Hosting a Joyful Favorite Things Party: Ideas & Tips

The Favorite Things gift exchange format works equally well for families, friends, and workplace parties. Below, we explain the rules and helpful tips to organize the exchange and make it a new exciting tradition. 

What is the Favorite Things Party? 

The idea of a favorite gift exchange is to share something that brings you joy with your friends and loved ones. Each player brings a few copies of their favorite item and distributes these gifts to other guests. You can bring anything from the mascara you’ve purchased three times, an olive oil that you use every day, or a fancy glass dish. 

Unlike the White Elephant, where players bring generic or gag gifts just for fun, the Favorite Things party prioritizes useful, meaningful items. Moreover, each guest presents their favorite thing to the rest of the group, sharing their emotions about it and maybe giving some tips on how to use it best. Each guest leaves the party with a few nice, useful gifts from their loved ones. 

Why host a Favorite Things Party this year? 

The Favorite Things Party is a great twist to traditional gift exchanges, and here’s why it’s worth trying: 

1. Prioritizing thoughtful gifts. Instead of gag gifts or generic items grabbed on the go, each player leaves the party with a few thoughtful gifts from their friends or family. 
2. Fostering connections. In addition to bringing a gift, each participant shares the story associated with it. It sparks conversations and lets you know more about your loved ones. 
3. Stress-free gifting. No more guessing what to give to your friend or coworker. Simply bring a few copies of your favorite item, and you’re all set. 
4. An alternative to Secret Santa or White Elephant. Chances are, you’ve played them both multiple times. Why not try something new and liven up your Christmas gathering with friends or extended family? 

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Who Can You Organize the Favorite Things Party With? 

A favorite gift exchange can be adapted to any gathering, adding the extra layer of excitement to your holiday party:

1. Friends - favorite things parties are perfectly suited for friendly gatherings. Friends can share items they like, discuss how the favorite item fits into their lifestyle, and take home a few copies of their friends’ favorites.
2. Coworkers - setting up the exchange at work will foster team bonding and help people know each other at a personal level. Make sure to keep gifts workplace-appropriate. 
3. Extended family - have distant relatives bring their favorite items and share them with other family members. A Favorite Things Party can strengthen family ties and make your gathering memorable. 
4. Neighbors - set up the gift exchange, focusing on items for the home and decor. Such gatherings are a great way to get to know each other better. 

A step-by-step guide to hosting a Favorite Things Party

Just like any Christmas gathering, a Favorite Things gift exchange requires a little preparation to create memories that last. 

Invite participants early 

Send your invitations to players early, ideally before Thanksgiving. Thus, players can take advantage of Black Friday and other sales. 

While you can adjust the game to any group size, it works better for small to medium-sized groups (up to 15 players). 

Set gift budget and rules 

Firstly, you need to decide how many copies of their favorite items your guests will bring. For groups under 5, we recommend bringing one item for each guest. For larger groups, you can agree that everyone brings two or three copies so that people can bring something nice without spending a fortune. 

Add a gift theme 

To make the exchange even more exciting, add the theme that matches the interests of your group. It encourages guests to get creative, and ensures that all items brought will be useful and enjoyable for the participants. 

Favorite Things Party Gift Themes 

1. Beauty Essentials - perfect for a gathering with your girlfriends. Think self-care items, makeup, nutritious snacks, and scented candles. 
2. Desk Delights - for coworkers and friends working remotely. Share items you can’t live without at work, i.e. mug warmer, nice stationery, a solid notebook, or blue light glasses. 
3. Cosy Comfort - suitable for everyone. Bring items that make you feel cosy in winter, such as soft socks, blankets, tea blends, or a favorite book. 
4. Gourmet Treats - perfect for coworkers, family, or neighbors. Snacks, small kitchen treats, sauces, and olive oil are a great idea. 

Decorate the space 

Beautiful Christmas decor sets the mood and makes the Favorite Things party feel truly festive. Use fairy lights, wreaths, and cozy throws, or decorate the space according to the gift theme you’ve chosen. 

Set up a dedicated space for gifts to be displayed. It can be a table with twinkling lights or a themed backdrop. Everybody brings unwrapped gifts and places them somewhere so that all guests can see them. 

Choose the game format 

Depending on the number of participants, there are two ways to host a Favorite Things gift exchange: 

Option 1 - For a small group 

Each participant brings a copy of their favorite gift for every guest. For example, if there are 5 players, you should bring 4 copies of the gift. Gifts are placed in the visible spot and displayed beautifully. Each guest makes a small presentation telling about their favorite item and sharing their experience. Thus, players take home a copy of each friend’s favorite. 

Option 2 - For a larger group 

If you have a large gathering but want to keep the budget low, ask each guest to bring 3 copies of their favorite item. All items are placed on the desk. Next, each participant writes their name on a paper three times. The host draws names from the hat, and the guest whose name is drawn can choose any item from the desk. 

You can add the element of stealing to keep the game fair for those whose names were drawn last. Set the rules - for example, each gift can be stolen only once or twice. 

Plan food and drinks 

Complement your gift exchange with delicious food and beverages. To keep the party going, plan a festive dinner with your signature dishes. Alternatively, you can set up a potluck to keep the expenses low. 

Think about finger foods and snacks, as well as cocktails and mocktails to cater to each guest’s preferences. The goal is to provide refreshment without detracting from the main event – the presentation and exchange of favorite things. 

How do you host a Favorite Things exchange online? 

While a Favorite Things Party prioritizes thoughtful gifts that your friends like, it may not be suited well for remote settings. Each participant would have to mail one copy of their favorite item to other players, which would lead to significant shipping costs. 

For remote gift exchanges, Secret Santa with wishlists works perfectly. You can set up the game using the MySanta app. Here’s how it works. 

1. Each player makes a wishlist with links to their favorite items from online stores. 
2. The app draws names, assigning a Secret Santa to each player. 
3. Each Santa buys one item from the wishlist and sends it to the recipient anonymously. 

As a result, each player receives something they really want, and each gift is thoughtful. Using wishlists helps eliminate unwanted, generic gifts. 

Try our MySanta app

You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.

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Hosting a Favorite Things gift exchange is a great way to liven up the holiday season, sharing meaningful gifts and genuine emotions with your loved ones. Try this gift exchange this year, and maybe it will turn into a beloved tradition for years ahead! 

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