Christmas in July...

[Seneca]

Ok not really...but here is the scoop. Every year I have a big family Christmas party. Last year I had over 40 people at my home - !

I feed everyone...well...I don't...I cater. After we all eat we play games. The last two years in a row I've had the same games and decided it's time to change it up. Sadly I do not invite kids to the party...this is the one time that an adult can be a kid - so you can image the fun.

I am the MC...and my brother assist me with the organization of the games. Typically we'll have about 7 games and prizes are given away.

Ok this is where you come in. I need new games...give me some ideas and be very descriptive as to what the constanants are to do. For example...everyone will fill out a card with their name, I pull two names out of the bag and those two are my constestants. The first game is usually "the fastest gift wrapper". They are timed, and the gift has to be nice and neat.

So please help me with some new games!!

 

[TCandle]

Hi Seneca,

We always do a white elephant exchange. Some of the gifts are retreads from previous years, such as a cheap statuette, some are modest gifts with lottery tickets hidden in them, and some are gag gifts. Always loads of fun.

 

[Seneca]

Hey that's an excellent idea...the White Elephant. Thanks.

 

[TCandle]

Thanks Seneca. As a white elephant gift suggestion, I always buy a box of Bernie Botts jelly beans...the ones in the Harry Potter movie. Many candy stores sell them around Halloween. I put the jelly beans in with another gift, such as a Harry Potter movie or a candy dispenser. Now, if someone wants to take that gift from the person who originally selected it, they have to eat a jelly bean of the original selector's choice. In my past experiences, ear wax, dirt, and grass flavors have been popular options. Everytime someone takes the gift from someone else, they have to eat a jelly bean that is selected from the current owner of the gift. I hope this makes sense!

 

[Seneca]

I am bumping this back to the top...com'on people help me.

 

[midocr]

As far as a fun gift exchange, my family always does what we call a Chinese Gift Exchange. I have no idea where the name came from and no offense intended to anyone. Everyone buys an age appropriate, non-gender specific gift in a pre-decided value range...say $20.00 - $25.00. The gift should be appropriate for anyone in the family. The gift is wrapped with no name on it. The gifts are all piled in the middle of a large room and numbers are drawn from a hat. #1 picks the first gift. #2 has the choice of a gift from the floor or taking #1's gift. If #2 takes #1's gift, #1 chooses another from the floor. Then #3 chooses from the floor or the gifts already chosen. #4 picks, and so on. You can only acquire any one gift THREE TIMES. Believe me, we keep track. This continues until the last gift is gone from the floor. If there are a lot of people, and everyone keeps taking someone else's gift, this can go on for quite a long time. It's a lot of fun and can be quite funny if several people have their eye on one particular gift. :biggrin:

 

[Phil]

I hosted Christmas at my house one year and played a game, i believe was called Right/Left. I found this on the internet and it is a story that uses the words right and left in it through out the story. So, everyone brings a gift and sits in a circle. Then you as the host reads the story and every time the word right or left is said the guests pass their gift in that direction. Its really simple.

Another one is you have a Christmas question/auction contest (like what is Santas reindeers names) every time someone gets the answer right they get some Monopoly money, you decide the amount. Usually the harder the question the more money they get. After all the questions are answered, you then have an auction for the gifts. So the more you know about Christmas the more money you get, the more you can bid on the gifts.

Good luck, if I think of some more I'll add to your post.

 

[JessP7]

As far as a fun gift exchange, my family always does what we call a Chinese Gift Exchange. I have no idea where the name came from and no offense intended to anyone. Everyone buys an age appropriate, non-gender specific gift in a pre-decided value range...say $20.00 - $25.00. The gift should be appropriate for anyone in the family. The gift is wrapped with no name on it. The gifts are all piled in the middle of a large room and numbers are drawn from a hat. #1 picks the first gift. #2 has the choice of a gift from the floor or taking #1's gift. If #2 takes #1's gift, #1 chooses another from the floor. Then #3 chooses from the floor or the gifts already chosen. #4 picks, and so on. You can only acquire any one gift THREE TIMES. Believe me, we keep track. This continues until the last gift is gone from the floor. If there are a lot of people, and everyone keeps taking someone else's gift, this can go on for quite a long time. It's a lot of fun and can be quite funny if several people have their eye on one particular gift. :biggrin:

We call this one "Dirty Santa". I must say that I hate it though! We do women and men separately. If you have shy or timid people who probably won't like the idea of taking something away from someone, then it will be very boring. That's what usually happens with us. I say every year that I will not participate, but my husband always tells me to just take something that I would want to keep and just pick that. I believe that out of the 10 years that we have been married and participated in this game, there has only been one year that I haven't brought home the same gift that I have taken! The thing that makes me the most mad about this game though is that my husband has a great-aunt who is always there and is just terrible. She will take something from someone when she doesn't even really want it! She will end up taking someone's gift and then when the game is over saying something like I really don't need this or I really won't use this. She has even asked to trade with someone else after the game is completely finished. Grrr...I get mad just thinking about it!

 

[arnie17]

If you are asking for ideas for games, ask your contestant to pick clothes pins with one hand. The one with the most clothes pins without dropping one wins....Is this what you wanted?

 

[Johnny Yuma]

Left, Right, Center

 

[Vienna Pics]

Seneca, back to your OP title - there is a 'Christmas in July'. Ask a camper - the family used to camping all the way from tents up to the 'bus' but alot of pop-up and mini-home stuff. The deal is: on July 25th everyone decorates their campsite just as if it was Christmas - lights, snowmen, trees and ornaments. And carolers - oh what a time we had. Almost wants me to go to a local campground and take some shots... LOL Many campgrounds that we went to had a contest with multiple winning categories.

And I almost forgot - the jolly old man himself, Saint Nick, and maybe the misses or an elf, would come around and listen to all the children and pass out candy canes.

 

[Mark-O]

When each guest arrives, tape the name of a famous person onto his/her back. Throughout the party, each guest tries to guess 'who they are'. They are allowed to ask other guests only one question each for a clue. Kinda fun to assign the names to people & watch.

 

[midocr]

When each guest arrives, tape the name of a famous person onto his/her back. Throughout the party, each guest tries to guess 'who they are'. They are allowed to ask other guests only one question each for a clue. Kinda fun to assign the names to people & watch.

Man...that is a heck of an idea! I may have to try that at my next get-together. :tongue: Thanks!

 

[Seneca]

As far as a fun gift exchange, my family always does what we call a Chinese Gift Exchange. I have no idea where the name came from and no offense intended to anyone. Everyone buys an age appropriate, non-gender specific gift in a pre-decided value range...say $20.00 - $25.00. The gift should be appropriate for anyone in the family. The gift is wrapped with no name on it. The gifts are all piled in the middle of a large room and numbers are drawn from a hat. #1 picks the first gift. #2 has the choice of a gift from the floor or taking #1's gift. If #2 takes #1's gift, #1 chooses another from the floor. Then #3 chooses from the floor or the gifts already chosen. #4 picks, and so on. You can only acquire any one gift THREE TIMES. Believe me, we keep track. This continues until the last gift is gone from the floor. If there are a lot of people, and everyone keeps taking someone else's gift, this can go on for quite a long time. It's a lot of fun and can be quite funny if several people have their eye on one particular gift. :biggrin:

That's like the White Elephant gift. This is an interesting one...thanks.

I hosted Christmas at my house one year and played a game, i believe was called Right/Left. I found this on the internet and it is a story that uses the words right and left in it through out the story. So, everyone brings a gift and sits in a circle. Then you as the host reads the story and every time the word right or left is said the guests pass their gift in that direction. Its really simple.

Another one is you have a Christmas question/auction contest (like what is Santas reindeers names) every time someone gets the answer right they get some Monopoly money, you decide the amount. Usually the harder the question the more money they get. After all the questions are answered, you then have an auction for the gifts. So the more you know about Christmas the more money you get, the more you can bid on the gifts.

Good luck, if I think of some more I'll add to your post.

Thanks Phil. I love this one...it's actually one of my games. Ok I like the Christmas questions. Thanks.

We call this one "Dirty Santa". I must say that I hate it though! We do women and men separately. If you have shy or timid people who probably won't like the idea of taking something away from someone, then it will be very boring. That's what usually happens with us. I say every year that I will not participate, but my husband always tells me to just take something that I would want to keep and just pick that. I believe that out of the 10 years that we have been married and participated in this game, there has only been one year that I haven't brought home the same gift that I have taken! The thing that makes me the most mad about this game though is that my husband has a great-aunt who is always there and is just terrible. She will take something from someone when she doesn't even really want it! She will end up taking someone's gift and then when the game is over saying something like I really don't need this or I really won't use this. She has even asked to trade with someone else after the game is completely finished. Grrr...I get mad just thinking about it!

Oh my family is a riot...we love making people mad....in a good way. Trust me everyone has a family member that just makes us "roll our eyes". Thanks for the suggestion.

If you are asking for ideas for games, ask your contestant to pick clothes pins with one hand. The one with the most clothes pins without dropping one wins....Is this what you wanted?

We do this one at baby showers. BUt maybe I can do it with Candy Canes. Good one thanks.

Left, Right, Center

yep we play this one.

 

[Seneca]

Seneca, back to your OP title - there is a 'Christmas in July'. Ask a camper - the family used to camping all the way from tents up to the 'bus' but alot of pop-up and mini-home stuff. The deal is: on July 25th everyone decorates their campsite just as if it was Christmas - lights, snowmen, trees and ornaments. And carolers - oh what a time we had. Almost wants me to go to a local campground and take some shots... LOL Many campgrounds that we went to had a contest with multiple winning categories.

And I almost forgot - the jolly old man himself, Saint Nick, and maybe the misses or an elf, would come around and listen to all the children and pass out candy canes.

Ahhh that sounds like fun. What a great idea for the kids...it's like having Christmas twice in one year. I bet the decorating of the campers is fun. I would so enjoy this.

When each guest arrives, tape the name of a famous person onto his/her back. Throughout the party, each guest tries to guess 'who they are'. They are allowed to ask other guests only one question each for a clue. Kinda fun to assign the names to people & watch.

They this is a great idea - thanks.

Man...that is a heck of an idea! I may have to try that at my next get-together. :tongue: Thanks!

I will definately try this one.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Mart61]

I know a game where you all put your car keys into a bowl and then, blindfolded, the guests pick out a set of car keys and then.....

....oh wait....

....it's probably not that kinda party eh Sen?

:biggrin:

But hey, it's a great game. And you did say it was strictly adults!

 

[Seneca]

I know a game where you all put your car keys into a bowl and then, blindfolded, the guests pick out a set of car keys and then.....

....oh wait....

....it's probably not that kinda party eh Sen?

:biggrin:

But hey, it's a great game. And you did say it was strictly adults!

 

[Mart61]

I thought it was a great idea!

:wink: