Printable party game
Left Right Gift Game
Pass gifts in the direction named by the host story.
A simple seated gift exchange for holiday parties, family groups, and mixed ages.
Online experience
Printable preview
Rules and host guide
How to play the Left Right Gift Game
Players pass wrapped gifts in the direction named by the story. When the host finishes reading, each player keeps the gift currently in hand.
Materials and setup
Ask each guest to bring one wrapped gift within the same budget, arrange chairs in a circle, and print the host story in a large readable size.
Play steps
- Give every player one gift.
- The host reads slowly and emphasizes each “left” and “right.”
- Players pass one seat in that direction every time the word is heard.
- When the story ends, stop immediately and open the gift in hand.
Host tips and variants
Pause after dense sentences so gifts do not pile up. For small groups, pass two seats on highlighted words; for children, rehearse one left and one right before beginning.
Example round
When the host reads “Maya left the card right beside the door,” every player passes left once, then right once, ending where they started.
Design note
The story spaces direction words across short sentences, creating movement without making the host race or the circle lose track.