Christmas Games

Has your family ever played white elephant? The white elephant is a gift exchange party game where funny and impractical gifts are exchanged during festivities. A white elephant gift exchange aims to entertain party-goers rather than to gain a genuinely valuable or highly sought-after item. The first person opens a wrapped gift, and the turn ends. In each person's turn, each person has the choice to either unwrap a new present or to steal another's. When a person's gift is stolen, that person can either choose another wrapped gift to open or steal from another player. This is a great game to play as it is funny and a good bonding time with family and friends.

Another one of these great Christmas games is Secret Santa. This game is more common/popular than white elephants. Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift. The gift giver's identity is to remain a secret and should not be revealed until everyone has opened their gifts from their secret Santa. This is a great game that is more thought out than white elephant because everyone is assigned someone to give a gift to without them knowing, whereas white elephant, you buy a random gift, and anyone can keep it.

Both of these games are fun to do. Here is great last-minute gift idea for both of these games under $25:

• Hydro Flask 12-Ounce Mug ($24.95; rei.com)

• Glam Up Facial Sheet Masks, 12-Pack ($11.25, originally $16.90; amazon.com)

• Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dishcloths, 10-Pack ($18.95, originally $24.99; amazon.com)

• Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot (starting at $21.64; amazon.com)

• All in Motion Yoga Mat ($15.99; target.com)

• Dash Mini Waffle Maker ($12.99; target.com)

Happy Holidays!