This post contains affiliate links which help support One Simple Party. As always, we only recommend things that we trulylove. Full disclosure here.
When I think about Christmas gift exchange games, the traditional white elephant game and Secret Santa come to mind. Although these gift exchange games are really fun, they take a lot of coordination ahead of time.
My usual classic Christmas party game is hosting a Secret Santa. The problem is that this gift exchange can take a lot of time to organize. Assigning names, communicating information and finding a date for the final gift giving all takes weeks of prep work.
The white elephant gift exchange is similar to a Secret Santa, but has a sneaky factor. Basically, you can steal gifts away from people. Although it can be a lot of fun, it doesn’t work for every crowd.
Instead of one of these classic games, why not try a creative twist on your Christmas gift exchange this holiday season?
I have listed below five of my favorite Christmas gift exchange games. They are fun and creative variations on the classics. And are sure to keep guests entertained and having a good time at your Christmas party.
Christmas Gift Exchange Game with Dice
This is probably my favorite type of the Christmas Gift Exchange Games. Something about having the roll of the dice determine your fate of the gift that you receive.
Each dice number corresponds to a different action to take with the wrapped gift. (List what each dice number corresponds to)
To play, guests sit in a circle holding a random wrapped gift. Then, the first person rolls the dice. They read the instructions that match their dice roll. For example, if they roll a 1 then everyone passes their gift to the right.
Play until everyone has landed on “Unwrap your gift” or the gifts have been passed around multiple times. Then, invite guests to open their gifts.
To make play easier, you can use our Free Printable Christmas Gift Exchange Game so everyone knows what to do. I created an 8 inch x 10 inch version and 5 inch x 7 inch version.
Print on festive copy paper (red, green or white) or even on kraft paper (affiliates). Then, give a copy to each player to follow along. Or display on heavier cardstock for everyone to see.
I also added a few more festive versions of the Christmas Gift Exchange Game in our shop here in case you want one to match an event theme.
Left Right Christmas Game
This Christmas gift exchange game is all about being a good listener. Gather guests in a circle. Give each guest a random gift. Read them the left right poem. When the poem says “right”, they pass their gifts to the right. When it says “left”, they pass their gifts to the left.
After the poem is over, the gifts belong to whomever is currently holding them. If guests end up with the same gift that they brought, invite individual swapping. Most people don’t want to go home with something that they came with.
Then, invite guests to open the gifts. So much fun!
There are a couple different versions of these left right Christmas games that you can use. Check out our Free Printable Left Right Christmas Game about Santa’s Nice List Or we have this other fun ORIGINAL Left Right Christmas Game featuring Stella the Just Right Reindeer in our shop.
I can just imagine the laughter and joy trying to figure out which way to pass the gift next.
Hot Potato Gift Pass
Do you remember playing hot potato at birthdays when you were a kid? The one holding the hot potato was out. Please note that this “potato” was only figurative. Normally, we passed around a bean bag or other small stuffed object.
The goal of this classic birthday game was not to be the one left holding the “potato”.
This Christmas version is similar, but includes Christmas music.
How to Play –
1. Gather guests around in a circle.
2. Hand out two gifts to guests. To keep the gift passing moving, it’s probably best to start them at different sides of the circle.
3. When the music starts, guests pass the gifts around the circle.
4. Then when the music stops, whoever is holding the gift keeps it and is out of the game. Continue playing until everyone receives a gift.
Gift Exchange Card Game
This card game idea is similar to the dice gift exchange game, but using cards. There are a variety of gift exchange card games to choose from. You can find one of our favorite versions here (affiliate).
To play, assemble guests in a circle. Each person has a random gift. The first player draws a card. He does what the card says and returns the card to the bottom of the pile. Then, the next person chooses a card. Keep picking cards until the deck has gone around the circle at least once. You can choose how many times to go around.
Once the play is complete, each person unwraps the new gift that they have.
Pass the Christmas Parcel
To play this Christmas gift exchange game, you’ll have to ask guests to wrap their gift in multiple layers of different wrapping papers.
Layers and layers of wrapping paper.
Not necessarily, but you need a lot of wrapping paper.
Each gift should have at least five layers depending on how many times you want to pass the gift and how many people there are. But I know games where the gifts have had 15, so it’s really up to you.
To make wrapping the gift easier (and another party activity), set up a gift wrapping station with a variety of wrapping paper. (Check your local thrift shop for half used wrapping paper rolls or the dollar store carries inexpensive Christmas wrap.)
Ask guests to arrive with a wrapped gift in one layer of wrapping paper. Once at the party, they can wrap the gift in the additional layers of wrapping paper. This way you can guarantee that each gift has the correct number of layers.
