New Family Tradition: Lights Out Family Fun Night

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by Mom It Forward on December 8th, 2011 | No Comments »

How is this for an idea for a new tradition: turning the lights off? Whether as a means of adding appreciation for existing gifts (such as power) during the holidays, or adding excitement to counter the post-holiday letdown, spending an intentional evening without power but with whatever exciting things that necessitates can give rise to a unique way to spend time together. I came across this idea on FreshTakes.msn.com.

The Ingram family has three young children and they came up with the idea of a Lights Out Family Fun Night when they noticed how excited their kids were when their neighborhood had a black out a while back.

Now, mom Cheryl and dad Robert plan these occasional evenings ahead of time by surreptitiously putting out candles, flashlights, lots of glowsticks, and games, and picking up or making a meal beforehand that doesn't require much heat or refrigeration. Then, Robert slips out and flips the breaker without the kids noticing, and a Lights Out night is born! They break out the glowsticks, play hide-and-seek, and spread a blanket out on the front room floor on which to enjoy their dinner together.

This tradition could work for families with kids of all ages, with adaptation of course. Personally, I'm a big fan of reading books and playing games. My favorites are Mad Gab and Nertz. Nertz is in fact a card game my siblings and parents and I traditionally play when we get together for family events, because it's fast-paced and everyone can be involved. It's basically competitive solitaire and the more decks of cards involved, the faster the game goes.