🎨 Christmas time with family… and board games!

At a glance:

• Rediscover the joy of family time this Christmas with board games.
• A nostalgic journey awaits, connecting generations in laughter and play, away from screens.
• Dive into the charm of Monopoly®, a classic with a twist of luxury for enthusiasts.
• This tale of tradition, luxury editions, and a surprising history invites you to create cherished moments.
• Will you roll the dice on this festive read? 🎄🎲

As Christmas usually makes us feel happy and relaxed, there's no better time to gather with loved ones and create lasting memories. It is a time for family, love, and for being together, and one of the most delightful ways to celebrate these bonds is through the simple pleasure of playing board games. In a world often dominated by screens and digital distractions, board games offer a timeless way for families to connect, laugh, and share in the true spirit of Christmas.

Childhood memories:

I remember that every Christmas, after having enormous dinner, and a few rounds of desserts, we used to sit at the table in the living room and play board games or cards. By we I mean, my sister, mother, grandmother and myself. We used to spend a lot of time over Christmas playing something and uniting 3 generations of our family (sometime even four, after my niece was born and old enough to play something).

We always had a good time, unless someone took too much time making a decision on their move (e.g. while playing Rummy waiting for the turn to finish), and the waiting time was killing us :) I also have that picture of my grandmother so eloquently cheating and exchanging her cards while no one was paying attention or checking a few cards near her to decide on the best next move… It was so lovely!

Monopoly - iconic board game:

In my home, we have always had a lot of games, but we have never had a Monopoly^® (probably because we got a game called “Fortune” which has very similar rules to Monopoly) - the most famous board game ever I suppose. But I am probably breaking the schema here for board games lovers not really playing a lot in Monopoly^®. 

Monopoly^® has its origin in the early years of the 20th century. A game with a history and with various themed editions and a pervasive cultural impact, from literature to movies, Monopoly^® stands as a symbol of joy and fun with friends, continuing to capture hearts globally around the board.

How to find a piece on luxury and uniqueness in Monopoly^® if everyone has it and plays it? For board game lovers, a great idea might be the Monopoly^® 85th Anniversary limited edition of the game, with 2,000 Swarovski crystals, including colored stones for each property space. Limited to only 500 copies and costs $999, but for sure will be out of stock soon as I bet there are many Monopoly^®’s freaks in the world that would die to get it (you can still get in here). If you are a fan, but do not want to spend that much, there is also Monopoly^® Heirloom Edition, handcrafted from wood, which you can get for $399 (available e.g. here).

Monopoly^® business outlook:

The first known version of Monopoly^®, named The Landlord's Game, was designed by Elizabeth Magie (see here the NYT article about her) and patented in 1904, but it is said that it had existed as early as 1902. However, the person that got rich thanks to Monopoly^® royalties was in fact Charles Darrow, who used an opportunity of the fact that The Landlord’s Game was self published and he patented his own version of the game naming it Monopoly^® in 1935. Then he licensed it to Parker Brothers, a large-scale family business. When Parker Brothers found out that Charles Darrow might have not been the game inventor, they decided to buy from Margie the invention patent of the Landlord’s Game for $500 and decided to continue promoting Darrow as an inventor. Over decades, ~270 million Monopoly^® copies produced in 47 different languages have been sold across 100 different countries.

Closing thoughts:

In the midst of the festive frenzy, let us not forget the true essence of Christmas – the celebration of love, family and being together. So, this Christmas, gather around the table, roll the dice, draw a card, and feel the magic of family time spent playing board games. After all, it's not just about winning or losing (although everyone loves winning!); it's about the joy of the game and the cherished moments shared with the loved ones.

Merry Christmas 🎁🎄🎅

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