Gift Exchange

Establish a price such as $10.00 or less for the Christmas present. Call or mail Christmas Bunco invitations to all players and include information about the Gift Exchange. The gift should be wrapped and can be anonymous.

When guests arrive, direct them to an area to set aside their gifts.

Play two sets of Bunco instead the usual four so there is enough time for the gift exchange and for food.

It takes only minutes for a group of bunco players to ready a room for the Gift Exchange.

Players sit in a circle and all gifts are placed in the middle of it.

There are many ways to decide who should be the first to pick a gift, drawing names or numbers or using a deck of cards will work.

Our group averages around twenty four people for Christmas Bunco. We use two suits from a deck of cards. Decide which suit will be used first, then everyone draw a card. The lowest number from the chosen suit picks a gift first but does not open it.

The next numbered person can either take a gift from the middle or take the first player's gift. If she takes the players gift, the first player draws a new gift from the pile. The swap continues until all have a gift to keep.

Even though players do not know what the gifts are, there is a frenzy of swapping and taking a timer may be used for the last five minutes of everybody choosing their gift.

A shorter Bunco playing time ensures enough time for food and gift exchange.

Many guests may offer to contribute food or drink to the party and that helps to keep costs down.

I often host Christmas Bunco. Generally more people attend Christmas Bunco than regular Bunco. I take a group picture and include it in invitations to be made for next years Bunco.