Category: Bunco Themes

bunco theme ideas

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Personality of A Bunco Group/Monthly GIVEAWAY

I have been drawing a blank lately about which Bunco topic to write about next.  My group held their monthly Bunco meeting last Sunday.  It was a fun Valentines Day themed game.  Anyhow, one of our regular players brought a guest from out of town to play with us.  The lady is a member of a Bunco group in her hometown.  She made a comment to me that our group was very friendly and welcoming and noted that her group is focused primarily on ‘winning’ the game.  It got me thinking, is that how most groups are?  I have played with two groups and both have been mainly about socializing with playing Bunco a nice bonus.

I am the organizer of my Bunco group and I try my best to keep the game going and yet have people socializing.  For the most part my group is very social but there are a few who prefer not to socialize much.  They are usually the ones who say, ‘ding, ding, ding’ when the head table is talking and not starting to play when they want them to.  If you play Bunco regularly you know what I am talking about:)  Our games usually start at 2 pm on a Sunday and I have a rough schedule that I like to follow to try to keep all personality types happy.  People start to arrive at 2 pm and then we have a potluck meal until about 2:45 pm at which time the game starts.  We play two rounds of Bunco and then have a dessert break.  This break is typically 15 minutes and then we play one more round of Bunco, distribute the prizes and then play an (optional) game of Left Center Right.  From start to finish it is about three hours (give or take a few minutes).

Does your Bunco group have a ‘schedule’ that they follow? Are you a group who likes to socialize?  Let me know on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook Page.

This month we are giving away a cute pair of dice earrings!  The ladies in my group love these!  Just head to the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page and tell me about the personality of your Bunco group!  Also, if your minimum purchase at Bunco game Shop qualifies, you can add a pair of dice earrings to your cart for free!

Keep Calm & Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

 

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February Bunco Ideas

February is such a fun month for Bunco themes!  Of course the most popular theme is typically Valentine’s Day.  This is our fourth February as a group and our first time having a Valentine’s Day theme.  Red and pink hearts are fun but I prefer more creative themes for February.  Don’t worry we will still talk about Valentine’s Day Bunco:)

One of my favorite themes for February was Souper Bowl Bunco.  I hosted this fun event!  I love making soup, so I made some of my favorites, chicken noodle, fire roasted tomato and a pot of chili.  The rest of the group brought things that go with soup, such as cornbread, crackers, rolls, salad and sandwiches.  As usual there was an abundance of delicious food.  A football game was playing on the television and football themed decorations and table cloths made it even more festive. People wore football jerseys and t-shirts of their favorite team.

Another out of the box February theme is Chinese New Year.  This year it falls on January 31st, so you could do this theme for January or February. Fun decor can be found at party stores.  Using red and black dice at each table is really festive.  We did potluck for this theme and people brought Asian specialties such as fried rice, lo mein and egg rolls.  Of course there were fortune cookies at each table.  We had fun reading our fortunes.   You can package fortune cookies for each person to take home as a party favor.  I found cute takeout containers with Asian designs to put the prizes in.  I think the gals liked the containers better than the prizes!

Last but not least, Valentine’s Day Bunco. Red and pink dice at the tables would be perfect for this theme, along with some pink and red chocolate covered candies.  These red dice inflatables would be perfect to replace your fuzzy dice with that night for snake eyes or travelling.  They could even be used as prizes.  You could  have a dessert theme along with Valentine’s Day, or a chocolate theme.  A chocolate fountain or fondue would liven up the party as well.

What is your favorite February Bunco theme?  Let me know on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page.  Also, enter our monthly giveaway!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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Pajama Party Bunco

Oatmeal Bar

One of my Bunco group’s favorite theme is Pajama Party Bunco. What’s not to love?  You get to show up in your pajamas, robe and fuzzy slippers and eat breakfast food (when it isn’t actually breakfast time!).

