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- A twist on tradition
A twist on tradition
Curious? Come on in...
Perle Laouenan
June 21, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Hello, hello,
Last year, my mum turned 70. To celebrate, she invited the entire family to a house in France. Being one of seven sisters, this meant a lot of family—three generations of it.
After many years of French gatherings, I know the formula like the back of my hand. We spend our days walking, playing card games, and preparing food for the evening. The evening meals are light and simple, enjoyed outside on long tables. Once the tables are cleared, the dancing begins. My aunts grew up dancing rock and roll, and we, the next generation, follow their lead in earnest. And so it goes, like this, for four days in a row.
These gatherings feel like home. Yet, when my mum told me about the plan, I wanted to challenge myself to build a new experience into this well-laid-out formula. So I asked her: Can you give me one evening to prepare a games night?
The more time I spend designing experiences in my work life, the more I realize how necessary it is in every aspect of my life. To the point where my friends have begun to roll their eyes at me, stating, “Perle, are you about to facilitate this dinner party?”
Yes, my dear friends, I am. Because in the end, I know, and you know deep down, that bringing playful elements into any gathering will increase the laughter, the connection, and how present we all are, tenfold.
TRY THESE AT YOUR NEXT GATHERING
Blind Portrait Drawing
This is a creative game, great for dinner parties, where you pair people up to draw each other’s portraits without looking at the paper. 2 minutes per round.
Fishbowl
Fishbowl is a fun, fast-paced game that combines elements of Charades, Taboo, and Password. It's perfect for groups and requires minimal setup.
The Empathy Game
There are many versions of card games which invite story telling and sharing based on prompt questions. The Empathy Game is one of them. I now carry a pack of prompt questions with me whereveer I go. It helps bring conversation to another level.
Musical Chairs
This works with all groups. Trust me.
So, there we were in the heart of France—20 family members ranging from 1 to 84. I kicked off the games night with a warm-up game of Fishbowl. But the showstopper, without fail, was musical chairs.
I underestimated how competitive my aunts, aged 68-79, could be. My younger cousins didn’t stand a chance. As the numbers dwindled, the laughter in the room grew louder. Family members were getting booted left and right, no one holding back.
In the final round, it was down to myself and my mum’s youngest sister.
The next morning, my aunt greeted me with, “I came to win. But I hadn’t accounted for your hips.”
And so it goes—the game of musical chairs that will forever be remembered as the most legendary evening we’ve spent as a family in years.
As we head into summer holidays, where you may be spending time with friends and family, I challenge you to bring more intentionality into your gatherings.
And of course, a game of musical chairs.
Curiously connecting,
Always,
Perle
P.S. With it being summer, I’m dialing down on NeedWorkshop events. I look forward to sharing a new program full of workshops from September onwards.
