Considering an ornament exchange this year at your Women’s Ministry or Bible study Christmas party?
Ornament Exchanges are:
-
Quick
-
Easy
-
Affordable
-
Fun
To pull off a fun, successful ornament exchange there are a few things you’ll need to do.
Request in advance that guests bring a wrapped ornament to your Women’s Ministry Christmas fellowship, Sunday School party, or Bible study Christmas celebration.
- Suggest that they spend no more than $5.
- Let them know that homemade ornaments are wonderful and welcome!
You want this to be affordable and manageable for all of your women.
At the event place a table near the entry door for attendees to leave their gift.
Have some fun distributing the ornaments!
4 Distribution Ideas for Your Ornament Exchange:
1. Have tables/groups come forward to select a package that they didn’t bring.
2. Number each package and have each guest pull a number and pick up the corresponding package.
3. Make a large circle (or several smaller circles) and have women pass the packages to the right until the Christmas music stops.
4. Use the Left Right Nativity Game – instructions can be found here. That would be my personal pick!
Consider having a couple extra wrapped ornaments on hand in case one of your guests forgets to bring one – that way they can still participate.
Make sure you provide an opportunity for the big reveal – it gives everyone the opportunity to ooh and aah!
You may also want to read:
Why I Don’t Do White Elephant Exchanges
My Favorite Christmas Icebreaker Games
13 Ideas for Sprinkling Your Event with Christmas Music
Is this supposed to be anonymous or do you put a card?
I’m guessing there is no card attached so that the giver remains a mystery until the gift is opened… but maybe both are options?
Earllynn, yes – you could do it either way. 🙂
Hi Debra, you could do it either way. In a smaller group it can be fun to guess the giver after the gifts have been given.
How do you get 80 women to come to your event. Most events I can only get about 15 to 20 most say
that there to busy or it’s not a good day, mainly it is just away to stay disconnected from the rest of
the church they think just filling a chair on Sunday is Good enough. can you give me any ideas.
Teresa, your turnout is going to be unique to your church – both in size and in situation. Please don’t feel bad if your numbers are smaller! I encourage you to survey your women to uncover what they are interested in and when their schedule would allow them to attend.
Personally, I like smaller groups. Then I can visit more one on one with people
Make sure you provide an opportunity for the big reveal – it gives everyone the opportunity to ooh and aah!…Do you mean just allowing time to unwrapping their ornaments?
Yes, Rosi! You’ve got it! Women love to admire each other’s ornaments. 🙂
We are planning this for our Christmas Brunch of about 80 women. Do you have any ideas for opportunities of a big reveal for the OOH and AAH?
With 80 women you might just want to encourage them to admire one another’s ornaments as they make their way back to their seat. It doesn’t have to be a big production.