Dirty Santa...the rules?

Okay, this question is going to make me sound terribly stupid, but I have come to terms with that. How do you play Dirty Santa? I suggested to DH's family that it would be fun to play at our annual Christmas party. They agreed...as long as I would show them how to play. The thing is, we used to play at my office party and I don't think it was done right. At least there was no set rule about when to stop stealing presents. Finally, the doctor who owned the practice would decide it was the end of the game. Since he's not going to be at the family get together, could anyone out there help me out with the rules of the game? I have a bad feeling I'm going to be running this thing, since I'm the one who brought it up in the first place. (Poetic justice.)

I found this http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...me.html?cat=46 which gave a good explanation of how we do it at work.

Originally Posted by katachtig

I found this http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...me.html?cat=46 which gave a good explanation of how we do it at work.

Click to expand...

Thank you! That sounds much more official than the way we played. I've heard of people playing without unwrapping the gifts until it was over, but then how would you know what to steal? (I'd just go for the biggest in that case.)

I'm a member of San Francisco Dog Training Club and this game is the HIGH point of our Christmas dinner and it takes hours!!!!! It is like, let's eat, award the awards, and then get to the REAL fun!

Originally Posted by nurseangel

Thank you! That sounds much more official than the way we played. I've heard of people playing without unwrapping the gifts until it was over, but then how would you know what to steal? (I'd just go for the biggest in that case.)

Click to expand...

That could be dangerous. One year, the biggest gift was a can of red paint.

I asked my husband, who plays this at work for their Christmas party. They only have one rule - you can only exchange twice.

So, it's a bit of planning to figure out when you want to exchange to make sure you get to keep your gift without it being stolen by another.

I've never played it - but it sounds hilarious and makes the gift giving even a more fun event!

Originally Posted by esrandall2000

I'm a member of San Francisco Dog Training Club and this game is the HIGH point of our Christmas dinner and it takes hours!!!!! It is like, let's eat, award the awards, and then get to the REAL fun!

Click to expand...

I think it will be a lot of fun. DH's family are pretty fun people at a party anyway.

Originally Posted by katachtig

That could be dangerous. One year, the biggest gift was a can of red paint.

Click to expand...

Oh, dear! Note to self: DON'T pick anything that looks like it could contain a paint can! Maybe I can gingerly pick up the present before I select it. If it feels like paint, I can put it back down really fast!

Originally Posted by Russian Blue

I asked my husband, who plays this at work for their Christmas party. They only have one rule - you can only exchange twice.

So, it's a bit of planning to figure out when you want to exchange to make sure you get to keep your gift without it being stolen by another.

I've never played it - but it sounds hilarious and makes the gift giving even a more fun event!

Click to expand...

DH is excited about it. He is already looking for a gift.

I've never heard of Dirty Santa. It looks like a game some of my older relatives would've loved to play back in their heyday. I've heard that they use to give each other gag gifts or would wrap gifts in such a way that it would take forever to open them. One time they sent my cousin on a wild goose chase for his present. Part of that involved him going outside in the freezing cold snow only to find a pair of gloves at the top of the flagpole.