Great Christmas Games for Families

One of my all time favourite Christmas Games has to be 'Gift Theif', probably because we've played every year since I can remember. The game is commonly known as chinese christmas which makes no sense at all as it has nothing to do with the chinese in the slightest. I had to include this game in particular based on how it can be played its not just at home but at parties and offices too. By now you're probably wondering the main jist of the game- well each person gets to select a wrapped gift, unwrap it and then possibly lose it to someone else and have to select again. Being able to select from unwrapped gifts or "steal" a gift someone is holding is what makes this game so entertaining and fun.

Here are the rules:

When planning the party, decide how much should be spent on the gifts. Twenty to thirty dollars is usually an agreeable price since each person is buying only one gift. The amount can be more or less. It's your group's desicion.

All gifts should be wrapped (and may I suggest you make yours look extra special :] ) and place them on a table, tree or anywhere that suits.

Before the game begins prepare a basket or bowl containing numbered paper, each person then has to select a number from the bowl, determining the order in which a person gets to select a gift. Number 1 goes first and gets to select and unwrap a gift. Everyone oohs and aahs - or when they pull out a rather hideous looking jumper thinks, "Boy, I'm glad I didn't select that."

Number 2 then selects. But she may take Number 1's gift or she may select a gift from the pile. If she takes Number 1's gift, Number 1 gets to select again from the pile. After she has finished her turn, Number 3 gets to select.

Once again, she may select any opened or unopened gift. Each time a gift is taken away from someone, that person gets to select again. She may select any gift except the one that was just taken away from her. She may however, have the opportunity to select it again later.

Some gifts are occasionally more popular and may get stolen several times. The fourth person to possess it gets to keep it. No more swiping the gift. The gift is frozen.

At the end of the game, Number 1 gets to select again, and take someone else's gift if she wants to, but she doesn't have to. She is actually forcing a trade. The only gifts she can't take are those that are frozen.

And remember dont be afraid of swiping a present. The more twists and turns there are, the more entertaining the game tends to get. When i think back I can remember the best games being with those when a particular gift is swiped over and over, sometimes half the time, just swiped for fun-which will indefinitely happen that is if men are playing. The game is so unpredictable you never know what you'll end up with-in my case i always seem to end up with the 'unwanted gift' but thats the fun of it though i guess no one ever seems to care about the gifts, but how much fun they have. I hope you take this game and play it with your families this christmas they'll love it I'm sure of it. And if youre like me- always getting the 'unwanted' gift, once the game is over, feel free to trade gifts that is if anyone wants too.