Event Inspiration

20 Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas for an interesting party 

20 Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas for an interesting party 

Christmas season is approaching. Are you planning on a party? We have to say that Christmas parties will be no fun if there are no Christmas gift exchange ideas. However, we have to admit that traditional gift swap turns out to be less exciting than we expected after a few rounds. This year, how to regain the gift exchange’s sparkle in your party? 

Hmm… Fear not because CustomAny is here to get you covered. In this article, we’ve got a bag of 20 festive and interesting Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas, from heartwarming traditions to hilarious challenges. Let’s discover them and make your Christmas season truly unforgettable!

Christmas gift exchange ideas about Christmas

Let’s start with some traditional yet delightful Christmas gift exchange ideas about familiar characters or symbols of Christmas. 

1. Secret Santa

Secret Santa, one of the classic Christmas gift exchange games ideas, always brings excitement and surprise to any Christmas gift exchange.

Let’s recall how it works: Write down the names of each participant of your party on a piece of paper. Then toss all the paper pieces into a festive hat, and each person will pick up a name. Then, secretly be the Santa of your chosen giftee, try to surprise them with a meaningful or fabulous gift.

Although it is not something new, the Secret Santa gift exchange games for Christmas are still the perfect way to share the Christmas spirit and keep the participant guessing.

2. Ornament Exchange

Are you and your guests fans of dazzling Christmas trees? Beyond all of the Christmas gift exchange ideas, ornament exchange brings new life to your existing Christmas decoration collection.

If your gift exchange is before the time of Christmas tree decoration, with the swapped ornaments, every participant will have a new style in their decorated tree this year. On the other hand, if you’re gathering after the tree is up, everyone will go home, happy with a new ornament collection to use for the next year.

One of the most praticle Christmas exchange theme is exchanging ornaments
One of the most praticle Christmas exchange theme is exchanging ornaments

3. Gift Basket Exchange

Imagine a festive party with various gift baskets, each with its own charm, exchanged to others. You and your guest have limitless options to put in these baskets. They can be movie tickets, gourmet food sets, or beautifully wrapped cookies that can brighten anyone’s night. 

4. 12 Days of Christmas Exchange

Christmas gift exchange based on the theme of the classic song “The 12 Days of Christmas is not a bad idea. You can stick to the theme of the song, as usual, or use a little more creativity and surprise your loved ones with different treats but in the same quantity as the song sings. 

5. Christmas socks

You know what? Good things come in small packages. And nothing says Christmas more than cozy socks! Get everyone go to the Christmas gift exchange with their unique foot attire. For this sock-themed exchange, we recommend bringing your quirkiest, softest, or most Christmassy pair to put the biggest laughter on the  recipients’ face.

Christmas sock-themed exchange
Christmas sock-themed exchange

6. Christmas cookies exchange

How about a treat-swap? The cookies’ Christmas gift exchange ideas will fulfill anyone with a sweet taste. Ask your fellow party-goers to bake their favorite homemade Christmas cookies to exchange with yours. With this exchange idea, everyone will take home a collection of cookies made with love.

Creative Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas

Next, we will move to other Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas that are sure to bring you a joyful ride through fun and new experience.

7. Personalized Gifts

How about personalized presents? These creative Christmas gift exchange ideas will make a hit. 

Turn a plain and boring mugs, tumblers, phone cases, or notebooks into a one of a kind gift featuring the recipients’ name or special photo.

You can make these personalized gifts even easier, cheaper, faster with printed custom stickers, whether they are name stickers or custom photo stickers. We highly recommend using our UV DTF transfer stickers to add extraordinary effects of the design that looks like it is directly printed on the surface.

Just go to our website, upload your design files and we will print as many as personalized sticker designs you need to use on Christmas gifts.

You can use transfer stickers to make custom gifts
You can use transfer stickers to make custom gifts

8. Gift hunt

Whether you are looking for fun Christmas gift exchange ideas for adults or kids, this idea is an active and fun thing to do at holiday festivities. All the participants will cleverly hide the gifts they brought around the house, and then go hunt for their destined gift following given clues. The joy of hiding and hunting will make this Christmas gift exchange idea a remarkable one.

