Left Right Christmas Game: Instructions, Stories, & Free Printables

Last Updated: December 20, 2023

Unwrap the festive fun this December with the Left Right Christmas Game! One exciting way to open presents this holiday season is to play this popular gift exchange game. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newcomer, our blog will guide you through this beloved tradition that can make your Christmas celebrations even more memorable! On this page you'll find two fun printable LEFT RIGHT stories with cute holiday backgrounds, and it's super easy to print and start playing in no time!

Perfect for any gathering, the Left Right Christmas Game promises fun and excitement for all ages. It's not just about giving and receiving; it's about laughter, surprise, and shared moments. Whether you're planning a cozy family night or a big festive party, our guide will ensure your event is the talk of the season. Let's dive into the rules, stories, and, of course, the free printables that make this game a holiday favorite!

Contents:

How to play
Story 1: Santa's Mix-Up
Story 2: A Snowman's Surprise
Best gift types for the left right game
Other Christmas gift exchange game ideas

These printables are for personal, non-commercial use only.

How to Play the Left Right Christmas Game

Let's get started with the Left Right Christmas Game! Follow these simple steps to ensure everyone has a jolly good time:

Gather in a Circle: Participants start by forming a circle, each holding a wrapped gift.
Story Reading: The organizer or a nominated person begins reading a fun Christmas story, which includes frequent mentions of the words "left" and "right."
Pass the Gifts: Each time the words "left" or "right" are read in the story, everyone passes their gift in the corresponding direction to the person next to them on their left or right.
Conclude the Game: This process continues until the story ends. At that point, each participant can open - and keep - the gift they are holding!

Left Right Christmas Story 1: Santa's Mix-Up

The most important part of this game is the story! We have not one but two Left Right Christmas Stories to choose from. The first is about a Christmas Eve disaster at Santa's workshop, which adults and kids will love. Can Percy Penguin save Christmas Day?!

Left Right Christmas Game Story 1: Santa's Mix-Up (PDF download)

Santa's Mix-Up

Oh dear! Santa's workshop is all in a flurry, and things are definitely not all RIGHT! A mischievous elf named Jingle has switched the gift tags on all the presents LEFT in his workshop overnight. Luckily, Percy Penguin, who lives RIGHT near the North Pole, is here to save Christmas!

Santa's workshop is usually an efficient hive of bustling activity, with toys and gifts neatly organized for the big night. But this morning, it was a scene of utter confusion. The door was LEFT open. Presents were scattered LEFT and RIGHT, and gift tags were all mixed up. Santa and Mrs Claus scratched their heads and looked RIGHT at each other, wondering how this could have happened.

RIGHT near them, they heard a mischievous giggle. "Jingle, you naughty elf!" Santa exclaimed. "What have you done?"

Jingle laughed, hopping from LEFT to RIGHT, his tiny bells jingling. "Oh, Santa, I just thought it would be a fun little prank all RIGHT!"

Santa sighed. RIGHT away, Percy Penguin waddled into the workshop, his flippers flapping with determination. "Santa, don't worry! I'll help you make things RIGHT," Percy said, filled with enthusiasm.

Santa was LEFT feeling grateful. "Thank you, Percy. With your help, we can save Christmas!"

As Santa and Percy began to sort through the jumbled presents, Jingle couldn't help but feel guilty. He knew he had to make things RIGHT, so he joined in the effort. Together, they started passing presents around and made a big pile on the RIGHT, trying to match the gift tags to the correct boxes.

The first present they picked up was a small, beautifully wrapped box with a tag that read, "To Rudolph from Santa." But when they opened it, they found a pair of red mittens inside.

"Oh no! This is supposed to be a shiny new nose for Rudolph," Santa exclaimed. Percy looked LEFT and RIGHT, deep in thought. "I remember seeing a box with a shiny nose tag RIGHT over there!". They quickly located the correct box and swapped the mittens for the shiny nose. Rudolph's gift was made RIGHT.

