard.
• Describe how to make a pie without talking.
• Give a l-minute talk about elephants.
• Make your funniest face
• Wear a blindfold until the next forfeit
• Wear handcuffs until the next forfeit
• Wear a straight jacket until the next forfeit

Slightly embarrassing forfeits

• Tell someone in the room how much you love them for one minute
• Pinch your nose and sing the first line of a song “Aud Lang Syne”?
• Do your favourite dance
• Hop around the room like a penguin
• Wear a tin foil skull cap until the next person gets a forfeit
• William Tell – place a wad of paper on your head… everyone else throws paper wads at it trying to be the first to knock it off.
• Get mummified (with toilet paper)
• Dance a jig.
• Yawn until you make someone else yawn.
• Read out your last SMS
• Do an impression of a squeaky toy
• Do an impression of the dog that just found a squeeky toy
• Sing and perform the actions to the “I’m a little teapot song”
• Make a marriage proposal to someone in the group

A bit wilder forfeits

• Spell out a word using your bum. Group must correctly guess the word
• Scream as loud as you can
• Howl like a werewolf
• Bark like a dog
• Do your best chicken impersonation while you make a noise like a chicken
• Crawl across the room on your knees.

Joint Forfeits (Some of the forfeits above can also be done in groups)
Air Band – Each person is assigned some imaginary instrument and required to impersonate a performer in a band, imitating not only the action of the players but the sound of the instrument as well.

CAUTION
Be cautious with forfeits. The idea is to have a little embarassment, but not too much. Know your youth and what they can handle. You might allow more sensitive youths to choose someone else from the group to do the forfeit with them. You can also do forfeits as a group at the end of an activity. When in doubt about how a person will respond, don’t do it! Also take care that forfeits don’t degenerate into acts or comments with sexual overtones.

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This makes a great icebreaker and encourages people to have conversations with strangers and people they don’t know very well throughout the whole New Year Party event.

Game Description
This New Year Party Game serves as an ongoing icebreaker which encourages everyone to initiate and engage in conversations. Because of the setup of the game, it keeps everyone involved throughout the night until the final prize is awarded just after midnight!

Game Materials
While my preference is to use silver garland leftover from Christmas to make necklaces, this New Year Party game can be played with party hats, New Year Hats, or even nametags. Check those after-Christmas sales for great discounts on silver garland! Then you can just cut it to length to make a necklace for each person.

Game Preparation
Provide enough garlands or whatever item you have substituted for the garland for everyone that will attend the party. Every guest at the New Year party is given a silver garland necklace when they arrive at the party. You can also give them party hats and noicemakers to help usher in the new Year. This game is played while people mingle during the party and the prize is awarded right after midnight.

Game Play

1. Party Guests must ask other guests any questions in which the natural answer would by “no” or have the word “know” as part of the answer.
2. If anyone uses either word (“no” or “know”) in conversation, the guest they are talking to gets to take all their silver garlands (or party hat, nametag, special sticker or whatever item you have chosen for your New Year Party.) Those wearing the greatest number of garlands become hot targets!
3. After midnight, the Party guest with the most garlands wins.
4. If a guest has lost his or her garland, he or she can still play and ask questions. They could even jump to the lead again by gaining the garlands from someone with a lot of them.

Game Discussion or Debrief
As we approach the New Year, a positive attitude and optimistic outlook will help us to make it a prosperous one. After all, as Christians, we have a lot to be hopeful for! It’s easy to get caught up in pessimism based on past mistakes, failures, and unrealised dreams and goals. But with Christ, everyday can be a new beginning! Christ came that we might have life and might have it abundantly. Jeremiah 29:11+ reminds us that God has plans for our lives, plan for a hope and a future! Instead of saying “no” to things this year, say “Yes”!

• What is something that God might ask you to in the New Year? Say “YES!” Maybe you have been saying “No” to Jesus becoming your Lord and Savior! Maybe you have been saying know to something he has placed on your heart to do?

Begin the New Year by saying “Yes” to Him and his lordship in your life. Seek God first and all God’s blessing he plans for you will be yours!

Holiday Collection

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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