45 Creative And Fun Family Gift Exchange Ideas

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Holidays are a time for joy, and gift exchange is a big part of that celebration. Anybody is excited to buy the correct gift for their loved ones. Gifts can represent a memory, a story, or a sense of connection—information technology is all most the special people in your life. Giving a thoughtful souvenir is also a way to limited your gratitude and strengthen the familial bond.

Family gift exchange tin can be an interesting manner to make your holiday season more fun and exciting. In this postal service, we tell you a few creative family gift commutation ideas that can help you purchase a well-planned, thoughtful gift.

45 Family Gift Exchange Ideas

  1. Drawing names: This family souvenir substitution idea is pretty common. People draw a name from a hat or a bowl and buy gifts for that particular person. Participants tin list their choice or wish. Although information technology may not sound much interesting, it does tackle the trouble of buying gifts for everyone.
  1. Secret Santa: This classic idea tin work for everyone and in well-nigh every setting. Information technology is quite simple and has a twist too—people draw names from a hat or a bowl without revealing or sharing the proper noun. They then purchase gifts for their Christmas buddy. The name of the "Santa" may be revealed every bit the family unit exchanges gifts, or the family can guess the name of the "Santa." Moreover, your group or family may decide to gear up a price limit on the gift for everyone.
  1. Yankee swap: This gift exchange game allows you to buy 1 quality-souvenir instead of multiple gifts for anybody. In Yankee bandy, a price limit is ready for all participants. Everyone then chooses a number from a hat. Each number represents the society in which people go to selection their gifts. The person with no. 1 gets to open the souvenir first, followed by the second person, third person, and so on. Participants can bandy their gifts with one of the already opened gifts. Each souvenir tin can be swapped a stock-still number of times (usually two to three times).
  1. White elephant: The white elephant gift commutation idea is almost similar to the Yankee swap, but with an interesting spin—the gifts are called to add humor. You may choose to choice gifts that you already have and no longer need but may be useful for others, realizing "one person's junk is some other person's treasure." This manner, yous can selection unique or odd gifts for your loved ones.
  1. A single big gift: What if, instead of standard gift exchange, yous put some coin into a mutual pool with family unit members and programme an experience that you all tin can savor together. For example, going to a beach, renting a ski motel, buying tickets for a sporting event, or other special retreats.
  1. Brand a wishlist: Participants can list five to ten items or gifts they would similar to accept under a preset upkeep. This can assistance remove the stress of finding the "perfect" gift that the other person may want. Moreover, information technology adds to the excitement as participants will get ane or two gift items from their wishlist.
  1. Grab bag: This thought is quite straightforward. Participants wrap their gifts and place them all together. People then take turns to pick the gift they similar based on the outer appearance or size. Everyone can attempt to spice this up by adding a surprise element—unusually shaped gifts, or deceptive packaging.
  1. Musical gifts: In this family gift-exchange, the music adds to the mystery. People bring wrapped gifts, just instead of picking upwards their gifts, they laissez passer on the gifts to others as the song plays. When the song stops, the person holding that detail gift keeps information technology.
  1. Decoration exchange: Christmas is incomplete without an ornament-laden Christmas tree. You may, therefore, try exploring the ornament substitution idea inside your family unit. You lot can gift each other interesting, unique, personalized, fun, or quirky ornaments.
  1. Charitable gifting: Instead of buying gifts for one another, the family may donate to their favorite clemency or adopt a family for Christmas. You lot may also include the proper name-drawing idea and donate on behalf of someone else to their preferred charity.
  1. Cookie swap: If yous are not too inclined towards materialistic gifts, y'all may choose to bandy cookies. Instead of buying gifts, everyone tin bake 1 big or double batch of festive cookies and exchange them. Have everyone go their own jars to pick their favorite cookies.
  1. Gift auction: This idea can exist both competitive and fun. Ready a price cap for buying gifts and leave them unwrapped for others to see. Put empty jars alongside each gift and give anybody the aforementioned amount of simulated coin (maybe from Monopoly). Let participants bid for the gift they want. The person with the highest bid gets that gift.
  1. Trivia swap: This idea can bring most a sure element of competitiveness and excitement. Participants can decide on a price cap and buy gifts. The group or family can then play an interesting round of trivia or a holiday quiz. The person with the well-nigh points gets to cull the first gift, followed past the 2d, third, and then on.
  1. Goodies mug swap: You lot may choose to gift each other personalized, quirky, or fun mugs filled with goodies and treats. You can incorporate the Secret Santa, Yankee swap, or musical gift idea to make information technology more than fun. You may prepare a price for the goodies mug.
  1. Theme-based gift exchange: Yous can pick a theme, such equally craft, board game, or gift card, for the holidays. Yous may as well put themes in a bowl or lid and randomly selection 1. Everyone then buys a gift based on the decided theme. Yous can incorporate name-drawing, Yankee swap, white elephant, or Secret Santa.
  1.  Rotating gift box: This family souvenir exchange idea can work very well if your family members live in different parts of the state. Yous can cull a self-decorated crate or a store-bought souvenir box, and put gifts and thoughtful notes for your family unit addressed to their names. In one case the first person receives the souvenir, they add their gifts and send them to the next address, and then forth. In the end, the gift box comes back to you.
  1. Regifting: This is a great idea to exchange reusable, loftier-quality, and unique gifts. This is how it works—yous do not buy gifts in 1 go only can save upwards to a year to buy something that has been on your wishlist, such equally a jet ski, an inflatable hot tub, a golf cart, or a camper trailer. Everyone collects gifts and so bandy those items among each other during the next Christmas. This way, you don't end upwards buying new gifts merely rather relish unique gifts in turns.
  1. Regifting with a twist: What if, instead of your favorite items, yous pass the worst of gifts ever received to a new owner? You may choose items that you will never use in the future. This tin lead to some funny stories and traditions. No one will exist disheartened equally they will not expect the all-time of gifts.
  1. Musical chair gifts: You can play this souvenir exchange activity similar to musical chairs. It works well for both grown-ups and kids. You can decide the order of gifting based on who gets to lose a chair while playing the game. Yous can add more fun by incorporating other gift exchange ideas, too.
  1. Christmas carnival: Carnivals are always fun because of the fun games such as ring toss, ball toss, or shooting hoops. You lot can also replicate this for your family during the holidays. Prepare booths with different elementary games. Every bit each person completes the games, they become to pick their gifts. You can also make it competitive by keeping scores—the person who wins may choose the souvenir outset.
