Christmas Gift Exchange Game Ideas
With so many fun Christmas Gift Exchange Games out there it’s easy to get confused. What’s the difference anyway? If you’re invited to a White Elephant Gift Exchange what kind of gift do you take? What in the world is a Hippie Hand-Off? Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular gift exchange games.
As families grow, buying a Christmas gift for everyone gets harder. Then there are the young adults who are just starting out in life. You don’t want them to feel like they need to buy a gift for everyone in the family. You have to find options!
Christmas Gift Exchange Games are a fun way to celebrate with family without breaking the bank or making young adults feel awkward. They are also excellent for parties with friends or co-workers!
Check out these Gift Exchange Games and make this the best Christmas yet!
White Elephant
A white elephant is defined as a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of. Supposedly, the King of Siam gifted rare albino elephants to courtiers who had displeased him, that they might be ruined by the animals’ upkeep costs. The term white elephant refers to a gift whose maintenance costs exceed its usefulness.
In the case of a White Elephant Gift Exchange, gifts are typically humorous ‘gag’ gifts or gifts the recipient no longer has a use for. Take a look at these $10 White Elephant Gift Exchange Ideas.
It is played by placing the gifts in the center of the circle. Each player draws a number. Number one chooses a gift first. Number two can either steal number one’s gift or choose a new one. No one gift can be stolen more than three times before it is frozen. Number one gets to trade with any gift that hasn’t been frozen.
Dirty Santa Gift Exchange
Although its name might suggest otherwise, Dirty Santa is a family-friendly game! It is called dirty because game participants steal gifts from each other. The goal is to end up with the best gift (to you at least).
Gifts for Dirty Santa are typically something fun, new, unique, and in good taste. Check out these $10 Dirty Santa Gift Exchange Ideas.
Dirty Santa is played the same way as White Elephant. The difference is in the type of gifts. For complete rules visit Dirty Santa Rules And Numbers.
Grinched Gift Exchange Game
The Grinched Gift Exchange Game takes the stealing out of your guests’ hands and puts the blame on the card they’re dealt! With directions, right on each numbered card, up to 24 guests know exactly what action to take, making your party a lively one!
Grinch Gift Exchange Game Rules And Numbers
This Grinch Gift Exchange Game was designed to be played the same way as Dirty Santa or White Elephant. Use the Grinch Gift Exchange Game to celebrate Christmas with up to 48 family members, friends, or co-workers!
Elf Gift Exchange Game
The Elf Gift Exchange Game takes the stealing out of your guests’ hands with directions to trade or open a gift, right on each numbered card. Many of the directions include quotes or references that capture the whimsical and heartwarming spirit of “Elf” for up to 24 guests.
Yankee Swap
I’ve recently learned about the Yankee Swap and have found various rules on the game.
Yankee Swap gifts are usually a mix of silly and nice. It appears to be a crossover of White Elephant and Dirty Santa. It’s best to consider your audience when choosing a Yankee Swap gift.
Yankee Swap is generally played much like White Elephant or Dirty Santa although with a twist. Here’s one variation: Player number one chooses a gift, unwraps it, and puts it on display in front of them. Player number two chooses a gift, unwraps it, and can choose to keep it or swap it with player number one. Player number three unwraps a gift and chooses to keep or swap it. At the end of the game, participants are encouraged to swap their gifts as much as they choose.
Secret Santa
Secret Santa is a fun game for co-workers, friends, and extended family. Each person draws a name and purchases a gift for that person.
A dollar amount is typically placed on Secret Santa gifts. It is also best to do a little investigative work to find out what the recipient would really like since this is their chance at a great gift. Sounds like a lot of pressure to find the perfect gift? Maybe so!
Once the gift is open, the recipient guesses who their Secret Santa is and, eventually, their Secret Santa fesses up!
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
The Ugly Sweater Christmas Party doesn’t always include a gift exchange but it certainly can!
If it does include a gift exchange, the host should choose whether the gift is Dirty Santa or White Elephant style.
Hippie Hand-Off
If you’re looking for a super laid-back gift exchange idea, you might want to check out this Hippie Hand-Off Gift Exchange Game. It’s a bohemian-inspired version of traditional gift exchanges where guests take turns gifting and trading gifts that are often handmade, eco-friendly, or boho-style.
From essential oils to homemade laundry detergent, hand soap to deodorant, the possibilities are endless for the Hippie Hand-Off! Come up with your best hippie gift and let the fun begin!
Costco Christmas Commotion
This is Dirty Santa with an angle! Invite your guests to purchase a gift from Costco and play just like Dirty Santa! Give your guests a dollar amount and watch what they come up with.
The cool thing about the Costco Christmas Commotion is it’s super easy to return your gift if you didn’t end up with something you can use!
As Seen On TV Elf Celebration
Another twist on Dirty Santa is that you ask guests to purchase an As Seen On TV gift for the gift exchange!
As Seen On TV merchandise is intriguing but do you ever buy it for yourself? This is a great opportunity to check out the cool stuff this company produces!
Girls’ Night Party Idea
This favorite things Christmas Party Idea is a great way to bring together friends to celebrate the season while sharing the things you love!
Favorite Things Christmas Gift Exchange
This Favorite Things Christmas Gift Exchange removes the pressure of sticking to a spending limit, making it fun and personalized. Each participant gets to share something they genuinely love, allowing a glimpse into their tastes and interests, whether big or small. From a student’s favorite candy to an uncle’s go-to tech gadget, this exchange has a wide range of possibilities, making it adaptable for everyone regardless of budget. Even a grandma’s favorite restaurant gift card could become a meaningful and practical gift! This Favorite Things Christmas Party turns gifting into a sharing of personal favorites rather than a monetary competition.
So many choices! So many ways to have fun with Christmas Gift Exchange Games!
Frequently Asked Questions
Hi! I’m Bridget!
I create printables and DIYs to help you get organized and celebrate special occasions! It’s my mission to inspire you to get creative and find joy in the everyday!
Love all of these ideas! This year we are doing a gift basket theme exchange with Wes’s family. The gift receiver chose the theme and we get to fill the baskets up with things that fit the theme.
What a fun idea Michelle! I’d love to see some of those baskets!
I think I’ll have to save that Hippie Hand Off idea for if I ever do the vandwelling thing! Fun, as usual, Jayleen! 🙂
My curiosity is up Kay … what is vandwelling … ooooh! Never mind, just got it:0) Lol! There are so many variations out there, I wanted to start my own;0)
Fun! We always called it “white elephant” growing up and now my husband and I use that term too. It’s interesting that they’re so many different names!
This list of gift exchange games doesn’t even come close to covering them all. It is quite amazing how many different variations there are. Merry Christmas to you Mrs. Frugalwoods!