If there’s one thing all Pinoys love, it’s a proper party – complete with lechon, lots of rice, inappropriate tita comments, and, of course, party games. We list down the most common party games that no proper Pinoy party should pass on:
8. Trip to Jerusalem
This game is played by arranging a bunch of chairs in a circle. Players should be one more than the chairs. So if you have 12 chairs, there should be 13 players. Dance-y music is then played as players go around the chairs. Players must then take a seat once the music stops. The person who doesn’t get seated is eliminated. A chair is also removed from the circle as the game progresses. The game gets real when there’s only one chair left and two players fight for it. This could get really dangerous, especially if the players are highly competitive. I’ve witnessed lips getting bloodied and shirts getting ripped. Now, that’s a game of thrones!
7. Bring Me
Bring Me is as straightforward as it gets. The host says “Bring Me + whatever he/she wants” and whoever brings the item first gets the prize. Items include the usual “puting buhok” and “10-peso bill” to the strange requests such as armpit hair and nail clippings. Makes you wonder if they’re brewing a potion of some sort and are just using the party as an excuse to get the ingredients.
6. Stop Dance
Like the Trip to Jerusalem, only without the chairs. Players must dance, but once the music stops, they must freeze. Those who are unable to remain still gets eliminated. You can also reverse the mechanics by having the players dance when there’s no music and freeze when there is. What a nightmare for awkward dancers!
5. Paper Dance
Similar to Trip to Jerusalem and Stop Dance in the sense that it requires stopping-and-starting music to eliminate players. The twist is that a piece of paper (usually a broadsheet) is used as the “dance floor”. Players are grouped into twos and hop on the paper when the music stops. The paper is then folded in half and gets tinier and tinier. The teams must find a way to remain upright within their respective “dance floor”. The last team standing wins.
4. Pinoy Henyo
A relatively new addition to Pinoy parties, Pinoy Henyo is played between teams of two. The goal is to guess a word (it could be a name, place, food, song title, etc). One team member gets to guess by asking yes-or-no questions. The other then replies with “Oo, Hindi, or Pwede.” The team who guesses correctly in the shortest amount of time is the winner.
3. Pukpok Palayok
It’s the Philippines’ version of the piñata, only instead of papier-mâché, we hit a clay pot called palayok. The player gets blindfolded, spun around, and yelled at with directions. If he/she succeeds at hitting the jackpot, the audience gets to dive for a shower of candies, barya, and other knickknacks. I’ve always thought this game was a way for the adults to let go of all their repressed anger.
2. Happy birthdaaaaaaaaaay
A fitness test, in a way, this game asks participants to hold their breath the longest while saying a phrase. Usually it’s “happy birthday”, but I’ve heard “Merry Christmas” and “welcome to the Christian world” too.
1. Pabitin
This game is often the highlight of Pinoy parties, specifically children’s birthdays. Goodies are tied on a suspended frame of kawayan and shiny palara. Players stand underneath as an operator lowers or raises the it as he/she pleases. Players get to keep whatever they could grab from the pabitin. This could also get violent. Children can become quite rabid at the prospect of free toys and candies. Be vigilant.
What other party games have you played?
*Photos belong to their respective owners
