Mucus and Mistletoes

A solo procrastination game about getting healthy in time for Christmas

Introduction

It’s almost Christmas—the season of joy, warmth, and endless holiday treats. But instead of decking the halls, you’re stuck in bed, battling chills, nausea, and a cough that won’t quit. With the clock ticking down to Christmas Eve, your goal is simple: rest, recover, and rally your strength before the festivities begin.

In Mucus and Mistletoes, you’ll fight off symptoms, manage dwindling energy, and try to keep boredom at bay while navigating the ups and downs of recovery. Roll dice to tackle challenges, stock up on healing remedies, and boost your mood with distractions—but be careful! Poor sleep and lingering symptoms can set you back, and if boredom takes over, you might not make it out of bed in time for the holidays.

Will you rise triumphant, ready to celebrate with family and friends? Or will it be a lonely Sickmas spent under the covers? Grab some dice, shuffle the deck, and see if you can beat the clock—and your cold—before Christmas arrives!

Based on a True Story

This game isn’t just about surviving the holiday sniffles—it’s rooted in a real-life struggle. Right now, in December 2024, I’m sitting at home, sick, and desperately hoping to recover in time for Christmas. The hours drag on, and no amount of tea seems to be enough to get me back into shape.

So, I turned my boredom into something productive—a game. Mucus and Mistletoes became my distraction while riding out the worst of it, and maybe it can do the same for you. Whether you’re battling a stomach bug, the flu, or just the winter blues, I hope this game helps you pass the time and keeps your spirits up.

And who knows? With a little luck and smart planning, I’ll be home for Christmas - it might even be someone else’s home if all goes well!

What is this game?

Mucus and Mistletoes is a solo print-to-play game designed for quick setup and replayability. With short rules, intuitive mechanics, and phases that mirror the ups and downs of being sick, every session presents new challenges. Luck plays a key role in recovery—much like real life—but careful planning and smart use of resources can tip the odds in your favor.

No two games are the same. Whether you face a short bout of a stomach bug or the long struggle of a stubborn cold, you’ll need to balance energy, mood, and motivation to pull through before the holidays. The game uses a standard deck of playing cards and a handful of dice, making it an easy-to-learn, portable adventure—perfect for passing the time when you’re stuck at home. Licensing: This game is my own work and released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.