How to Play
1. Invite everyone to sit in a circle.
2. Hand out two to three wrapped gifts depending on how many people there are and how many rounds you’d like to play.
3. Tell guests that when you play the Christmas music, they need to pass the gifts to their right. They continue passing the gifts until the music stops. Then, each person holding a gift takes off one layer of wrapping paper.
4. Play continues until the last layer of wrapping paper is taken off. Whoever is holding the unwrapped gift gets to keep it and is out of the game.
5. You can play additional rounds until everyone has a gift.
A variation would be to switch passing directions each time the music starts again. This way the gifts would be going both ways around the circle.
The Most Important Thing to Remember
For each of these Christmas gift exchange games, guests need to bring a wrapped gift. A gift exchange game doesn’t work if guests forget their gift or bring something unwrapped. You may want to have gift wrap on hand in case guests forget to wrap their presents before arriving. It’s the holiday season. You never know.
When sending out your Christmas party invitations, be sure to mention that you will be hosting a Christmas gift exchange game. (Our editable holiday invitations let you add any text that you need to tell your guests – including information on a gift exchange.)
Let guests know that they need to bring a gift to the party. And make sure that you set a budget for the gifts. Gift exchange games are never fun if one guest brings a gift valued at $100 and another chooses a yard sale find.
Once guests arrive at the party, have a space to put the gifts. Either under the tree or on a table works well. This way you can disperse “random” gifts when it’s game time.
Photo courtesy of Juliana Malta
What Kinds of Gifts Work for Christmas Gift Exchange Games?
When organizing your Christmas gift exchange, set a reasonable budget. Depending on the party, anything from $5 to $20 would work well. Let guests know about the budget to help them with their shopping.
Since everyone has different tastes and interests, unlike a Secret Santa, gifts should be more on the neutral side. Think socks, things for the kitchen, candles, self care items or something fun. You can find some great Christmas gift exchange suggestions here to share with guests.
Depending on your guests, you might want to add a theme to make gift buying more fun. It can also help people focus on specific gift options.
Here are some favorite gift theme ideas to consider:
- travel
- coffee and tea
- self care
- animals
- specific color
- games (this could be really fun for adults)
- kitchen
- mugs
- socks
- ornaments or something Christmas
- books (this is especially fun for kids)
- sports
- pet (works if everyone in the group has a pet)
- go green (all of the gifts are environmentally friendly)
- in the news (choose gifts that relate to things that happened in the news this past year)
- crafts
- something practical (think cleaning supplies and toilet paper)
- staying warm (fleece blankets, socks, tea, candles, bath salts)
- the great outdoors
- recipes (mason jar filled with your ingredients – check out this cookie mix for inspiration– with a recipe attached)
- wine and beer
- memories (something that reminds people of their childhood)
If you choose a gift giving theme, be sure that information is on the invitation as well. You’d hate to pick a theme and no one knows about it.
How Do I Choose the Best Christmas Gift Exchange Game?
When choosing a Christmas gift exchange game for your party, consider your guests. The number and their ages can be important.
A good rule of thumb is that the more complicated the gift exchange game, the fewer people should play. A gift exchange game with a lot of rules can be hard to coordinate with a larger group. If you have lots of guests attending your holiday event, choose a simpler game that’s easy to follow.
Also, consider the ages of your guests. Many young children don’t understand “stealing”. Once they have a gift, they want to keep it. If you’re playing the gift exchange game with younger children, consider eliminating this rule. Or call it “swapping” instead of stealing. And maybe make it optional.
Kids also sometimes have trouble following oral directions. So the Left Right Poem and Gift Exchange Card Game might be harder to do. I think my favorite Christmas gift exchange games for kids are the Hot Potato Gift Pass and Pass the Parcel. Most kids can easily follow the starting and stopping of the music. And it’s fun tossing gifts to each other around a circle as quickly as you can.
Love these Christmas gift exchange games and want to save them for later? Be sure to pin it below.
Want to play the Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game at your holiday party? Be sure to grab your Free Printable Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game.
- 8 inch by 10 inch Christmas Gift Exchange version
- 5 inch by 7 inch Christmas Gift Exchange version
You can also find an assortment of other holiday game printables in our shop here. And for more Christmas party game ideas, check out some of our favorite Kids Christmas Party Games. They are sure to make your holiday celebrating easy and fun.
Happy Celebrating,
Natalie
Related Posts
FAQs
What is the 5 Christmas gift rule? ›
In the 5 Gift Rule, the first four gifts are the same - something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. But the 5th? The 5th is the real winner. It's something they need or want but don't really know it.
