These Christmas gift exchange games are some of the most creative and unique gift exchange ideas ever! No more traditional white elephant gift exchange, this year try one of these gift exchange ideas instead. Whether you’re hosting an office party, a family Christmas party, or just a holiday party with friends, these gift exchange ideas will make it so much more fun!
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Fun Christmas Gift Exchange Games
Almost every holiday party I’ve been to in the past ten years has had a very similar gift exchange along with other Christmas party games.
Everyone brings a wrapped gift and gets a number. The first person chooses a gift and unwraps it, the second person can steal that gift or choose another, and so on.
I don’t even have to write out exact details because you all know. It’s the same game everyone plays at their holiday party every year whether you’re celebrating with family members for a family gift exchange friends, or even an office gift exchange.
This year I dare you to break out of the typical gift exchange box and try one of the unique gift exchange games below at your holiday party (even better if you add a theme from this list of gift exchange ideas…) instead of the norm. They’d be perfect go along with these Christmas games. Let last year be the final year you did something lame.
Deck of Cards Gift Exchange
This deck of halls gift exchange game is similar to the dice one above except you’re using a deck of cards instead! Each card that gets flipped tells you to do something like passing gifts around a circle, stealing gifts, and more!
This deck of cards gift exchange went absolutely viral for a reason and will definitely be a group favorite!
The Brick Gift Exchange
Are you going to choose to take a gift from the table, a gift from someone else, or are you going to choose a brick? This fun risk or reward gift exchange will force people to decide if they want something guaranteed (a gift) or they want to go for something bigger they could possibly win (a brick with cash).
Get the rules for this brick gift exchange here.
Rock Paper Switch Gift Game
This rock paper switch gift exchange is played similar to a traditional gift game or white elephant game. The big difference is that in order to steal a gift from someone, you have to beat them in rock paper scissors first.
But that’s not all – this gift exchange game is full of fun twists and surprises all based on whether you go with rock, paper, or scissors!
Chews Your Own Gift Exchange
This sweet chews your own gift exchange went viral for a reason – it’s simple and fun to play! Everyone has to choose a candy out of a bag and the candy determines what happens to their gift! Everyone will love it and love getting a sweet treat with their gift!
Holiday Hustle Gift Exchange
If you’ve ever thought a gift exchange lasts too long or you just have a short amount of time to do the exchange, this fast paced gift exchange is controlled by a one-minute hourglass timer!
It’s maybe one of my favorite gift exchange games ever, and I can guarantee that no one is going to be mad when your gift exchange lasts ten minutes instead of an hour!
Get the full rules and instructions for the holiday hustle gift exchange that went viral on social media!
Christmas War Gift Exchange
This fun gift exchange game incorporates a typical gift exchange full of choosing and stealing gifts with the classic card game war. It’s easy to play and so much fun because you just never know who is going to flip over what card!
Get the rules for this Christmas war game.
Left Right Poem Gift Exchange Game
In this game, everyone brings a wrapped gift and sits in a circle. Read the poem and when the words “right” or “left” are read, everyone passes their gifts left or right.
You’ve gotta pay close attention though because it can get crazy with rights and lefts all over the place! And it’s no easy task! The best part of this is being the reader and watching the hilarity happen during this holiday gift-giving game!
You can get four different left right gift game poems here. There’s a religious one, one for kids, a girls night one, and just a generic Christmas one!
Switch Steal Unwrap Dice Gift Exchange
In this game, everyone starts with three small gifts. You roll the dice and the dice determine if you switch, steal or unwrap gifts. Game ends when all the gifts are unwrapped.
This is by far one of the best gift exchange games I’ve ever played and my most viral gift exchange game for good reason – it’s a blast! And you don’t know what’s going to happen until the last gift is unwrapped!
Get the full instructions and printable dice gift exchange game as well as blank cards! You can do this one with gag gifts, but I prefer it with real ones!
