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- BGG rating
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12 Days of Christmas
2015
Rules assistance for 12 Days of Christmas
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 20–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.2/5
Rules assistant for 12 Days of Christmas
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
12 Days of Christmas is a board game released in 2015 for 3–8 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Gord! and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Ladder Climbing.
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About the game
12 Days of Christmas is a card game designed by Dr. Gord Hamilton for 3-8 players. To play, deal out twelve cards to each player; the deck consists of 78 cards: one 1, two 2s, and so on up to twelve 12s. By following the lead established by the first player, each player attempts to give away all of her cards before the other players can. The first player can lead a single card, a set of at least two cards of the same value, or a straight of at least two cards. The next players either pass or play a similar combination of cards (although not necessarily the same number of cards) that includes at least one card that's as low or lower than the lead player's low card. Whoever has played the lowest card once everyone has passed becomes the new lead player. Whoever runs out of cards first claims one of the available gift cards; whoever has the most cards left in hand must give a gift card to this round's winner! Whoever has the most gifts when the gifts run out wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby World
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
Questions and answers
12 Days of Christmas supports 3–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 12 Days of Christmas is 20–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 12 Days of Christmas for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
12 Days of Christmas has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
12 Days of Christmas belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Ladder Climbing. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 12 Days of Christmas are: Gord!. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 12 Days of Christmas as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.