by Brittney Helmrich, Business News Daily Staff Writer
Throwing an office holiday party this year? A great way to celebrate and get in the holiday spirit is by having themed gift exchanges. These activities add some fun into passing out presents, and themes takes the pressure off employees who struggle with gift shopping.
From thoughtful charity donations to co-worker trivia games, here are 10 fun gift exchange ideas for your next holiday party.
Secret Santa
You've probably already participated in a few Secret Santa exchanges in the past, but in case you've forgotten how this long-time tradition works, everyone in the office gets anonymously assigned one co-worker for whom they will buy an inexpensive gift. Usually, names are drawn from a hat and there's a strict spending limit. And if you want to make it more fun, encourage employees to leave hints about their identities for their recipients up until the big reveal.
White elephant
If your employees have a good sense of humor, a white elephant gift exchange (sometimes also known as a Yankee Swap) may be just the thing you need to spread some holiday cheer. For this game, each employee will bring in one wrapped gift to be put in a central location. From there, they'll take turns selecting presents. The first person to go opens the gift they chose, and the next person has the option to steal the previous person's gift (in which case, that person would have to choose another) or select a new one. But what makes a white elephant exchange unique is the type of presents involved; white elephant gifts are usually weird or funny items, or unwanted things that employees choose to re-gift.
You've probably already participated in a few Secret Santa exchanges in the past, but in case you've forgotten how this long-time tradition works, everyone in the office gets anonymously assigned one co-worker for whom they will buy an inexpensive gift. Usually, names are drawn from a hat and there's a strict spending limit. And if you want to make it more fun, encourage employees to leave hints about their identities for their recipients up until the big reveal.
White elephant
If your employees have a good sense of humor, a white elephant gift exchange (sometimes also known as a Yankee Swap) may be just the thing you need to spread some holiday cheer. For this game, each employee will bring in one wrapped gift to be put in a central location. From there, they'll take turns selecting presents. The first person to go opens the gift they chose, and the next person has the option to steal the previous person's gift (in which case, that person would have to choose another) or select a new one. But what makes a white elephant exchange unique is the type of presents involved; white elephant gifts are usually weird or funny items, or unwanted things that employees choose to re-gift.
Gift grab
To do a gift grab, all of your employees have to bring in a small, wrapped gift under a certain price limit and place it in a central location. Put a number in a hat for each person participating, and then have everyone draw a number to determine the order in which they get to select their gifts. Simple enough, but what makes a gift grab special is the ability to steal gifts after you've chosen one. Once the first person has gone, anyone after that can choose to either take another person's present or choose from the pile. The person whose gift is stolen can do the same — either steal another's gift or pick a new one — but they cannot steal back their gift. Play until there are no gifts left to exchange.
To do a gift grab, all of your employees have to bring in a small, wrapped gift under a certain price limit and place it in a central location. Put a number in a hat for each person participating, and then have everyone draw a number to determine the order in which they get to select their gifts. Simple enough, but what makes a gift grab special is the ability to steal gifts after you've chosen one. Once the first person has gone, anyone after that can choose to either take another person's present or choose from the pile. The person whose gift is stolen can do the same — either steal another's gift or pick a new one — but they cannot steal back their gift. Play until there are no gifts left to exchange.
Coffee mugs
Nearly everyone in the office drinks coffee or tea, or at the very least, has a use for a coffee mug. Why not make gift-giving much simpler by limiting your employees to exchanging fun and decorative coffee mugs? Assign everyone a random recipient (you can draw names from a hat, like in a Secret Santa exchange), and set a price limit. To make it even more fun, have employees fill their mugs with little edible treats, like candies or hot cocoa packets, before they exchange them.
Nearly everyone in the office drinks coffee or tea, or at the very least, has a use for a coffee mug. Why not make gift-giving much simpler by limiting your employees to exchanging fun and decorative coffee mugs? Assign everyone a random recipient (you can draw names from a hat, like in a Secret Santa exchange), and set a price limit. To make it even more fun, have employees fill their mugs with little edible treats, like candies or hot cocoa packets, before they exchange them.
