Christmas gift exchange ideas and gifts for kids

Christmas Gift-Exchange Ideas for Large Families

With brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and all of their children, some family Christmas gift exchanges become unwieldy and need flexibility so they don't last for hours.

Christmas Gift-Exchange Ideas for Large Families

Let your family know well ahead of time if you implement a new gift-giving tradition, and allow those who want to opt out of gift-exchange games to feel it's OK to remain in another room participating in a different activity.

One-Present Gift Exchanges

Instead of having each person present gifts to every other person, limit gift giving by drawing names ahead of time to decide to whom you will give a gift, and reveal yourself when you present the gift.

One-Present Gift Exchanges

Or use a Secret Santa approach and send out small gifts in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, such as a package of gum or sprig of mistletoe, before presenting a larger gift at the exchange. Alternatively, limit gifts to children only and have someone dressed as Santa hand them out at your gathering.

Gift-Giving Games

With passing games, the game itself is part of the fun. For about 20 people or fewer, pile wrapped gifts in the center of the group. Draw numbers and let the first person pick and unwrap a gift; the second participant chooses to open a new gift or "steal" the unwrapped gift, allowing the first person to choose again.

Gift-Giving Games

For children, reimagine musical chairs and have the children pass gifts around a circle, keeping the gift in the kid's hands when the music stops.

Themed Gift Exchanges

When you decide on a certain type of gift ahead of time for everyone to give, you can control costs and ensure that gifts are equitable. To keep costs low, choose a white-elephant or used-gift exchange or set limits on how much each person should spend, such as $5 or $10;

Themed Gift Exchanges

exchange the gifts via a passing game or have Santa read out names on the tags. Other themes include cooking, food or beverage gifts or cold-weather accessory gifts.

Gift Giving as Entertainment

Instead of focusing on the exchange aspect of gift giving, lead an activity with gifts being the items each guest makes. For example, play a holiday trivia game or charades and award simple prizes such as holiday bells or ornaments, or provide aprons and all the materials for a cookie-decorating activity.

Gift Giving as Entertainment

If your space permits, designate a photo-display site in front of the Christmas tree and provide fabric, cardboard and instructions for making picture frames.

Christmas Gift-Exchange Games for Kids

Giving and receiving gifts is a joy, but make it playful as well -- create Christmas gift exchange games for the kids. The type of game may vary slightly depending on the age groups participating.

Christmas Gift-Exchange Games for Kids

For young kids, keep it simple and quick. Older kids might enjoy the option to steal a gift away from another child as part of the game, knowing it's all in fun because every kid walks away with a present.

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

Part of the fun with older kids is the suspense of whether they get to keep the original gifts they chose. With traditional white-elephant games, the children choose gifts in order, which often is decided by letting the kids draw numbers.

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

The next person in line gets to pick a new gift or take one from a child who already picked. That child then gets to pick another present.

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

You may choose whether the kids open the gifts as soon as they get them so children down the line know what gifts are available to steal, or if the gifts stay wrapped until the end and the kids choose based on box size and shape.

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

As a variation of this Christmas gift exchange, give each child a playing card. Use a second deck and draw a card after each child chooses a gift. If you draw that child's card, he gets to steal from another child if he wants to. To make it easier, let him steal if you draw a card from the same suit, even if the number isn't the same.

Dice and Bingo

Use a couple of dice and let each child take a turn rolling to play this Christmas gift exchange game. The child must roll doubles to pick a gift or you may pick a number, such as six. Decide whether each child gets one turn or multiple chances before moving on to the next player.

Dice and Bingo

When most children have picked presents, let the last few children continue rolling until they get doubles or the right number. Creating Christmas bingo cards keeps the game in the holiday spirit. Instead of "BINGO" across the top, the cards might say "CLAUS."

Dice and Bingo

Give the children Christmas stamps or stickers to use as markers when they match a letter and number you call. When a child gets five in a row, she may pick a present. The game continues until all the children have gifts.

Dice and Bingo

To speed it up, let those with presents keep playing, and if they get five in a row again, they may pick a present for another player.

Passing Gifts Around

Let children pass gifts around to keep the mystery alive of which gifts they will get. Stage the game similar to musical chairs, where the children pass around one gift until a Christmas carol stops playing. The child holding the present when the music stops gets to keep it.

Passing Gifts Around

When only two children are left, give each a present for them to hand back and forth so they both end up with one when the music stops. In a variation of a right-left Christmas gift game, give each child a present and read Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" book to the children.

Passing Gifts Around

Every time you say "Who," the kids should pass the gifts they are holding to the left. When you say "Grinch," they pass to the right. Each kid keeps the present she is holding when you finish reading the book.

Making Christmas Gifts

Gifts don't have to be bought and wrapped. Instead, have the kids make the gifts before doing the games. You might help the children bake sugar cookies in holiday shapes, then let them decorate with frosting and candies

Making Christmas Gifts

They might decorate small boxes and put the cookies inside. The children also might enjoy baking and decorating gingerbread men to give to others. Making ornaments offers a variety of options, such as painting clear plastic globes or making wood-stick reindeer.

Making Christmas Gifts

In addition to other gift-giving games, handmade items offer a few other options. Each kid can draw a name out of a hat, and she gets the gift made by the person whose name she drew. Or when you hold up an ornament, the kids guess who made it; the first correct guesser gets to keep it.

