I really love this one, which I read about today at a delightful blog called Knotty Musings. Here is a family who clearly don’t want to get into all the potential bribery and mischief that comes with the usual White Elephant game, where players swap and steal gifts from right under each others noses! Instead, Paulissa has stumbled across a great idea to keep the White Elephant or Yankee Swap basis, while adding a bit of fun, a cute story, and no doubt plenty of confusion — minus the stealing!

Tell the story and pass the gifts

At least, minus the direct stealing. This version makes it all about chance, and players have no say in the matter of which gift they end up with. Everyone sits around in a circle in the usual way, but instead of the gifts being left anonymously to the side and opened one at a time, each guest starts the game holding the gift that they brought to the party. Then someone reads a story. You could make up your own, or there’s a good sample one in Paulissa’s post at Knotty Musings. Every time the word “right” is read out, everyone must pass the gift they’re holding to the right. Every time the word “left” is read out, everyone must pass the gift they’re holding to the left. Once the story is over, everyone keeps the gift they’ve ended up holding. Obviously the story is packed full of “lefts” and “rights”, to create maximum amusement and confusion!

Why not give it a try at your next gift exchange party? Or let me know about any other fun variations of the game that you and your family like to use. I love to hear about them!