Need a fun new Christmas tradition? Try Whamageddon!
This survival game starts during the holiday season and its only rule is to avoid hearing Wham!'s 1984 hit song, “Last Christmas" throughout the whole month of December.
However, if you hear a remix of the classic Christmas tune, like one of the many covers that artists have done over the years, or even hear someone sing it in passing, then you're safe. All you have to do is avoid the original song for the whole month of December.
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If you get to the point that you hear the original “Last Christmas” playing and you recognize the song, then you’re out. The official Whamageddon website lists the rules in full.
On TikTok, the game has gained so much popularity that the hashtag #whamageddon has over 12 million views.
"I have been playing this game with my friends for about seven or eight years now in a row, and I've actually won most of those years," a TikTok user said in a video, before providing tips for other players.
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She noted that going to a grocery store or a gas station is a "danger zone" and you have to be prepared to hear the song if you go there.
"You better bring over the ear noise-canceling headphones and blast the s--- out of anything else," she said.
Since "Last Christmas" is one of the top holiday songs around, it's easy to say that making it to Christmas without hearing the tune is a nearly impossible feat.
That's why TODAY spoke with Thomas Mertz, the founder of "Whamageddon," about the game he started nearly two decades ago with a group of friends in Denmark.
When asked if has something against "Last Christmas," Mertz gave a clear answer.
"No, we don’t," he said. "It is absolutely not about somehow getting the song pulled out of rotation."
Instead, Mertz said the game was inspired by the holiday season and everyone should take it very lightly.
"We know from our community that a lot of people enjoy this snippet of levity we can inject into their lives in a very stressful period of the year," he said.
"It’s not so much about winning as much as it is about being in a shared experience," Mertz added.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
