It’s that time of year again, the eggnog will be flowing, the carolers caroling, the chestnuts roasting, and the relatives are on their way. Don’t panic! This is your gaming guide for the holidays .

We all know the holidays can be stressful times. With all the merry-making, gift-giving, and people who don’t really like each other trying to fake it, you need to have a clear plan of escape. But wait, before you reach for that bottle of vodka how about you try some gaming instead? There are two main categories of holiday gaming to serve as a respite from the stilted conversation that invariably creeps into the downtime between meals. First, and possibly most in line with the holiday spirit, there is communal gaming. Casual games can be a great way to get the family together. Surely there has been no shortage of grandmas attempting Wii bowling as of late, so why not jump on the wagon? Worse thing that can happen is grandma breaks a hip and let’s face it, that will really spice up the holidays.

Casual gaming isn’t limited to flailing with a Wii remote, there are games on other systems that non-gamers can master. The key is to make the best with what you have and to come prepared. How about getting the family into Rock Band or Guitar Hero? With a little cajoling you can get even the staunchest luddite among you to belt out a song on the mic, sometimes the trick is getting it back afterward. The important thing is to avoid competitive games, unless you’re a family of Quakers something will go down. Go ahead and light that time-fuse if you want, but you’ve been warned.

Alternatively, if your family isn’t the type to play together you still have gaming options. Games can be a useful tool for ignoring people completely. As a youth I would see one of my cousin’s once a year. Though we are close in age we had relatively nothing in common, so once the conversation ran out (about five minutes) I would sit myself in front of my current console. You see, to make matters worse he wasn’t into video games. Rather than let that hold me back I just put in some quality time with a good single player game. I still have fond memories of him watching me play FFVII and Ocarina of Time for hours until it was time for him to go. This may seem like it could be boring for the other party involved but this is no time to be selfless!

One hang up to the solitary gaming gambit is the handheld device. Many relatives will not have a problem trying to engage you in conversation while you’re playing your DS, PSP, or what have you. This is because many older people will just assume it’s an iPod, especially if you’re wearing headphones, and will be more curious than put off. These inquisitive relatives will then want you to show them what the device does. Do not fall into this trap! During the holidays portable gaming should be strictly limited to the bathroom. Just make sure to let out a groan every few minutes that way you can feign bowel troubles and justify forty-minute trips to your closet of solitude.

So remember, be smart, come prepared, and don’t try to be a hero. Good luck and happy holidays.

-Matt Frank

Tags: DS, Guitar Hero, PSP, Rock Band

Subscribe to the Check Your HUD RSS Feed