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I love Dirty Santa and I’m so happy it’s become popular in recent years. Not only is it a way to minimise stress and shopping at a busy time of the year, but it’s such a fun way to spend a few hours!
Not sure how Dirty Santa works or looking for a little inspiration for your next diary date? Your not alone. Let’s just say that my husband mentioned he thought it had something to do with (ahem) a santa hat in the bedroom. No honey, that is naughty santa.
Dive into our quick Dirty Santa gift guide for work or at home.
How to Play the Dirty Santa Gift Exchange?
Dirty Santa is a fast-paced and entertaining alternative to Secret Santa and is a great way to make sure everyone gets a gift. No one is under pressure to buy the perfect present for their co-workers or Aunty Pam. Best of all, it’s really easy to set up and play. Here are the rules to get you started. Do feel free to switch them up to suit your gang.
Dirty Santa Christmas Game Rules
- Set a price limit. This is a game of ‘swaps and steals’ and that means it should start off as fair.
- Make sure everyone wraps their gifts anonymously. Collect them all in a big sack or box so that no one can tell who brought which gift.
- Use a draw or work your way round the room clockwise to decide who gets to pick first.
- On the first round, every person gets the option to choose from the gift pile. Alternatively, they may opt to steal a gift that someone has opened before them.
- When someone’s gift is stolen, they choose a new present from the pile.
- Continue until you get down to the final present.
- Once the last present has been unwrapped, there is one more round where everyone has the chance to steal a present, swapping for their own.
What is the difference between White Elephant and Dirty Santa?
In a game of White Elephant, the gifts should be something that no one actually wants or needs, and can even be useless things the players have lying around at home. For Dirty Santa, gifts should be something the players would actually like to keep – whether cute, practical, or funny.
I remember playing a white elephant game at a work Christmas party many years ago. It was one of the most fun times I had with my colleagues and we all were sore from laughing so much!
11 Dirty Santa Gifts for Coworkers
One of the best things about buying Dirty Santa gifts for co-workers is that you can pick up silly and amusing gifts that might seem a little too personal if you handed them over directly! That said, it’s a great chance to buy the kind of things everyone wants to have on their desk – and then enjoy seeing the players fight for it.
1) Hangrey Gag Gift
We all know someone who gets a little, um, testy when they’ve gone too long without a snack. And when you’re stuck at your desk, getting your hands on the solution can be tricky.
Not any more.
With this emergency ‘hangrey’ box, your co-workers will have no excuse for letting hunger get the better of them.
2) Sarcastic Coworker Mug
This mug is just hilarious — I’m mad about it!!
Buy it for your Dirty Santa gift pile and you’ll soon find out which of your desk-mates really believes they’re the office expert (or that they love mugs as much as I do).
3) Procrastination Sign for Office Worker
This is the perfect wall hanger for anyone who routinely gets the short end of the stick when it comes to getting projects completed and signed off. Give co-workers a cheeky way to stand their ground, with this to-the-point sign.
4) Funny Coworker Coaster
Is there anyone on earth who hasn’t been to at least one pointless meeting? Doubt it. Here’s a coaster that says it like it is, while also keeping desk surfaces mark-free.
5) 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings
Meetings can be brilliant, or they can be a real drag! Help your colleagues make the most out of them (while also looking super smart), with this handy and light-hearted guide by Sarah Cooper.
6) Concrete Desktop Planter
Go for a minimalist look with this solid and stylish concrete desk tidy. Your coworker won’t have an excuse for being unable to find a pen again.
7) Dundie Award Trophy for The Office
Fans of The Office will love getting their hands on this nifty little award. It will look splended displayed on shelves or on the giftee’s desk, and makes a great talking point for anyone who enjoys the TV show.
8) Mood Flip-Over Messages
There are some things we’re all tired of saying and with this collection of flip messages, there’s a way to get your point across without having to actually voice those frustrations. Co-workers can spot their own pet peeves, as well as point them out to everyone else.
9) Funny Coworker Notebook
Finally a notebook that says what we’re all thinking.
Ideal for the office worker who just wants to get some emails answered, this is a nice little gift for Santa’s sack.
10) Travel Pillow
Whether you work somewhere that has travel as part of the job description or in a busy environment where everyone would love a little “me time”, this intense travel pillow makes escaping the world and getting some shut eye a breeze.
Warning: amusing to passing co-workers!
11) “iArm” Prank Box
Got a gift you’d like to give, but want to make sure everyone has a laugh on the day?
This gift box will practically guarantee plenty of giggles and is just the right thing for an office full of techies.
11 Funny Dirty Santa Gift Ideas for the Family
When you’re shopping for a Dirty Santa gift for family members, you can be a little more personal. We’ve picked out a few lovely Christmas gifts that everyone will want to get their hands on, so let the ‘stealing’ start!
1) A Christmas Story Leg Lamp Nightlight
“Fragile – it must be Italian!”A Christmas Story
If your family is anything like ours, at least one member is a fan of the classic movie A Christmas Story.
This iconic leg lamp is the perfect thing to brighten up your game of Dirty Santa.
2) Relative Insanity Party Game About Crazy Relatives
A cheeky and very funny party game to play with your famil – making it an ideal choice for Dirty Santa too. The person who ends up with this gift is most likely to be the one keen to get a game started, so there will be lots more laughs to look forward to.
3) Toilet Target Light
Switching on all the lights when you need a bathroom break in the middle of the night can be a real pain. Give your relatives the chance to save themselves difficulty getting back to sleep with this practical (and hilarious) gadget.
4) Novelty cookie cutters
Novelty cookie cutters are a winner if you have avid bakers in your family – and little ones too! Give everyone a smile with cookie cutters that make it look as though mischievous nibblers have already been munching the treats.
5) Eggnog Moose Mug
Watching movies together is one of those Christmas traditions that only gets better every year. And National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation definitely is at the top of my classic Xmas movie watching list. Fans of the movie will recognize this mug inspired by the film, which is sure to be a winner!
6) Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook
If, on the other hand, it’s Home Alone that gets your family giggling, this wittily illustrated book captures all the charm of the original movie in a whole new way.
7) Giant Snickers Bar
Some of the best presents are built for sharing and this massive Snickers bar is an ideal example. The victorious player who takes this home at the end of a game of Dirty Santa just has to decide whether they want to pass around the goodness or not.
8) Funny Tea Towel
This funny and functional tea towel is for anyone who a) has a kitchen, and b) is constantly complaining about cleaning it. Basically the ideal gift for anyone!
9) Novelty Word Socks
The philosophies of self-improvement and self-love are both expressed on the bottom of these cosy socks. If you’ve got a yogi who enjoys a nice glass or red, pick up a pair of these cuties.
10) Cards Against Humanity
This classic card game is one of the best ways to get a group of people gasping, groaning in shock, and giggling wildly. Make sure the fun won’t stop once Dirty Santa is over, by choosing Cards Against Humanity as your gift.
11) Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook
Poking fun at a certain bestseller, this parody cookbook contains some tasty ways to prepare a chicken as well as plenty of tongue-in-cheek instructions. Spice up the kitchen and see which cook is keenest to get their hands on this juicy book.
We hope you find the perfect gift for your Dirty Santa game, whether at home or in the workplace. And, that you end up with the gift you really wanted when all the dust and wrapping paper settles!
