Snatch Bingo - much more fun than Christmas crackers!

jap200

Yes this thread really is 5 years old but it's seasonal so gets resurected each year - so don't let that put you off!

For a bit of fun around the Christmas dinner table last year we play a game called Snatch Bingo which was dreamt up by a friend (or so she claims anyway).

Christmas/Family version
We have a family gathering of 15 people (aged 4-70), so throughout the year I gather together a collection of 20+ small gifts - all costing less than £1 (with many costing a lot less if you are a billy bargain hunter like me). The idea is to have a few more gifts than people.

The gifts are wrapped up, using paper which either gives some idea of the content (e.g pink for a little girl's type gift or grown-up paper/newspaper for an alcoholic miniature)- or disguises them for more of a surprise.

The idea is that everyone gets given a strip of 5 raffle tickets with the other half of the pairs of numbers being put in a pot.

All the gifts are put in a pile on the middle of the table and the organiser begins pulling out the numbers. When your number is called you can take a gift from the pile. When all the gifts are gone (and some people will have two by now) and your number is called, you take one from someone else (this is where the 'snatch' comes in, although if little kids are playing we have the rule that you can only 'snatch' from someone who has two gifts, so that no one is left empty-handed.

The game keeps going with the gifts being 'snatched' or passed around until the last number has been called. At this point everyone can open their gift.

If you wrap them cleverly, some gifts will be perceived as being 'better' (the biggest one in the case of the kids) and will end up being passed around many times -hopefully with lots of shrieking and laughter (and hopefully not tantrums).

It is an excellet way of using up those slightly ecclectic 'bargains' that you might pick up through the year, but don't end up being used.



Last year the gifts included (with an idea of bargain prices paid):

• a pink sparkly bendy pencil and various other items from Claires Accessories (bargain bags of 10 items for £2)
• a miniature bottle of port (last minute 75% reduction in Sainsburys Xmas gifts)
• a cake mix (a BOGOF offer at some point)
• wind-up bath toy (around 50p from somewhere)
• mini photo frame (59p Sainsburys)
• a water pistol (37p end of summer Wilko bargain)
• a scented candle (10p Tesco bargain)
• a few items of make-up (from various No.7 gift-with-purchase)
• handcream (reduced bargain from Boots)
• A pack of ping pong balls (10p Wilko bargain)
• a pair of magic gloves that stretch to any size (50p from QS)
• The BIG prize was a musical singing chick stuffed toy (99p bargain from Amazon)

Alternative grown-ups version- with possible fund-raising opportunity
I first played snatch bingo at a 'girls' night out where we had 20 women and only 5 gifts. We had to buy our raffle tickets (for charity). Rather than the usual raffle where you only pull out the first few tickets until the prizes are gone, you just keep going with the prizes being 'snatched' left, right and centre. The prize dressed up as a bottle of wine turned out to be sparkling water with a drab-looking wrapped box turning out to be lovely fresh cream truffles.

Pisces

What a fantastic idea - thanks!

jackomdj

what a great idea!

sarahf191979

What a Fab idea. I will be pinching this one. I've printed it off and stuffed it in my Holiday Grand Plan!!!

My kids love raffles and I've loads of bits in the cupboard to begging to be wrapped up for this game.

Thankyopu so much for sharing.

mary43

Brilliant idea that !:j

jap200

I'm glad that others are enjoying this idea. I actually enjoy the challenge of finding the bargains too.

Bargains I have nabbed so far for this years Snatch Bingo:

• A selction of 5 items for £1 in Staples (includes pencil sharpeners etc. and a cute magnetic notepad with kittens on)
• Water blaster - 37p from Tesco summer range (they also have other summer things for under £1)
• Flying super-hero monkey - 99p from The Works (looks the same as ones that are £5 or so from Play, IWWOT and Firebox)
• Tinkerbell flashing pen with fluffy bit on - reduced to 37p in Tesco
• Mini hand-held fan - 49p Sainsburys
• Little sachet/bubble of bubble bath with Thomas the Tank Engine on - around 50p in Sainsburys

Still looking out for other things - preferably fun things if anyone spots any good bargains - suitable for adults or children (boys/girls/both)

jap200

Managed to find my old thread - thought it was timely to bump it a bit.

I have had great fun gathering some things together for this years snatch bingo - especially since a new Poundland opened in town.

I set myself the challenge this year that all gifts should be (well under if poss) £1 in value. The lates additions are:

Grow your own peanut plant (poundland....£1)
Peppa pig squirty soap in a can (Wilko 59p bargain basket)
Battery operated hole puncher (70p Woolworths sale - rrp £5)

Need a few more ideas if anyone has any - preferably that would suit any age or gender.

craftlady

So glad you bumped this. Was expecting to trawl through pages and pages. We will be playing this over the holiday. Thank you for the idea.:T

mac-n-me

A brilliant idea and one I will try for sure. Thanks for that.

poppet

Oh I remember playing this at Ann Summers parties years ago - hillarious!

jap200

Just a seasonal bump for this - time to start searching for cheap unusual pressies. Fortunately our Woolies has turned into a 99p store so lots to choose from this year.