How Do You Play the Card Scramble in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?

By Robert Palmer

If you’re a fan of the classic holiday movie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, you might be familiar with the game of Card Scramble. This fast-paced and chaotic game is played by the Griswold family during their Christmas festivities. In this article, we’ll go over the rules and how to play Card Scramble so you can join in on the fun.

What You’ll Need

Before we dive into the rules of Card Scramble, let’s first go over what you’ll need to play:

  • A deck of cards
  • A timer (a smartphone app or kitchen timer will do)
  • Pen and paper (optional)

The Rules of Card Scramble

Card Scramble is a game that can be played with any number of people, but it’s best enjoyed with a group of at least four players. Here’s how to play:

Setting Up the Game

To start off, shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly and place them face down in the center of the playing area. Decide on a time limit for each round – anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes should suffice.

Playing the Game

When everyone is ready, someone will say “Go!” and flip over the top card from the deck. The goal of Card Scramble is to be the first person to shout out something related to that card before time runs out.

For example, if someone flips over a seven of hearts, players could shout out things like “lucky number seven,” “red,” “heart attack,” or any other word or phrase that relates to the card in some way.

The player who shouts out a related word or phrase first gets to keep that card. Then, another card is flipped over and the process starts again.

The game continues until the time limit is up, at which point players count up how many cards they have collected. The player with the most cards at the end of the round wins that round.

Variations of Card Scramble

There are a few variations you can try to mix things up and keep the game interesting:

  • Limit each player to only being able to win one card per round.
  • Assign point values to certain cards (for example, face cards could be worth five points).
  • Add a penalty for shouting out something unrelated to the card (for example, subtract a card from that player’s total).

In Conclusion

Card Scramble is a fun and easy game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages. It’s perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you’re looking for a quick and entertaining activity. So gather some friends or family members, grab a deck of cards, and give Card Scramble a try – you might just find yourself hooked!