Plain text rules

What You Need to Play

The Gifts Galore game, which includes:

1 game board

1 instruction booklet

36 number tiles

112 trivia and action cards

2 Path to the Star instruction cards

6 player pieces

1 dice

While we only include 6 player pieces, this game can be played with as many players as you’d like. Simply find a small token for each player to mark their path around the board!

Presents for all players

We recommend a minimum of 3 presents per player.

Mystery Gifts

A selection of small gifts, appropriate for any player, which are wrapped and numbered.

Surprise Prize

A grand prize for the winner! 

Ideas for Mystery Gifts and Surprise Prizes available in the instruction booklet.

Please note: Presents, Mystery Gifts, and a Surprise Prize are not included. 

If you would like to play without Mystery Gifts or a physical Surprise Prize, keep reading for alternate rules.

 

Game Setup

Remove the two reminder cards labeled "Path to the Star" and distribute them for later reference.

Instructions are also included on the back of the instruction booklet.

Separate the remaining cards out by category (Candy Cane Lane, Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, Stocking Stuffer). Shuffle each deck and place it on the corresponding square on the game board.

If you’re playing with the Little Ones expansion deck, remove and read the included instruction card before shuffling the deck.

Set the player pieces on the trunk of the tree.

Place the number tiles that match your wrapped Mystery Gifts under the tree, present side up.

Set aside any remaining number tiles.

 Game Play

The person who most recently wrapped a present starts the game. Then take turns proceeding clockwise around the players.

On your turn, roll the dice. Move clockwise around the ornaments on the tree, following the path of the branches.

If you land on a green (Candy Cane Lane), pink (Jingle Bells), or yellow (Winter Wonderland) ornament, another player draws a card from the top of the corresponding deck and reads the question aloud. 

If you answer the question correctly, open one of your presents.

If you answer incorrectly, pick someone to open a present from you.

If there is no one left with a present from a player who answered incorrectly, the person with the most presents left opens one.

If there is more than one person with the same number of presents, the one sitting furthest from you opens a present. 

If you land on blue (Stocking Stuffer), draw a card and follow the instructions.

If a card’s instructions do not apply, simply move on to the next player’s turn.

For example: if the card involves players wearing pink and there are none, go to the next player.

If you land on a red ornament: the person second to the player’s right opens a present.

If you land on a purple ornament: open a Mystery Gift according to the instructions below.

Once a player runs out of presents:

Proceed around the tree until you reach the bottom purple ornament, drawing cards as you go. If you answer a question correctly or are instructed to open a present, open a Mystery Gift instead.

Then proceed up the center Path to the Star. Along the way, follow the instructions corresponding to the symbol on which you land, including the purple ornaments.

If you would pass the purple ornament on your roll, start up the path instead. 

If you land on the snowman, do not follow the instructions for the spot on which you land when moving backward.

 

Game End

The game ends when all presents are opened and at least one person has landed on the star.

Mystery Gifts

Whenever game play requires opening a Mystery Gift, that player draws a random number tile. They receive the Mystery Gift labeled with the corresponding number and immediately open it.

If you run out of Mystery Gifts, any time a player would otherwise open a Mystery Gift, they instead steal a Mystery Gift from any player.

If you have extra number tiles, or would rather not steal Mystery Gifts, you can also switch to the adapted rules below.  

If playing with Little Ones, we recommend making their Mystery Gifts off limits for stealing.

Surprise Prize

The first player to land on the star wins the Surprise Prize.

After a player lands on the star, any future turns of theirs are skipped. However, all players continue to participate in the Stocking Stuffer card instructions.

 

Path to the Star

Penguin: Draw a Stocking Stuffer card

Present: Every player with a present left opens one

Hot chocolate: Draw any question card. The first player to answer correctly opens a present

Pinecone: Trade Mystery Gifts with any player

Mitten: The player with the most presents left opens one

Snowman: Roll the dice and move backward that many spaces

Variations

Mini Twist:

Number the wrapped Mystery Gifts as usual, but when setting up, include all number tiles.  

 Only when a player draws a tile with a corresponding numbered gift do they open a Mystery Gift. 

 

Playing Without Mystery Gifts:

Set up the game as usual, but use all the number tiles and:

• When a player "opens" a Mystery Gift, they collect a number tile instead.
• The first player to land on the star gets an extra number tile.
• If you run out of number tiles, they can be stolen per the rules of the standard game.
• At the start of any turn, players can trade 2 number tiles to open an extra present.
• The player with the most number tiles at the end of the game wins the Surprise Prize.

 

White Elephant Variant:

Ask everyone to bring a primary present and a mini gift, both wrapped. Number the mini gifts to use them as Mystery Gifts.

Include all number tiles when setting up.

To start: everyone takes one wrapped primary present that is not the one they brought.

When instructed to open a present:

• Open your primary present if it's still wrapped;
• Exchange your present for any other player's;
• Or, keep the present you have.

If you land on a red ornament:

Everyone passes their primary present 2 players to the right.

If you land on a purple ornament:

Open a Mystery Gift.

To open a Mystery Gift:

Draw a random number tile. If it has a corresponding gift, take it and open it immediately.

If there are no more number tiles, steal a Mystery Gift or a number tile.

Each player must go around the tree 2 times before starting up the Path to the Star. The first player to land on the star draws a number tile. 

If none are left, steal a number tile from the player with the most tiles.

The person with the most number tiles at the end of the game wins the Surprise Prize.

The game ends when all Mystery Gifts are open or all players have landed on the star.

Change (only) these Path to the Star actions:

Present: Everyone passes their primary present one player to the left.

Mitten: The player with the fewest number tiles opens a Mystery Gift.

 

Playing Without Presents:

Set a spending limit, and ask everyone to bring small wrapped gifts—at least 2 but as many as they like within the limit.

Number the gifts, and include all number tiles when setting up.

If you have more than 36 gifts, add numbers on folded slips of paper.

When instructed to open a present or Mystery Gift, do one of the following:

• Draw a number tile. If there's a corresponding gift, take it but don't open it.
• Unwrap a gift you already have.
• If there are no number tiles left, steal a gift or a number tile from another player.

Note: No stealing gifts from a player with only one. Exchanging is still allowed.

Each player must go around the tree 2 times before starting up the Path to the Star.

If you land on a red ornament:

Everyone with a gift passes one 2 players to the right.

If you land on a purple ornament:

Exchange gifts with any player.

If you have none, steal a gift or a number tile.

If no one has any, draw a number tile.

The first player to land on the star draws a number tile. If none are left, steal a number tile from the player with the most tiles.

The player with the most number tiles at the end of the game wins the Surprise Prize.

The game ends when all gifts are open or all players have landed on the star.

Change (only) these Path to the Star actions:

Present: Steal a number tile.

Mitten: The player with the fewest gifts steals any gift.

If there's a tie, lowest roll steals a gift.

 

A note for any colorblind players: 

Each color ornament on our board also has a distinct pattern. The 3 question and the action category ornaments can easily be matched to the back of the corresponding deck.

There are 3 red ornaments around the board, with a spiral pattern.

There are 2 purple ornaments, above the trunk and right below the star. These have a wide diamond pattern.