Design Dilemmas
Episode 41: Final festive preparations, with a selection of crackers that will bring joy to the world and your dinner table. Plus the rules of the Danish table game, Sixers, as per my friend Marie.
Laying the Christmas table is one of my favourite parts of our festive tradition. I recently wrote about how competitive laying (no double entendre intended) runs in the family and how the planning of the lunch table is as well thought out as if it were the Last Supper. There are many elements involved in this routine. The selection and choice of Christmas cracker is one factor that is absolutely imperative to this process - theme and colour are carefully considered, no possible combination is left unturned. It’s a serious matter planned weeks in advance - no last minute garage crackers in the Dawson or Kerman household. We’re cracker hardcore. Or just crackers. Probably both.
We also recently took on another tradition which has spread to extended family and was introduced to me by my excellent Danish friend, Marie. It’s a table game called Sixers and has far exceeded our previous tradition - mere table presents - in popularity. In fact, it’s now one of the most popular parts of our festivities for which I can only thank Marie. It’s popular, of course, because it’s Danish and Danish people and their traditions are ALWAYS right. I know this because Marie tells me this. If it’s Danish, it is the best of the best. I keep trying to argue against this logic but am always shouted down which is fair enough, really. The country that brought us Ganni and Sostrene Grene is indeed infallible when it comes to be being cool.
Anyway, every year I am asked by my audience to explain the Sixers game. It’s very, very easy to play and is perfect as a post dinner game. It’s also extremely competitive but I warn you, once you have played it then you will be wheeling it out every Christmas. It has other names across the globe, but here are the rules as we play them. You’re welcome.