Happy October everyone, how is your fall progressing? Are you gearing up for the holidays or are you just enjoying the wonderful weather out there. This post is all about having fun hosting a progressive card game. Read on for the details.
I am sure that you know Halloween is right around the corner. You are probably busy planning all those cute costumes and getting ready for all the kid fun, but why should the kids have all the fun?
What are YOU going to do this year? Well, if you are a parent of young children, I’m pretty sure that you will be dressing those kiddos up and shlepping them from house to house to get their lifetime allotment of candy in one night.
But what if you don’t have young children or what if you want to celebrate with just adults on a night near the big scary day? If you’re like some, you might be a little bit at a loss for what to do.
Here are some ideas:
- host a Murder Mystery Party
- host a ghouls night in
- go on a Halloween scavenger hunt
- have a pumpkin carving contest
- host a scary movie night
- gather a few friends and go to the local corn maze.
Maybe you have already done or tried all those things, or they don’t sound like your style, have no fear – I’ve got a great idea for you.
Be thinking about your best costume, get a pen and paper ready, and be ready to write some specifics down.
Since we no longer have children of trick or treating age, each year around the weekend nearest to October 31st, my husband and I enjoy an evening of food, costumes, and fun. We host a potluck dinner followed by a progressive Hand & Foot card game, Halloween style.
I can hear it now; you think that it is going to be a lot of work and you are not going to enjoy yourself. Wrong! These parties are easy to plan, set up, and you will enjoy the evening just a much as your guests.
1 – How to Plan a Progressive Card Game Night
Start with a guest list. Since we play the Hand & Foot card game there is only room for 6 couples or 12 people total.
Start with a list of 12 couples or 20 people. I usually send my invitations out at the beginning of October and specifically say that there are enough spots for 6 couples and the first 6 couples to respond will receive the final invitation with all the details. Over inviting usually guarantees that all table spots are filled. Folks are busy and you will need every table spot filled so that all can play. This is why it is a good idea to over invite.
So, who should you invite?
- People that like to have fun.
- Folks interested in meeting some new friends.
- Individuals who like to play games.
- Friends and Family that you regularly spend time with.
2 – Planning the Menu for a Progressive Card Game Night
The menu is the easiest part of the night. I simply make the main dish, usually, a roast in the crock pot, or a pot of stew or soup. Then I have everyone bring their favorite side dish. Also, each couple is responsible for bringing their favorite game snack.
We have had everything from bowls of oranges, chips and dip, candy, popcorn, to spicy snacks.
There is usually a wide variety of things to choose from and everyone brings their favorite so you can be sure the food is amazing.
3 — Setting up a Progressive Card Game
Setting up is easy. You need three different tables. I set up our dining room table, the breakfast nook table, and one other card table in a different room. If you don’t have this much space, you could use your dining table and set up other card tables around the room.
Each table will need:
- 4 decks of face card playing cards. (You can buy cases of cards from Amazon or Costco.)
- 4 pencils or pens.
- 1 card Shuffler. (Found on Amazon) – Optional
- A copy of house rules and points.
4 – Playing the Game
Each person is handed an already numbered score sheet with the number of rounds, which numbers are partners, and which table they are at. See example below:
You can buy pads of these score sheets at CardTallies.com
Each person then goes to their assigned table and play begins.
At the end of the round players add up their scores. After all individual scores are tallied, each player then moves to the next round at their next assigned table according to their number.
I think that this is the best part because each round you are partners with a different person. This gives everyone a chance to meet and get to know each other.
That’s it. All that is left, is for you to have fun. Oh, and if you have never played Hand & Foot check out this website for all you need to know.
Here is a Hand & Foot Tutorial. You can also tweak the rules to fit your group.
5 – End of the Night
After the final round is played, each person adds up their individual scores from each round. Prizes are awarded to the player with the most overall points and to the player with the least overall points. After the game is over you can disperse or stick around for some more food and drink. Either way it is a fun evening for all and sure to become an annual event.
We have done this for the past five years and I already have folks asking me when this year’s event will take place.
Also, if Hand & Foot doesn’t sound like your type of game, you can adapt this format to any type of four player partner card game such as Euchre or Pinochle.
So, what are you waiting for? Make this year’s Halloween weekend spectacular by hosting your own progressive card night. Get started on your guest list today and have a blast playing this fun and family-friendly game.
As always, thanks for reading. If you have any comments or suggestions, please drop me a message.
xooxoo
Julie
