Why Secret Santa Board Games Make the Best Swap Gifts

If your family or office does Secret Santa this year, a board game is a fantastic and unique idea to gift. Because Secret Santa board games are fun to unwrap and can mostly be played on the spot.

Better still, they’re just as popular in a white elephant (or Dirty Santa) swap, where players can steal each other’s gifts. And while this is so fun, it’s hard to keep the best present because everyone tries to steal it.

On top of that, a good game keeps giving long after Christmas Day. You have shared memories and a new connection with family members you may not be that close to. So we’ve rounded up our favourite Secret Santa board games that stay under a $20 to $25 budget.

Best of all, every game on this list is quick to learn, fun to play and suitable for easy Christmas Day gatherings. Prices shift a lot during the holiday rush, so do check the latest price on Amazon before you buy or sometimes, pre-Christmas sales and Walmart or other big department stores.

Looking for something even smaller? Our stocking stuffer board games guide has tiny games that fit right in a stocking.

Skull – Bluffing Card Game
Sushi Go – Set Collection with passing cards around the table.
Exploding Kittens – A card game with all sorts of twists and, of course, an exploding kitten.
Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman – Card game chaos in a hilarious way
Love Letter – Social deduction game
Flip 7 Grinch – A hit-or-stay-type card game. Super fun and great for parties and Christmas functions.
The Mind – for the quieter, more serious players. Place your cards in ascending order without talking!!
Hanabi – A cooperative game where you DON’T get to see your cards. Everyone else does.
Sounds Fishy – A trivia, bluffing, hilarious game. Best for larger groups.
Spot It The Grinch – A quick, fun, pattern-recognition game

The 10 Best Secret Santa Board Games Under $25

1. Skull

First off, Skull is a fun bluffing game that looks gorgeous on the swap table. Each player secretly stacks roses and one skull, then bids on how many roses they can flip without hitting a skull. It’s simple, sneaky and full of poker faces.

Game type: Bluffing, bidding card game
Publisher: Space Cowboys
Players: 3 to 6
Age rating: 10+
Game time: 15 to 45 minutes

Why steal it: It feels grown-up enough for the office, yet the kids will happily join in at home. I like how it’s a simple but unique game, where you just never know what anyone else is up to or how you want to play it out.

2. Sushi Go!

Next, we have one of our all-time favourite gateway games. Players pass hands of cute sushi cards around the table and pick one each turn to build the best meal. Rounds fly by, and the tin is small enough to tuck into a gift bag.

Game type: Card drafting, set collection
Publisher: Gamewright
Players: 2 to 5
Age rating: 8+
Game time: 15 minutes

Secret Santa Board Games Pick: Grandparents, teens and 8 year olds can all play it straight out of the tin. Widely popular card, set collection game.

3. Exploding Kittens

If your swap group loves a bit of silliness, this one is a guaranteed steal. Players draw cards and try to dodge the exploding kitten, using defuse cards and sneaky action cards to survive.

Meanwhile, the artwork alone gets plenty of laughs. Here’s our full guide on how to play Exploding Kittens.

Game type: Push-your-luck card game
Publisher: Exploding Kittens
Players: 2 to 5
Age rating: 7+
Game time: 15 minutes

White Elephant Board Game ideas: Almost everyone has heard of it, so it gets stolen fast. We love it for its unpredictable, highly engaging nature. My boys would probably say this is the one to steal from this list.

4. Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman

This is pure chaos in the best possible way. Players chant the five words while flipping cards, and when a card matches the word, everyone slaps the pile.

As a result, it’s loud, fast and perfect for the post-lunch energy dip on Christmas Day. This is the Christmas version of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.

Game type: Speed, slapping card game
Publisher: Dolphin Hat Games
Players: 2 to 8
Age rating: 8+
Game time: 10 to 30 minutes

Why it wins the swap: This is one of the cheapest games on our list, so it suits a tight budget but with high energy and fun for everyone.

5. Love Letter

Next up is a tiny social deduction game with a royal twist. Each player holds just one card and tries to get their love letter to the princess by knocking out rivals. Because there are only 16 cards in the deck, every round is quick and tense.

Game type: Deduction, hand management card game
Publisher: Z-Man Games
Players: 2 to 6
Age rating: 10+
Game time: 20 minutes

Why steal this game: We’ve found it as a clever pick for couples and older teens who like a little strategy. More thinky, relaxing than others on this list.

