Stella Nova: The Game

**Edit: click through this link to get $10 off your purchase of Stella Nova through the end of the year!**

My kids are finally getting old enough where we can play board games other than Chutes 'n Ladders and Candyland.  We are embarking on some fun, new territory in game land.  

I know that a lot of people have the tradition of getting a new family game for Christmas each year, and I have happened upon a really great one, for several reasons.  Stella Nova means New Star, and it's a strategic game of wise men traveling to bring baby Jesus their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  There are two categories of questions: Bible questions, specifically the story of Christ's birth (which are the easier of the two, and which include a bible reference if needed) and the second category being History & Geography, which will test even the most knowledgeable, but fun to be able to learn new facts.

You obtain provisions along the way to help you in your travels, navigating robbers, sandstorms, and fog.  Then you gather the three gifts before making your final destination to Bethlehem. One of my favorite things about Stella Nova is the absolute solid construction.  The board and game pieces are not flimsy, withstanding even the little hands of Drummer, and the box is sturdy enough to last many many Christmases to come.  

The kids have begged to play every day since we got it.  I would suggest kids 10+ are able to play unassisted, and we paired the younger kids with the older kids to help roll dice and answer questions.  The only things I would suggest is reading through all the directions before you attempt to play with the kids.  I thought we could just learn as we went along, but finally had the kids take a break while I read through the whole instruction sheet so we could play correctly.  We also had many jokes about the city Kush. ;)

Stella Nova will definitely be a game we look forward to pulling out each Christmas as a new tradition to be reminded of all that transpired around the birth of Christ. Meanwhile, someone ought to get going on all the pajama sewing that needs to be done before Christmas Eve... ;)