Co-worker trivia
A co-worker trivia game is a great way to turn your gift exchange into an icebreaker. Have everyone bring a wrapped gift under a certain price limit, and put all the gifts in one common place. Then, have your employees write out a little-known fact about themselves and put it on a slip of paper. Draw papers one at a time, reading out the fact. The first person to guess whom a fact is about gets to choose his or her present first. Keep going until all the presents have been exchanged — and your employees know each other a little better, too.
A co-worker trivia game is a great way to turn your gift exchange into an icebreaker. Have everyone bring a wrapped gift under a certain price limit, and put all the gifts in one common place. Then, have your employees write out a little-known fact about themselves and put it on a slip of paper. Draw papers one at a time, reading out the fact. The first person to guess whom a fact is about gets to choose his or her present first. Keep going until all the presents have been exchanged — and your employees know each other a little better, too.
Charity exchange
Instead of giving out presents, why not do some good while spreading holiday cheer? Have everyone write down their names and favorite charity on a piece of paper, put it in a hat and then let each employee take turns selecting names. Then, employees will make a small donation (again, set a money limit) to that charity in the selected person's name.
Instead of giving out presents, why not do some good while spreading holiday cheer? Have everyone write down their names and favorite charity on a piece of paper, put it in a hat and then let each employee take turns selecting names. Then, employees will make a small donation (again, set a money limit) to that charity in the selected person's name.
Recipe baskets
Even if you're not that great at cooking, everyone has a favorite recipe. A fun alternative to actual presents? Exchanging your favorite recipes, but not just a card with instructions. Employees should make a gift basket complete with the instructions and the ingredients needed to make the dish. To choose who gets which baskets, draw names out of a hat.
Even if you're not that great at cooking, everyone has a favorite recipe. A fun alternative to actual presents? Exchanging your favorite recipes, but not just a card with instructions. Employees should make a gift basket complete with the instructions and the ingredients needed to make the dish. To choose who gets which baskets, draw names out of a hat.
Holiday cheer exchange
This is a great way to really get into the holiday spirit. Have everyone bring in a wrapped gift under a certain price limit, and sit in a circle. Then give them directions to stand up if they meet certain holiday-related criteria. (Things like, "If you've already decorated your Christmas tree," or, "If you're wearing red," work perfectly.) Those who are standing should swap gifts. Play as many rounds as you like, but make sure everyone ends up with a gift other than his or her own.
This is a great way to really get into the holiday spirit. Have everyone bring in a wrapped gift under a certain price limit, and sit in a circle. Then give them directions to stand up if they meet certain holiday-related criteria. (Things like, "If you've already decorated your Christmas tree," or, "If you're wearing red," work perfectly.) Those who are standing should swap gifts. Play as many rounds as you like, but make sure everyone ends up with a gift other than his or her own.
Musical gifts
"Musical gifts" is a play on the classic game musical chairs. For this one, everyone brings in one wrapped gift under a set price limit. Then, have employees sit in a circle holding their gifts, and play a song. While the song is playing, employees should pass their gifts to the left. Whatever gift they have when the music stops is the gift they get to open.
"Musical gifts" is a play on the classic game musical chairs. For this one, everyone brings in one wrapped gift under a set price limit. Then, have employees sit in a circle holding their gifts, and play a song. While the song is playing, employees should pass their gifts to the left. Whatever gift they have when the music stops is the gift they get to open.
Cakewalk
For a cakewalk, everyone buys a random gift (it's probably best to set a price limit), and you'll have to randomly place numbers on the floor. Similar to musical chairs, someone will play a song, and when the song ends, everyone has to stand on a number. Then, you have two options: You can draw a random number and let whoever is standing on that number choose their gift. Or, as an alternative, you can label presents with numbers so that the number an employee ends up standing on corresponds to the gift they get. There may not be real cake involved in a cakewalk, but it's still a more interesting way to give out presents.
For a cakewalk, everyone buys a random gift (it's probably best to set a price limit), and you'll have to randomly place numbers on the floor. Similar to musical chairs, someone will play a song, and when the song ends, everyone has to stand on a number. Then, you have two options: You can draw a random number and let whoever is standing on that number choose their gift. Or, as an alternative, you can label presents with numbers so that the number an employee ends up standing on corresponds to the gift they get. There may not be real cake involved in a cakewalk, but it's still a more interesting way to give out presents.
Culled from http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/
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