Merry X-mas from all of us here at Ion Game Design!
In Sweden we celebrate Christmas today on the 24th of December. The celebration can look different in different households, but one thing that is common is food, music, presents and of course family and friends. A very Swedish thing is that we gather around the TV at 3 PM to watch a Christmas special about Donald Duck and his friends. Every year we think, maybe we won't watch it this year, we’ve seen it so many times already, but then somehow we find ourselves curled up on the sofa with childlike wonder and we watch the whole thing again, and sing along to all the songs, and say all the familiar lines. We eat a tad too much candy, but the trick is to follow it up with something salty. And then you need a bit more sweet to even things out again. Mix that up with some board games and you can keep this cycle going long into the new year.
Pictured above is Jon Manker holding his game Pax Viking, and Phil Eklund with his High Frontier 4 All, and a little furry dog holding hope in his heart for more dropped meatballs from the table. Jon is staying here in Sweden and celebrating with family, read yesterday's post to see how that might go. Phil is flying to Arizona to be with his son Matt, his daughter-in-law Lindsey, and his grandchildren Malcolm and Morrison. Malcolm is a third-generation board game designer, who has told Phil that he has to try his latest creation when he arrives. The Phil abides. (The dog has grand plans of stealing treats, sleeping in, and demanding chin scratches from everyone.)
This Christmas, wherever you find yourself, we hope you are surrounded by the ones you love, and can share a lovely meal together. And of course, maybe play some board games.
As a final close of this advent calendar, we thought we'd give you one final treat. Behold! The founder of Ion Game Design, Jon Manker, just a feeeew years ago:
