How To Host A Dirty Santa Party

With Thanksgiving and Christmas, quickly approaching party that involve gifts are pushed to the forefront of party planning.

In the south, we have a gift giving party called Dirty Santa. In other parts of the country it is called White Elephant party.  Whatever name you want call your party, it has the same rules and played basically the same. The only thing that changes is the name since Dirty Santa seems more appropriate during December and November than July and August. Dirty Santa is a popular party during Christmas because it gives everyone a chance to share a gift without having to take out a loan to pay for them. It is especially popular with large extended families who get together for the holidays.

Sound like something you want to do? Here's how you do it.

Dirty Santa Party Rules

• Ask everyone to bring a gift, preferably one that either sex might like. The gifts should be wrapped without identification. Half the fun is not knowing who brought the gift.
• Set a price limit on the gift.  Most of the parties I have been to set a price of 30 bucks, but you can go as low as  5 or 10 dollars.  Include the rules and price limit with the party invitations.
• As guests arrive, pile all the gifts in a stack and have each guest pick a number out of a hat or box. (Make sure you have equal guest to presents – you might want to stash one or two extra presents in case someone forgets.)
• After everyone arrives and your ready to play, the person with the number 1 goes  first. They chooses a present from the pile and open it.
• Now the fun part, the number 2 person selects a present from the stack. After they open it, Dirty Santa can be declared and anyone who has open a gift can steal an opened gift and replace it with the gift they have in their possession. As the game goes on, any one can declare Dirty Santa and steal a present from any other guest and leave them with the gift they chose. Once you declare dirty Santa you can’t declare it again.  But someone can declare dirty Santa on you, and take the present you wanted. Each person has once chance to declare dirty Santa, after every present has be picked and each person has declared dirty Santa, the game is over.

Gag gifts are great for this Dirty Santa game.  I remember playing one year,  one of the male guest end up with tiger print teddy.  Novelty or gag gifts add some fun and laughs to this crazy party.  With Dirty Santa or a White Elephant party, you can add to the rules or mix them up and make the party idea yours. It's a great idea for adult birthday parties, anniversary parties, family reunions, office parties and (of course) Christmas parties.

So – Merry Christmas!  Go out and plan a Dirty Santa party this year!