Gift Exchange Game

This is a repost of an older post. With Christmas parties in full swing, I thought this might be something you would like include in your next party. Gift exchange game; the perfect game for a Christmas party.

The rules are fairly simple and the game is LOTS of fun.





First, ask all your invitees to bring a Unisex gift worth a set value, ( like $5 or $10) per person, wrapped. When they arrive to your party with their gift, write their name down on a small piece of paper, and put then in a bowl. This will make sure you don`t miss anyone, and latter, when the game is played, it will serve as a draw bowl.

When it’s time to play the game, gather all your guests together in a circle if possible and place all the wrapped gifts on the floor in the centre of the room.  Play starts when you, the host, draw a name from the bowl (no peeking!) and read it aloud. The person whose name is read, is the first person to choose a gift from the pile (no poking, prodding or shaking gifts) and opens the gift and then shows everyone else what the gift is. Then the first person draws a name from the bowl and read’s the next person’s name.

This second person has the option of stealing the first person’s gift or they can choose a new, unwrapped gift from the middle of the room. If the second person decides to unwrap a new gift then play continues as before with demonstrating of gift and picking a new name. However, if the second person decides to steal the gift from the first person,  then, the first person goes and chooses a new gift from the centre of the room.

When the third person’s name is read then the third person has the option of stealing either from the first person, or second person or they can pick a new gift. Game proceeds in this matter until the last gift is unwrapped and everyone has a gift.

TIP: Set a number of limits for stealing the same gift, like 2 or 3 times per gift.

Have fun!

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