18 gift exchange games for work, with rules for each

Steal-and-swap games

The classics. Everyone brings one wrapped gift to a shared pile, and the fun is in the stealing.

1. 1. White elephant

   The gift exchange everyone knows, and the best one for groups of 8 to 30.

   1. Everyone brings one wrapped gift under the price limit and draws a number.
   2. Player 1 opens a gift from the pile.
   3. Each next player opens a new gift or steals one that's already open.
   4. Anyone whose gift is stolen opens a new one or steals a different gift. No instant steal-backs.
   5. The game ends when the last gift is opened.

   30 to 60 min · 8 to 30 people. On a call: Everyone shows their gift on camera; steals happen by name in chat.

2. 2. Yankee swap

   The New England name for white elephant, usually played with one extra rule.

   1. Play white elephant as above.
   2. When every gift is open, player 1 gets one final turn to swap with anyone.
   3. That makes going first an advantage instead of a punishment.

   30 to 60 min · 8 to 30 people. On a call: Same as white elephant; announce player 1's final swap before you start.

3. 3. Three-steal swap (Dirty Santa)

   White elephant with a steal limit, so the best gift doesn't bounce around forever.

   1. Play white elephant rules.
   2. A gift can be stolen three times. After the third steal it's frozen with its owner.
   3. Optional: each player can steal only once per turn.

   30 to 45 min · 8 to 40 people. On a call: Keep a running steal count on a shared slide so nobody argues.

4. 4. Dice gift exchange

   Fast, loud and fair: the dice decide who gets what. One die per four players.

   1. Round 1: gifts go in the middle. Take turns rolling; a 1 or a 6 takes a gift from the pile.
   2. Keep rolling until the pile is empty.
   3. Round 2: set a 5-minute timer and keep rolling. Use the dice key below.
   4. When the timer ends, everyone opens the gift in their hands.

   Dice gift exchange: what each roll means in round 2

   Roll	Round 2 action
   1	Swap gifts with the person on your left
   2	Swap gifts with the person on your right
   3	Steal any gift you like
   4	Trade with the person across from you
   5	Everyone passes their gift to the left
   6	Lose your turn

   20 to 30 min · 6 to 25 people. On a call: Use an online dice roller on screen; gifts are photos on a slide and the host moves names.

5. 5. Card deck gift exchange

   Two decks of cards replace the numbers, so nobody knows when their turn is coming.

   1. Deal one card from deck A to each player.
   2. The host flips cards from deck B one at a time.
   3. Whoever holds the matching card picks a gift from the pile, or steals once the pile is gone.
   4. Stop when the pile is empty and the host has flipped five more cards.

   20 to 40 min · 8 to 40 people. On a call: Assign each person a card in chat, and the host shares their screen while flipping.

6. 6. Trivia swap

   Earn your turn: a correct answer lets you pick or steal. Free Christmas trivia questions.

   1. The host reads a holiday or company trivia question.
   2. The first correct answer picks a new gift or steals one.
   3. Players who already have a gift can still answer to steal.
   4. Stop when the pile is gone and ten more questions have been asked.

   30 to 45 min · 8 to 30 people. On a call: Answers go in chat; the first correct message wins the turn.

Pass-around games

Gifts move by luck instead of choice, so nobody has to steal from the CFO.

1. 7. Left-right story game

   No stealing and no choices. A story moves the gifts around the circle.

   1. Everyone sits in a circle holding one wrapped gift.
   2. A reader reads the story below, slowly.
   3. Every time the reader says LEFT or RIGHT, everyone passes their gift that way.
   4. When the story ends, open whatever you're holding.

   The left-right story: The Office Gift Swap

   It was the last Friday before the break, and the team had LEFT their desks early for the gift swap. Dana from finance was RIGHT on time, carrying a box in silver paper. "Is this the RIGHT room?" she asked. Marcus pointed LEFT, toward the kitchen, where someone had LEFT a tray of cookies.

   The plan was simple: open gifts, eat cookies, and nobody gets LEFT out. Then Priya realized she had LEFT the tape at her desk. She ran RIGHT back, turned LEFT at the printer, and returned with tape, two pens and a stapler she didn't need.

   Meanwhile, Leo couldn't decide which gift was RIGHT for him. The big one on the LEFT? The small one on the RIGHT? He guessed RIGHT the first time, changed his mind, and went LEFT anyway.

   By the time everyone sat down, there was one cookie LEFT. Two people reached for it at the same moment, so they split it RIGHT down the middle, which felt like the RIGHT thing to do.

   "Okay," said Dana, "let's open them RIGHT now." And with that, every gift was finally in the RIGHT hands, and nobody was LEFT empty-handed.

   10 min · 6 to 20 people. On a call: Number everyone in screen order; passing means your name moves one slot on the host's slide.

2. 8. Pass the parcel

   One prize wrapped in many layers, with small treats tucked in between.

   1. Wrap the main prize in as many layers as there are players, with candy between some layers.
   2. Pass it around while music plays.
   3. When the music stops, the holder unwraps one layer and keeps any treat inside.
   4. Whoever removes the last layer wins the main prize.

   10 to 15 min · 6 to 20 people. On a call: Skip it on a call. Use the left-right story game instead.

3. 9. Bingo gift exchange

   Bingo decides the picking order, so even the quiet players get a moment.

   1. Hand out bingo cards and put the gifts in the middle.
   2. Each time someone completes a line, they pick a gift and stop playing.
   3. Keep calling until everyone has a gift.
   4. Add one final steal round if your group likes chaos.

   30 to 45 min · 10 to 50 people. On a call: Use printable or online bingo cards and call numbers on screen.

4. 10. Oven mitt unwrap race

   One heavily taped gift, a pair of oven mitts and a pair of dice.

   1. Wrap one prize in layers of paper and tape.
   2. Players take turns rolling two dice. Doubles means mitts on, start unwrapping.
   3. The next player to roll doubles takes the mitts and the gift.
   4. Whoever gets it fully open keeps it.

   10 to 20 min · 5 to 12 people. On a call: In person only. Pair it with a remote-friendly game for hybrid teams.

Matched and themed exchanges

Slower, more thoughtful swaps. Best for smaller teams who know each other.

1. 11. Secret Santa

   Everyone draws one name and buys for that person. Best when people know each other. Secret Santa generator.

   1. Draw names (our free generator does it privately and can skip pairs).
   2. Share a short wish list or three likes for each person.
   3. Exchange on one day and reveal the Santas at the end.

   15 to 30 min · 4 to 40 people. On a call: Ship gifts to arrive the day before and open them together on camera.

2. 12. Favorite things swap

   Bring three of one thing you love, go home with three things other people love.

   1. Each person brings three identical small items under a set price, unwrapped.
   2. Everyone gives a 30-second pitch for their favorite thing.
   3. Draw names three times; you take one item from each person you draw.

   30 to 45 min · 6 to 15 people. On a call: People pitch on camera and buyers ship one item to each person drawn.

3. 13. Book swap

   A wrapped book with a one-line hint written on the paper.

   1. Everyone wraps a book they love and writes one hint on it, no title.
   2. Pick by hint, white elephant style, with one steal per turn.
   3. Each person says why they chose their book once everything is open.

   30 min · 6 to 25 people. On a call: Post the hints on a slide and order the book to the winner's address after the game.

4. 14. Ornament exchange

   White elephant rules, ornaments only. Cheap, pretty and easy to carry home.

   1. Everyone brings one wrapped ornament under a small price limit.
   2. Play white elephant with a two-steal limit.
   3. Hang them all on the office tree for a week, then take yours home.

   20 to 30 min · 6 to 30 people. On a call: Show ornaments on camera and ship them afterward; they mail cheaply.

5. 15. Cookie swap

   Everyone bakes or buys one batch and leaves with a mixed box.

   1. Each person brings a few dozen cookies and a card with the name and allergens.
   2. Set out empty boxes or tins.
   3. Everyone walks the table and fills a box with a mix.

   20 min · 6 to 40 people. On a call: Bake on camera together, or swap recipes and vote on the best photo.

6. 16. Hometown swap

   Everyone brings a small gift from where they live or grew up.

   1. Set a price limit and draw names, or play white elephant rules.
   2. Each gift comes with a one-line story: a local snack, a sauce, a postcard.
   3. Open them one at a time so every story gets heard.

   30 min · 6 to 30 people. On a call: The best fit for distributed teams: ship the gift and tell the story live.

Gift exchange games for remote teams

Built for a video call, with gifts that ship to each home after the game.

1. 17. Virtual white elephant

   White elephant on a video call, with the gifts shipped after the game.

   1. Each person picks a gift online under the limit and sends the host a photo and a one-line teaser.
   2. The host puts every gift on its own slide, hidden at first.
   3. Play white elephant: reveal a slide or steal by name. The host tracks owners on a list.
   4. After the game, each buyer ships their gift to its final owner.

   45 to 60 min · 6 to 30 people. On a call: Built for it. Allow about a week after the game for shipping.

2. 18. Charity swap

   The company funds a donation per person, and the game decides where the money goes.

   1. Each person nominates one charity and writes a one-line reason.
   2. Play white elephant with charity cards instead of gifts.
   3. The company donates to every charity in the final hands.

   30 min · 6 to 50 people. On a call: Works the same on a call; post the final list and the total in chat.

Gift exchange price limits

Set one limit, say it in the invite, and ask managers to stick to it too. Overspending is the fastest way to make a fun game awkward.

Gift exchange ideas by budget

Gifts that work for almost anyone, so nobody goes home with something they'll regift next year.

Is the company paying? Skip the shopping and send holiday gift boxes to every home instead, or browse all corporate gifts.

Turn the exchange into a party

A gift exchange fills 30 minutes. Want someone to run the rest of the party? A live host runs a holiday game for about 60 minutes, on Zoom or at your office in 17 US cities. See all virtual holiday party events.

More for the season: holiday party games for work, an office decorating contest, Christmas spirit week ideas or a free quote for your party.