A Mimosa or Bloody Mary (either non-alcoholic or otherwise) would be a lovely way to start out. Breakfast favorites lend themselves perfectly to potluck.  Muffins, croissants, casseroles, waffles, cinnamon rolls, sausage, bacon, the list could go on and on.  I love all of those things!  However, I wanted to shake it up a bit!  Oatmeal in a slow cooker with a toppings bar is so much fun!  Some ideas are dried cranberries, golden raisins, nuts, brown sugar, honey, chopped apples, cinnamon, you get the idea.  This way there is a healthier option that people can customize.  Another idea for a crowd is make your own breakfast burritos. Make some scrambled eggs and keep warm in a slow cooker.  Have some warmed tortillas, cheese, meats, breakfast potatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado, etc.so that each person can customize a burrito to her liking.  Easy yet delicious and something most people will enjoy.  If you prefer not to serve breakfast food, you could go the traditional route and make it a pizza party.  That is fun too!

Now onto the actual Bunco game.  Some prizes for this theme may include sleep masks, fuzzy socks, fleece throws,a Bunco apron even small packages of cinnamon rolls or muffins.  Everyone can vote on who is the most festive and she could win a prize–fuzzy slippers maybe!  There could be a fun movie such as, Girls Just Want To have Fun (one of my favs!) playing in the background.  We always have a ton of fun with this theme.  Some ladies wear pink rollers in their hair and are decked out from head to toe.  It is a fun way to start the New Year off!

Has your group held a Pajama Party Bunco?  If so, tell me what you did to make it fun on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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Holiday Season Bunco Beverages

It’s the time of year to indulge.  Many Bunco get togethers will center around good food and desserts (cookies!). A delicious seasonal beverage is a perfect accompaniment.  My group has had three December Bunco games so far throughout the years, with a fourth coming up this Sunday!  The first year we met at a Mexican restaurant, played Bunco and drank margaritas.  The second and third years we met at a members home, who along with her best friend are awesome at entertaining.  It is a not to miss event each year.  They go all out with non-alcoholic punch, soda and delicious Champagne Punch.  These wine charms would be great to keep track of whose cup is whose.

Hot beverages are popular during the winter season.  Even in the Southwest we are in the mood for a warm beverage.  One of my favorite ways to serve hot chocolate is in the slow cooker.  Drinking hot cocoa can be even more fun with a toppings bar.  The presentation can be beautiful and festive. I always get compliments and comments saying it looked like  I worked so hard to put it together.  The truth is it is so easy to do! You can let them think it is hard to do.   Mini marshmallows, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, candy canes and mini chocolate chips make perfect fixings for hot chocolate. For those that enjoy a spirited beverage, Irish cream can be added as well.

Some other festive beverages for this time of year include Egg Nog, Spiced Cider and Mulled Wine.  What is your favorite seasonal Bunco beverage?  Is there a tried and true favorite your group loves? If so, please let me know on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page.  While you are there enter to win this month’s giveaway!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Formal Bunco

The holiday season is quickly approaching.  With all the busyness of the holidays, it is fun to take a break  and play Bunco with the girls.

One year in November my Bunco group held a Formal Bunco.  It was so much fun!  We all dressed up.  Some of us were fancier than others but we all wore dresses.  Our potluck was done differently as well.  We had people sign up for food which included a variety of appetizers, salads, bread and dessert.  The hostess provided pasta as the main dish.  For added fun we had a sit down dinner instead of our usual buffet.

For dessert we had a chocolate fountain. People brought decadent dippers for the fountain.  Cheesecake pieces, cookies, pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows and dried fruit all tasted delicious dipped in the chocolate.  For my small fountain, it takes two packages of chocolate chips melted and mixed with 3/4 cup of vegetable oil.  I love a mix of premium bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, yum!

Typically we use paper plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups at our Bunco games. Formal Bunco is the time to break out the fine China, actual silverware and glasses.  It really was nice for a change.  We spent extra time socializing and enjoying each others company.

Whenever someone rolls a Bunco we pass around a necklace, usually one that pertains to the theme.  At this Bunco we passed around a feather boa for a more formal touch.

