I Didn’t Overdo Christmas This Year. It Still Worked.
I was awake in the middle of the night after Christmas, yawning for no reason.
I scrolled through my phone and realized I’d only taken two photos all day.
Not the opening of gifts.
Not the food.
One was a morning photo.
The other was a box of Saltine crackers.
That’s when I realized what the tradition actually was.
The First Photo: When Things Calmed Down
For years, I’ve been that holiday host.
The one who wrapped presents like robots (I have receipts).
The one who hid gifts inside gifts inside gifts.
The one who spent hours wrapping, staging, and performing Christmas like it was a competitive sport. Instagram trophy not even necessary.
This year?
I did none of that.
I wrapped simply.
No ribbons. No bows.
I was done in an hour.
Partly because I chose to.
Mostly because there was the least stuff ever.
And instead of feeling like I was drowning during Christmas, it felt… peaceful.
That was photo one. And I got rid of my traditional tree, as you can see.
The Second Photo: A Box of Saltines
Photo two was a box of Saltine crackers.
If that doesn’t sound like the beginning of a holiday legend, stay with me.
Hosting, Not Playing (And Why That Mattered)
This year, I didn’t play the game; I hosted.
With eleven people, I wanted the teams to be even, and honestly, I wanted to watch. Dad didn’t play either, and the grandson is 4, so he couldn’t. Dad helped track categories and keep things moving, which turned out to be essential. Every good host needs a stage manager.
We played Christmas Jeopardy using Monopoly money for winnings. Calm, turn-based play. No buzzers. No yelling matches.
And the best decision we made?
Random teams.
A simple app broke up couples, mixed personalities, and paired people who might not have ever chosen each other.
The quietest and newest addition to our family absolutely basked in her own spotlight. She answered correctly, nailed wins for her teammate, and did so with calm confidence. On paper, they were one of the least likely pairings. In reality, they did well.
At the same time, my oldest two can easily dominate a room without meaning to; they both stepped back a little. I watched them let others take the spotlight. No announcements. No awkward corrections. Just awareness.
The room felt inclusive.
Wrong Answers Deserve Their Own Award
Some answers were… ambitious.
One team answered “New York” to the Home Alone question. Not “left alone.” Not “at home.” Just New York.
That was also the moment we had to ban Dad from yelling out answers so other teams could have a chance, although, to be fair, plenty of people shouted wrong answers too.
Then there was my 13-year-old, who answered “Deck the Halls” approximately six or seven times. 6–7. Are you tired of the six-sevens yet?
Never correct.
Not once.
We were all about to lose it if he decked one more hall with sixes and sevens.
The Christmas Pickle Incident (My Fault)
Everyone should’ve known the Christmas pickle question.
I own the Christmas pickle.
I’ve hung it for years.
I’ve “done the tradition” many times.
Turns out… I never explained it. (Maybe back in the beginning but it seems they needed an annual refresher.) I just quietly put it on the tree and assumed everyone noticed.
They did not.
Lesson learned.
Kids Knew What Adults Didn’t
One of my favorite moments was watching the younger kids answer questions the adults didn’t have answers to, like knowing that Santa Claus was a real saint.
There’s something incredibly grounding about watching kids be right while adults pause and rethink.
Then Came the Auction
After Jeopardy, we auctioned off wrapped, unknown gifts using Monopoly money.
This is where the night tipped into legend status.
Everyone had contributed something, from gag gifts to treats, fun prizes, and gift cards. I’m intentional about what I bring. I like choosing things I know someone will want. The real joy comes later, when the trading starts, and you realize you understood people correctly.
The most confusing prize of the night?
A box of Saltines.
I pulled it out early, and my oldest immediately said,
“Not that one yet.”
When I circled back to it, she started aggressively outbidding everyone, which instantly made everyone else want it more.
She won it.
It was revealed: just a Saltines box.
No one believed it was really just crackers, but my two youngest didn’t care. They wanted it even if it was just Saltines. One of our rules is that everything gets unwrapped at the end, and everyone gets one steal or can bargain. (Everyone bargains.)
Inside?
A punching puppet.
I don’t even have a photo of it. I didn’t fully understand what it was until my husband played with it for the grandson, and the puppet gave him knucks.
Perfection.
Monopoly Money Makes People Wild
The highest bid of the night?
1.2 million for a $50 Visa gift card.
My youngest son always goes hard and goes broke first, but he gets what he wants.
The kids spend money like it’s real money.