As they continued their huge task, Jingle shared stories of his other pranks. He told them about the time he switched the sugar and salt in Mrs. Claus's kitchen, which LEFT a very salty Christmas cake. And the time he tied jingle bells to the reindeer's RIGHT antlers. Santa chuckled at the memories, and Percy couldn't help but laugh.

Despite the chaos, the three of them worked together, slowly making things RIGHT again. Finally, all the presents were correctly tagged and wrapped in a huge pile on the RIGHT. "You've saved Christmas, Percy," Santa said, patting the penguin on the back. "And Jingle, I'll have to keep a closer eye on you - you're not to be LEFT to work alone!"

RIGHT after that, Jingle, feeling a mix of guilt and relief, slowly turned his head to the RIGHT and hung it low. "I'm sorry, Santa. I promise not to cause any more trouble."

As the first rays of dawn broke over the North Pole, Santa's friends shared a cup of hot cocoa and watched as the reindeer LEFT for their long journey around the world. It was going to be a special Christmas, filled with laughter, love, and the joy of giving - everything that made the holiday season just RIGHT.

And as for Jingle, he kept his promise and never played another prank on Santa. RIGHT after that, he became one of Santa's most trusted and hard-working elves, making sure that every Christmas was a magical and memorable one for children everywhere.

The magic of Christmas can make everything turn out just RIGHT in the end.

Left Right Christmas Story 2: A Snowman's Surprise

This Left Right Christmas Story features the sweet Sparkle the Snowman, who embarks on a wintery adventure to find his friend Snowflake the perfect Christmas gift. Families are sure to enjoy this heartwarming tale.

Left Right Christmas Game a Snowmans Surprise

Left Right Christmas Game Story 2: A Snowman's Surprise (PDF download)

A Snowman's Surprise

In the snowy village of RIGHTton, Sparkle the snowman was feeling excited for Christmas. Sparkle wanted to surprise his snowman friend, Snowflake, with a special gift. He had LEFT it to the last minute, so he quickly twitched his carrot nose with anticipation as he began his quest to find the perfect present: a pair of bright red mittens.

With a cheerful "Good morning!" to the other snowmen in the village, Sparkle LEFT the village and headed RIGHT down the snowy path. He knew that finding the mittens wouldn't be easy, but he wanted to make this Christmas memorable for Snowflake.

As Sparkle walked through the winter wonderland, he noticed a group of playful snowflakes swirling RIGHT and LEFT through the air. They were like tiny dancers, twirling gracefully. Sparkle couldn't help but smile, but he needed to stay focused on his mission.

Continuing along the path, Sparkle encountered a friendly squirrel scampering RIGHT up a nearby tree. The squirrel offered to help Sparkle in his search. Sparkle graciously accepted the squirrel's assistance, and together, they ventured deeper into the snowy forest.

The forest was enchanting, with tall snow-capped pine trees stretching RIGHT up to the sky. The ice-covered branches glistened in the sunlight, casting shimmering reflections RIGHT around. Sparkle and his new friend followed a winding path through the woods.

Suddenly, they stumbled upon a frozen river blocking their way. The ice seemed treacherous, but Sparkle saw a bridge made of icicles stretching RIGHT across. With careful steps, they crossed the bridge, and Sparkle couldn't help but admire the icicles' beauty as they LEFT the bridge behind them.

Further into the forest, they encountered a mischievous fox darting LEFT and RIGHT. The fox had seen the mittens before and offered to guide Sparkle to their location. Together, they followed the fox's lead, winding RIGHT through the snowy woods.

Finally, Sparkle reached a clearing where a cheerful group of snow bunnies hopped and played, leaving paw prints RIGHT in the snowdrifts. One of the bunnies had found the mittens Sparkle was looking for. With gratitude, Sparkle accepted the mittens and thanked the helpful creatures.

