While we are not fond of the name of this game, it is fun and worth consideration if you’re celebrating Christmas in July (or June or August or …) at your reunion. It is called “Mean Santa.”
During pre reunion communications, you’ll want to announce and promote this activity. Ask anyone who wishes to participate, to bring a wrapped gift to the reunion. You can add that the gift should be valued at $5 or $10 or $20.
At the reunion, each participant receives a ticket when they check in their gift. Later when you play, you will draw tickets one at a time. The person whose ticket is drawn can select one of the wrapped gifts, then, open it in front of everyone. If that person likes the gift and wants to keep it, h/she can. If she doesn’t like it, however, she can pick an already-opened gift she likes better. She simply takes the one she likes better from the person who holds it, and gives that person the unwanted gift instead, hence the name, “Mean Santa.”
To avoid kids receiving wine glasses or a gift certificate to Starbucks, urge members to bring wrapped and labeled gifts that would be more appropriate for kids.
Hint: this type of exchange makes it best to hold the last ticket drawn to be assured of getting the gift you really want.