9. Re-gift

We bet that everyone has some received items that they never use. Instead of leaving them to fade into obscurity, why not give these items to someone who would love them?

So, you can host a re-gift exchange where your guests bring these unused gift items to exchange. It’s a fun way to recycle and spread love.

10. Price limit gift exchange

Let’s face it – sometimes, it’s not about how much you spend – it’s the thought that counts. Challenge your friends and family to get creative with a limited budget, about $5 or $10. You’ll be amazed at the inventive gifts that can be found or made while keeping things budget-friendly.

Other ideas for Christmas Gift Exchange themes

There are many other interesting ideas for Christmas gift themes. Let’s we rounded up some more for you:

11. A-Z

A to Z gift exchange is truly a fun linguistic adventure. For this exchange theme, each participant needs to select a letter or play with the first letter of their name. The challenge for them is to find a gift that begins with that chosen letter. It’s an opportunity for creativity and you will be surprised at the gift they bring to the Christmas game.

12. Color

After the letters, it’s time to think in colors. With this color Christmas gift exchange idea, choose a specific color, and everyone needs to bring a gift predominantly in that hue. 

13. Game

In case you have a ground of gaming friends, let the games begin! You have 2 options here: either all the recipients must bring a gift that is related to a single game (for example, a Monopoly mania), or each of them bring a gift linked to a different game, offering a mix of entertainment to the gift exchange.

14. Stickers collection exchange

Collectors, this one is for you! This Christmas gift exchange idea brings you the opportunity to swap your cherished custom sticker collections with another of your fellow enthusiasts. With this idea, you will discover a new world of sticker types, designs, colors, and memories.

Related article: “Stickers Swap: Build a Great Sticker Collection Without Spending a Dime

15. Room

As Christmas gift exchange ideas, pick a room type, such as bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom. Then, every guest that comes to the party have to bring a gift that’s suitable for that specific room. 

16. Clothing

Clothing exchange theme is a chance for the fashionable minds. Everyone will exchange their clothing item or accessory at the party as a gift. This gift exchange theme brings anyone’s wardrobe a fresh change.

17. Plants swap

If you love plants and have some kinds of greenery at home, this Christmas gift exchange idea is perfect for you. Participants can choose to bring some of their plant, seeds, or even gardening accessories, and exchange them with each other. 

18. Odd gift 

How about something quirky and unusual? For this odd gift exchange theme, encourage everyone to find the weirdest, most unique gift and bring it to the exchange. We bet that you can expect a lot of laughs and raised eyebrows when someone unwraps something they don’t ever expect.

Everyone should find the weirdest gift and bring it to the exchange
Everyone should find the weirdest gift and bring it to the exchange

19. Homemade Gift

Homemade presents never go out of style. Everyone should bring the things they made on their own, whether it’s handmade soap, DIY knitted scarves, or home baked treats. Each gift is lovingly made, so it brings heartwarming feelings to anyone who receives them.

20. Books exchange

If you are a bookworm and have some other with the same hobbyist, nothing better than a book Christmas gift exchange. This is like a dream come true. At this kind of exchange party, you can share your favorite reads with others and get the opportunity to explore different genres which is not likely the one you will pick at a bookstore.

Conclusion

As we look for exciting and interesting Christmas gift exchange ideas, remember that this gathering is all about sharing laughter, spreading joy, and creating priceless memories with your family, friends, and other loved ones. With our suggested 20 Christmas gift exchange ideas, we at CustomAny are sure that you can turn your gift exchange into an unforgettable experience and your Christmas gathering will be truly special. 

Now, to keep the holiday spirit alive, explore our other blog posts. There you will find many more fantastic ideas to elevate your parties and events. 

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About Karen Lee

Meet our Creative Master – Karen Lee! Karen is the DIY wizard and the creative mind behind all of our inspiration posts: from fantastic gift ideas to exceptional decoration tips that make your events pop. Stick around for more exciting content, as we belive she is your partner in all things fun and fabulous.