How to Play Pass the Present: A Fun and Exciting Party Game

If you’re looking for a simple yet entertaining party game that’s perfect for all ages, Pass the Present is an excellent choice! This game adds excitement, laughter, and suspense to any gathering, whether it's a holiday celebration, birthday party, or family reunion. With each layer of wrapping peeled away, the fun builds as players eagerly anticipate the grand reveal.

Here’s how to play Pass the Present and make it a memorable part of your event.

What You Need to Play Pass the Present

1. A Wrapped Gift: Start with a prize wrapped in multiple layers of wrapping paper. The more layers, the better, as each layer adds to the suspense.
2. Small Prizes (Optional): For added fun, you can hide small prizes between some of the layers of wrapping paper.
3. Music: You’ll need music to play during the game, which acts as the signal for when players can unwrap the present.

How to Prepare the Gift

• Select a Main Prize: Choose one main prize to be revealed in the final unwrapping. It could be something exciting like a fun gadget, a cozy blanket, or a holiday-themed gift.
• Add Layers of Wrapping: Wrap the main gift in multiple layers of wrapping paper. Each layer should be completely covered and hard to see through, so players don’t know how close they are to the final prize.
• Optional Mini Prizes: To make the game more engaging, hide small prizes or fun notes between certain layers of wrapping paper. These could be small treats, trinkets, or even funny messages like “Keep going!” or “Almost there!”

How to Play Pass the Present

1. Gather the Players: Have everyone sit in a circle. Make sure everyone can easily pass the present around.
2. Start the Music: When the music begins, players pass the present around the circle.
3. Stop the Music: When the music stops, the person holding the present gets to unwrap one layer of wrapping paper. If you’ve included mini prizes, they get to keep whatever they uncover in that layer.
4. Continue Playing: Start the music again, and the players continue passing the present around. Stop the music randomly to allow the next person to unwrap another layer.
5. Final Layer: The game continues until the final layer is unwrapped, revealing the main prize. The person who unwraps the last layer wins the big prize!

Tips for Hosting Pass the Present

• Vary the Music Length: To keep players guessing, don’t stop the music at predictable intervals. Sometimes stop the music after just a few seconds, and other times let it play longer.
• Small Prizes: If you’re using small prizes between layers, make sure they’re evenly distributed so several players have a chance to win something.
• Choose Fun Wrapping Paper: Make the game more festive by using bright, colorful, or themed wrapping paper that matches the occasion.
• Add a Twist: For added fun, you could include “action cards” in some of the layers, such as “Switch places with another player” or “Pass the present in the opposite direction.”

Why Pass the Present is a Great Party Game

1. Easy to Set Up: All you need is a present, some wrapping paper, and music. It’s simple, but it adds a lot of energy to your event.
2. Fun for All Ages: Kids and adults alike can enjoy the anticipation and excitement of unwrapping the layers.
3. Perfect for Large or Small Groups: Whether you have 5 guests or 20, Pass the Present is a great way to keep everyone engaged.
4. Builds Anticipation: Each layer of unwrapping creates suspense, especially as the game nears the final prize.

Variations of Pass the Present

• Themed Pass the Present: Add a theme to your game by selecting themed wrapping paper and prizes that match the occasion, like Christmas, birthdays, or Halloween.
• Timed Version: Set a timer for each round of music, and if the player holding the present when the timer goes off hasn’t unwrapped their layer yet, they’re out of the game.
• Double Gift Version: Play with two presents being passed around in opposite directions to keep players on their toes.

Pass the Present is the perfect game for adding excitement and laughter to any gathering. With each layer unwrapped, the suspense builds, keeping everyone entertained from start to finish. Whether you choose to add mini prizes, action cards, or simply enjoy the anticipation of the main prize, this game is sure to be a hit at your next event.