This fun chews your gift exchange is a unique spin on a traditional gift exchange and a sweet way to mix things up! This game is perfect if you like the idea of stealing but want to add an additional element of luck so the game doesn’t feel stale like many gift exchanges do! It combines strategy with luck for a really fun gift exchange your group will love!
Easiest Gift Exchange Game
Every year we come up with new gift exchange games because let’s be honest, the traditional white elephant gift exchange where you pick numbers, pick white elephant gifts, and steal some gifts (or not) can get old if you do the same thing every year.
That’s why we’ve created everything from a dice gift exchange to a deck of cards gift exchange in the past ten years. And this chews your gift game is another option if you want to switch it up yet again!
I’ve shared other gift exchange ideas in the past that don’t include stealing like the left right Christmas game and this Grinch gift exchange – well this choose your gift exchange uses stealing but also the randomness of passing gifts around the circle – so it’s the best of both worlds!
It’s so much fun! Oh and p.s., I know I’m using the word chews in the wrong way – it’s a play on the name of the candy used in this game – Tootsie Roll Chews!
Supplies
You’ll just need three simple things for this gift exchange game!
- Tootsie Rolls – you’ll need a bag of colored Tootsie Roll chews and just a couple of traditional chocolate Tootsie Rolls.
- Printable Chews Your Gift Exchange printout – get it at the bottom of this post or in my shop here
- One wrapped gift per person – have everyone bring one, you can either do a themed one using one of these fun gift exchange ideas, choose a price limit, or even do white elephant gifts!
How to setup the game
Setup is simple, that’s what makes this one so fun!
- Print out the chews your own gift key, you’ll want at least one but maybe a couple to have around your circle depending on the number of people.
- Pour the Tootsie Roll Chews and the chocolate Tootsie Rolls into a bag or a bucket that is easy to grab things out of.
- Setup a table at the front of the room and have everyone put their wrapped gifts on the table.
- Have everyone sit in a circle and randomly hand out the wrapped gifts to everyone in the circle.
How to Play Chews Your Gift
You’ll be going around the circle two times. The two rounds are the exact same other than the second round will likely have less gift unwrapping because most gifts should already be unwrapped!
Choose someone to go first. You can do it using playing cards, picking numbers out of a hat (and match to numbers you give people), pick a name out of a hat, or just pick someone.
That person unwraps their gift and shows it to everyone. (This will only happen in the first round unless someone ends up with an unwrapped gift still in round two, then they’ll still unwrap it before proceeding with their turn).
That same person then randomly chooses a Tootsie Roll out of the bag and follows the instructions for the candy they chose. I’ve explained the details of each below, but they’re pretty self-explanatory.
Note!
The player has to complete the action that corresponds with the Tootsie Roll they choose, even if it’s switching their gift and they don’t want to. It’s all part of the game and if people get the choice to switch or not, it totally changes the dynamic of the luck of the draw.
What Do the Different Colors Mean?
Blue – Everyone in the circle passes their gift to the right. All gifts are passed including the person who chose the blue.
Yellow – Everyone in the circle passes their gift to the left. All gifts are passed including the gift of the person who chose the yellow.
Pink – Choose someone in the circle to swap your gift with AND open the gift that you just swapped for (so the gifts get opened). Each person starts with one gift and ends with one gift, you’re just swapping.
Green – Switch seats with anyone in the circle but leave the gifts with the seats. This is kind of like swapping gifts with someone but actually moves people around in the circle and could strategically give someone another turn as well!
Orange – Switch gifts with someone on your left or right, you choose who to switch with. AND unwrap whatever gift you swapped for if it’s not already unwrapped. This is just for the person who chose the orange and the person they choose to swap with. One thing to note – if player A switched with player B, player B doesn’t get to take a turn when they switch seats (even if they won’t get another turn in the game), it would go onto the next player.
Brown – Swap your gift with anyone and leave the game if you choose. Or you can also leave the game with the gift you currently have if you like the gift you have. This is basically a wild – take what you want option – if you are lucky enough to pick it. That’s why there are only a few! This is also the only option that is optional – if you don’t want to use this then you can stay in the game and don’t do anything else on your turn.
Note!
There are a handful of actions above that include AND unwrap the gift you switched for. This will mean that some people will be unwrapping more gifts than others, but it’s the best way to get the most gifts unwrapped during the game. If you don’t unwrap the gift you switched for, it’s possible you’ll end up with a bunch of unwrapped gifts going into the second round and you really want as many gifts unwrapped as possible!
After their turn is complete, pass the bag of candies clockwise and that person opens their gift and chooses a candy to determine the fate of their gift!
Repeat this until you’ve gone around the circle one time.
Once you get to the end of the circle, you can either just keep going around clockwise until everyone has had two turns to draw OR you can randomly pick somewhere to start in the circle again (using the methods mentioned above) and just go clockwise around the circle one more time!
How does the game end?
Go around the circle two times letting people choose out Tootsie Rolls. At the end of the second round, everyone gets the gift they have in their hands at the end of the last person’s turn.
One of the reasons this game can be so fun is that you have no idea what’s going to happen until literally the last person chooses their candy. Unless you picked a chocolate Tootsie Roll and are out of the game with your prize, all prizes are fair game until the very last pick.
If someone there’s anyone who hasn’t opened their gift at the end of the two rounds, they open their gift at the end.
Game FAQs
Do I unwrap a gift that I switched for?
If it’s your turn and you individually had to switch your gift with someone else whose gift is still unwrapped then yes, you should unwrap that gift (as well as unwrapping the gift you started with prior to your turn). This will help make sure that all of the gifts get unwrapped!
What if I don’t want to switch my gift?
If you choose an action that requires switching your gift, you have to switch it whether you want to or not. It’s all part of the game.
How many times can a gift be swapped?
Since this game has elements of stealing and switching randomly, gifts can be swapped as many times as people want. There is no limit to swapping gifts in this particular game – although you can add in that gifts are frozen after three swaps if you really want to. The brown chocolate Tootsie Rolls are the exception, if someone chooses one of those they get to freeze their gift (if they choose).
How many Tootsie Rolls do I need?
This is up to you depending on how many people are playing. I did a normal size bag of Tootsie Roll Chews (14.5 oz) and added five chocolate Tootsie Rolls. The chocolate Tootsie rolls are supposed to be wilds and not something you get all the time (or maybe ever), so I recommend keeping them to a minimum but still having them in there so someone has a chance to get lucky!
More Gift Exchange Games
If you want more fun gift exchange games, try one of these next!
- Pass the gift game – this is a different variation on a gift game and a lot of fun!
- Rock paper switch – a gift exchange that incorporates the classic game of rock paper scissors!
- Heads or tails exchange – another fun variation that includes a coin flip in the fun!
- Gift exchange card game – a gift exchange that uses cards to determine where your gift goes or what you do!
- Santa’s Helper xmas gift exchange game – this fun game mixes things up by having you be Santa’s Helper and try to win gifts for other people. I love this one!
Download the Chews Your Gift Game
Enter your first name and email address in the form below to get the printable free download PDF. You will receive a link to download the PDF to your email within minutes. Print on card stock and you’re on your way.
If you’d prefer to not provide your email address, you can get a copy in my shop here.
If you do not see the form, click here to get to it.
If you do not see the email with the printable design templates immediately after you fill out the form, make sure to check your promotions, spam, and junk folders!
The file will include:
- Instructions
- One-page PDF key of the color actions
- Use policy – everything is for personal use only, no commercial (no profit) use
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