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Now that the first snowfall of the season and the holiday shopping rush have occurred, it’s official. Winter is here. If you’re not in Florida or Southern California, that means you will probably be going out a lot less, and it’s only a matter of time before cabin fever has you bored with scrolling through your Netflix faves. Instead of going stir crazy with the winter blues, or obsessing over random folks’ IG accounts, step away from the technology and go old school with a little hand-to-hand combat. No, I’m not talking about joining a fight club. Think back to summer camps and nanna’s house. What did you do for fun? Game night. Nowadays, folks are so glued to smartphones that we forget how much fun we can have without them. Don’t be that dude. Here are five essential games to stock in your own crib—or gift—this holiday season.
My Card Decks – Black Excellence Edition, $7.99
Whether your game is Spades, Poker, Tonk or Gin Rummy, playing cards are a staple in every household. Instead of playing with the same old vanilla faces, get some chocolate in your life with the Black Excellence Edition of My Card Decks. The brand’s homepage says it all: “The goal of the Black Excellence Edition is to reflect the modern-day black person in all of our glory — with as many different facial features, complexions, hair types and hair styles that we could fit within a 54 standard playing cards deck. Showing our beauty and diversity in a way that only we can when we own the narrative.” SAY YES to Black kings and queens!
Rhyme Antics, $25
Rhyme Antics is a rhyming vocabulary game inspired by hip-hop and the love of the English language. Think “Catch Phrase” meets karaoke, while you freestyle in proper English only. Part educational, part entertainment (but let’s be honest— mostly entertainment), you’ll get to see how creative your friends are and just how many words they know… and how good they are freestyling off the dome. Choose from different vocabulary levels and soundtracks for added jokes.
House Party The Game, $25
It’s not up for debate, the ’90s was the golden era of Black culture and entertainment—the music, film and television shows shaped the pop culture today. But the ’90s was also, oh-so-long ago. How much do you truly remember? Test your knowledge with “the ultimate pop culture trivia game throwing it back to the best in black music, movies, tv, and moments”, House Party The Game.
Girls Night Out, $16
From the creators of the infamous Black Card Revoked comes a new adult party game that celebrates the hilarious WTF moments of womanhood, life, pop culture, and the workplace with humor and debate. Girls Night Out is perfect for a girls night in— full of laughs and embarrassing stories, the card game will both expose some stuff you never thought you’d tell anyone, but also thicken the bond between you and your BFFs. Multiple choice questions include, “What’s the worst when you’re on your period?,” “What might your grandmother call her vagina?,” and, “When do you know she’s really your best friend?”. This can get scandalous!
We Travel In Color – Adult Coloring Book,$15.99
With Instagram pages like Soul Society 101, Black & Abroad and My Travel Crush providing daily travel inspo to Black travelers around the world, travel bucket lists are growing longer by the minute. There’s no better time to round up your squad and start planning out your 2018 travels than the new year. Instead of FaceTiming your friends complaining about the cold and reminiscing about summer memories, invite everyone over to your spot for a sip and, in this case, color. Let your creativity run wild with We Travel in Color as you throw back a cocktail or three, and color in magnificent photos from Black travelers who are doing the damn thing.