Now, Sparkle had the perfect Christmas gift for Snowflake. He retraced his steps, making his way LEFT and RIGHT through the forest, past the icicle bridge, the snowflake dancers, and saying goodbye to the squirrel. It turned out all RIGHT and the snowman couldn't wait to surprise his friend with the bright red mittens.

As Sparkle returned to RIGHTton, he saw Snowflake standing tall and proud in the center of the village. Sparkle approached his friend with a warm smile and extended the mittens, his heart filled with joy. Snowflake's coal eyes twinkled with happiness as he accepted the gift.

RIGHT after that, Snowflake exclaimed "Thank you, Sparkle!", slipping the mittens onto his stick arms. "These are perfect, and you're the best friend a snowman could ask for."

The two snowmen shared a heartfelt moment, knowing that the magic of Christmas was about giving, friendship, and making memories.

As the snow continued to fall gently, the village LEFT covered in a pristine white blanket, Sparkle and Snowflake enjoyed the warmth of their friendship, celebrating the special surprise that had made their Christmas just RIGHT.

Best Gifts for a Left Right Gift Exchange Game

Here are 10 of the best gifts for a Left Right Gift Exchange Game! The best present to pick is a gift that EVERYONE at your get-together would love to receive. So whether your group gathering has kids, or great-grandparents or a mixture of both - these gifts should tick all the boxes.

Chocolates
Mug
Scarf
Candy
Soaps and bath bombs
Cushion
Doughnuts
Stationery
A small board or card game (like Uno)
Diary for next year

Alternatives to the Left Right Christmas Game

Ready to add some variety to your holiday gift-giving traditions? If you're a fan of the Left Right Christmas Game but want to switch things up, you're in luck. We've compiled a list of equally entertaining and creative gift exchange games to keep the merriment going all season long!

White Elephant - each player contributes a wrapped gift to a pile. Players draw numbers to determine the order of play. Players can choose an unwrapped gift from the pool or take a previously chosen gift from another player.
Secret Santa - everyone in a group writes their name on a piece of paper, folds it up, and puts it into a hat/bowl. The bowl is mixed, passed around and each person draws a name. You are the Secret Santa for that person, and that's who you will buy a gift for. Organize a date to exchange Secret Santa gifts.
Scrooge Your Neighbor - in this unique gift exchange game, participants are assigned character cards inspired by the Charles Dickens story "A Christmas Carol." These cards allow players to perform various actions during the game, such as peeking at gifts, blocking theft attempts, or unfreezing frozen gifts.
Dirty Santa - participants draw numbers to determine the order. Starting with 1, each person selects a wrapped gift and reveals it to everyone. The person with the next number can either steal the first person's gift ('Dirty Santa' it) or choose a new one. A gift can be stolen up to three times and only once per turn (the host keeps track).
Musical Gifts - just like musical chairs! Start the game by selecting a gift from the table and passing it around the circle. Play a Christmas tune and have your guests pass the gift until the music stops. The person holding the gift when the music unwraps it, shows it to the group, and leaves the circle with their gift. Continue with other gifts and participants until everyone has unwrapped one, and they are "out of the game."

Free Printable Secret Santa Forms

Looking for the perfect printable Secret Santa form for your holiday gift exchange? Our collection of Secret Santa questionnaires is your ticket to a stress-free and joy-filled festive celebration! Designed with love and a touch of holiday magic, these free Christmas printables cater to all your Secret Santa needs. 🎅🎁✨

And if you're looking for even more ideas for your gift exchange, check out our collection of Secret Santa Questions, and let the detective work begin!

More Christmas Fun and Games

As you wrap up the fun with the Left Right Christmas Game, the festive cheer doesn't have to end there! We've got a sleigh-full of other holiday activities that will keep the spirit bright. Whether you're looking for creative crafts, cozy reading, or brain-teasing puzzles, our collection has something for everyone. Check out these delightful pages to keep the holiday magic alive in your home: