Family Christmas Games
These are games that our family plays every Christmas. We want to share them with you.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
For this game, all participants will need a wrapped gift. Each member of our family brings one with them, but you could also have gifts provided for something like a kids-only game.
Feel free to impose a limit on the dollar amount for each gift.
Everyone who wants to participate should sit in a circle. Starting with the youngest player, each person rolls the dice and follows the instructions on the tray. Play continues clockwise until all gifts are unwrapped.
Optional Rules:
You can continue for one complete circle after the last gift is unwrapped. This adds some more fun to the rolls that include a swap or steal!
After the game, you can allow the trading of gifts, but no one should be forced to trade.
This game does take some time with larger groups. Make sure to plan accordingly.
Saran Wrap Ball
Rules:
One person starts with the dice tray and both dice. Their job is to roll as fast as they can until they roll doubles in any number. As soon as doubles are rolled, they should yell stop!
The player with the saran wrap ball starts unwrapping the ball. They continue unwrapping until the player rolling the dice yells stop!
The player should unwrap the ball and not tear or rip apart the plastic. Tearing takes the fun away, resulting in an oven mitt penalty at our Christmas!
Whoever has the ball gets to keep anything that falls out during their turn.
After doubles are rolled, the dice tray and ball both get passed to the right to start the next round.
Optional rules:
Try wearing oven mitts or mittens while unwrapping to make it that much more difficult! We use oven mitts as a punishment.
Two large balls started on opposite sides of the circle is a fun alternative for large groups!
To make it tougher, you could also implement a blindfold or sleep mask.
For a faster game you could roll a single die and choose a specific number to pass on.