25 Christmas Gift Exchange Themes (and What to Bring for Each)
A theme is the easiest way to make a gift exchange feel new. Here are 25 we'd use, sorted by who's coming.
For the whole family
For friends
For a group that wants to spend less
Themes that take over the party
How to pick a theme
A themed gift exchange works like any other, except every gift fits one idea. It works with any game: white elephant, Secret Santa or That Gift Game. Three things decide which theme fits your party.
- Who's coming. When kids and grandparents play together, pick a theme everyone can shop for. A group of friends can go sillier, and a few ideas below, like the tequila, are just for them.
- The budget. Put the theme and the amount on the invite together. "About $20" works better than "$20 or under." Here's why "about" works better.
- The steal test. Before you wrap it, ask one question a host on Reddit swears by: "will people want to steal this?" If yes, it fits.
The best theme for your group
| If your group is | Try this theme | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Kids and grandparents together | Fun and games | about $20 |
| The whole extended family | Christmas ornaments | about $15 |
| Coworkers | Fill-a-mug | about $15 |
| Close friends | Use it tonight | about $20 |
| On a tight budget | The $5 thrift store hunt | $5 |
| Planning at the last minute | Regift | $0 |
| Ready for a laugh | Funny trucker hats | about $15 |
Family gift exchange themes
These six work when Grandpa and the grandkids are playing in the same circle. Everyone can shop for them, and nobody has to guess what anyone else likes.
1. Fun and games
Every gift is a game or a toy, and fun things you forgot about count too. Expect someone to yell "I had this!" and start playing before the exchange is over.
Budget: about $20
- A card game the whole table can play
- A magic kit
- Mall Madness or another board game you forgot about
- A Tamagotchi
- A Lite-Brite
- Pop Rocks and Big League Chew
2. Baking
This one is for the family that's always in the kitchen. Wrap something to bake with, not something already baked, and watch the aunts fight over it.
Budget: about $20
- A sourdough starter kit
- A cookie decorating kit
- A mini waffle maker
- An apron with a set of cookie cutters
3. Christmas ornaments
Everyone goes home with something for next year's tree.
Budget: about $15
- A glass ornament from a local shop
- A funny food ornament, like a pickle or a slice of pizza
- An ornament with a photo of you
- A custom ornament with a group photo, like the ones Shutterfly makes
- A light-up ornament
4. Framed photos
Every gift is a picture in a frame, and the more interesting the photo, the faster it gets stolen.
Budget: about $20
- An old family photo everyone forgot about, in a nice frame
- A print of a place your group loves
- A picture of the family dog
- A photoshopped picture of someone in the room
5. Fill-a-mug
The mug is just part one. Fill it with something good, and nobody cares that it's the fourth mug they own.
Budget: about $15, mug included
- Cocoa mix and big marshmallows
- Fancy coffee beans
- Peppermint bark
- Candy, with a small gift card tucked in
6. Books
Everyone wraps a book they couldn't put down. The readers in the room will steal a good one without a second thought.
Budget: about $15
- A favorite novel
- A cookbook
- A picture book, for the kids' pile
- A puzzle or trivia book
Gift exchange themes for friends
7. Something I love
Bring the thing you can't stop telling people about. Everyone goes home with a friend's favorite, already tested.
Budget: about $20
- The lip balm you buy three at a time
- The kitchen tool you use every day
- The snack you always restock
- The wine you always bring to girls' night
If your group likes this one, try a Favorite Things party, where everyone brings several of the same gift.
8. Things you'll need in the next month
Every gift gets used before the new year is a week old, so nothing sits in a closet until spring.
Budget: about $20
- A New Year's Eve kit with party poppers and noisemakers
- Fuzzy slippers for January
- Sparkling cider and two nice glasses
- A bottle of champagne for midnight
9. A joke gift paired with a real one
Wrap a joke with something good. The room laughs when it's opened, and then everyone wants it.
Budget: about $20 for the pair
- Your second-grade school photo in a nice frame
- A whoopee cushion with a gift card tucked inside
- A Chia Pet with a gift card to a garden store
10. Things that go in the garage
This one is for the group that would rather unwrap a good flashlight than a candle.
Budget: about $20
- A bright LED flashlight
- A good multitool
- A rechargeable work light
- A mini vacuum for the car
11. Camping gear
If your group camps, every gift goes straight into the car for the next trip.
Budget: about $20
- A lantern
- A s'mores kit with long roasting sticks
- A camp hammock
- A flask for around the fire
12. Experiences, not things
Every gift is an outing or a class instead of a thing to keep. Put the tickets or the coupon in a box with something small, so it still feels like a present.
Budget: about $40
- Two movie tickets with a box of candy
- A class at a local studio
- A zoo or museum day pass
- Tickets to a holiday light show
13. Funny t-shirts
Everyone wraps a shirt that makes the room laugh. Buy a size up, so it fits whoever ends up with it.
Budget: about $20
- A shirt with an inside joke from your group
- A vintage band tee
- A shirt with someone's face on it
- A holiday pun shirt
Cheap gift exchange themes
These four keep the fun and drop the price, which helps when whole families are buying a gift for every person.
14. Regift
Everyone wraps something new they already own and never used. We all have a closet shelf of these, and tonight they finally get out.
Budget: $0
- The candle still in its box
- A kitchen gadget you never opened
- A gift card you won't use
- The book you meant to read
15. Homemade
Every gift is something you made, and no, you don't need a glue gun.
Budget: about $10 in supplies
- A jar of cookie mix with the recipe on the tag
- A printed photo book of the year
- Homemade salsa or jam
- Peppermint bark in a tin
16. The $5 thrift store hunt
Everyone gets $5 and one trip to a thrift store. The weirder the find, the more people want it.
Budget: $5
- A strange vintage mug
- A retro board game
- A loud holiday sweater
- A vintage Pyrex dish
17. Fridge magnets
Bring a magnet, and the funnier, the better. They wrap tiny, so this one works for the kids' pile too.
Budget: about $5
- A magnet from your hometown
- A photo magnet of the whole group
- A set of word magnets
- A magnetic bottle opener
Funny gift exchange themes that take over the party
These eight keep going after the gift is opened. Whatever you end up with, you wear it, use it or show it off for the rest of the night.
18. Funny trucker hats
Everyone wraps a trucker hat with a saying on it. Whatever hat you end up with, you wear it until the party's over. Take a group photo at the end.
Budget: about $15
- A trucker hat with the funniest saying you can find
- A custom hat with an inside joke from your group
- A hat with a saying you wouldn't wear to church
- A retro hat from a brand that doesn't exist anymore
19. Funny mugs or koozies
Whatever you end up with is what you drink from all night.
Budget: about $15
- A mustache mug
- A koozie dressed like a tiny ugly Christmas sweater
- A custom koozie with an inside joke from your group
- A mug shaped like a camera lens
- A mug with a tiny frog hiding at the bottom
20. Use it tonight
Every gift gets opened and put to work before anyone goes home. Done right, the end of the night has a card game going, someone on the karaoke mic and a round of shots.
Budget: about $20
- A party card game for grown-ups
- A karaoke microphone
- A bottle of tequila and a set of shot glasses
- A deck of Never Have I Ever cards
21. Things you'd find in your purse
Wrap something you'd keep in your purse, only nicer than the one you carry.
Budget: about $15
- A fancy lip balm
- A flask shaped like a lipstick
- A travel-size hand cream
- A portable phone charger
22. Gas station treasures
Everyone shops at a gas station, and the stranger the find, the better.
Budget: about $10
- Beef jerky in a flavor nobody has heard of
- Car air fresheners in the weirdest scents
- A novelty keychain
- The biggest bag of candy on the shelf
23. Things you'd use on vacation
Every gift is something you'd pack for a getaway. By the end of the night, someone will be planning the trip.
Budget: about $20
- A waterproof phone pouch for the pool
- A set of packing cubes
- A travel neck pillow
- Travel-size bottles of the good stuff
24. Something red
Every gift has to be red. If red feels too easy, pick another color.
Budget: about $15
- Red fuzzy socks
- A red throw blanket
- A bag of red candy
- A bottle of red wine
25. Something you'd take to a desert island
Bring the one thing you'd want if you were stuck on a desert island.
Budget: about $20
- A waterproof speaker
- A deck of cards
- Your favorite snack, in bulk
- A bottle of rum
Make up a theme for your group
The funniest themes are the ones only your group would get. A few ways to find yours:
- Everyone's about the same age? Pick a time you all remember. Things that remind you of middle school could mean gel pens, slap bracelets and a Lisa Frank folder.
- There's one person everyone knows? Make it about them. This year I'm going with "things Craig wouldn't want."
Put it on the invite
Put the theme on the invite with the budget, so nobody has to ask. Fill in the blanks:
The template:
Gift exchange at [place] on [date]! Bring one wrapped gift, about $[amount]. This year's theme is [theme]. Bring something you'd want to steal.
For the whole family:
Gift exchange after dinner on Christmas Eve! Bring one wrapped gift per person, about $15. This year's theme is Christmas ornaments, so everyone goes home with something for the tree.
For a trucker hat party:
Gift exchange at our place on the 20th! Bring one wrapped trucker hat with a saying on it, about $15. Whatever hat you end up with, you wear it for the rest of the night.
Play it with That Gift Game
A theme decides what goes in the pile, and That Gift Game decides where each gift ends up. Brooke and I made it so the cards call every move: trade, open, steal or pass. Nobody is the bad guy for taking a gift, because a card said so.
It plays 4 to 14 people, ages 7 and up, in 20 to 30 minutes. You bring the theme and the gifts, and the box handles the rest.
A few more questions
Do you need a theme for a gift exchange or white elephant?
No, but it helps. Without one, guests guess what to bring and the gifts end up all over the place. A theme gives everyone the same starting point.
Is a gift exchange theme the same as a party theme?
No. A party theme, like ugly sweaters, is what people wear. A gift exchange theme is what people bring. You can do both at the same party.
Can you use a theme for Secret Santa?
Yes. In Secret Santa you shop for one person, so the theme narrows the search and the gift still fits them. Books, something I love and fill-a-mug all work well.
What's a good gift exchange theme for a whole family?
Pick one everyone can shop for, like fun and games, ornaments or books. Kids and grandparents can both find something for about $20.
What are good gift exchange themes for adults?
Funny trucker hats, use it tonight and a joke gift paired with a real one get the most laughs. If kids are playing too, skip the alcohol.
What are good gift exchange themes for the office?
Fill-a-mug, fridge magnets and the $5 thrift store hunt are all safe for coworkers. Skip the alcohol and anything too personal, like framed photos or funny t-shirts.
What if someone ignores the theme?
Let it go and keep playing. A clear invite prevents most of it, and a backup gift covers the rest.
Whatever theme you pick, I hope your gift is the one everyone wants to steal. Merry Christmas!
Back to the 25 themes
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