The chill of winter has hit the air and this just gives us all another excuse to step-up the home entertaining and bring on the fun. There’s no better time of year to break out your polar fleece, turn up the heat and invite your closest pals around to drink, eat, and whilst we’re at it, pit friend against friend in some friendly competition.

We’ve all heard the stories of relationships having gone sour over a serious game of Monopoly pushed one hotel too far but the unplanned game night has brought many of our favourite home entertaining memories.

Whether with family, friends, or even a few new acquaintances, nothing loosens everyone up, breaks the ice and gets the laughs flowing like a game of charades, and some rosé.

There’s now so many great games to choose from, probably a bunch you’ve never heard of, so depending on your crew, choose wisely to set the mood, have your drinks ready to go, and strap in to laugh until your stomach hurts, with our guide to games and drinks.

Cards against Humanity

The giggles will be coming thick and fast, so this one is best paired this one with a Wolf Blass Yellow Label or a Fat Yak Pacific Ale. Both are light on the palette, and a perfect match with the mother of all party games.

Not for the easily offended, no list could be started without this one. It’s not the #1 Best-Selling game on Amazon for no reason. It’s awkward, it’s shocking, it’s offensive and it’s down-right guaranteed to have you and your guests rolling in fits of laughter.

You’ll pick it up in a snap, the premise is simple, one player asks a question from a Black Card, and everyone else answers with their funniest White Card – the most deplorable answer wins.

Not one to be playing with the kids, and it may even make the most liberal grandmother blush, so you may want to make sure you’ve played it once before introducing it into your unexpecting group.

Cranium

What do you get when you mix, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Charades, and your ability to spell out loud? You get the ultimate game cocktail, Cranium.

The all-rounder of party games, this one has a bit of everything. It’s 100% family friendly and gives everyone a chance to show off their talents (or lack thereof) whether it's sculpting, singing, acting, drawing or just being a know-it-all.

After an hour of trying to get your partner to correctly guess as you unconvincingly hum the theme song to Titanic, sculpt Humpty Dumpty, or act out “Earthquake” – you’ll be sure to have had a cracker of a night.

If you’re partial to a wine, Cranium pairs well with a Jacob’s Creek Petit’ Rose, and if you’re feeling a beer, why not try a James Squire 150 Lashes?

Heads Up

If it’s a spur of the moment get together and you haven’t had time to dash out to the shops or get your online order in, never fear, Head’s Up is here!

All you need is a smartphone, an iTunes/Google Play accounts and one friend to play with. Select a category, stick the phone above your head, and watch as your friends try to act out or give you clues as to what’s on your head - guess as many as you can in 60 seconds.

It’s fast, it’s fun, everyone can play and it goes perfectly with some Canadian Club mixed with Dry and Lime or a splash of Upside Down Sauvignon Blanc.

The Classics

If you long for the good ol’ days and can’t get past classics, there are undoubtedly 4 timeless party games that should be tucked away in the cupboard of every home. They are classics because they are universally loved and between them all offer inclusive fun.

Charades. Pictionary. Scattergories. Celebrity Heads.

You know them, how long has it been since you’ve flipped that egg timer over and had your mind go blank as you scramble to write down 10 topics starting with the letter ‘K’. We know, it’s been too long. Dust off one of these classics, and pair it with a classic drink, like a few cans of XXXX Gold, or VB, or if that’s not your thing, maybe have a Johnnie Walker Black over ice.

So there you have it, a bunch of games to liven up home entertaining during the colder days of winter and get yourself making any day into an occasion!