Halloween has been and gone. Your spooky skeleton lawn ornaments and fake blood are now packed away for another year, and you’ve eaten so much pumpkin that you’re afraid you’ll turn into one.
The countdown to Christmas and New Year is well underway, with just a matter of weeks before many of us take a much-needed break from the chaos and stresses of life to put our feet up and enjoy some quality time with loved ones.
For many people, this means kicking back to play some games. Some of us will do it alone, enjoying single-player modes or competing with others online, while others will play together as they gather around a table or the TV.
But if you’re looking for inspiration for something new to play this holiday season, look no further than these epic suggestions.
Blackjack
Card games are a Christmas classic with most of us enjoying a few rounds of Go Fish, Crazy Eights, or Gin Rummy at some point. Another popular card game that is played across continents and cultures is blackjack.
It is a casino classic that has evolved over several centuries, taking on different names and seeing many variations of its rules created over that time. Today, most people are familiar with the game thanks to online casinos that have developed a range of different titles for their players to choose from. For example, PokerStars Casino has four options, including classic, premium, and high roller versions that cater to players with different skill levels and bankrolls.
Thanks to apps and websites, it’s possible to enjoy blackjack practically anywhere at any time through an online casino like this. Alternatively, you can set up your own blackjack table at home with just a deck of cards and some chips. You can even take it in turns to be the dealer and see who can accumulate the biggest pile of chips.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Technically, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is the sixth CoD game to feature the ‘Modern Warfare’ name, but let’s set that aside. This title is the latest instalment in the legendary series from Activision.
Available for both current and previous generation consoles, as well as PC, Modern Warfare III brings a mix of old and new, with 16 remastered maps from previous Call of Duty releases, as well as a total of 12 new ones that will be released post-launch.
If you’re planning to play alone, there is an entirely new campaign mode that sees you take on a private military company as they attack bases across the world.
Alternatively, there are several multiplayer modes that you can enjoy with friends, including an open-world Zombies option.
Monopoly
No Christmas is complete without an entirely overblown argument about a game of Monopoly. You, no doubt, have an old Monopoly game hiding somewhere in a drawer that you can wipe the dust from.
Alternatively, you could opt to mix things up a little this holiday season and purchase one of the many special editions of Monopoly that have been released just this year, often to coincide with movie releases or to celebrate milestones of legendary TV shows.
Some of the most popular options for 2023 include The Super Mario Bros. Movie Monopoly game, which lets you choose your favourite Mario character to act as your counter, while the rules of the game are mixed up thanks to the introduction of Warp Pipes that let you choose a different space to spawn on.
Alternatively, if you’re a fan of The Simpsons, then The Simpsons Monopoly board game will be right up your street. You can play as one of several legendary Simpsons characters, including Bart, Homer, and Santa’s Little Helper as you move around this 2D recreation of Springfield.
If neither of these options take your fancy, don’t worry. You’ll be sure to find one that you’ll enjoy as there are more than 1,500 different versions of the legendary board game on the market.