old fashioned themed parties

Examples of Forfeits Paid in Old-Fashioned Themed Parties

/ sandramervillehart

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If you missed my last post about earning forfeits during parties over a century ago, click here. Paying game forfeits was a fun ending to an evening’s entertainment. To give an idea of the types of forfeits, here are a few of the penalties that players suffered.

  1. Laugh in one corner, cry in another, sing in another, and dance in another.
  2. Place one hand where the other hand can’t touch it. (Hint: This will take some thought on the player’s part, but it is accomplished by placing the right hand on the left elbow.)
  3. Bow to the wittiest, kneel to the prettiest, and kiss the one you love best.
  4. Lay a newspaper sheet on the floor. Without leaving it, place two people on it in a way that they can’t touch each other with their hands. (Hint: This one also requires thought. The answer is to put the newspaper half on one side of a door and half on the other. Have two people stand one on either side and they can’t touch each other.)
  5. Make a wallflower of yourself. If the one paying a forfeit is a lady, she must stand with her back against the wall and remain there until she has been kissed twice, once each by two different gentlemen. (She has to invite them to kiss her.) If a man is the wallflower, he stands against the wall until a woman takes compassion on him and releases him from his punishment by kissing him.
  6. Say “Quizzical Quiz, kiss me quick” six times without taking a breath.
  7. Smile without laughing in each corner of the room.
  8. Kiss a book inside and outside without opening it. (Hint: This is another forfeit that requires a bit of thought. The solution is to kiss the book inside the room and outside the room.)
  9. Place a candle somewhere that everyone in the room can see it but you. (Hint: Place the candle on your head.)
  10. Push your friend’s head through a ring. (Hint: Place a ring on your finger and push a friend’s head with the fingertip.)

These are just a sampling of the type of forfeits given for making mistakes in games, intended to spark good-natured laughter and fun.

For other old-fashioned party ideas, read  Evening Amusements for Old Fashioned Themed Parties – Part 1 for food ideas. Part 2  explains the Game of Concert. Part 3  shows two games that allow guests to show their creativity. Read part 4  to find how to play a fun game called “Tip It” or “Hands” that moves quickly.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Source

Planche, Frederick D’Arros. Evening amusements for every one; a collection of mirthful games, parlour pastimes, shadow plays, magic, conjuring, card tricks, chemical surprises, fireworks, forfeits, &c., illus. by George Cruikshank and others, Porter and Coates, ca 1880.

 

Paying Forfeits in Old-Fashioned Themed Parties

/ sandramervillehart / 1 Comment

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When I hosted an old-fashioned theme party for a few friends during the Christmas season, I chose not to use forfeits because there were so many other things to plan and organize. Paying game forfeits apparently added to the evening’s fun in days gone by, especially for young people.

Guests earned forfeits during games. When a player would leave the game for incorrect responses or for not following the rules, they earned forfeits a century ago.

After the games were finished, “Crying the Forfeits” concluded the evening. Paying penalties for mistakes was both anticipated and dreaded because the crowd decided the forfeit for each individual.

The Director doesn’t earn forfeits so he or she usually takes charge of this, but it may also be run by a participant who doesn’t earn any forfeits.

All who must pay forfeits hide their eyes. The Director holds a piece of paper over each person’s head as the crowd decides the penalty without revealing the person’s name. The Director may ask, “Here’s a lovely thing; what’s to be done with this lovely thing?” to reveal that it is a woman receiving this particular penalty. Perhaps the Director asked about a muscular arm to reveal the player was a man.

When everyone’s forfeit had been decided, players open their eyes and learn their penalty. Each takes turns paying their forfeit.

Read next week’s post to learn some of the forfeits paid. For other old-fashioned party ideas, read  Evening Amusements for Old Fashioned Themed Parties – Part 1 for food ideas. Part 2 explains the Game of Concert. Part 3 shows two games that allow guests to show their creativity. Read Part 4 to find how to play a fun game called “Tip It” or “Hands” that moves quickly.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Source

Planche, Frederick D’Arros. Evening amusements for every one; a collection of mirthful games, parlour pastimes, shadow plays, magic, conjuring, card tricks, chemical surprises, fireworks, forfeits, &c., illus. by George Cruikshank and others, Porter and Coates, ca 1880.

Evening Amusements for Old-Fashioned Themed Parties – Part 4

/ sandramervillehart / 1 Comment

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I wanted to host an old-fashioned theme party for a few friends during the Christmas season. Read  Evening Amusements for Old Fashioned Themed Parties – Part 1 for food ideas. Part 2 explains the Game of Concert. Part 3 shows two games that allow guests to show their creativity.

Today I’m sharing a fun game called “Tip It” or “Hands” that moves quickly.

Tip It or Hands

One person on a team hides a button or a coin in their fisted hand. The object is to fool the opponents and make them lose a team member. If you don’t fool them, the person holding the button is out.

Divide into teams.

One person on each team is designated as the “worker.” The worker chooses whose hand to hide the button in and then calls “hands up.” All members of that team hold up both hands in a fist as if holding the button.

One person from the opposing team sends away all hands he doesn’t think it’s in by touching it and saying “Hands away!” until there are two hands left. Then the player decides which hand holds the button. If he chooses wrong, he’s out of the game. He’s also out of the game if he sends away the hand the holds the button.

Then it is the other team’s turn to hide the button.

The contestants who remain on the winning team earn the prize—or bragging rights.

There was lots of laughter while trying to fool the opposing team.

Next time we will talk about party forfeits. Hope you can join in the fun!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Source

Planche, Frederick D’Arros. Evening amusements for every one; a collection of mirthful games, parlour pastimes, shadow plays, magic, conjuring, card tricks, chemical surprises, fireworks, forfeits, &c., illus. by George Cruikshank and others, Porter and Coates, ca 1880.