Gift Exchange

Everyone who wants to participate brings a wrapped gift. Nobody should know which gift you brought so don't put your name on it! It should be an item that someone would actually want or use. Perhaps you can find something cool that you don't use anymore but others might enjoy.

Prepare slips of paper with numbers on them and have everyone who is participating draw one.

On the first turn, person #1 chooses a gift, opens it, and it is admired by all...you hope! On the second turn, person #2 gets the choice of "stealing" any unwrapped gift (#1's) or choosing a wrapped one and opening it. On the third turn, person #3 gets the choice of "stealing" any unwrapped gift (#1's or #2's) or choosing a wrapped one and opening it. Game continues based on the following:

1. - If a gift is stolen from you, you can steal a gift from someone else (see #3 and #4 below), or open a new one.

2. - Turns proceed until everyone has a gift. A turn is ended when a gift is opened.

3. - No immediate steal-backs -- a gift cannot be stolen back directly.

4. - The third "owner" of a gift gets to keep it - it is unavailable to be stolen again.

At the end of the last turn, the first person (who had no choice at the beginning) can choose to put back his or her gift and steal any gift that is still available - see #4 above. Then the gift "exchange" is started again (see #3 and #4 above) and ended when someone either chooses or is forced to take the gift given up by person #1.

Some fun tips:

Also if your gift is small wrap it up in a big box. You can even put one box in another and so on. Then the participant has to open numerous boxes. People love to choose the largest present, but then when they start opening it..they realize its all paper and boxes and a tiny little gift inside!

Most importantly, be sure that you bring in a gift that does have some value. A ketchup packet that you took from the lunch room or 7-11 on the way to school won't be funny, and will eventually get stuck with someone who will feel slighted. Be nice and contribute with integrity.