H-A-P-P-Y T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G is a good ice-breaker game for your next Thanksgiving party.

Age: Adults and older children

No. of players: Large groups

Equipment: Paper and pen/pencil for each player

Time: 5+ minutes

Aim: To get signatures for each letter.

Family Games Ebooks


Each player will need a sheet of paper with the letters H-A-P-P-Y T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G written down the left hand side of the page. You ask each player to write them down or you could write them yourself before the game. Alternatively, click here for our free pre-printed sheet and make as many copies as you need.

1. Players are given a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil at the start of the game.

2. When the game begins, players must approach each other and ask for an autograph next to each of the seventeen letters on the page. Players can only sign if they have that letter in either their first name or their last name. For example, John Smith could only sign his name next to the letters H, T, N, S or I since his name does not include the letters H, A, P, Y, K, G or V.

3. You are only allowed to sign your name once for any letter, so John Smith could only sign once for the letter H even though it occurs in both Happy and Thanksgiving. This rule applies for the letters H, A, P, N, G and I. If your party does not include at least two players with any of these letters, one person may sign twice. If there any any letters without any eligible players, you could count middle names, the names of their street address or any other item (example, their dog's name).

4. The first player with signatures for each letter wins the game and may be awarded a prize (a can of alphabet soup would be suitable).

Variation 1: The player requesting a signature can say at least one thing they are thankful for before the other player will sign their sheet.

Family Games Ebooks




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