The holiday season is filled with beloved traditions, from decorating the Christmas tree to baking cookies. One tradition that often brings festive fun to gatherings is a Christmas gift exchange. Rather than simply handing out gifts, liven up your holiday celebration with a gift exchange game!
6 Christmas Gift Exchange Games to Delight Family & Friends
Try out one of these 6 Christmas gift exchange games to add humor, suspense, and holiday excitement to your upcoming festivities.
Game #1: Guess the Giver
Guess the Giver is a fun and interactive game ideal for smaller gatherings of family or close friends.
How to play:
- Each participant randomly draws a name and buys a gift for that person. The gifts should be generic and not tailored to the specific person.
- The gifts are placed together in a central spot with no indication of who purchased which gift.
- Players then take turns being blindfolded and have to perform silly challenges, like singing a Christmas carol or acting out a scene. The rest of the group gives clues to help the player guess who picked out their gift.
- Once the player guesses correctly, the next person takes a turn being blindfolded.
Supplies needed: jar, slips of paper with names, blindfolds, wrapped generic gifts, table.
Game #2: Hot Potato Presents
Hot Potato Presents puts a lively spin on a traditional gift exchange with music and passing. It’s a fast-paced game perfect for kids’ parties.
How to play:
- Have all players sit in a circle. Place a number of wrapped gifts in the center.
- Play festive music and have participants pass the gifts around the circle.
- When the music stops, whoever is holding a gift gets to either keep it or choose a new gift from the center.
- Start the music again and repeat until all gifts have been selected.
Supplies needed: wrapped gifts, music player, timer
Game #3: Roll of the Dice Gift Exchange
This dice game adds an element of strategy and suspense for an engaging gift exchange suitable for all ages.
How to play:
- Each participant brings a wrapped gift valued under $10.
- Sit in a circle and give each player a number based on the roll call. Roll two dice to begin.
- The player whose number comes up first selects a gift. The second number rolled can choose to steal that gift or select a new one.
- If a gift is stolen, the original picker can choose another gift or steal from someone else.
- Once a player’s gift is unwrapped, they are out of play. The last player with a gift wins.
Supplies needed: wrapped gifts, dice, roll call list
Game #4: Spin the Candy Cane
Give the classic spinning bottle game a kid-friendly twist with Spin the Candy Cane. It’s an energetic way to exchange gifts.
How to play:
- Use a large candy cane as your spinner placed upright in an open space.
- Have players sit in a circle around the cane with small wrapped gifts placed in the center.
- Take turns spinning the cane. Whoever the cane points closest to gets to choose a gift or steal an opened gift.
- Play holiday music to up the festive excitement even more!
Supplies needed: large candy cane, wrapped gifts, holiday music player
Game #5: Blindfolded Musical Gift Exchange
For gifting with a twist, this blindfolded musical chairs game astounds every time. It works well for family gatherings or friend celebrations.
How to play:
- Set up a circle of chairs (one fewer than players) facing outward and a central table with wrapped gifts.
- Blindfold all players and have them sit. Play festive holiday music as players pass the gifts around the circle.
- When the music stops, players must set down their gift and find an empty seat. The player left standing is out.
- The game continues until one lucky participant wins the final gift.
Supplies needed: blindfolds, chairs, holiday music, wrapped gifts
Game #6: Christmas Card Match
For a less hectic gift exchange, use Christmas cards to create random gift assignments. It’s perfect for medium and large gatherings.
How to play:
- Each family or couple brings a unisex-wrapped gift. Assign each gift a number.
- Use Christmas cards to make pairs: cut cards in half, write halves in duplicate, shuffle, and tape one to each person’s back.
- Mingle and match up card halves to find your gift number assignment.
- Once everyone matches, take turns exchanging and opening gifts.
Supplies needed: Christmas cards, scissors, pen, tape, and numbered gifts.
Bottom Line
Looking to add lively excitement to your family festivities or holiday party? Choose one of these 7 Christmas gift exchange games to spice up your celebrations!
