Between 2011-12, I was working in NYC and I had started playing D&D (4e) with a co-worker's husband. During that same year, Jeff had brought over a game called Settlers of Catan, and another friend had shown us a new game called Cards Against Humanity. These were the catalysts that brought me to modern tabletop gaming.

Gaming had subtly found its way into my holiday celebrations as well. In my hometown up in New York, my family holds a large party every Christmas Eve. When we were children, the kids would go down to the basement and watch a VHS of The Muppet Christmas Carol on repeat and play video games. I remember one Christmas Eve where we played nothing but the 2-minute demo version of Tony Hawk Pro Skater all night. Now we're all adults and a new generation of youths have arrived, but we still find ourselves drawn to the basement (because there's usually more room down there). Games have always been a part of the Christmas tradition in a small way. One Christmas Eve, a friend of mine introduced us to the card game Mao, which I refuse to ever play again. When Apples to Apples first entered the scene, we played it almost as much as The Muppet Christmas Carol. This was replaced, of course, by Cards Against Humanity, which we've played in some form or another every year since.

Some games work well, and others don't. Jeff and I have tried introducing different types of games each holiday with varying degrees of success. One Night Ultimate Werewolf did great. Resistance: Avalon did not. Telestrations, introduced to us by a family member, was a huge hit. Wits & Wagers was a flop. Jeff in particular has a lot of experience introducing people to the hobby, and even gives tips on buying games for people in one of our past posts. But playing games during the holidays is not about the games themselves, but ensuring that everyone has a fun and memorable evening.

Gaming is not the center of my holiday tradition of course, but it's one of those things that I love to share with friends and family when I can. Are there any gaming traditions you have with your friends and family during the holidays? Let us know! Drop a comment down below or on our Facebook page. But now what you've all been waiting for...

Holiday Giveaway Winner

Our holiday giveaway closed last week, and a winner has been drawn! With 71 users submitting 952 entries, I declare the contest a complete success. Our winner comes to us from Independence, Missouri. Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to congratulate James Orr for winning three holiday-themed games! Thank you for your entries, James! I hope these games bring you a lot of joy this holiday season. And thank you to everyone who participated! We'll let everyone know the next time we do a giveaway!

Next week is our last full week before 2017, and we've got a few special end-of-the-year posts lined up, but in the meantime we wish you all a Happy Holiday!