How to Draw Straws

If you have to choose someone from among a group of people to perform a task, good or bad, or to get certain privileges or for whatever reason, and are not sure how to decide, you can draw straws to help you make your choice. Drawing straws is a great way to randomly make this decision and avoid hurting anyone's feelings.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Appoint a leader to be in charge of the straws. It must be someone who you know to be honest and trustworthy, who will not try to twist things in their favor.

2. Choose an item to draw. It does not have to be a piece of straw, though it can be. It can be drinking straws, sticks or anything identical of length that can vary in size.

3. Collect enough of the "straws" so that everyone, including the leader, will be able to draw a straw.

4. Make one of the straws smaller than the rest if you are the leader in charge of the straws. You will need to be sure that the length of the straws is undetectable when holding the straws.

5. Hold all the straws in your fist if you are in charge of the straws. Make it so the top of the straws are completely even.

6. Go around the group of people and let each person choose a straw. The straw they touch is the straw they get; participants may not pull on the straws in making their decision. Take the last straw if you are the leader in charge of the straws.

7. Compare the length of the straws. One participant should have a shorter straw than the other participants. The person with the shortest straw is the winner or the loser, depending on the reason for drawing straws.