| One of the most fun -- and occasionally dreaded | | | | words. There's a reason why hundreds of people |
| -- parts of a bridal shower are the games. | | | | flock to bingo halls on a weekly basis -- it's |
| Although they're meant to be bonding | | | | freakishly fun. Leave the anthropologists to |
| experiences, bridal shower games aren't for | | | | wonder why, and just roll with it. |
| everyone ... and if your gal group meets | | | | Bingo Redux |
| exclusively for cosmos and indie jazz, you might | | | | One of the funniest variations on Bridal Shower |
| want to skip them. | | | | Bingo is to give guests blank cards and have |
| But the fact is, bridal shower games serve a | | | | them fill it out with predictions of what gifts the |
| purpose. No matter how familiar or | | | | bride will get. |
| unsophisticated they might seem, they still serve | | | | Or for another twist, fill your cards with titles of |
| as icebreakers. And icebreakers are especially | | | | songs relating to love and romance, and then play |
| useful if your shower combines guests from | | | | 10 second snippets from a CD you've burned |
| different walks of life. A shower might toss the | | | | ahead of time. This gives your guests the double |
| bride's work friends together with her hometown | | | | challenge of identifying what they're hearing, and |
| friends and a handful of relatives -- and these | | | | crossing off the titles. Choose a sweet |
| groups probably don't know each other -- but an | | | | Starbucks-y combo of Cole Porter, Diana Krall, |
| icebreaker can bring them together (of course, so | | | | Ray Charles, and obscure Beatles tunes. It's fun |
| can a few chilled bottles of Veuve Clicquot). | | | | and cool. |
| So if your guest list is a mixed bag of ages, | | | | Kiss George Clooney |
| backgrounds, tastes and styles, here are some | | | | You could also "kiss the groom," but why not kiss |
| true-blue games that will bring your shower | | | | George Clooney instead? |
| through with flying colors. | | | | Take a sturdy board, and staple on a men's shirt |
| Bridal Shower Bingo | | | | and pants combo from the thrift store. Draw in |
| One of the most popular is, of course, Bridal | | | | the hands and shoes, and glue on a life-sized |
| Shower Bingo. To play this game, dream up a list | | | | printout of George Clooney's winsome face. Have |
| of words for each bingo card that relates to | | | | each guest apply a healthy dose of lipstick. Now |
| weddings, wedding gifts, the bride herself, or | | | | blindfold her, turn her around three times, and |
| romance. For the cards themselves, arrange a | | | | have her try to kiss George Clooney on the lips. |
| grid of squares in your favorite desktop publisher, | | | | The closest kisser wins a prize (how about an |
| placing each word or phrase in its own square. | | | | inexpensive autographed photo from the man |
| Make the center square "free" (you're just | | | | himself? Try eBay). The rest get to dream. |
| generous that way). Or just grab some of those | | | | Lottery Tickets |
| no-cost, printable bridal bingo cards from the | | | | Fast and simple, not too costly, and who knows? |
| internet. | | | | Someone might go home with special memories ... |
| Give each guest their own card. Or if you really | | | | to her new penthouse suite. It could happen! |
| want to press home the icebreaker effect, get | | | | Purse Pursuit |
| two guests to share one. | | | | Or try a scavenger hunt -- through a purse. In |
| Next, print out your word selection with lots of | | | | this game, give your guests a list of things you |
| letter spacing so you can cut up the sheet into | | | | might find in one. Guests mark off items for |
| strips and toss them in a basket. | | | | points as they hunt through their own purses. |
| Finally, have the hostess act as the caller. She'll pull | | | | Give expected items (aspirin, cosmetics, mints) a |
| the words out of the basket and call them out. | | | | few points. Hand out higher points for odder |
| Once a player gets a complete marked-off line of | | | | objects (tiny airline liquor bottles, a granola bar, |
| words, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, | | | | crochet hooks, a Canadian coin). Award really high |
| she shouts out "Bingo" (or "Bride") in return for a | | | | points for random items that might show up in a |
| prize. | | | | purse (a rock, toilet paper, chopsticks). |
| Uncool, you say? Angelina Jolie would never be | | | | If all this seems too complicated, weigh each |
| caught dead playing Bridal Shower Bingo? Maybe, | | | | purse and hand out a prize to the heaviest |
| but you'd be surprised how jiggy things get when | | | | handbag -- since a gift certificate to an orthopedic |
| you turn up the music and start calling out those | | | | specialist probably won't fit your budget. |