The prizes were for pampering the Bunco Babe.  Bubble bath, shower gel, mud masks and nail polish were some of the items that people won that evening. Formal Bunco was a fun time for all.  It was a nice change from the casual approach we usually take and a wonderful indulgence, especially for a busy mom like me.

Have you ever attend a Formal  or even a Black Tie Bunco?  If so, please tell us about it on The Bunco game Shop Facebook Page.

Keep Calm & Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

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Fall Bunco: Sweet Treats and Football

Salted Caramel Cake Pops

I asked our Facebook followers to let me know what their favorite fall themed Bunco ideas were.  There were some very creative ideas!  The most popular fall themes were Pink Ribbon and Halloween Bunco.  Some groups do a variation of Halloween theme, such a Howloween and Buncoween.  A group does Halloween with a Pink Twist.  That sounds so fun!  I think I will give that a try next year since I already have our Pink Ribbon Bunco planned for this month.

One Bunco player said that she hosts a Football Bunco each fall.  How fun!  I have seen some cute football themed plates, napkins, bowls, etc. at discount stores.  Guests can wear their favorite football jersey, t-shirt, hat or colors.  It would also be fun to have a game on in the background (perhaps your hometown team).  The best thing about Football themed Bunco is the food!  You can’t go wrong with dips kept warm in mini slow cookers along with some tortilla chips and crackers.  My favorite dips to make (and eat) are Spinach and Artichoke and Buffalo Chicken.  Both are really easy to make.  However, I have a sweet tooth and my favorite food at a Bunco game is usually dessert.  Salted Caramel Cake Pops would be a delicious addition to any fall Bunco theme (or any time of the year!).

Salted Caramel Cake Pops

1 Yellow Cake Mix baked in 13×9 pan according to package and cooled

1/3 cup canned vanilla frosting (or homemade)

1/2 cup salted caramel (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

1 bag chocolate melting wafers

1 cup white chocolate melting wafers

1 cup caramels (such as Kraft) unwrapped

1 tsp. water

Sea Salt for topping

32 lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)

styrofoam block (available at craft stores)

Shred the cooled caked and add frosting and salted caramel, mix well.  Shape mixture into balls.  Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup of chocolate melting wafers in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted.  Dip a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then stick it into the cake ball.  Line small cookie sheet with parchment paper and put all 32 cake pops on the cookie sheet (use two if you need to).  Put cake pops into freezer for about an hour.  When you are ready to dip the cake pops, put the remainder of the chocolate melting wafers into a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second increment until desired consistency is achieved.  Dip the cake pops one at a time into the chocolate mixture.  Stick the dipped cake pops into the styrofoam block and let dry.  Microwave white melting chocolate at 30 second increments until thin consistency.  Put a small dollop of white chocolate on each pop.  Next, put caramel and 1 tsp of water into microwave safe bowl and stir every 30 second until smooth.  Drizzle on top of the cake pops.  Finally, add a light pinch of sea salt onto each cake pop.  Enjoy!

Do you have a sweet tooth?  What is your favorite dessert to make (or eat) at a Bunco game? If you prefer savory food, what is your favorite? Please share your answer on our Facebook page.  Let me know if you make the cake pops!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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Pink Ribbon Bunco

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

It is the perfect time of year to throw a Pink Ribbon Bunco party.  A party such as this can be held as a fundraiser or as your monthly Bunco group’s theme.  Your Bunco group could decide to forgo it’s winnings this month and donate.

I have been to both types of Pink Ribbon Bunco.  Bunco for Breast Cancer is an annual event held in my city.  It is held on the patio of a Mexican restaurant and there are hundreds of players.  It is so much fun and great prizes are given away.  I won an amazing Pampered Chef basket one year and another year  set of neckties for my husband.

