15 Fun Christmas / Holiday Gift Exchange Ideas for Groups

Are you hosting and organizing a Christmas party for your office, dorm, friends, church group, playgroup or other group? Looking for ideas on a Christmas gift exchange? A Holiday gift exchange can be very amusing and create memories - and you might end up with a fantastic gift you'll cherish. Here are 13 Christmas Gift exchange ideas.

1. Christmas Coffee Mug Exchange: I did this with my college dormmates one year. We all bought a cute Christmas coffee mug and then drew numbers and picked the gifts. I remember I bought mine at Old Navy and it showed people kissing and said "Eskimo Kisses". You can buy coffee mugs at Wal-Mart, Hallmark, the Dollar Store, Thrift Stores and more. This is good for a sorority for college group, or even your office coworkers. (You migh make it where it is for any type of coffee mug, not just Christmas themed.)

2. Christmas Decoration Exchange: This is fantastic gift exchange because everyone will have a (hopefully nice) Christmas decoration to use year after year. You might set a price limit - say $30.

3. White Elephant Gift Exchange: This is a gift exchange where everyone brings a gift, or just something around the house, that they didn't much care for. We did this once with my church group - I remember getting a nice candle - that had already been lit! It was a fun gift exchange. If you decide on this one, and need ideas on white elephant gifts, the following articles have a plethora of ideas:

4. Very Cheap Gift Exchange: For this gift exchange, you set a price limit to keep the gifts very low. It could be $5 or even just $1. Instruct everyone to buy a useful gift that is not above the price. You'll be amazed and entertained at everyone's ideas!

5. Something edible gift exchange: This is another gift exchange that is practical. Everyone brings an edible gift. It could be homemade Christmas cookies or fudge, or one of those Christmas gift kits at Wal-Mart for hot cocoa or summer sausage.

6. Ornament Gift Exchange: Another common idea is a Christmas ornament gift exchange. Every guest brings a Christmas ornament. I recommend getting something cute and out of the ordinary, such as a sock monkey ornament.

7. Bath & Body gift Exchange: For this gift exchange, everyone brings some type of bath and body gift. It could be lotion, body spray, bath salts, bubble bath, whatever.

8. Office Supplies Gift Exchange: This is great for office parties. Encourage everyone to buy a office or desk supplies to exchange. It could be a nice clock, pen, or stress ball.

9. Panty Gift Exchange: This is fun for your college sorority or dorm-mates. Everyone buys a panty for someone else. The problem with this one is sizes. if not everyone is the same size, you can draw names.

10. Cute Socks Gift Exchange: This is another fun idea. Everyone buys a pair of silly or cute socks to exchange. Hey, socks are practical and very much needed! Old Navy sells very cute socks.

11. Kitchen Towel Gift Exchange: This one is best for a group of women. Everyone buys a kitchen towel to exchange. It could be holiday themed ones.

12. Homemade or Craft Gift Exchange: For this one, all of the participants are encouraged to bring something homemade. They don't necessarily have to make it themselves - they could purchase it at a craft store.

13. Book Gift Exchange: This gift exchange involves everyone bring a good fiction book to swap. This one only works if you know that the partipants love to read.

14. Calendar Gift Exchange: This one is self-explanatory. Encourage everyone to buy a calendar to exchange. The cons of this one, are the calendars are high priced before Christmas, and then the prices are slashed right afterwards. But calendars are very useful! This works great for office parties.

15. Candle Gift Exchange: Everyone will get a nice candle out of this exchange. You might try to be creative and get an usual scented one. Many candle and home decor stores have a plethora of candles to choose from.

These gift exchanges work great along with a holday party.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Enjoy!