  1. Left or right: This is a fun gift commutation thought for a big family. Participants may determine on the price cap and the theme of the gift if they prefer. Everyone then sits in a circle, and one person reads a story. Every time the word "right" appears in the story, the person passes the gift to the person sitting on their right and similarly, when "left" appears. You can choose a story or create one. Ensure that you count the number of times the words "left" and "correct" appear in the story then that someone does not receive their own gift.
  1. Hot tater: It is just like the party game, but yous use gifts to pass on. This is perfect for a large group of both kids and adults. Participants sit in a circle and laissez passer on the gift as the music plays. When the music stops, the person belongings the gift gets information technology, or the concluding person who held information technology gets the gift. You can also use a timer instead of music.
  1. Spin the canteen: You may pile upward gifts from anybody in one place. Permit all family members sit in a circumvolve and spin the canteen. The person on whom the bottle points gets to selection their gifts. Y'all may again set a theme and a price limit to make it enjoyable for all.
  1. Cobweb: You may call back that it volition make your firm messy, only information technology'south really fun. You just demand colorful yarns (up to 100-1000) to wrap around the gifts. Then, hide these gifts and brand a trail of the yarn in the house—the longer, the meliorate. Place all the gifts at different locations, and your house will look similar a fiber. Hand over the other end of the yarn to the person and let them find their gift. This is more heady when everyone tries to track their gifts together.
  1. Treasure hunt: You tin involve your family in a treasure hunt. Prepare a set of clues, riddles, puzzles, or instructions to allow your family members find their gifts. Y'all can pile all gifts together for everyone or customize it for each participant.
  1. Gift category: You may choose a gift category for exchanging gifts among family members. The gift categories may include books, craft brews, antiques, T-shirts, upshot tickets, gourmet food, movies, or music. Yous can include the Hole-and-corner Santa or name-cartoon ideas to add mystery and excitement. For example, for a Star Wars fan, a Han Solo T-shirt can be a perfect gift. You tin can buy band merchandise, vocal quotes engraved on a plaque or pilsner glass, or vinyl copies of favorite albums for music lovers.
  1. DIY or personalized gift commutation: You lot can bring out your family unit members' adroitness to let them create something personalized for each other. It doesn't necessarily need to be fancy but a homemade gift that they can cherish for a long time.
  1. Ugly sweater/scarf exchange: Doesn't it sound amusing? You can pick out the ugliest, quirkiest, oddest, or weirdest scarf or sweater to substitution with your loved ones. It volition be interesting to see which souvenir gets the most laughs.
  1. Holiday potluck: Another idea to avoid the hassle of materialistic gifts! Plan a solar day to ready holiday recipes and savour each other'southward company instead of exchanging gifts. You can bake, melt, or charcoal-broil your favorite meals.
  1. Cocktail-in-a-box swap: Let the adults in your family accept some fun with this mini cocktail-in-a-box gift exchange. You lot can include items of their favorite tipple, such as syrups, liqueurs, bitters, and other ingredients.
  1. Kids gift exchange: If y'all are on a tight upkeep, you lot may determine to gift the children in your family and not the adults. This way, you can narrow down your souvenir-exchanging list and instead opt for a potluck or a meal with all the adults in the family.
  1. Bingo gift commutation: Bingo has been a much-loved game for families. You can include it in the gift commutation idea. You tin arrange for a holiday bingo night, and the winner of the game gets to choose the gift first, followed past the rest of the participants.
  1. Free coupon swap: You can have some real fun using free, personalized coupons. Ask your family members to create fill-in-the-blank coupons that can be redeemed at whatsoever fourth dimension of the twelvemonth. The recipients of the coupon can write their wishes, such as two airport pick-ups/drops, massage, camping trips, and more.
  1. Subscriptions exchange: Present, there is a subscription for everything and not simply your favorite magazines. To make souvenir-exchange more exciting, you can exchange subscriptions of your favorite services or products. You tin can include Secret Santa in this idea and gear up a price cap for yearly subscriptions.
  1. Gourmet basket substitution: If you are a family unit of food lovers, this thought may exist perfect for you and your family unit. Yous can exchange gift baskets with ingredients of each other'southward favorite recipes. You can brand yours unique past including a recipe carte du jour or a cooking playlist.
  1. Pet'southward gift swap: Pets are like family members. Instead of gifting humans, you can substitution gifts for each other's pets. Pamper them with toys and treats, or spend a day at their favorite park or a spa.
  1. Signature gift substitution: Yous can decide your signature gifts to avoid the hassle of gifting different things to people every holiday flavor. You can choose an particular based on your preferences, such as a gift from your yearly international or local vacations or an contrasted jar of jam and almond butter. This will very much take abroad the guessing piece of work from your plate.
  1. Oven mitts gift substitution: You can pick a theme and set a price limit for the gifts. Have all family unit members sit down in a circumvolve and allow them scroll dice. Whoever gets six opens the gift with the oven mittens on. If they are able to open up information technology, the gift is theirs. If not, laissez passer on the gift to the next person who gets half-dozen on the dice.
  1. Family memorabilia bandy: Family heirlooms or personal possessions that you would like to pass onto the adjacent generation can as well be an interesting gift exchange idea for holidays. These tin include photographs, a piece of jewelry, accompaniment, books, and much more. Such gifts have sentimental value.
  1. Memory-based gifts exchange: There is no happy moment like going downward the retention lane. If y'all cherish some memories of a trip or a vacation, you can come with gift commutation ideas that tin materialize those memories in a personalized gift.
  1. Invoke the writer: This gifting thought tin exist creative likewise every bit emotional. You can invoke the writers and poets in your family and take them write personal notes, letters, stories, or poems for each family fellow member. This tin can be a great way to strengthen family bonds during the holidays.
  1. Vacation greenery swap: Wreaths, plant saplings, ornamental plants, Bonsai plants, centerpieces, etc. are besides great options to add uniqueness to your family gift exchange tradition. These are not only aesthetically pleasing but also add holiday greenery at dwelling.
  1. Become green gifts: If you want children and adults in your family to do their bit in protecting the surround, you lot can opt for organic, recycled, or environs-friendly souvenir items for the holidays. You can as well make up one's mind a theme and cost cap as some organic items may be costlier than the regular products.
  1. Reliving the decade: Specific decades, including the 1940s, 1960s, or 1980s, have their own charm and exclusive memories. Y'all tin pick a decade for your family and commutation gifts based on the selected decade equally the theme. This way, adults will be able to relive their memories, and kids will also know well-nigh those times.
  1. Pajamas substitution: If you take already covered scarfs and sweaters, why not go for pajamas during the holidays? You lot can go for funky and unique prints for anybody in the family. Simply take their sizes and order quirky pajamas within a stipulated budget.