How do you play the Christmas gift exchange game? ›Everyone brings a wrapped gift and gets a number. The first person chooses a gift and unwraps it, the second person can steal that gift or choose another, and so on. I don't even have to write out exact details because you all know. It's the same game everyone plays at their holiday party every year.
How do you do 3 favorite things as a gift exchange? ›What is a Favorite Things Gift Exchange Party? The idea is simple: invite a group of your favorite friends and ask them to bring 3 items that they absolutely love! These items could be kitchen gadgets, beauty products, a craft supply or even something handmade.
How do you play the white elephant Christmas game? ›The White Elephant Game Rules
Bring a wrapped, anonymous gift to the shindig. Draw numbers to determine who gets to unwrap a present when. Sit in a circle and place the gifts in the center, preferably under a festive tree. The person who drew #1 selects a gift from the pile, opens it, and holds it up for all to see.
The concept of a “five senses gift” is to buy or create gifts that appeals to the basic senses of the human body: sound, touch, taste, smell and sight. Whether you choose to give each gift at once, or space them out over the holidays, five senses gifting is a great way to spoil your loved ones!
How do you play roll the dice Christmas gift exchange? ›The general idea of the game is this – everyone brings a gift (or multiple gifts) and the gifts get passed around the table based on the roll of the dice until all gifts get unwrapped. As soon as all gifts are unwrapped the game is over and everyone goes home with whatever gifts they ended up with.
How many presents is a good amount? ›Some people say that three gifts are sufficient since that's all the baby Jesus got. Others go by a “rule of four” or seven or 10. And some parents delight in celebrating abundance and want Christmas to be a time of merry excess in contrast to the disciplines of regular life.
How do you play an exchange game? ›How to play EXCHANGE a Light Strategy Game By Bicycle - YouTube
How do you play rob your neighbor gift exchange? ›In case you don't know this game, it's a holiday tradition around these parts in which everyone brings a wrapped gift of nominal value (in this case, $10 or less). You then sit around a table and everyone takes a turn either opening one of the gifts on the table, or "robbing" an already opened gift from someone else.
How do you play Christmas grab bag game? ›A grab bag is a crazy way for each person to receive a random gift. The basic idea of a grab bag is that each person participating in the event brings a wrapped gift that is placed in a large bag. The bag is then passed around the room for each person to randomly reach in and grab a gift.
What is a good gift exchange? ›
- Office gadgets. Office gadgets are some of the most popular gift ideas for work gift exchanges because of their affordability and practicality. ...
- Food and snacks. ...
- Beverages. ...
- Trial memberships. ...
- Movie tickets. ...
- Handmade gifts. ...
- Office accessories. ...
- Gloves, mittens and cold-weather gear.
A trend which has gained traction over the past few years on social media is the "four gift rule". Parents pledge to give their offspring just four presents: Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
What is the 3 gift rule? ›One popular tactic is to have your kids narrow their gift lists to just three categories: something they want (say, a new video game), something they need (like a puffer coat) and something to read (the Ramona series has been calling their name).
How do you make gifts more meaningful? ›...
Consider a:
- Comic book.
- Personalized avatar/caricature.
- Portrait.
- Painting/drawing.
- Poem.
- Song (played live or make a recording)
- Sculpture.
- Photography session.
You start by asking "How many pink elephants are in this room?" The participants guess until you reveal that the correct answer, which is 8. Then you ask again, "Now how many pink elephants are there?" They guess until you reveal the answer is 7.
How do you play the Chinese gift exchange game? ›The person who drew number 1 takes a gift from the pile, opens the gift and sits down with the gift in plain sight, generally on her lap. Then "2" then takes a gift, either from the pile or from 1. Then 2 sits down with the gift displayed. If 1's gift was taken, then 1 gets to take another from the pile.
How do you play Pollyanna Christmas? ›Each guest needs to be instructed to buy or find a present/gift suitable for the party. Only one gift is to be donated per guest and they must bring their chosen gift wrapped so as to disguise its contents – you don't want anyone to be able to tell what the present is before it is unwrapped.
What is the most important 5 sense? ›Humans have five senses: the eyes to see, the tongue to taste, the nose to smell, the ears to hear, and the skin to touch. By far the most important organs of sense are our eyes. We perceive up to 80% of all impressions by means of our sight.
What are examples of sentimental gifts? ›- Personalized Recipe Cutting Board. For the cook who loves preserving family recipes.
- Willa Arlo Interiors. ...
- BBwill. ...
- Long Distance Touch Bracelet Set. ...
