Fun way to exchange gifts at work party

[B&Bforever]

Hi Folks

I'm looking for a fun way to exchange gifts at work. Everyone is bringing a generic gift and we have done the read the story game or number the gifts game in the past. Looking for something new and fun that will have it last for a few minutes.

Thanks

 

[D&DDisney]

We put everyone's name in a hat and pick. The first person picked gets to pick any present and has to open it for all to see. Next person picked can either steal that gift or pick another one and open for all to see. And so it goes. IF your gift is stolen you must then pick another gift and open it. That gift can still be stolen by others. Gifts can only be "stolen" 3x and then they are safe. This can last for quite a while and it is fun.

 

[tinkerbell615]

We use two decks of cards. Everyone gets a card from one of the decks. The other deck is used by the person who calls the cards. That person flips a card from the deck and the person that has that card gets to pick a gift from the table unopened. If you don't want a gift from the table and someone else already has a gift you want, then you get to take theirs. That person then can take a new unopened gift or steal from someone else. A gift can only be "stolen" three times in each turn. You do this until the person takes a new unopened gift and then pull another card.

It can take a while sometimes, but it is fun. There are always one or two gifts that seem to get passed around a bit.

I hope all of this makes sense.

 

[tinkerbell615]

We put everyone's name in a hat and pick. The first person picked gets to pick any present and has to open it for all to see. Next person picked can either steal that gift or pick another one and open for all to see. And so it goes. IF your gift is stolen you must then pick another gift and open it. That gift can still be stolen by others. Gifts can only be "stolen" 3x and then they are safe. This can last for quite a while and it is fun.

Funny. This is just the same thing that I posted only using cards. We must have been typing at the same time. LOL.

 

[KayBella]

We've done a story--takes some creativity but doesn't last too long. Everyone hold the gift they brought and they sit in a circle. Someone writes a story (along the lines of "Twas the Night Before Christmas") and reads it out loud and every time a certain word is said (Lets say 'Santa') then the gifts are passed to the right (or left..doesn't really matter!) At the end of the story the gift that is in your lap is the gift you get. Hope that makes sense! It can get pretty funny and makes everyone participate!

 

[aangel9114]

Tinker and D&D are talking about what I have always heard called a chinese pollyana and there are tons of different ways of playing. It is loads of fun, but can last a long time if people keep stealing. We just did this at my work and it wasn't too bad, but there were only 9 of us. We picked #s.

 

[momxx5]

Place each gift under a chair and play Christmas music to have a game of musical chairs.
Once each person is out they get the gift that was under the chair that was taken away.
Or something along the musical chair lines.

or

Play a game where each person says one letter of a Christmas word....if they spell wrong they are out or if spelled correctly the say "Snowflake" and they are out. As each person gets "out" they choose a gift off table or from someone else.

 

[B&Bforever]

Thanks Everyone

 

[Tink2000]

Our office has started buying toys for tots instead of gifts for us. What we do is put everyone's name in a hat and draw. You then purchase a toy that somehow relates to that person. The year I was expecting I got a baby doll with bottle, diapers etc. One of our guys drives a motorcycle so he got a toy motorcycle. We of course give all of our toys to a drop off of Toys for Tots. We have done this for several years and enjoy it more than when we got to keep the gifts.

 

[D&DDisney]

Our office has started buying toys for tots instead of gifts for us. What we do is put everyone's name in a hat and draw. You then purchase a toy that somehow relates to that person. The year I was expecting I got a baby doll with bottle, diapers etc. One of our guys drives a motorcycle so he got a toy motorcycle. We of course give all of our toys to a drop off of Toys for Tots. We have done this for several years and enjoy it more than when we got to keep the gifts.

That's a really good idea. Will have to suggest this next year.