Christmas Party Idea #4
One of the most popular and fun ideas for a Christmas gift exchange at a Small Group party is a game commonly called Chinese Christmas. I don’t know how or where the name came from, but in the South we call the game “Dirty Santa.” You may know it as White Elephant or Grinch Exchange. Whatever you call it, it is FUN!
Here is how you play the game…
The game is fun and exciting, because 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 from someone else is what makes this game so much fun and the “hit” of any Christmas party.
Here are the rules of the game…
When planning your Small Group party, decide how much should be spent on the gifts. Ten to twenty dollars is usually an agreeable price since each person is buying only one gift. The amount can be more or less. It’s your Small Group’s call.
All gifts should be wrapped (and I suggest you make it look extra special). Place your chairs in a circle and put the gifts together in the middle of your group.
Each person selects a number from a basket or bowl to determine the order in which a person gets to select a gift. Number 1 goes first and gets to select and un-wrap a gift.
Number 2 then selects. But they may take Number 1’s gift or they may select a gift from the pile. If they take Number 1’s gift, Number 1 gets to select again from the pile. After they have finished their turn, Number 3 gets to select.
Once again, they may select any opened or unopened gift. Each time a gift is taken away from someone, that person gets to select again. They may select any gift except the one that was just taken away from them. They 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 they want to, but they do not have to. They are actually forcing a trade. The only gifts they can not take are those that are frozen.
Don’t be afraid to “steal” a gift from someone. The more takeaways and turnovers there are the more fun the game seems to be. Some of the best times have been when a particular gift gets “stolen” several times. There are always lots of laughs and sometimes gifts are “stolen” just for the fun of it. (A fun way to change it up is instead of using numbers, use words from Luke chapter 2…The Christmas story. Have someone read Luke 2 and every time someone’s word is read, it is there time to either steal or choose a gift. Make sure you do not use a word more than once.)
And after the game is over, if you and someone else wants to trade gifts, that’s O.K. too. Have FUN and if you have a game that would be fun to try at Christmas time, please fell free to add it in the comment area.
Christmas Party Idea #3
Here is one more idea for your Small Group Christmas Party and a bonus idea for your Thanksgiving gathering! Please let us know how your party goes! Remember, one of our goals for our Small Groups is to build relationships with others who are on the journey. Take time to invest in the lives of others and you will be amazed at how much FUN can be a huge factor in fostering a relationship that will go the distance! If you have another idea to share with our leaders, please leave it in our comment area! Have Fun!
Christmas Alphabet
As the Small Group Member’s arrive, give each member a piece of paper that has the letters vertically written from A to Z. Your members must then come up with a word for each letter that relates to Christmas. The first one that completes the list with legible words wins a small prize.
Thanksgiving Small Group Idea
As the Thanksgiving season approaches, it is really important to show thankfulness for each other. One idea is during your closing, have each member share one thing they are thankful for about a member or members of your Small Group. Go around the group until all members have had a chance to share. End your time with allowing an opportunity for everyone to share a one-sentence prayer of thankfulness.
Small Group Party Idea #2
The Christmas season is a wonderful opportunity for you and your Small Group to spend time investing in your relationships. To make your Christmas Party a hit, here is another great Small Group Party idea. Don’t forget to take some pictures of your Small Group in action and send them to us so we can post them! Also, don’t forget if you have a great party idea, please leave it in the comment section so other Small Group leaders can benefit from your experiences. Check back to see what other leaders have shared.
Christmas Carol Pictionary Relay
Supplies: List of Christmas Carols, BIG roll of paper or artist paper, markers, and people willing to sing and have fun!
Divide your Small Group into teams and decide which teams goes first. The first team sends one person up to the Game Host who gives them the name of a Christmas carol. Then the person tries to get the group to guess the name of the carol by DRAWING ONLY. (Hope you have some great artist! LOL!) The team will only have ONE minute to guess the song. As soon as the group knows the song, they must sing it as a group until the Game Host gives the thumbs up sign (20 – 30 seconds). Once they get the thumbs up, the team gets one point for their team. But if their time runs out, the other team will have a turn to guess a new song. The opposing team sends a new person to the Game Host for another song. Play continues until one group gets TEN points for their team.
Here are some Christmas Carols to get started. Remember you can only use the carol one time.
· Hark the Herald Angels
· Jingle Bells
· Deck the Halls
· Here Comes Santa Claus
· Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
· Silent Night
· Joy to the World
· Away In a Manger
· We Wish You A Merry Christmas
· The First Noel
Have fun and let us know about your party! If you have any good party game ideas, please leave it by adding a comment! Check by later for more great ideas for your Holiday Small Group Party!
Small Group Party Ideas #1
It is that time of the year and Small Group Leaders are looking for practical party ideas. In the next few days, I will update the blog with different ideas for your next Small Group Gathering. If you have any party ideas that you have used, please share with other leaders by leaving a comment. Be sure to check back and look under comments for new party ideas.
Christmas Movie Trivia
Make a copy of the Holiday Movie Trivia Handout (don’t forget to take the answers out) and give one to every Small Group member as they arrive. Whoever gets the most questions right wins! Another variation on this game: Divide all members into 2 or 3 or 4 groups, each group can collaborate on answers, the group which gets most questions right, wins! Have Fun!
1. In the 1988 film “Scrooged,” the character played by Bill Murray is:
a) a cold-hearted banker
b) a cold-hearted TV executive
c) a cold-hearted police officer
d) a cold-hearted politician
2. What’s the name of George Bailey’s guardian angel in “It’s a Wonderful Life?”
a) Ariel
b) Henry
c) Clarence
d) Frank
3. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey as a boy suffers an injury to:
a) his foot
b) his arm
c) his eyes
d) his ear
4. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is written by:
a) Tim Burton
b) Martin Scorsese
c) Jimmy Stewart
d) Danny DeVito
5. “White Christmas” is set in
a) Colorado
b) Montana
c) New Hampshire
d) Vermont
6. Who plays Bing Crosby’s Army buddy in “White Christmas?”
a) Jimmy Stewart
b) Dean Martin
c) Danny Kaye
d) Bob Hope
7. The little girl who’s skeptical about Santa Clause in “Miracle on 34th Street” is played by:
a) Natalie Wood
b) Audrey Hepburn
c) Anne Bancroft
d) Sharon Stone
8. Miracle on 34th Street revolves around which department store?
a) Bloomingdales
b) Macys
c) Parisian
d) Neiman Marcus
9. In “Home Alone,” a young boy is abandoned when his parents rush to a holiday vacation in:
a) Vermont
b) London
c) Paris
d) New York
10. The 1982 Barry Levinson film “Diner” is set in which city?
a) New York
b) Cleveland
c) Baltimore
d) Boston
11. Which of the following actors was NOT in “Diner?”
a) Kevin Bacon
b) Ellen Barkin
c) Matt Dillon
d) Mickey Rourke
12. What happens to the character played by Tim Allen in “The Santa Clause?”
a) he gains weight
b) grows a beard
c) he gets fired
d) all of the above
ANSWERS:
1. – Answer – (b)
2. – Answer – (c)
3. – Answer – (d)
4. – Answer – (a)
5. – Answer – (d)
6. – Answer – (c)
7. – Answer – (a)
8. – Answer – (b)
9. – Answer – (c)
10. – Answer – (c)
11. – Answer – (c)
12. – Answer – (d)
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