Over the years, exchanging gifts between family members in the holiday season has become a custom. Creative family souvenir commutation ideas may help make this celebration more exciting and enjoyable. You may try a secret Santa game, a wishlist bucket with a predetermined budget, a theme-based gift exchange, a treasure hunt, a DIY or personalized gift exchange, or many other gifting ideas. Only, make sure that all of the ideas are reasonably priced so that no ane faces inconvenience and that they tin liven up the holiday atmosphere with new and distinctive additions. These unique souvenir ideas will also help you make your family unit's together fourth dimension more joyful.

Fundamental Pointers

  • A gift is a beautiful style to institute or re-ostend your connection with others and brand them feel special and loved.
  • Buying thoughtful gifts for your family members tin can make every event and festival special and memorable.
  • White elephant, cookie swap, and charitable gifting are some of the unconventional and interesting gifting ideas.

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Dr. Carlos Juan Carmona-Goyena is a board licensed therapist in the U.s. and Puerto Rico with a specialty in couples, families, and relationships. Dr. Carlos possesses a PhD in Counseling Psychology granted at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. His two-decade professional person experience also includes scientific research in family emotional and relational processes and its effect on psychological operation. Dr.... more

Shikha is a writer-turned-associate editor at MomJunction. Her cadre involvement lies in writing articles that guide couples through their courtship to union and parenthood. She likewise specializes in baby names. Being a postgraduate in Homo Resources, she likes understanding people and their relationships. This reflects in her human relationship articles, where she deals with both the rosy and the grey side... more