Last Christmas, I introduced the “Right Left Christmas Exchange Game” and it quickly became a favorite! It was not only a top hit on our blog but also a highlight on Christmas Day itself.
I proudly took on the title of the “Holiday Game Master.” Every single item needed for those hilarious “minute to win it” games was individually wrapped by me and then gathered into one large box.
To hand out the game pieces, we played the left-right gift exchange game. My nephew was spellbound, eyes wide and jaw dropped, throughout the narrative, and everyone was thoroughly amused.
Given its success, I decided that this year, I’d not only bring back that game but also introduce a few other popular Christmas games for gift exchanges.
Top 5 Christmas Games for Gift Exchange:
Left Right Christmas Gift Exchange Game
Read this classic Christmas tale with a twist as your guests hastily pass around the gifts in a circle each time the word left or right is read. The gift that you have at the end of the tale, is the gift you get to keep.
The left right gift exchange game is a quick but fun Christmas gift exchange. I also created a Christmas themed printable.
Get the Left Right Gift Exchange Story & Printable.
Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game
This game is best played at a table or in a circle on the floor. I like this game because it adds a bit of the “lucky” factor with the roll of the dice. You don’t know which way it will go.
You can choose to play as many rounds as you like, so it could be a quick or a long gift exchange game. For 12 or more players, 3 rounds is what I prefer. Make sure you decide how many rounds to play before your begin the Christmas gift exchange.
Get the full rules at: party game ideas.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
In my opinion, white elephant is the classic Christmas gift exchange game. You might also know this game as Yankee Swap. I play it at least 2 times every season.
But I never get bored of it. So fun to bring the funniest gift or the gift that everyone wants to take home and trades all night.
Start with all the presents wrapped on a table, each person takes a card to determine who goes first. Choose a present and unwrap it, the next person can decide to open a new one or to steal your present.
Heads or Tails Gift Exchange
Add a twist to the classic white elephant party for how to the player decides what action they get to do on their turn. You might want to steal, but will you get the chance?
The white elephant gift exchange game sometimes can go on for a long time. Adding a heads or tails rule will potentially curb the never ending stealing.
Cards Christmas Gift Exchange
This great printable has an action with each card to trade gifts with players based on the actions of the card. You can play this with the presents opened or wrapped.
For example, one card says to trade gifts with a player with the closest birthday to yours. This could be a great game for at a friends party getting to know facts about each other!
Get the printable at: loveyourcrazylife.com.
One of my favorite parts? The search for the fun gift that will be the hit of the evening. It fills me with so much joy when my gift is the one being constantly stolen.
I’ve even taken great pleasure in putting a different present in the box, so people don’t even know what they are trading for.
Some of my favorites have been adults party games or these kids christmas games. (the reindeer hat game is my favorite) Here’s a couple more super fun christmas gift exchange ideas:
