{"id":11739,"date":"2019-12-17T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T13:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=11739"},"modified":"2023-02-10T13:55:48","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T18:55:48","slug":"3-new-years-eve-gift-exchange-games-to-start-the-year-off-right-elf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elfster.com\/blog\/2019\/12\/17\/3-new-years-eve-gift-exchange-games-to-start-the-year-off-right-elf\/","title":{"rendered":"3 New Year’s Eve Gift Exchange Games to Start the Year Off Right"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Saying the holidays are hectic is like saying water is wet. Everyone knows that. There\u2019s so much hustle and bustle packed into a few short weeks. There are office parties<\/a> and family parties<\/a> and visits and shopping and more. New Year\u2019s Eve comes almost as a surprise; like, \u201cOh yeah, now this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we use New Year\u2019s as a time to exhale, relax, and reflect. Our main tradition is to gather a small group of friends who we didn\u2019t get to spend much time with during the previous holidays. We sit around, tell stories, talk about resolutions, and exchange gifts, all while waiting for that countdown that signifies a fresh start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several different kinds of New Year\u2019s Eve gift exchange games we play, to keep things\u2026 well, new. But it doesn\u2019t really matter what game you play, as long as you play it together. And remember that it isn\u2019t about the time on the clock but the time you spend cherishing each other\u2019s company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why have a New Year\u2019s Eve Gift Exchange?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We have a practical reason for having an exchange: we\u2019re seeing people we didn\u2019t get to see over Christmas and we want to make up for that. I also think there\u2019s something beautiful about ending the year by appreciating each other. Giving a gift is a way to say, \u201cYou matter to me. I appreciate that, no matter how crazy things get, we have borne it together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening that present is like unwrapping the upcoming year. It\u2019s full of promise and hope. It\u2019s fresh and exciting. It\u2019s something you\u2019ve never before held in your hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, presents are great and way better than being packed into Times Square. So there\u2019s that, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our 3 Favorite New Year\u2019s Eve Gift Exchange Games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can just add some twists to classic gift exchange games for your New Year\u2019s Eve party. Here are three of our favorites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolution White Elephant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You probably know the rules to White Elephant<\/a>. Everyone brings a gift and gets a number. The first person picks a gift and opens it. The second person can choose to steal or pick a new gift. If they steal, the first person picks another a gift. The third person can steal either gift or pick a new one, and so on.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you don\u2019t have to do it with numbers. We like to have everyone write a New Year\u2019s resolution and put it in a hat. Then, we draw those resolutions to determine what order people will go in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s fun because you learn something about your friends. You can even have them talk a little about their resolution before getting to the present part.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few notes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n