December Dice Gift Game
This December dice gift game uses dice to determine if gifts gets passed, switched, unwrapped, or frozen! You just never know where the gifts are going to end up!
It’s the perfect gift exchange game for large groups or when you don’t want the pressure of choosing to steal or not because the dice choose for you!
Christmas Price is Right
This hilarious Christmas price is right game will have everyone competing to guess the price of Christmas items to keep their cash.
Turn it into a gift exchange by having whoever has the most cash at the end get to choose their gift first and so on! This was one of the most fun gift exchange games we did this year!
Heads or Tails Gift Exchange Game
Let your gift exchange be dictated by the flip of a coin in this fun heads or tails gift exchange. Heads you choose a gift to unwrap, tails you get to steal from another person.
It’s amazing how just adding a little coin to a game can change it completely. Get the rules for this heads or tails gift game here!
Vegas Gift Exchange Game
This fun Vegas gift exchange game combines elements of skill and luck as people play a hand of Black Jack to try and win the rights to swap a gift but then might have to lose it anyway as they roll the dice to determine the final fate of the gift!
This one is perfect for an adults party (or families with a few modifications), an office party, or a girls night!
Gift Exchange Card Game
In this game, everyone brings one gift just like in a typical white elephant gift exchange. Instead of just deciding whether or choose a gift or steal someone else’s, you pick a random card instead.
The card will tell you what to do with your gift – steal, swap, unwrap, pick a second gift, and more. Get the free printable gift exchange game cards here!
Christmas Higher or Lower Gift Exchange
Everyone brings a gift and in this fun game, people have to compete in a higher or lower Christmas trivia game to win their spot in the order to choose the gift they want to go home with! It’s a different variation on a gift exchange and so much fun!
Get the full rules and Christmas higher or lower trivia questions here.
Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Exchange Game
Similar to the game above, the card you draw in this game tells you what to do with your gift. Only this time instead of random sayings, these cards are all themed based on the 12 days of Christmas songs.
So not only is it fun, it’s hilarious to read what happened in the new version of this song (and game!). Play this 12 days of gift exchange and these 12 days of Christmas games for one festive event!
Santa’s Helper Gift Exchange
In this game you’re trying to get the perfect gift for someone else instead of yourself! Everyone shares things they like and dislike then secretly you play the game trying to get the best gift for your person!
It’s hilarious, fun, and a great way to change up a gift exchange! You could also use these cards for a secret Santa exchange where you draw names of who your gift recipient will be.
Get rules and the free printable tell your elf cards here.
Scrooge Your Neighbor
This game is played just like any regular gift exchange with one exception – everyone gets a character card at the beginning of the game, characters inspired by A Christmas Carol.
During the gift exchange, you can use your card to do certain actions like peek at a gift before opening, block a steal, and even unfreeze a frozen gift!
This is a new game we played this year and absolutely love it! Get the cards and all the rules for Scrooge Your Neighbor here.
Punch a Present Gift Exchange
Create a Christmas punch game like this one that has numbers inside each of the cups (along with treats if you want). Number each of the gifts that people bring and the number you punch out is the gift you get!
Musical Gifts
In this musical gifts gift exchange, everyone sits in a circle and gifts are passed around while music is played similar to musical chairs or hot potato! There are four different variations you can choose from outlined in this musical gifts post that all end up with people switching gifts in a really fun way!
Musical chairs and hot potato are both popular party games for a reason, so this one will feel nostalgic (in a good way) and new!
Christmas Never Have I Ever Gift Exchange
You know the traditional Never Have I Ever game? This is a holiday gift exchange take on that where people read Never Have I Ever statements and if they’ve done the thing – they have to move seats (and leave their gift behind).
It’s hilarious and a great way to get people switching without hurting anyone’s feelings with stealing. This Christmas never have I ever game is best in small groups of 20 or less.
