Festive mini games - Day 4 "Burning Secrets"

This year I am sharing 24 mini games, where the rules can be explained on the back of a single business card. For the 24 days of advent I will be sharing one a day on my blog. Today's game is called "Burning Secrets". 

I love little games, that take moments to explain and fill between 2-15 minutes. So, I set myself a challenge to collect and create as many as possible. I have had them printed on business cards with a festive Gold emboss and I am slipping them into all my Christmas cards this year. 

Day 4 "Burning Secrets"

Players: 2-6 players
Equipment: Fire and things to burn (cards, kindling etc) 

Concise rules: 
Wait until the fire has burnt down to hot coals with few flames. Everyone writes a secret on their burnable item. Simultaneously toss the items into the hot coals. Watch your item. The player whose item is the last to burst into flames must tell their secret.


Notes:
Having a log burner is so cosy at this time of year. I love watching the flames and relaxing after a big meal with friends. I was inspired to create this game by a classic small group mindfulness/reflection activity where people burn away regrets or things they wish to let go of. I have found these times to personally be helpful and when adding some fuel to my log burner I was intrigued by how bits of wood/kindling take different amounts of time to burst into flames when placed on hot embers. This is a slow game. Honestly it might be a stretch to call this a game as it is very close to just being a straight up mindfulness activity.

To keep everyone on the same page I highly recommend agreeing the style of secrets you are sharing before you start. Are they serious or funny? Either can work depending on your group, just make sure people have an agreed expectation. 

The jpg below shows the print file used, the print company requires the sections to be embossed in gold to be pure black. 




Bit of admin: 

Some of the games I am sharing are classic parlor games (look for the top hat symbol), some are original creations by me (with the fish symbol) and a couple are hacks of games using commonly board games (the cog symbol). It was a bit of guess work on some of the games, I may have called a game an original creation because I can't remember reading it anywhere but I might have played it at a party or youth group a couple of decades ago. If you know a source for a game I have shared as an original please let me know.  

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