Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas

Christmas for me, is a time of fun, celebrations and giving. One of the most exciting parts of the holiday season for me is gift giving. Whether with my family, friends, or colleagues, hosting a Christmas gift exchange is a fun way to celebrate the season and show appreciation for those around me. In this post, I hope to share some fun Christmas gift exchange ideas. Offer tips on how to choose the perfect gift and how to set up a fun game for everyone.

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What Are Some Fun Christmas Gift Exchange Games?

If you are opting to play a gift exchange instead of Secret Santa, there are a variety of fun and unique gift exchange games you can play. Some popular options include Left Right Exchange, White Elephant, and Gift Scavenger Hunt. Each game requires different levels of prep for you as the host. 

Christmas gift exchange story:

Get ready for a super easy-to-host but hilarious gift exchange game – the left-right game! Trust me, it’s a total family favourite. I created this fun story a while back, and it’s been a hit ever since. I even threw in some of my family’s characters and added a dash of the night before Christmas vibes.

If you have never played a left right game, they are so easy to play. One person will need to read the story or poem. Every time the word left or right is said, the gifts are passed to the left or right, it’s super simple. Get ready for tons of laughs and unforgettable moments with this awesome game!

Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game:

Get ready for a gift-giving extravaganza with this awesome game! Here’s how it works: everyone brings a gift (or two, or three!) and we’ll start rolling those dice. The gifts will make their way around the table, getting unwrapped along the way. Once all the gifts are unwrapped, you get to keep whatever amazing presents you ended up with. It’s a surefire way to have a blast and go home with some fab Christmas goodies. Let the gift exchanging begin!

There are so many different variations of this game. I created one where people can swap, steal and exchange gifts. It’s a lot of fun. The kids always get excited when we play this one.

Oven Mitt Game Exchange Game:

Get ready for a game that will make your party pop! Before the start of the party, prepare a box. Each layer is wrapped in brown paper, but hidden in between are numbered cards and one special prize!

When guests arrive with their gifts, give them a numbered card to pin to their gift bag. Then, gather around the table to start the game. It’s time to put on those oven mitts and get unwrapping! The player wearing the mitts will take turns trying to unwrap the box while the person to their left rolls the dice. If they roll a six, it’s their chance to tackle the mitts and uncover the next layer. We used the boxing gloves below, which was hilarious!

As each layer is unwrapped, the number revealed will be linked to one of the gifts. The player can then pass the mitts to the next person, and the unwrapping adventure continues! Prepare for a whole lot of fun and laughter with this game; this was definitely a hit with the adults!

Bingo Gift Exchange

Get ready to spice up your gift exchange with a festive twist on the classic game of bingo! Not only will you have a blast playing, but each time someone wins, they’ll snag one of those coveted gift exchange presents. Talk about double the excitement!

But wait, there’s more! Bingo is the perfect way to keep the party going and extend the fun of exchanging white elephant-style gifts. It’s simple: whenever someone wins, they’re out of the game, but they walk away with a fantastic present.

Now, if you’re playing with a big group, we’ve got a tip for you. While bingo is a blast, it can get repetitive if you’re waiting for everyone to win. So, we suggest mixing it up and playing a few rounds of bingo before moving on to another fabulous festive gift exchange game.

Reindeer Hooplar

Reindeer Mania! Get ready to sleigh your next party with this super fun game! Here’s how it works: one lucky person gets to rock the reindeer headband and the rest of the gang takes turns trying to rack up as many points as possible.

Now, it’s time for some friendly competition! Take turns trying to score as many points as you can. Keep track of everyone’s scores on a sheet of paper. When the game is over, the person with the highest score gets to choose their gift first. Then, it’s on to the next highest scorer, and so on! We bought our reindeer headband from good ‘ole Amazon. It wasn’t expensive and we have used it every year since. 

Fun Christmas Games

Over the years, our family have played all kinds of games at our family gift exchange get-togethers. We love bingo as a family, as everyone gets the chance to win some prizes, which the kids absolutely love. Here are some more of our favourites.

1. Candy Roll A Dice
2. Christmas Charades
3. Ugly Sweater competition
4. What’s your Elf name? This is a great ice breaker for large groups.
5. Naughty or Nice Christmas Game
6. Christmas Picture Bingo This is fun if you have younger players and can double up as snap or go fish game.

Here is one of my favourite fun gift ideas you can do to make your gift giving memorable. Instead of just wrapping your gift, Locking your gift up! Create a set of puzzles for your recipient to solve that will eventually reveal a code to unlock their gift.

Hosting a Successful Gift Exchange Party

Hosting a successful gift exchange party requires a little bit of prep. Here are some tips to ensure that your party is a hit:

• Choose the right venue and time: This is probably the trickiest part of hosting a party during the festive season, as most people’s calendars are pretty full. Try your best to pick a time and date everyone can attend. 
• Food and drink are a must for any festive get-together: Don’t feel as though, as the host, you have to do it all on your own. Ask each guest to bring along a plate of goodies to share.
• Plan fun activities to complement your event. I have a game bundle that would be perfect.

Happy Gifting

I love hosting a Christmas gift exchange. There are a fun way to celebrate the holiday season and can actually save you money if you are only buying for one person. Follow a few of the tips in this blog post, and you’ll have an epic gift exchange. Remember to choose the perfect gift, set up the rules, present your gift with style and bring on the food, drinks and games. Happy gifting!