Christmas Left Right Game Printable: Funny Story & Rules

The Left Right game is the easiest gift exchange you will ever run. There is no drawing names, no stealing rules to explain, and no awkward haggling over gifts. Everyone sits in a circle holding a wrapped gift, one person reads a story aloud, and every time the story says “left” or “right,” everyone passes their gift that way. When the story ends, you keep whatever you are holding.

Below is a complete, original Christmas Left Right story you can read aloud today, plus the rules, setup tips, and variations for kids, offices, and big family gatherings.

How to Play the Christmas Left Right Game

You need at least six players, one wrapped gift per player, and a reader. Sit in a circle so everyone has a clear left and right neighbor. The reader reads the story slowly and clearly, pausing just a beat after each “left” and “right” so players can pass. If someone passes the wrong way, no penalty — the game is supposed to be chaotic. When the story ends, everyone unwraps the gift they are holding.

Set a gift value before you start so nobody feels awkward — a small, fun limit works best for families, and offices often pick a modest range everyone is comfortable with. Wrapping matters: use sturdy paper, because gifts get passed a lot. If you have more than twenty players, split into two circles so gifts actually move around instead of returning to their owners.

The Story: The Wright Family’s Very Mixed-Up Christmas

Read this aloud, nice and slow. Every LEFT and RIGHT is a pass.

On Christmas Eve, the Wright family gathered at the house on the RIGHT side of Maple Street. Grandma Wright stood on the LEFT side of the fireplace and said, “Everyone, sit in a circle, and hold your gift tight — but not too tight, because this story will move it LEFT and RIGHT all night!”

Uncle Wright arrived from the RIGHT, carrying a fruitcake in his LEFT hand and a snow globe in his RIGHT. “I turned LEFT at the corner,” he said, “and then I turned RIGHT at the bakery, and somehow I still ended up on the LEFT side of the street.” Aunt Wright laughed and pointed RIGHT. “You always get LEFT and RIGHT mixed up,” she said. “Last year you put the star on the LEFT side of the tree and the angel on the RIGHT!”

Little Ellie Wright skipped in from the LEFT, dragging a sled with her RIGHT hand. “I left my mittens on the RIGHT side of the porch,” she announced, “and my scarf on the LEFT side of the stairs.” Her brother Sam Wright dashed RIGHT past her, shouting, “I found them! The mittens were on the LEFT, and the scarf was on the RIGHT, just where you LEFT them!”

Then Grandpa Wright walked in from the RIGHT, looked LEFT, looked RIGHT, and declared, “Dinner is ready! Everyone move to the RIGHT side of the table — no, wait, the LEFT side has the good chairs!” The whole family shuffled LEFT, then RIGHT, then LEFT again, laughing so hard that Grandma Wright nearly dropped the gravy on her RIGHT foot.

After dinner, the family gathered by the tree. “Now,” said Grandma Wright, “I LEFT a special gift on the RIGHT side of the mantel, and a second gift on the LEFT side of the bookshelf. But first, we must pass the gifts LEFT and RIGHT while I read the rest of this story, and whoever is LEFT holding a gift at the end keeps it — RIGHT?”

“RIGHT!” shouted the family, and the gifts began to travel LEFT and RIGHT around the circle, faster and faster, until Grandpa Wright’s gift ended up on the LEFT, Uncle Wright’s gift ended up on the RIGHT, and Ellie’s gift ended up RIGHT back where it started — which made everyone laugh hardest of all.

“Merry Christmas,” said Grandma Wright, “to everyone on my LEFT, everyone on my RIGHT, and everyone who is RIGHT where they belong.” And the Wright family opened their gifts, each one a surprise, each one exactly RIGHT.

Tips for a Smooth Game

Pick a confident reader and tell them to pause after every direction word — the pause is what makes the game work. For kids, use small, soft gifts or candy bags so passing is easy and nobody drops anything breakable. For offices, run the game at the start of the party while everyone is still arriving; it breaks the ice better than any speech. If a gift comes back to its original owner, that is part of the fun — just let them keep it and laugh.

Fun Variations

Two-Gift Twist

Give each player two small gifts and read the story twice. Players keep both gifts they end with, which doubles the surprises.

Speed Round

Read the last paragraph fast. Gifts fly, directions blur, and the ending is gloriously random.

Kids’ Version

Use wrapped treats instead of gifts, and let the youngest player be the reader’s helper, pointing LEFT and RIGHT with big arm gestures.

Want a Ready-to-Print Gift Exchange Pack?

If you want this story as a beautifully designed printable, plus dice gift-exchange games and gift tags, visit the Fukroo shop on Etsy. The Black Friday Mega Sale is on now with 50% off storewide — perfect timing for stocking up before your gift exchange.