- Homesick Scented Candle. ...
- Custom Christmas Ornaments.
- Color Series Photo Book. ...
- Gratitude Attitude Journal.
How to play: Gift of Tulips from Weird Giraffe Games - YouTube
How do you play a Saran Wrap gift? ›
Begin by sitting everyone in a circle and giving one person the saran wrap ball and the person to their left the bowl/pie plate and dice. To play you must keep the ball on your lap at all times and unwrap it as fast as you can while the person to your left keeps rolling the dice until they get doubles.
How do you play left and right Christmas game? ›Everyone who has brought a gift to participate sits in a circle. You start with your gift or any random gift and listen as the story is told. Every time the word “LEFT” is read, you pass the gift to the left. Every time the word “RIGHT” is read, you pass the gift to the right.
How many Christmas gifts is enough? ›3 Gift Rule
The three gift-giving rule is based on the same number of gifts that Christ was given. Most parents consider three a magic number and like to gift their kids the same number of items.
Top 10 Christmas Spending Statistics for 2022
Parents plan to spend an average of $276 per child when it comes to Christmas gifts in 2021. 10% of Europeans go into debt due to Christmas shopping. 1 in 10 people returns their gifts to the store. 41% of Americans are willing to take on debt due to gift shopping.
In general, experts we interviewed recommend spending around $100 on spouses, $75-$100 on parents, $50 and up for siblings. For kids, $75 is a good starting point but it's easy to get carried away here — especially when they are under 18.
How do you play Pollyanna gift exchange? ›In a Pollyanna Gift Exchange, participants anonymously purchase a gift for a randomly-selected person in the group. The best gifts are inexpensive, personalized, and, of course, funny! From Grumpy Cat merchandise to eccentric tape dispensers, your perfect Pollyanna gift is sure to be found from this list.
What is the 4 gift rule? ›A trend which has gained traction over the past few years on social media is the "four gift rule". Parents pledge to give their offspring just four presents: Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
What is the 3 gift rule? ›One popular tactic is to have your kids narrow their gift lists to just three categories: something they want (say, a new video game), something they need (like a puffer coat) and something to read (the Ramona series has been calling their name).
How can I make my gifts more thoughtful? ›- Say things you never take time to say. ...
- Make food. ...
- Give your time. ...
- Use your skills. ...
- Present it beautifully. ...
- Give an experience. ...
- DIY. ...
- Fill it with memories.
How to play: Gift of Tulips from Weird Giraffe Games - YouTube
What is Kris Kringle gift exchange? ›
A group of people choose each others names randomly without telling who they got. Each person buys the person they picked a gift, and likewise the person who picked their name buys them a gift. The gifts are exchanged on an agreed upon date for the whole group, and everyone's Secret Santa / Kris Kringle is revealed.
How much do you spend per child for Christmas? ›How much does the average person spend on Christmas per child? American parents spend an average of $276 on their children (under 18) and $251 on themselves. In 2021, 48% of parents plan to spend the same amount of money. At the same time, 21% plan to spend less, and 13% intend to spend more.
How many presents is a good amount? ›Some people say that three gifts are sufficient since that's all the baby Jesus got. Others go by a “rule of four” or seven or 10. And some parents delight in celebrating abundance and want Christmas to be a time of merry excess in contrast to the disciplines of regular life.
How many presents should a child get for Christmas? ›The three gift-giving rule is based on the same number of gifts that Christ was given. Most parents consider three a magic number and like to gift their kids the same number of items.
What are the 3 most asked Christmas presents? ›History of the 3 Gift Rule for Christmas
Gold – something of great value. Frankincense – the gift of something spiritual. Myrrh – this gift represented something for the body. Throughout the years we have kept the same ideas for the 3 gifts, but it like we mentioned, has become more modernized.
While the right amount to spend will differ based on your income, cultural norms and other factors, a basic rule of thumb is to spend between $50 and $100 on a gift for a family member and between $20 and $50 for a friend. Buying a gift for a coworker, like an assistant or a boss, usually runs between $20 and $50.
How Much Should grandparents spend on grandchildren for Christmas? ›According to this survey, the average amount spent on Christmas gifts by grandparents is $218 per child. However, grandfathers actually spend more on holiday gifts ($244) than grandmothers spend ($202). Furthermore, grandparent holiday spending varies depending on where a family lives.
What makes a gift perfect? ›Giving something that reflects a shared interest or that demonstrates your knowledge of their passions is good, but it can be hard to keep track of those preferences over time. Consider giving them something meaningful to you that might also be memorable to them, like a memento or an old accessory.