You’ll see someone with 3.6 million refuse to go over 200k for an Amazon card, then immediately drop 520k on unwrapped Godiva.
Couples outbid each other.
Then pool their money.
Then argue.
Then laugh.
It’s wild, but it’s cooperative.
The Real Realization
I hate giving gift cards as presents.
But this?
This is different.
I would happily put hundreds of dollars into gift cards of varying amounts if it means everyone leaves laughing, bargaining, trading, and fully engaged.
Watching it all, I thought about past me. The one who overdid everything, who equated love with excess and effort with exhaustion.
If she had seen this night, she would’ve known:
This was always enough.
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Not mountains of gifts.
Not a destroyed living room.
Not the performance of Christmas.
Just people.
Together.
Playing.
Shining.
Moral of the Story
End Christmas with an auction.
Randomize the teams.
Let people surprise you.
And absolutely, always put something in a Saltines box.
The hilarity is unmatched.
How to Build Your Own Family Jeopardy (Without Losing Your Mind)
If you’re hosting a larger family and want the fun without the shouting, here’s the exact framework that worked for us.
🎯 STEP 1: Split the Teams Randomly
This is non-negotiable if you want magic.
- Use a random team-splitter app
- Break up couples and usual alliances
- Mix ages and personalities
Why it works:
Random teams gently redistribute power. Quieter people speak up. Bigger personalities listen more. Everyone gets a turn to shine without being called out.
🎯 STEP 2: Keep Gameplay Calm (No Buzzers Needed)
Forget speed. Choose turn-based play.
- Teams take turns selecting questions.
- Give a short countdown (10 seconds works)
- No stealing answers
- The host controls the board
This keeps the energy playful instead of competitive-chaotic.
🎯 STEP 3: Use Fake Money (This Is Key)
We used Monopoly money for every correct answer.
Why fake money matters:
- Kids take it VERY seriously
- Adults become irrational in the best way
- Auction bidding gets hilarious fast
Pro tip: Give out big numbers. People act bolder with millions.
🎯 STEP 4: End With an Auction, Not More Gifts
This is where the memory happens.
- Ask everyone to bring at least one wrapped prize
- Mix in gag gifts and gift cards
- Auction everything off using game winnings
Add one rule:
Everyone unwraps at the end and gets one steal or can bargain.
(Spoiler: everyone bargains.)
🎯 STEP 5: Always Include One Questionable Item
Trust me on this.
Put something inside a Saltine box.
Or a cereal box.
Or something very obviously misleading.
It will:
- Become the most desired item
- Cause irrational bidding
- Create the loudest laughs of the night
The worse it looks, the better it works.
🎯 STEP 6: Don’t Play. Host
If you can, host instead of playing.
- It keeps teams even
- You get to watch everyone shine
- You’ll catch moments you’d miss if you were competing
Bonus points if someone helps you track categories or money. Every great host needs backup.
🎯 STEP 7: Let Go of “Perfect.”
Wrong answers are gold.
Confidently wrong answers are platinum.
The goal isn’t trivia mastery.
It’s shared laughter, attention, and connection.
If people leave still talking about it at midnight, then you did it right.
Want to try this with your own family?
If you’re hosting a bigger family gathering and want to recreate this without overthinking it, I put everything into a Family Jeopardy Style Host Kit. The categories and questions, scoreboards, auction flow, and replay-ready setup we used.
You can find it here for $7, if it’s useful:
Family Jeopardy Style Host Kit (PDF)
A complete, calm, turn-based game designed for larger families, mixed ages, and an ending everyone remembers.
This 12-page PDF includes:
- A quick start guide for hosts
- A full Jeopardy game with categories and questions
- Category board + score sheets
- Auction ideas that actually work
- A replay-ready setup you can use again and again
Designed for real families with real personalities.
This game works because of the structure, not the season.
You can use this framework any time you want people to laugh, participate, and feel included, without turning the room into a shouting match.
Easy ways to make it your own:
- Use birthdays, family trivia, or inside jokes as categories
- Replace the auction with “experiences” (movie night pick, playlist control, dessert choice)
- Use this for blended families, reunions, or multi-generation gatherings
Put something questionable in a Saltine box. Trust me.
If this story stayed with you, feel free to wander around here a bit more.
I’m usually nearby.
👉 When I Wander — Family travel, cultural curiosity, global living, and honest storytelling.
https://wheniwander.com
Come on over.
I’m probably cooking something good right now.
