Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year because I get to pick out presents for the people I care about most in this world. However, sometimes it can be financially difficult to get gifts for everyone you care about; therefore, I have five fun ways to give gifts for groups of people where you only end up purchasing one gift!
1. White Elephant
To play this game, everyone in the group must bring one wrapped gift at the price range that was agreed upon. All gifts will be placed together in one area. Everyone draws a number and that is the order they will pick the gifts. The first person will pick a gift and open it. The second person will pick another gift or choose to steal from the first person. The game goes on from there and, in the end, everyone ends up with a present!
2. Hot Potato
Although you may remember this as a silly children’s game, it can also be used for gift exchanges. Everyone brings a gift and gets into a circle. One gift will be placed in the hands of one member of the group. The gift starts to be passed around the circle and when the timer or music runs out, the person holding the gift gets to keep it and steps out of the circle. The game continues.
3. Cheer Exchange
Again, everyone brings a gift in the price range that has been agreed upon. Everyone picks a gift and sits on the floor. The host will then shout out a phrase like “has on black shoes” and those people will stand up and swap gifts with one another. This goes on with another rule or phrase and so on. If a person has already swapped, they do not need to stand again, as they have the present they will keep. The game continues until everyone has a chance to swap.
4. Whose Gift
Everyone brings a wrapped gift and puts it on a table. Then they draw numbers to see the order of the people picking gifts. When the first person gets a gift and opens it, they have to guess who bought the gift. If they are right, their turn ends, but if they are wrong, they have to do something embarrassing that the whole group decides on until they get it right. Either way, they keep the gift! This one is great if you’re looking for a good laugh with friends.
5. Secret Santa
Everyone should know what this one is. If not, here we go! Everyone participating puts their name into a hat. Everyone draws someone else’s name and that is who they are purchasing a gift for. Sometimes you can get little things each day leading up to the big present or just have one big opening day, but once the person opens their gift, they guess who their Secret Santa is.
I hope these ideas have helped in trying to figure out how to organize Christmas! Good luck on finals and have a Merry Christmas!!