The Then and Now Game

The Then-and-Now Game — Bayamim Haheim Bazman Hazeh!

There’s something about recounting memories at get togethers that seems to really excite people.
“Oy…vehn Zeidy was young…”

The object of the game is for the players to make comparisons between the past and the present. Each comparison includes four parts, one of which should be left out for the players to guess. The game could be harder or easier depending on which blank you leave out. This game is a combination of luck and knowledge. It’s just as fun to prepare as it is to play! At first, you
may feel dry of ideas, but trust us, once you get into it, the ideas will start flowing.

You will need:

• Then and Now Chart
• slap bracelets
• red and blue pen
• red Sharpie
• timer (optional)

How to prepare the game:

1. Fill out the then-and-now list. For each line, use the blue pen to fill in three blanks and the red pen for the answer. No two answers should be the same.
2. Using the red Sharpie, copy the red answer from each line onto a slap bracelet.

How to play:

1. Divide the bracelets evenly among all the party participants.
2. The caller reads each line but says “blank” instead of the word written in red. (Only the caller should have the list.)
3. The person who says they have the correct answer within a predetermined amount of time, gets to slap on his bracelet.
4. The player who slaps on all their bracelets first is the winner. Continue playing until all bracelets
are used.

No two answers in the game should be the same. If you have some comparisons that can apply to multiple people, don’t use that as the blank.

For example: Uncle Berish is to Grandma as Uncle Yechiel is to Aunt Miriam.
If Aunt Miriam can be replaced with Aunt Zissy or Aunt Mindy, make Uncle Berish the blank.
Your list will be endless once you start using comparisons with relatives, friends, rebbeim, teachers, shuls, principals, neighbors, addresses, hobbies, schools, doctors, dentists, etc.

For example:

• Kings Plaza is to Mommy as American Dream is to Hadassah.
• Dr. Wehl is to Dina as Dr. Shanik is to Aviva.
• Pickled herring is to Zeidy as cured salmon is to Elchonon.

The more questions, the better! We recommend at least 3–4 answers per person.
Note: If the person who has the answer doesn’t know they have the answer, don’t let them know! Just go on to the next question after the time has passed.

This game would be amazing to play at a big number birthday party , at a sheva brachos or any time you want to reminisce.

Variation: Slap bracelets are inexpensive, and I thought they would be fun to use as part of a game. But you can use other things to keep track of points too. Or the game can be simplified and played with a bell, having two people come up at a time. The caller  reads the comparison, leaving one blank, and the person who rings the bell first with the correct answer gets a point.

This article originally appeared in Family First.

Photo by Sina Mizrahi