Of course Santa loves swimming too

HAC had a fun holiday party! With 50 kids in the water and a few parents, we divided into 6 teams and had relays and games.  We didn't quite get to all of these, but those we did do worked quite well.  I found it helpful to have a parent on deck with each team.  The parents had the following list of games, and could easily explain the game to the teams:

HAC NOVICE HOLIDAY PARTY

Human tree decorating – (all start on one side) One person (the tree) swims across pool, puts shirt on and stands on deck. Starting when shirt is on, the rest of team, 2 at a time, swim across and pick something to decorate the human tree with, as soon as the 2 are back in the water, the next 2 can start swimming across while the previous 2 swim back. Repeat until the 1st team has used all their decorations. Then all teams have to stop decorating. Judges pick the best decorated human tree.


Christmas song puzzler – (all start on one side) as a team all swim across the pool, work together to figure out the Christmas song puzzler, when correct, repeat (4 puzzles) The 4 puzzles were (see answers below, hints were given):

1. Eight P.M. to Six A.M. without Noise
2. Desire a Pair of Incisors on December 25
3. Homo Sapien of Crystallized Vapor
4. Fantasia of a Colorless December 25
   

Soggy Santa relay – (half team on one side, half on other) put on Santa hat and beard, swim across pool, take hat and beard off, pass to next person & repeat until everyone has had a turn

Sleigh ride - (half team on one side, half on other) pair up, each pair takes turns swimming across the pool, one member of the pair is the sleigh and gets pulled across the pool by the other member of the pair by holding their leg (first person is swimming with their arms; second person is kicking- aka partner pull) 

Gift giving relay - (half team on one side, half on other) swim across pool with gift bag, trying to keep gift dry, give gift to next person & repeat until everyone has had a turn. Time teams. Wring the gifts out into a bucket and measure. For each cm deep with water in bucket = + 1 second to the time.


Candy cane lane - swim across the pool riding the biggest candycanes ever (pool noodles), pass the candycane to the next person & repeat


Holiday cook off - (half team on one side, half on other) wearing over mitt, hold spoon and push bowl across the pool, touching bowl with only the spoon & repeat


Snowball toss - in shallow end, line each team, with half of team on one side of black lane line & other half on other side & face each other. Pass the (snow) ball, back and forth up the line, don't skip anyone


Ornament exchange - line teams up in shallow end. Put ornament under the first persons chin, with no hands exchange the ornament to next person under their chin, repeat


Merry Christmas Marco Polo – pick someone to be "it" with eyes closed they say "Merry" then everyone must say "Christmas", "it" tries to tag someone by listening to sounds only (eyes stay closed)

We ended the event out of the water, with a potluck of treats. 

Happy holidays!! 


Answers to Christmas song puzzler:

1. Silent night
2. All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth
3. Frosty the snowman
4. Dreaming of a white Christmas