Lucky Last Line (Pass the present game)
In this fun pass the present game, you wrap up a gift with multiple layers of wrapping paper and include a line of a poem on each layer of wrapping paper. Someone starts with the gift, unwraps a layer, then hands it to whoever the poem directs them to for the next layer!
Keep passing and unwrapping the gift until the final person ends up wrapping the gift itself, not just another layer! The person who unwraps the final gift gets the larger gift inside!
This game works really well with large families, large groups, and when you want something with gifts at your Christmas parties but not necessarily a formal type of gift exchange.
Mug Gift Exchange
Instead of having people bring a wrapped gift, have them bring a mug filled with small wrapped gifts! Then use the left right poem above to exchange Christmas gifts with a mug theme!
Or if you want some other fun ideas to do with the mugs, here are some great mug exchange ideas that would be so much fun for a Christmas party this holiday season!
Grinch Gift Exchange
In this fun variation on the left right game mentioned above, everyone passes their gifts at different times while the How the Grinch Stole Christmas book is read! It’s hilarious and a lot of fun for any age!
This is a similar type of gift exchange to the left right one with a Grinch gift theme! Get the full instructions for this Grinch gift exchange game here!
White Elephant Gift Exchange
You can also just do a traditional white elephant gift exchange where people bring either funny gifts or gifts from home (that aren’t trash – just things they personally don’t want) for the gift exchange.
Everyone brings a wrapped gift. Everyone gets a number and whoever has number one chooses a gift to unwrap. Whoever has number two can unwrap a gift or steal the gift and so on until all the gifts are gone.
Want to see how fun these games can be? Watch the video below to see these games in action!
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Get the ultimate gift exchange game bundle! The best gift exchange games all in one printable PDF – instructions, printable cheat sheets, printable playing cards, and more! Click on the image below to check it out.
Gift Game FAQs
If we don’t want to steal gifts, what gift exchange game should we play?
If you don’t want to include stealing gifts, I recommend any of the games that have mostly random passing of gifts like the Grinch gift exchange, left right game, or even the December dice gift game that incorporates minimal stealing (as decided by the dice roll).
This same advice goes for if you’re doing something where people put a lot of thought (or time) into their gifts and you don’t want to hurt feelings. I like to do the more randomized games anytime we do something like a homemade gift exchange!
What are some fun gift exchange ideas for a small group?
If you have a small group doing a gift exchange, it’s a perfect opportunity to try one of the most involved gift exchange games like our dice gift exchange, Scrooge Your Neighbor, or the 12 days of Christmas gift exchange!
What gift exchange game do you recommend for large groups?
For large groups, I recommend doing something fast like holiday hustle or something that doesn’t take any decision making like the deck of cards gift exchange (the cards tell you what to do) to keep things moving.
What are good Christmas gift exchange ideas for families?
All of the gift exchange games in this post are totally family-friendly but if you have younger kids (who don’t understand the idea of stealing gifts, having gifts stolen from them, and not getting what they want – I’d recommend you setup the younger kids with one of these Christmas party games or a Christmas scavenger hunt and leave the gift game playing to kids that are a bit older and adults of course.
Out of the gift game ideas above, my favorites for families include musical gifts, rock paper switch, or heads or tails. Kids (and adults) love the gift variations of these classic games!
More Christmas Games
If you want something to go along with any of these gift exchange game ideas, try out one of these fun Christmas games!
- Christmas family feud – this Christmas inspired version of the classic game show is always a hit at Christmas parties!
- Christmas Jeopardy – another fun game show turned into a Christmas party game, with questions just for teens another set for adults!
- Christmas emoji game – a hilarious printable Christmas game that will have people trying to guess Christmas movies with just emojis!
- Christmas saran wrap game – see how quickly you can unwrap prizes wrapped in saran wrap but watch out for coal cards, this one is always a huge hit!
- Christmas punch game – this Grinch inspired punch game went viral for a reason – it’s festive and so fun!
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