6. Flip 7 Grinch

Flip 7 has quickly become one of our family favourites, and now it has a festive makeover. In this Grinch edition, every number card features the Whos of Who-ville.

Players flip cards one at a time and decide when to stop before they bust with a duplicate. Not to mention, it plays with a huge group, which makes it a brilliant Christmas gift. Our guide explains how to play Flip 7 in a few easy steps.

Game type: Push-your-luck card game
Publisher: The Op Games
Players: 3 to 18
Age rating: 8+
Game time: 20 minutes

Why Steal: I would probably say this would be the number 1 game for us to steal from this list. The Grinch theme makes it feel made for Christmas, and the whole extended family can play together.

7. The Mind

This one is a little bit magical. Players work as a team to play numbered cards in ascending order, but nobody is allowed to talk. Instead, you rely on timing and eye contact. Read our full guide to The Mind card game for tips.

Game type: Cooperative card game
Publisher: Pandasaurus Games
Players: 2 to 4
Age rating: 8+
Game time: 15 to 20 minutes

Why choose this for Secret Santa: If you are choosing for a family with sensitive children, then pick this. It makes a lovely, thoughtful gift for a couple or a small family because of the cooperative nature.

8. Hanabi

Similarly, Hanabi is a cooperative game that feels like a puzzle. Players hold their cards facing outward, so everyone can see your hand except you. Together, you give clues to build a fireworks display in the right order.

Game type: Cooperative, deduction card game
Publisher: R&R Games
Players: 2 to 5
Age rating: 8+
Game time: 25 minutes

Why it wins the swap: Kids who hate to lose love it, because everyone wins or loses together.

9. Sounds Fishy

This party game is brilliant for a mixed crowd. One player reads a strange question, and everyone else writes fake answers alongside the real one. The guesser then tries to pick out the fakes without landing on the true answer.

Game type: Bluffing, trivia party game
Publisher: Big Potato Games
Players: 4 to 10
Age rating: 10+
Game time: 20 to 30 minutes

Secret Santa Board Game choice: This game is built for bigger groups, so it gets played on the spot and everyone involved quickly and easily.

10. Spot It! The Grinch

Finally, Spot It is the little round tin that suits almost anyone. Any two cards share exactly one matching symbol, and players race to spot it first. It’s quick, it’s fun, it’s portable, and it works for younger kids too.

Game type: Speed, pattern recognition card game
Publisher: Zygomatic (Asmodee)
Players: 2 to 8
Age rating: 6+
Game time: 15 minutes

White Elephant Ideas: It’s the safest pick when you have no idea who will open your gift. Spot It comes in lots of different versions, including Classic, Animals, Disney and Camping.

How to Choose the Right Secret Santa Board Game

Before you grab the first game you see, it helps to think about who might unwrap it. Here’s what we look for:

Think about the widest age range. A game rated 8+ suits far more people than one rated 14+.
Pick a small box. Card games in tins are easy to wrap, easy to carry home and easy to steal!
Check the player count. Games for 2 to 6 players fit most households, so they rarely get re-gifted.
Go for quick rules. If the group can learn it in five minutes, you can play it right after the swap.
Choose games that play in under 30 minutes. Shorter games get played again and again over the holidays.
Think about game type: competitive, set collection, or cooperative.

Secret Santa Board Games FAQ

What is a good Secret Santa gift under $25?

Skull, Sushi Go!, Exploding Kittens and Flip 7: The Grinch are all great Secret Santa board games that usually sell for under $25. They’re quick to learn and suit a wide range of ages.

Are board games good Secret Santa gifts?

Yes! Secret Santa board games are one of the safest gifts you can give. They’re fun, useful and much more memorable than a scented candle.

What’s the difference between Secret Santa and white elephant?

In Secret Santa, you buy a gift for one person you’ve been assigned. In a white elephant swap, gifts go into a pile and players can steal from each other. As a result, white elephant board games work best when they appeal to almost anyone.

What Secret Santa board games work for kids and adults?

Spot It!, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Sushi Go! are all family-friendly picks for a mixed-age swap.

Wrapping Up Our Favorite Secret Santa Board Games

All in all, a board game is one of the easiest ways to win the gift swap this Christmas. