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Gifts for the Gang!

The big day is almost here! If you'll be visiting friends and family during the holidays, you may want to arrive with a gift in hand that can be enjoyed by the whole group. Bringing a new game or puzzle to share will be truly appreciated.  Give the gift of fun and create happy memories for years to come.

Puzzles

Many families set up a card table and tackle jigsaw puzzles during the holidays. We have puzzles of varying levels of difficulty from the simplest for very young children to 2000 piece behemoths.

eeBoo Koala House 64 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

If you'll be spending time with a group of younger children, give them a puzzle to work on together. A 64 piece puzzle can keep them occupied and even cooperating. The eeBoo Koala House 64 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle shows a cutaway view of lively home where a polar bear and zebra are having a two person dance party, an artistic bear is painting a portrait of the koala hostess, while other animals are reading, making music, waiting for dinner and doing a puzzle! There's lots of variety in the image that will make the puzzle both fun and easier for kids to put together with or without your help. The finished puzzle is 15in x 15 in.

Mudpuppy Dinosaurs Illuminated 500 Piece Glow in the Dark Family Jigsaw Puzzle

Here's a 500 piece puzzle that was created for families. The Mudpuppy Dinosaurs Illuminated Glow in the Dark Family Jigsaw Puzzle is made for adults and kids to work on together. That the subject is colorful dinosaurs, beloved by many kids, is a definite plus. And when the puzzle is complete, turn out the lights and the dinosaurs' glowing skeletons will be revealed!  Ask a few leading questions and kids will be happy to share their knowledge of dinosaurs with you. The finished puzzle is 20in x 20in.

eeBoo A Rainbow World 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

If you're looking for a puzzle that's made for adults and one that kids will have fun you helping with, consider the eeBoo A Rainbow World 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle. The artist, Kelsey Oseid, has filled the puzzle with over 100 colorful creatures arranged in rainbow order. Each animal is named. Many you'll know, but others may be new to you. With so many animals included in the puzzle, kids can search for the two or three pieces that make up an individual like the Red Fox, Luna Moth, the Fairy Bluebird, Thrasher Shark or the Variable Harlequin Frog! The finished puzzle measures 23in x 23in.

EuroGraphics Peruvian Blankets Jigsaw Puzzle

If your family and friends include jigsaw puzzle masters, they may enjoy taking on the challenge of EuroGraphics Peruvian Blankets Jigsaw Puzzle. The layers of vivid color and pattern combined with the woven textures of this stack of Alpaca blankets will require careful examination of pieces and the puzzle picture to locate the proper placement of each piece. This is a 1000 piece puzzle so the group may be working on it for a while.  The finished puzzle measures 19.5in x 26.5in.

Games

Games are another way to immerse the group in holiday fun. Card games and dominoes are classics, while a good board game can combine chance, strategic thinking and bold moves for a dramatic finish.  Other games may depend more on memory and quick wits. So gather together your fun-loving family and friends and let the games begin!

Great Outdoors Playing Cards

Who knows how many card games there are in the world. Some are easy like War and Go Fish. Others are more complicated and challenging like Poker and Bridge. Traditional playing cards are fairly simple but we like decks that give each card its own individual image like the Great Outdoors Playing Cards. These are nature-themed with the four suits represented by trees, flowing water, majestic mountains and the expansive sky. The deck comes packed in a wooden box for safe keeping. You'll also find playing cards themed with Star Wars, constellations, and the Moon at Whole Earth.

Spin Master Mexican Train Dominoes

Does your holiday group play Mexican Train? If not, this might be a good time to introduce them to this venerable dominoes game. It can be played by as few as two or up to eight people. Played with a set of 91 double twelve dominoes, the game is easy to learn and has a strategic element that makes it challenging and fun for all ages. This set comes in an aluminum carrying case for easy transport and storage. It also includes nine colorful trains, a station and instructions for playing the game. If you suddenly have a crowd on hand and need a good group activity, this Mexican Train set will serve you well.

Ravensburger Labyrinth Board Game 35th Anniversary Edition

Another game that the whole family may enjoy is Ravensburger's Labyrinth Board Game. Ravensburger has been making games for over 130 years. With this edition, Labyrinth celebrates its 35th Anniversary so you know that several generations have enjoyed the game. The object of Labyrinth is to collect the seven treasures that you were dealt at the beginning of the game. Collecting them is a challenge as you shift a piece of the maze to reach them and at the same time try to block other players from reaching their treasures. The labyrinth changes with each turn and every game, keeping it fresh and engaging.  

Good Game Company's Idiom Addict

Here's a game for word lovers!  The aim of Idiom Addict is to decipher Twisted Synonyms and Mixed Messages to move your playing piece towards home. For example, 'Grimy wealthy' and 'Strudel Graph' are Filthy Rich and Pie Chart. Mixed Messages work like this: 'Refer to it as 24 hours' or 'Use currency with the belief that it is cultivated from woody plant foliage' are deciphered as "Call it a day" and "Spend money as if it grows on trees.' There are 400 cards each of Twisted Synonyms and Mixed Messages with three puzzles per card. Rev up your brain and vocabulary with Idiom Addict at your next 'competitive encounter in darkness.'

So let the holiday play commence! We think that these and other puzzles and games you'll find in our stores will pass the test and become a part of your game nights and puzzle parties in the years ahead.