Tag: October Bunco

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Hawaiian Bunco

Photo Originally Published in Family Fun Magazine

I started my Bunco group 3.5 years ago, I didn’t know anyone at that game. Now, quite a few of those players are friends of mine. Our very first game was a Hawaiian theme.  It still comes up in conversation occasionally, it was really fun.  Of course everyone needs to wear a lei, the hostess can provide one at the door or each person can wear their own. A Hawaiian shirt or grass skirt is a nice touch too.  There is always the fun-loving Bunco Gal who will wear a coconut bra!

Food is also key for a successful Hawaiian Bunco.  Think tropical: teriyaki, pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts (chocolate covered please!), even SPAM.  Drinks are important as well.  The Blue Hawaiian, a frosty alcoholic concoction is festive and delicious.  For those guests that do not drink alcohol, here are some recipes for some mocktail treats such as Pina Coladas, Mai Tais and Sunny Hawaiis.  Don’t forget the mini umbrellas for the drinks!  I made these Sweet Sandal cookies to our Flip Flop Bunco and they were a big hit!

Some fun variations of a sunny tropical Bunco theme include Flip Flop Bunco and Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco.  For Flip Flop Bunco have guests wear their most blinged out Flip Flops, the most bedazzled pair wins a prize!  We had some very creative ladies with mad glue gun skills at our Flip Flop Bunco night!  For Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco we played Bingo along with our Bunco game.  There were prizes for both games.  Of course for any tropical theme Bunco, ladies can wear beach attire (floppy hat, shorts, tank top, etc.).  To make this theme even more fun, you can switch things up and hold a tropical theme Bunco in the winter!  I live in the desert, so winter is the best time of year here. In other parts of the country, ladies may need to wear a jacket over their shorts or wear boots and change into flip flops at the party.  It is a great diversion from winter and a reminder of what’s to come in the future.

Has your Bunco group had a warm weather themed Bunco party?  If so, let me know about it on The Bunco Game Shop’s Facebook Page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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In It To Win It: Bunco Prizes

Cute Bunco Dice Bags!

Bunco is a great way to get out of the house and socialize with friends.  It is also exciting that there is a chance to win a prize!  In my group we have many ways to win both cash and non-cash prizes.  I have played with two different groups in the last eight years.  My former group had a $11 pay-in for the cash prizes and the host provided one non-cash prize and another was provided by the person who received the prize last month.  When I started my own Bunco group I dropped the cash pay-in to $5.  We typically play with 19-24 people so the cash prizes are still decent since we have more than the usual 12 players.

Cash Prizes in my group:

MOST BUNCOS:$20

MOST WINS: $9 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST THREE OF A KINDS (aka Baby Buncos): $9 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST LOSSES: $4 + $1 for each player over 12

50/50: $4 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST 123s (we keep tally marks for 123s rolled): $4 + $1 for each player over 12

Loser Lottery:  Three names picked randomly from ‘Losers’ and person that rolls lowest # wins $5

1st Bunco: Person who rolls first Bunco wins $5

Non-Cash Prizes:

First Bunco

Snake Eyes

Last Bunco

Loser Lottery (3 players)

Small Prizes for those with special colored Bunco scorecards

For non-cash prizes I try to purchase things that go along with the monthly theme.  I also try to keep the prizes between $8-$10. For our upcoming Animal Print themed Bunco in November I found really cute animal print pens and pads of paper at a local craft store.  I also purchased adorable zebra and leopard print bags and tissue paper to keep with the theme. To create even more fun ways to leave with a prize, I print the Bunco scorecards on different colored paper. Players who have that months color receive a small prize.  For our animal print Bunco, these cute napkin and plate sets will be the scorecard prizes. Thinking ahead, for our Christmas White Elephant Bunco this year I will be using these adorable bags.

Is your group creative with prizes?  If so let me know on The Bunco Game Shop’s Facebook Page.  I always love new ideas to make Bunco even more fun!

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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Get Crafty:Simple Bunco Decor Ideas

I love party planning and playing Bunco.  My group has themed Bunco parties which are so much fun to plan.  However, I am not naturally a crafty person.  I need things that are simple to execute and not time consuming.  The picture that I have posted here shows a few easy touches that will take your Bunco decor to another level.

First, notice the cute chalkboard sign that says, Strawberry Lemonade.  Nice touch, right?  Well, it is super easy and inexpensive to make.  I use mine all the time for things other than Bunco: Girl Scout functions, church hospitality, etc.  At a craft store pick out some wooden shapes that you like.  There are many shapes and sizes, pick the ones that work for you.  They range in price from about 79 cents to $2.00 or so.  Next you will need a can of chalkboard paint.  You can get it at the craft store but it is much cheaper at the hardware store.  You will also be using masking tape.  Place tape around the outside of the wooden shape.  The next step is best done outside on newspaper: spray with chalkboard paint and let dry according to directions on can.  Easy! I place them on small easels that I purchased at a discount store. Now you have cute chalkboards that can be used to label your Bunco food items!

Next, notice the table runner.  I made that myself!  All you need is about a yard and a half of fabric, fusible web (stitch witchery), scissors and an iron. Decide how wide you want your runner to be and then add an inch on each side to allow for the seam.  Once your fabric is cut, it’s time to iron. You will need a hot iron which is on the steam setting. Fold an inch of fabric along the long edge of the runner and press with iron to make a crease.  The fusible web will go inside this crease.   Fusible web is a fiber which melts when heated (so you don’t have to sew!).  It usually comes in a roll and can be purchased at craft stores.  Press according to the instructions on the package and be sure to do it on both sides of the runner.  It will look like the runners you buy in the store only much cheaper!  You will love telling everyone that you made it yourself!

As you may have noticed the picture is of a drink table.  It was a Bunco Baby Shower so we had non-alcoholic beverages that night.  The strawberry lemonade was a hit, especially when served in Mason jars with cute pink straws (It was a Girl!).  I added flags with each person’s name to the pink-striped straws so that everyone knew which drink belonged to them. It’s simple touches like these that take Bunco decor up a notch. This drink idea would be super cute for a Pink Ribbon (Breast Cancer) Bunco theme.  Check out these great products that would be perfect for a Pink Ribbon Bunco Party.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and my group will be having a Pink themed Bunco.  I can’t wait!

How have you been crafty with decor at your Bunco parties?  Let me know!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty