Make this year’s gift exchange the best of all with these six great tips and the free printable gift exchange cards and game idea! It’s a fun and unique way to host the best Christmas party ever!
One of my favorite parties to host during the holiday season is a gift exchange party. White elephant, make your own, bigger or better… you name the type of gift exchange party and I love to host it. Apparently others do as well since these creative gift exchange game ideas is one of my all-time most popular posts.
There is an art to hosting a gift exchange. It can either be something that people really enjoy or something else. These are my top six tips to host a gift exchange that makes people want to keep coming back year after year. You’d better believe I’ll be following these for my party this year.
Tips for Hosting the Best Gift Exchange
#1 – Pick your theme and stick with it.
This is almost always the first tip I give when you’re planning out any party. I know you’re hosting a gift exchange party but what kind? Is it going to be a white elephant gift exchange (if it is, these are some of the best white elephant gifts ever!) or maybe a make your gift exchange? Or how about a favorite things gift exchange?
There are a ton of different themes out there that you can use so pick one and make sure all of your guests know exactly what type of gift to bring. You don’t want someone to show up with an awesome project they’ve spent a lot of time on and another person to come with some gag gift they picked up at a gas station.
You could even put your own twist on it and make it a white reindeer, instead of white elephant, gift exchange and decorate with all white reindeer. White is very trendy right now. Or how about coming up with a new theme like tell everyone they have to put together a gift basket with items from Walmart for a total of $10 or less.
You’ll be amazed at all of the creative things people can come up with. I picked up my fabric, card stock, cookies, and even my gifts while at Walmart this week!
#2 – Keep your menu simple.
Plan your party during non-meal hours and keep your menu simple. People will likely grab some food at the beginning of the party and toward the end but I’m willing to be that people aren’t going to leave in the middle of the gift exchange to grab food. And on that note, stick to foods that’ll stay good at room temp.
One of my favorite things to do is to heat up my favorite dips in bread bowls and then just leave those on the table with the bread cut from the center on the plate for people to dip. This spinach artichoke dip is perfect in a bread bowl!
Add a fun personal touch with this cute printable signs encouraging people to pick out some treats. You can download the free printable food sign by clicking on the image below.
#3 – Play A Unique Gift Exchange Game – Gift Exchange Cards
Everyone’s done the standard pick a number and the first person picks a present then the next person gets to steal and so on. Try one of these three unique gift exchange game ideas OR try out the new one I created just for this post.
Pick a Gift, Any Gift because you’re gonna trade it anyway. Okay, that’s not what I really call it but that’s what happens.
Pick a Gift, Any Gift: Gift Exchange Game Idea
Supplies:
- Enough wrapped gifts for people coming (have everyone bring their own)
- Five extra wrapped gifts that you provide (or ask your close friends to bring an extra)
- Free printable gift exchange cards (fill out the form below the game to get the cards)
- Bowl or Santa hat to pick cards out of
Prep:
- Put all of the cards in the Santa hat.
- Have everyone sit down in a circle with the gift they brought. Put the unclaimed gifts in the middle of the circle.
Play:
Give the youngest person in the circle the Santa hat and ask them to pull out a card and read it out loud. If the card is directed as just her (e.g., unwrap your gift), that person will do whatever the card says. If the card is directed at the entire group (e.g., everyone pass your gift to the left), everyone does what the card says. Once the person’s turn is completed, they return their card to the Santa hat and pass the hat to the person on their left.
Continue passing the Santa hat around the circle, having people take turns picking a card out and following the instructions on the card, until everyone has had a turn. Or if you’d rather the game go longer, go around the circle two or three times.
At the end of your desired round, have everyone who hasn’t already, unwrap their gifts. Everyone goes home with the gift they ended up with on the final turn.
You can see how fun this game is and how to play in the video below!
Print the Game Cards
You can download the free printable cards by entering your name and email address below. I’d recommend incorporating all four sheets of cards into your hat because they all have different instructions on them. If you can’t see the form below, click here to get to it to get your printable cards.
#4 – Create the perfect party playlist.
It seems a little strange that I’m talking about music with a gift exchange, I know. But you don’t talk that much during a gift exchange so it’s the perfect time for some great Christmas background music.
This is a great traditional Christmas playlist to get you started!
Just make sure to keep the music loud enough that people can hear but soft enough that it’s just background music, not yell over it music.
#5 – Pick out the perfect gift.
You’re the host so you’d better come prepared with some great gifts. It is your gift exchange after all. If you’re doing a white elephant exchange, you could get one of these white elephant gift ideas and be set.
If you’re doing a homemade one, try this dinner in a jar idea or an ice scream basket. And if it’s a regular gift exchange, honestly a gift card always does well. Not exciting, but popular.
#6 – Have fun.
The holidays are supposed to be about enjoying time with friends and family, giving back, and being grateful for everything we have. Don’t stress out and let stupid things like running out of ice ruin the night. Prep using all of the tips above and just go with whatever comes your way.
Tracy Harris says
Thank you for the awesome ideas!
BritniV says
You’re welcome!
Rebecca Rincon says
great ideas!
Kristen says
Love this idea!
Fran says
Thank you, looking forward to playing at our Xmas party.
mary munson says
Unable to print the PDF file for your exchange gift game cards…could you please email me the file??
Pat Rasbeary says
Is it possible to email me the directions and cards for the Santa hat.
The game I am speaking about is where someone draws a card out of a hat and the card directs them on what to do. Thank you so much
Pat Rasbeary
BritniV says
You can download them (and get them sent to your email) here –> https://www.playpartyplan.com/product/pick-gift-game-cards/. Totally free!
Melissa says
If someone has a gift and gets to pick a second gift from the middle, do those gifts stay together if they have to pass them?
BritniV says
Nope, they don’t have to stay together! They can be treated as individual gifts, so that person will likely end up with two gifts at the end of the game!
Pam says
Thanks so much for the fun ideas. Can’t wait to try them out on my family. Merry Christmas!
Lisa says
for the gift exchange card game, if there are many gifts already open, and someone picks out a card directed to the whole group, do the individuals with the opened gift participate as well? Basically my question is does everyone participate until every individuals has chosen a card?
BritniV says
Yes, everyone participates unless their gift has been frozen (with a freeze card).
Lisa says
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Julie says
How does “freeze your gift” work if you go two or three rounds?
BritniV says
If someone to chooses to freeze their gift, it is frozen for the entire game/all rounds. That’s how we played at least. You’re welcome to change things up if you play multiple rounds but the idea is that if someone chooses to freeze their gift, that gift is theirs.