Talk:Spin the bottle

Rules Of Engagement

Spin the bottle has been a teenage tradition for years. The game consists of a circle of boys and girls and a bottle. The most popular version of this game is where one person spins the bottle and kisses the person that the narrow end of the bottle points at. How ever, there are different versions of this game. One is where someone spins the bottle, but the people at both ends of the bottle kiss each other. In some cases, the two people are put inside a closet for a certain amount of time; this is where Seven Minuets in Heaven is joined with spin the bottle. The kissing in the game is varied. Usually, any type of kiss on the lips is acceptable. Sometimes, you have a choice at what kind of kiss to give. Sometimes, you can only kiss on the cheek. Timed kissing has been used in spin the bottle, but is not very common. Other games can include more intimate kissing or stronger intimacy. There are different ways to decide who spins. In the case of the birthday party, the birthday girl or boy usually goes first. In other cases, some one volunteers, or is chosen by the group, to go first. It is also commonly decided by age or by elimination games such as Rock, Paper, Scissors. After a first person spins, the person they kiss spins and so on. Other times, the person to the right of the spinner then spins, and so on like that until everyone in the circle has spun the bottle.
You do not absolutely need a bottle to play; anything that can spin and has one definite end point will do fine. When playing this game, be sure that the surface that is being played on can allow the bottle to spin correctly. Tile flooring, concrete, and wooden tables are acceptable surfaces. Certain carpeting, and usually grass, will not allow the bottle to spin correctly.
This is most of what is known about the game. Many individuals have their own versions or certain rules. These rules and basic principles can changed to fit the style of the party, players, and/or supervisors.

The games been around for decades at least. But it certainly isn't only a teenaged game; many first-time players are preteens. (An episode of "King of the Hill" even focused on the game's popularity among preteens). It's listed as a kid's game at Games Kids Play, which also list kids game such as Duck, Duck, Goose; Jump Rope Games; Jacks; and Marbles. Binky The WonderSkull 07:02, 21 July 2006 (UTC)

Young

I have changed the bit that says "Young Teenagers" to "Young People" as it doesn't have to be teenagers it can be people under 13 too as I was about six when I used this as a "Make out" excuse. MJN SEIFER

Did we need to know that? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.219.113.102 (talk) 07:45, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Are you invoking WP:NOR? —Tamfang (talk) 20:34, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Levels

First time I played I believe there was levels of some sort, first level was a peck on the cheek and then if a certain two people would keep getting each other then they would just get put in the closet... However, I wasn't really paying much attention to the game and when I did get a turn I got the ugliest girl in the room... I think I was about 7 or 8... but it was fun anyway. Asteroixiii 10:13, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Review of recently deleted material

"The person being kissed becomes the next spinner."

Why remove this? It seems pertinent to understanding the full cycle of the game? David D. (Talk) 02:36, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

I added it back in. You should give a full description of the game. The Legendary Ranger 22:03, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Critique!

1. AFAIK the game doesn't necessarily involve kissing. The way I know it, it is played in conjunction with Truth or Dare? or as a drinking game. In my experience the kissing version is more talked-about than played, partly because you don't always have a group in which the sexes are evenly distributed, or the group doesn't have the right social makeup, etc.
2. What if the bottle picks two same-sex partners? From a heterosexual viewpoint, is that part of the risk? Maikel (talk) 23:30, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

Depends on the group! Usually the bottle is deemed to point to the nearest person of the appropriate sex (alternate seating helps), but I've witnessed games without that rule. —Tamfang (talk) 23:04, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

In Norway, where i'm from Spin the bottle is rarely a kissing game. The normal use would be that one person calls out dare (which could be kissing someone, but not necessarily), spins the bottle, and the one it lands on has to do the dare. Afterwards this person gets to call out a dare and spin the bottle. 88.90.232.200 (talk) 13:18, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

Early Mention?

In Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood the following passage occurs: "... and the French class becomes os demoralised that the mark goes round as briskly as the bottle at a convivial party in the last century." Not sure what this refers to, but if someone wants to investigate, here it is. You can search for this text in the Project Gutenberg edition of the book. I think it's in chapter 3 (or 4). 122.25.80.82 (talk) 23:03, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

(Please put new items at the bottom, using the "new section" button.) Any reason to think that's not about wine? —Tamfang (talk) 01:22, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

I came to the article looking for the history, and now I'm curious about the Dickens' quote. Dickens did refer to other games that remain popular in the US, such as Beggar-My-Neighbour (related to modern day War and Egyptian Ratscrew), so it's not impossible that he could be referring to spin the bottle here rather than just passing around a bottle of alcohol to drink. This isn't conclusive evidence though, obviously. Anyone have any other info about the history of this game? --zandperl (talk) 07:45, 4 December 2014 (UTC)

Picture

Oh come on, who uses a plastic bottle? It wouldn't spin properly, it's too light! I mean, unless it was full.. but I think everyone uses a wine or beer bottle for this game. The point is for it to spin a while under its own inertia... it must be glass. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.73.70.113 (talk) 02:15, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

A _full_ plastic bottle will spin fine. Though I do agree that glass is more common. 94.194.66.92 (talk) 05:57, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

And for a "teenage or college age" game, the guy with the green shirt and the beer definitely has too much beard and belly. --129.13.72.198 (talk) 19:25, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

I second the above complaint about the picture. I don't know what inspired a bunch of middle-aged adults to play spin the bottle (it's actually kinda sad), but this is not at all an accurate depiction of the game, which, having exploration as its main goal, is exclusively (as far as I know) played by the young. Unfortunately, the game is also almost exclusively somewhat secretive and not photographed, so I suppose any picture would probably be posed. And making a bunch of 11-year-olds pose as playing spin the bottle would be a bit creepy... still though, this picture needs changing! A2soup (talk) 05:41, 11 January 2012 (UTC)

I agree that the picture is not appropriate. The game is mostly a game played by teenagers/young adults. Those in their 50s typically do not play make out games. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.237.125.244 (talk) 13:07, 4 January 2013 (UTC)

C'mon guys

An activity or game as common as this needs a bigger article. i was dissapointed when i came to this page and saw two sentences, considering i've played this game many times. A Word Of Advice From A Beast: Don't Be Silly, Wrap Your Willy! 03:32, 15 November 2010 (UTC)