My Bunco group has also had a Pink Ribbon Bunco theme in the past and we are planning another one later this month.  Everyone gets into the spirit and wears pink!  I will be decorating my chandelier with these adorable pink ribbon lanterns.  Our Bunco sheets will be printed on pink paper (of course!) and each player will have a cute Pink Ribbon pen on a rope.  The head table will be playing with novelty pink ribbon dice .  I can’t wait until the ladies see these!  Also, a friend of mine who sells awesome organizational products will be  at our Bunco game. There will be prizes such as pink key fobs and lanyards wrapped in mini Pink Ribbon bags.  One lucky player will go home with a prize from a giveaway!

No Pink Ribbon Bunco party would be complete without  some pink drinks like pink lemonade or a pink lady cocktail.   Bowls of pink treats would be fun to snack on.  Think pink candy coated chocolate pieces, pink malted milk balls, licorice, etc.  Pink paper plates, napkins , cups and tablecloths are a must too.  Pink Lemonade cupcakes would be a festive addition to the dessert table.  I made these cupcakes for a baby girl shower and they were both pretty and delicious.

My group uses two Bunco necklaces  during our games.  The necklaces change depending on the theme.  For October Bunco we will be using these fun Pink Ribbon Bunco necklaces.  They are sturdy and will be fine being tossed across the room.  They can be used again at next year’s Pink Ribbon Bunco game! If you get the first Bunco you get to wear a necklace throughout the game and you get your money back.  The other necklace we pass around each time someone gets a Bunco and the person with the last Bunco wins a prize.

Are you going to have a Pink Ribbon Bunco this month?  Have you had one in the past?  Let me know about it on our Facebook page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

 

 

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Fall into Bunco: Fun Autumn Theme Ideas

Fall is officially here.  Pumpkin flavored beverages and desserts are already everywhere.  Even though I live in the desert and the weather is still quite warm, thoughts of fall bring hope of cooler weather and fun get-togethers with family and friends like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

This will be the fourth fall that my Bunco group has been together.  We have played  Harvest Bunco, Halloween Bunco (twice) and had an Apple themed Bunco.  I always coordinate the color of our Bunco sheets according to the monthly theme.  For Halloween Bunco I use orange and green paper, for Apple themed Bunco, red and green and for Harvest Bunco, gold, light brown and green.  This time of year there are cute fall paper products available: plates, cups, napkins, etc. which add to the festive atmosphere.

Another fun thing about fall themes are the endless food and beverage possibilities.  For Harvest Bunco we had mulled wine (check out these cute wine charms), for Apple Bunco we had hot spiced cider and for Halloween Bunco the hostess put dry ice in the punch and it looked like witches brew.  We have potlucks at our games and the ladies are very creative!  One of my favorite recipes for fall is a pumpkin dip I found on Allrecipes.com.  I made it for my Brownie Troop last week and one of the girls asked if she could lick the bowl!  Best of all it is inexpensive and easy to put together.  It tastes great served with apple slices, ginger snaps and/or Nilla Wafers.

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin

1/4 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Prizes for Fall Bunco are fun to coordinate with the theme.  Some of my favorite prizes are seasonal dish towels, candles, welcome signs and aprons.  This Halloween Dice Bracelet would be a perfect Bunco prize!

What Fall Bunco Themes (Halloween, Harvest, etc.)have you done with your Bunco group?  What are your favorite prizes and recipes for Fall Bunco themes?

We have been having technical issues with leaving comments on the blog, so please let me know your thoughts on The Bunco Game Shop Facebook Page

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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My Favorite Things Bunco Theme

Brown paper packages tied up in string these are a few of my favorite things!  We all know that beloved song which is an inspiration for my My Favorite Things Bunco theme.  I am planning a My Favorite Things Party for my 40th birthday.  I am finding out how hard it is to know exactly what my favorite things are.  There are so many times when I compromise because I am sharing food with someone or because I am a mom and I put others needs before my own.  Well, this party is for ME and I am having fun planning it!  Of course we are going to be eating my favorite appetizers, main dishes and deserts.  We usually have Bunco potlucks but I will be providing the food since it is based around things that  I like.  Also, my mom will be visiting and she will be making some of my favorites for the party (baked ziti and cabbage rolls, yum!).

