Christmas Party Game Ideas...

my suggestion would depend on the size of your group. We had about 20 people. Each person brought a wrapped gift. We stood around a large table with our gift. Someone was responsible for the music. The song we used was Jingle Bell Rock. While the music played, every time you hear the word jingle, you pass the gift to your right. The whole room is passing gifts at the same time as directed by the music. It sounds silly but we were roaring with laughter. When the music stops, the gift in front of you, is yours.

Good luck

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Have you guys ever done a family version of Secret Santa? If you haven't then that might be fun. For anyone that doesn't know what that is, it's where everyone involved picks another person's name randomly ahead of time (usually out of a hat, but if it's family and they're spread out, it could be picked for them by the organizer and then e-mailed) and they're in charge of getting that person their Christmas gift. Usually this is done in offices and in military commands (where I picked it up), but it could be done by family too. It's even more fun if you don't reveal who each person's "Santa" is and have a guessing game taking turns to try to find out.

That's the only one I can think of. We play a lot of games at Christmas, just not centered around gift giving. I hope you get a lot of good ideas, I'll be coming back to see what other mommies have posted.

My office always played "The Grinch Game". A $ limit is set and each person buys a gift (Some gag gifts always show up, which makes it more fun). At the party, let's say you have 10 people. The numbers 1-10 are put in a hat and each person selects a number. Number 1 goes first and picks any wrapped gift from the pile and opens it. Number 2 is next and can either pick from the pile OR take #1's gift. Number 3 is next and can take from the pile OR take #1 or #2, etc... A person may only have his gift taken from him 2 times. So, of course #10 can pick whatever he wants! It is always so much fun!

What about a restaurant/food gift card exchange?
(thinking of this as I type...)
Rules: 1. They all have to be for a set price like $10.00.
2. The cards have to be to a place where drinks and food can be purchased. (Subway, McDonalds, Giant, Starbucks, Outback, Dunkin Donuts, etc).
3. The cards are wrapped in boxes.
4. Everyone picks a present.
5. While singing or playing a song like 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas', the gifts are passed in one direction everytime a word is said like 'Wish'.
6. When the song is done, whatever gift you have, you open.

M.

I married into a family with around 30 people (and that's just immediate!). We do the 'Secret Santa' thing. Even the kids participate (although the youngest is around 10). They get a kick out of buying for the adults. We always set a limit - $25 this year - and my MIL sends out an e-mail asking for everyone's top three things that they would like, then distributes the whole list. On Christmas, she picks one name to go first, and that person presents their gift to the recipient. That person in turn presents his/her gift to the next person, etc. It's always a blast!

I played a fun game at my in-laws house one year. It's not for "main gifts" but it sure was fun. Everyone brought a few small gifts $5 and under which were all wrapped along with some empty boxes. We all stood in a circle around the pool table (or any table would work) which all the gifts were on and rolled big fuzzy dice. There was a person in charge that changed the criteria every round i.e. even number or if the dice add up to 6. If you meet the preset criteria when you roll you get the pick a gift. Keep going round and round until all gifts are chosen and when you are done unwrap your gift. Lots of family fun =).
I have played a game similar to Colleens suggestion except in descending numerical order and that was lots of fun too. i tihnk it is much more fun than a traditional secret santa game and allows for lots of suspense.

What about bingo? You could get a bingo game at walmart and then have the first winner with the standard bingo get the first prize. As the boards get progressively harder the new winners will get the chance to "steal" previously won gifts or take the one that they one for their board.

We love the white elephant idea, but let people "steal" from each other no more than 3 times!