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How to Play Christmas Rush
Object of the Game: This is an elimination game similar to "musical chairs," but played like the popular card game "Spoons." The objective of the game is to assemble a set of four identical cards and to be the only remaining player with a Christmas token.
How to Play: Choose a dealer. Place the Christmas tokens (the double-sided punched-out game pieces) in the center of the game table and arrange them in a small circle within easy reach of all players. The number of Christmas tokens placed in the center of the table will always be one less than the number of participating players (for example, seven players = six Christmas tokens). Remove unused Christmas tokens from the game table.
The dealer shuffles the deck thoroughly and deals four cards facedown to each player. Then, the dealer places the rest of the deck facedown on their right, creating a single draw pile. Players may pick up and look at their cards, but they must not show them to others.
The game begins with all players, including the dealer, QUICKLY and SIMULTANEOUSLY passing a single unwanted card from their hand, sliding it facedown on the game table, to the player on their left. Players then pick up this new card (with the dealer taking a new card from the draw pile) and quickly pass another unwanted card from their hand, facedown, to the player on their left, and so on. Cards will begin to pile up next to slower players. When this happens, other players should encourage them to pick up the pace!
Note: Players do not need to keep the card they just picked up, but at no time during this process can they have less than three or more than four cards in their hand. The last player does not pass a card back to the dealer but instead places their discard in a facedown pile to their left. If the dealer’s draw pile runs out, they can use the last player’s discard pile as the new draw pile.
Cards are QUICKLY and CONTINUOUSLY picked up and passed around the game table until a player assembles a set of four identical cards (for example, four 7s, four 9s, four 12s, etc.) and takes one Christmas token from the center of the table while shouting “Christmas Rush!” The remaining players then race (but without hurting themselves or others) to take one Christmas token from the center of the game table. The player who fails to get a Christmas token is out of the game.
Note: Players without a set of four identical cards may not touch or take a Christmas token until a player with four identical cards touches a token or says “Christmas Rush.”
Once a player has been eliminated, remove one Christmas token from the game and return the rest to the center of the table. For example, if there are six remaining players, place five Christmas tokens in the center of the table. The deal then passes to the player on the dealer’s left, the deck is shuffled, and the next hand is dealt. The game continues in this manner until only one player remains, who then becomes the winner.
Special Action Cards
1) Say-it Cards: Double-sided cards with a mouth in the top left corner are say-it cards. Whenever a player discards one from their hand, they must loudly say the words written on the card. For example, as a player passes the Santa say-it card to the player on their left, they must say, "Ho ho ho!”
There are five total say-it cards:
Snowman – a player says, “Merry Christmas!” when passed.
Scrooge – a player says, “Bah, humbug!” when passed.
Santa – a player says, “Ho ho ho!” when passed.
Champagne glasses – a player says, “Cheers!” when passed.
Woman in party hat – a player says, “Happy New Year!” when passed.
2) Sing Card: The double-sided card with a musical note in the top left corner and an image of a woman singing into a microphone is the sing card. Whenever a player discards the sing card from their hand, they must loudly name any Christmas song or sing some lyrics (words) from a Christmas song. For example, as a player passes the sing card to the player on their left, they must name a Christmas song like "Jingle Bells" or "Deck the Halls," or they can sing a few lyrics from a Christmas song such as "Fa la la la la," "Sleigh bells ring," or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose." (There is only one sing card, and players do not need to sing an entire Christmas song when they pass this card.)
Cheating and Ornery Play: If a player cheats, becomes overly aggressive, or turns into a Scrooge during gameplay, they not only lose the game but also earn a spot on Santa’s naughty list. Better luck next year!
How to Play: Choose a dealer. Place the Christmas tokens (the double-sided punched-out game pieces) in the center of the game table and arrange them in a small circle within easy reach of all players. The number of Christmas tokens placed in the center of the table will always be one less than the number of participating players (for example, seven players = six Christmas tokens). Remove unused Christmas tokens from the game table.
The dealer shuffles the deck thoroughly and deals four cards facedown to each player. Then, the dealer places the rest of the deck facedown on their right, creating a single draw pile. Players may pick up and look at their cards, but they must not show them to others.
The game begins with all players, including the dealer, QUICKLY and SIMULTANEOUSLY passing a single unwanted card from their hand, sliding it facedown on the game table, to the player on their left. Players then pick up this new card (with the dealer taking a new card from the draw pile) and quickly pass another unwanted card from their hand, facedown, to the player on their left, and so on. Cards will begin to pile up next to slower players. When this happens, other players should encourage them to pick up the pace!
Note: Players do not need to keep the card they just picked up, but at no time during this process can they have less than three or more than four cards in their hand. The last player does not pass a card back to the dealer but instead places their discard in a facedown pile to their left. If the dealer’s draw pile runs out, they can use the last player’s discard pile as the new draw pile.
Cards are QUICKLY and CONTINUOUSLY picked up and passed around the game table until a player assembles a set of four identical cards (for example, four 7s, four 9s, four 12s, etc.) and takes one Christmas token from the center of the table while shouting “Christmas Rush!” The remaining players then race (but without hurting themselves or others) to take one Christmas token from the center of the game table. The player who fails to get a Christmas token is out of the game.
Note: Players without a set of four identical cards may not touch or take a Christmas token until a player with four identical cards touches a token or says “Christmas Rush.”
Once a player has been eliminated, remove one Christmas token from the game and return the rest to the center of the table. For example, if there are six remaining players, place five Christmas tokens in the center of the table. The deal then passes to the player on the dealer’s left, the deck is shuffled, and the next hand is dealt. The game continues in this manner until only one player remains, who then becomes the winner.
Special Action Cards
1) Say-it Cards: Double-sided cards with a mouth in the top left corner are say-it cards. Whenever a player discards one from their hand, they must loudly say the words written on the card. For example, as a player passes the Santa say-it card to the player on their left, they must say, "Ho ho ho!”
There are five total say-it cards:
Snowman – a player says, “Merry Christmas!” when passed.
Scrooge – a player says, “Bah, humbug!” when passed.
Santa – a player says, “Ho ho ho!” when passed.
Champagne glasses – a player says, “Cheers!” when passed.
Woman in party hat – a player says, “Happy New Year!” when passed.
2) Sing Card: The double-sided card with a musical note in the top left corner and an image of a woman singing into a microphone is the sing card. Whenever a player discards the sing card from their hand, they must loudly name any Christmas song or sing some lyrics (words) from a Christmas song. For example, as a player passes the sing card to the player on their left, they must name a Christmas song like "Jingle Bells" or "Deck the Halls," or they can sing a few lyrics from a Christmas song such as "Fa la la la la," "Sleigh bells ring," or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose." (There is only one sing card, and players do not need to sing an entire Christmas song when they pass this card.)
Cheating and Ornery Play: If a player cheats, becomes overly aggressive, or turns into a Scrooge during gameplay, they not only lose the game but also earn a spot on Santa’s naughty list. Better luck next year!
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