We had a merry granny Christmas last year. We ate chocolate, played wicked games, but there was one thing missing – gift exchange. This year Granny is back with a new add-on – a White Elephant Gift Exchange or Dirty Santa.
Eat Chocolate and Play Wicked Games
Step 1. Start the Party “Greetings from Granny O’Grimm”
Ask your students the following questions:
- Have you been naughty or nice this year?
- Do you know what happens to those who had at least ONE BAD THOUGHT this year?:)
Play Granny O’Grimm’s Christmas Greeting
Step 2. Chocolate for Confessions
You’ll need an assortment of small chocolate bars, or candies (of different types). Ideally, there should be MORE than enough candies for your students. Have each student choose a chocolate bar (or a candy) from a variety of chocolates/candies that are displayed on the table. Once they have chosen their favorite, put up the chart for what they should do for each chocolate bar/candy.
Chocolate Confession Chart
Chocolate [1…e.g. Milky Way] = tell about an embarrassing experience this year
Chocolate [2] = share any funny or embarrassing experience that you had this year
Chocolate [3] = tell about a fun experience this year
Chocolate [4] = tell about a wicked person you met this year
Chocolate [5] = tell about something new you learnt this year
Chocolate [6] = tell about a prank you watched or played on somebody
Chocolate [7] = tell about your wish that came true this year
Chocolate [8] = share any funny or embarrassing experience that you had this year
Chocolate [9] = tell about your achievement this year
Chocolate [10] = share any funny or interesting experience that you had this year
Give your students some time to eat their chocolates and think about their stories. When students are ready, say that now they will play the WHISPER CHALLENGE.
Step 3. Whisper Challenge
To explain the rules, show the following video with Andrew and Ashley playing the Whisper Challenge
Pair up or split your students into small teams of 3 persons in each and ask them to wear headphones and listen to some music while the other student (or a story teller in the group) tells a story [in the ideal scenario, we need sound proof headphones, but if your students listen to some music on their phone, the effect will be the same]. The person/persons wearing headphones should try to understand what the other person is saying. Then when they think they understand, they take off the headphones and say what they think the story was about. Much laughter is guaranteed. This activity is a fun way to eat, share and bond.
Step 4. A White Elephant Gift Exchange or Dirty Santa.
A White Elephant Gift Exchange is a popular Christmas event where people vie to walk away with the best present. It also goes by Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, and a plethora of other names. The White Elephant game is played by a lot of different rulesets – some dead simple and others confusingly elaborate. You can see the basic rules here.
We shall play a slightly different version of the game.
We need gifts.
Option 1: You may use small things that students have brought to give to their fellow students. Each gift is opened after chosen and before traded so everyone can see what they’re getting – or giving up!
Option 2: Fill in Christmas stockings. Get them to think of a present they would like to get for this Christmas and fill in their Christmas stocking (see the Christmas Stocking templates designed by Tekhnologic).
2. Now put all the stockings together, show the gifts you have (or get them to tell which gifts they’d like to get and why), shuffle the stockings and get the students to pick one stocking.
3. Party time. Say they have to follow the instructions and exchange gifts. No. 1 might ask for his/her own stocking or ask for any other stocking from anyone.
* Students can keep using the numbers from the Chocolate Confessions game.
| 1. Lucky you, you’re # 1
You get to start all the fun. So grab a gift and grab it quick. Cause you’re the one who gets first pick. |
| 2. Number 2 you’re on the way. It’s time for you to have your say.
It’s time for you to have your say. Get your gift and when you’re done, Swap it off with number 1. |
| 3. Number 3 it’s plain to see.
It’s your turn to pick which gift `twill be. And when your choosing job is through, Swap with 1 and then with 2. |
| 4. Number 4 must use your head.
So grab a gift that has some red. If it doesn’t suit you to a `T’, You may swap with 2 or 3. |
| 5. Jump to 5, don’t drag your feet.
Take your gift back to your seat. Wonder of wonders, it’s yours for a spell. But what comes next, you can never tell. |
| 6. Number 6 it’s your time to go.
Grab a gift and don’t be slow. Now put on a smile so they won’t be sore, Cause you must swap with #4. |
| 7. Is a lucky number it seems,
You choose a gift that has some green. Poke it, and shake it until you get back. Now trade with someone wearing black. |
| 8. Number 8 it’s up to you.
To get a gift that has some blue. Now go quietly to your place. Or trade with someone with a smiling face. |
| 9. Nine, we haven’t forgotten you.
So choose your gift and don’t be blue. Consider well and when all is said. Trade with someone wearing red. |
| 10. Number 10 come to the front.
For yours you shouldn’t have to hunt. Now hurry back and look alive. For you get to swap with #5. |
If you would like to continue the exchange, or you have more students in your class, just make slight changes into this fun White Elephant poem.
Happy teaching and Merry Christmas!
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This looks awesome and I desperately needed something new and exciting for this year’s xmas lesson Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi, Michele! Glad this could be of help:) Have a very Merry Christmas!