For the past two seasons we’ve done a relational gift exchange with our community group. Here’s how it goes:
- Everyone thinks about and writes down something they want to do/a way they could be served/something relationship building that isn’t too weird (i.e. ‘a date’). Gifts have been anything from borrowing someone’s favorite book, to help with shopping, to a plate of brownies, to jars of soup, to collaborative painting, to watching sports. Be creative, and be relational!
- The gifts are then shuffled and then randomly passed out to everyone in the exchange.
- Gifts are written anonymously but read out loud so that everyone knows what is available.
- Starting from the youngest the game then revolves around typical “white elephant” rules: stealing gifts (up to 2 or 3 times depending on the size of the group), or standing pat, until the last person has gone.
- Set a time line for when the gifts need to be “given” (a couple of months is probably a good idea…people get busy and things can be forgotten).
- Have fun, make memories, take a picture, and get more creative next year!
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