Making Christmas Gifts

In addition to other gift-giving games, handmade items offer a few other options. Each kid can draw a name out of a hat, and she gets the gift made by the person whose name she drew. Or when you hold up an ornament, the kids guess who made it; the first correct guesser gets to keep it.

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Christmas gift exchange ideas and gifts for kids

Read more

Christmas Gift-Exchange Ideas for Large Families

With brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and all of their children, some family Christmas gift exchanges become unwieldy and need flexibility so they don't last for hours.

Read more

Christmas Gift-Exchange Ideas for Large Families

Let your family know well ahead of time if you implement a new gift-giving tradition, and allow those who want to opt out of gift-exchange games to feel it's OK to remain in another room participating in a different activity.

Read more

One-Present Gift Exchanges

Instead of having each person present gifts to every other person, limit gift giving by drawing names ahead of time to decide to whom you will give a gift, and reveal yourself when you present the gift.

Read more

One-Present Gift Exchanges

Read more

Gift-Giving Games

Read more

Gift-Giving Games

For children, reimagine musical chairs and have the children pass gifts around a circle, keeping the gift in the kid's hands when the music stops.

Read more

Themed Gift Exchanges

When you decide on a certain type of gift ahead of time for everyone to give, you can control costs and ensure that gifts are equitable. To keep costs low, choose a white-elephant or used-gift exchange or set limits on how much each person should spend, such as $5 or $10;

Read more

Themed Gift Exchanges

exchange the gifts via a passing game or have Santa read out names on the tags. Other themes include cooking, food or beverage gifts or cold-weather accessory gifts.

Read more

Gift Giving as Entertainment

Read more

Gift Giving as Entertainment

If your space permits, designate a photo-display site in front of the Christmas tree and provide fabric, cardboard and instructions for making picture frames.

Read more

Christmas Gift-Exchange Games for Kids

Giving and receiving gifts is a joy, but make it playful as well -- create Christmas gift exchange games for the kids. The type of game may vary slightly depending on the age groups participating.

Read more

Christmas Gift-Exchange Games for Kids

For young kids, keep it simple and quick. Older kids might enjoy the option to steal a gift away from another child as part of the game, knowing it's all in fun because every kid walks away with a present.

Read more

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

Part of the fun with older kids is the suspense of whether they get to keep the original gifts they chose. With traditional white-elephant games, the children choose gifts in order, which often is decided by letting the kids draw numbers.

Read more

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

The next person in line gets to pick a new gift or take one from a child who already picked. That child then gets to pick another present.

Read more

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

You may choose whether the kids open the gifts as soon as they get them so children down the line know what gifts are available to steal, or if the gifts stay wrapped until the end and the kids choose based on box size and shape.

Read more

Christmas Gift Games With Steal Options

Read more

Dice and Bingo

Use a couple of dice and let each child take a turn rolling to play this Christmas gift exchange game. The child must roll doubles to pick a gift or you may pick a number, such as six. Decide whether each child gets one turn or multiple chances before moving on to the next player.

Read more

Dice and Bingo

When most children have picked presents, let the last few children continue rolling until they get doubles or the right number. Creating Christmas bingo cards keeps the game in the holiday spirit. Instead of "BINGO" across the top, the cards might say "CLAUS."

Read more

Dice and Bingo

Give the children Christmas stamps or stickers to use as markers when they match a letter and number you call. When a child gets five in a row, she may pick a present. The game continues until all the children have gifts.

Read more

Dice and Bingo

To speed it up, let those with presents keep playing, and if they get five in a row again, they may pick a present for another player.

Read more

Passing Gifts Around

Let children pass gifts around to keep the mystery alive of which gifts they will get. Stage the game similar to musical chairs, where the children pass around one gift until a Christmas carol stops playing. The child holding the present when the music stops gets to keep it.

Read more

Passing Gifts Around

When only two children are left, give each a present for them to hand back and forth so they both end up with one when the music stops. In a variation of a right-left Christmas gift game, give each child a present and read Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" book to the children.

Read more

Passing Gifts Around

Every time you say "Who," the kids should pass the gifts they are holding to the left. When you say "Grinch," they pass to the right. Each kid keeps the present she is holding when you finish reading the book.

Read more

Making Christmas Gifts

Gifts don't have to be bought and wrapped. Instead, have the kids make the gifts before doing the games. You might help the children bake sugar cookies in holiday shapes, then let them decorate with frosting and candies

Read more

Making Christmas Gifts

They might decorate small boxes and put the cookies inside. The children also might enjoy baking and decorating gingerbread men to give to others. Making ornaments offers a variety of options, such as painting clear plastic globes or making wood-stick reindeer.

Read more

Making Christmas Gifts

In addition to other gift-giving games, handmade items offer a few other options. Each kid can draw a name out of a hat, and she gets the gift made by the person whose name she drew. Or when you hold up an ornament, the kids guess who made it; the first correct guesser gets to keep it.

Read more

Making Christmas Gifts

In addition to other gift-giving games, handmade items offer a few other options. Each kid can draw a name out of a hat, and she gets the gift made by the person whose name she drew. Or when you hold up an ornament, the kids guess who made it; the first correct guesser gets to keep it.

View more

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