Jigsaw Puzzles
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It seems that the good old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle has been part of our culture forever. The first puzzles of this kind do date back for decades when they were called push puzzles because you "pushed" the piece together. Some of the earliest prototypes used pieces that did not interlock. The shapes were all the same and you just matched the sides up. It was the development of the interlocking pieces that was one reason jigsaw puzzles took off in popularity.
The great depression also had a role to play in causing jigsaw puzzles to spread and become popular. Because a family could buy or rent a puzzle for very little money and it provided hours and hours of family entertainment, it was an inexpensive alternative to other forms of entertainment during tough times. And because puzzles are interchangeable, they could be traded with other families or used in church youth groups to get more value from each puzzle.
Jigsaw puzzles continue to prove to be an enduring form of family entertainment for much the same reasons. Even if you are not in financial difficulty, a jigsaw puzzle is an outstanding value for your entertainment dollar. Of course, depending on the number of pieces, the level of difficulty and the construction materials, a jigsaw puzzle can cost as little as a few dollars to over $20 for wood puzzles with plenty of pieces. But even at that, a jigsaw puzzle can take hours to complete and often becomes a project that spans several days. At rate the per hour value of a jigsaw can be under a dollar which makes it a much better entertainment option than taking the family to the movies.
Many families make jigsaw puzzles a tradition during the holidays. Setting up a table with a fun and seasonal puzzle laid out next to the Christmas tree enhances the feeling of family times and fun that is what holidays are all about. People can play with the puzzle in a leisurely fashion and it becomes a place where different family members from grandpa to aunts and uncles to the kiddos can all play and enjoy the social aspect of the game. It’s a nice way for people to socialize during the football games or parades on TV and there is no pressure to finish it as long as everybody is having fun.
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Its always a good idea to stock your game closet with some great jigsaw puzzles just in case you need a social event that is low key and has not rules. Some people will get highly engaged and complete many pieces and entire sections of the puzzle. Others might only get a piece here and there. But everybody enjoys working together on the puzzle. And late at night, if you want to slip and in work on it yourself with your nightcap, a jigsaw puzzle is for that too. It is truly one of the great forms of very flexible family entertainment.
