Minute to Win It host Guy Fieri took part in a conference call yesterday to let us all know a little bit more about the upcoming holiday episodes of the show. He's a upbeat kind of guy (no pun intended), so it wasn't surprising that he was really enthusiastic about these shows.

Here are some of the things we can look forward to:

• The top prize for these Christmas shows has been raised to $3 million
• Some games have been created just for Christmas, and include things like wrapping paper tubes, ornaments, and apparently reindeer antlers and a red nose (pictured)
• Other games, like Face the Cookie, have been given a holiday theme, so contestants will be facing a Christmas cookie
• There will be bonus challenges, which will earn contestants things like an extra life, ten extra seconds, or prizes

Of course there will also be a decorated set, and "Santa's Helpers," who are dolled up in outfits similar to the Deal or No Deal red Christmas dresses.

Minute to Win It kicks off its holiday run on Tuesday December 7th at 8pm Eastern, with two more shows on December 14th and 21st. Should be fun!

Photo courtesy NBC

Sixteen years ago today, on December 1 1994 at 7:00pm Eastern, the Game Show Network was launched. Hard to believe, isn't it? For its first three years or so, the network was made up entirely of classic and second-run game shows with some live interstitials and a few ads. The ads were mostly promos for, you guessed it, game shows.

Since then the network has come a long way, with original games, GSN Live, the short-lived GSN Radio, and of course some stunt programming.

Our guest blogger Chad Mosher posted this YouTube video on Facebook, which covers the opening moments of GSN. It's a lengthy mashup of many of the shows the network aired when it started. How many of you were tuned in and watching this as it aired?

Happy birthday GSN, and here's to many more!

Logo courtesy GSN

It's that time once again for completely subjective lists of the best and worst of the year! As frivolous as this type of thing is, I have to admit that I love a good year-end list. They're great for debating and discussing, and even picking apart to shreds - as long as you don't take them too seriously.

Looking back over 2010 there have been loads of stories in the world of game shows. Off the top of my head:

• The Our Little Genius debacle
• Big changes on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
• A new host for Family Feud
• The loss of announcer Charlie O'Donnell
• Minute to Win It vs. The Cube
• Another summer of waiting to see if Pyramid would be revived

And of course, what I feel has been the biggest story of the year...

• Rich Fields is let go on The Price is Right, but gets a chance at the open announcer spot on Wheel of Fortune

Of course there are loads of other stories from the past year that deserve our attention - new shows, canceled shows, great contestants, etc. - and that's where you come in! What have been the most important game show events/stories/happenings of 2010 to you? They can be positive, negative, or somewhere in between. Share your opinions in the comments section, and we'll eventually leave the top moment/story up to a vote before the final list is posted.

Photo courtesy CBS

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American friends! While you're busy whipping up a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal or getting ready to visit friends and relatives, take a moment to watch this video, courtesy of Pat Sajak. Sajak has been pretty active on Twitter lately, and if you aren't following him you really should be. He's absolutely hilarious.

Don't forget, GSN is offering up some marathons for the holiday, and our guest blogger Chad Mosher has served his list of game show turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Photo courtesy Sony Pictures Entertainment