A My Favorite Things Party is more than just having the guest of honor’s favorite foods, colors, etc.  When you invite your friend’s to your Bunco party, you will ask them to each bring a wrapped item that is one of their favorite things.  You can set a price limit ($5, $10, $15) which works best for your guests.  Before you play Bunco, write each guests name on a slip of paper, fold it over and put into a bowl. These pens would be perfect to use for your Bunco game! After you are done playing Bunco, or whatever time works for you, gather your fellow Bunco players and start the gift exchange.  The way it works is that each person will choose a name from the bowl.  Whichever name the person chooses is the gift she gets to take home.  It is so fun to see what everyone’s favorite things are!  You can have each guests bring more than one gift if you like.  You would just add each person’s name according to the amount of gifts that were brought.  If each person brought three gifts, their names would be put into the drawing three times and everyone would leave with three items, fun!

At my party, I will be sending everyone home with one of my favorite things.  M&M Cookie Mix in a Jar.  One of my favorite childhood sweets was the sugar butter cookie with M&M’s.  You know, the giant one’s sold at the mall. I used to go to the mall a lot as a tween!  Here is an awesome recipe to make your own cookie mix in a jar from the blog Organized Christmas.  My favorite colors are green, pink and orange, so I incorporated them into the jar packaging.

Have you ever been to a my Favorite Thing Party Bunco?  If so, tell me about it in the comments.  If not, what would you bring if you were invited to a My Favorite Things Bunco Party?

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

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Bunco Theme Favorite: Birthday Bash Bunco

A Bunco Game Shop Facebook follower threw an amazing surprise 91st Birthday Bunco Bash and it got me thinking of one of my favorite Bunco themes: Birthday Bunco!  In February a friend of mine in my Bunco group turned 40.  So, we held a Gold Lamé Soirée Bunco which was a fun 1970s theme.  We took it seriously!  The ladies in my group all wore sparkly gold shirts and of course there was Disco music in the background.  I bought  everyone  a disco ball necklace and we rocked them!

Usually we have a potluck but I decided to make the food since the theme was so fun! I immediately thought of the quintessential 1970s food: fondue. But after talking with the birthday girl, came up with doing a salad bar and soup.  I found an inflatable salad bar online and filled it with ice so that it kept all of the salad fixings cold.  I had everyone’s favorite toppings, lettuce, pasta salad and a variety of dressings.  I also made one of my favorite soups, Fire Roasted Tomato (see recipe below).  It is easy to make the day before and then warm in the slow cooker a few hours before the party starts.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can can (14 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup whipping cream

In saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the basil, the sugar and pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.  I use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot. If you are using a regular blender, let soup cool before blending, about 15 minutes.  After blending, add soup back to pot, stir in cream and remaining 1 tablespoon basil.  It tastes great with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top!

After playing two rounds of Bunco in which the birthday girl wore this cute tiara, we took a dessert break. We had the birthday girl’s favorite cupcake, homemade German Chocolate.  One of our players brought some gourmet ice cream to go with it.  Delicious!  As a nod to our 70s theme we had punch, both spiked and not, with sherbet floating on top.  Classic!

My 40th is coming up in a few weeks and I am throwing myself (with some help from friends) a Bunco Birthday Bash!  It is a fun Neon Tea Party theme.  I am having fun planning this event!  I found some cute neon pink, orange and yellow water bottles.  I will be tying neon balloons on some and making flower arrangements in the others.  I also plan on using these dice for some extra fun! I am really looking forward to it.  I will post pictures and let you know how it went!

A Bunco Game Shop Facebook follower, Charlyn, sent me some awesome food pictures from one of her bunco parties.  I am posting them here.  I am sure they will provide inspiration for many.  I think I may make the cupcakes for my Bunco Birthday (using carrot cake–my fave!).  The cream cheese appetizer with adorable spreaders looks amazing too!

What is your favorite Bunco theme?  Do you have any ideas for a Birthday Bunco Bash?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.  Leave a comment below.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty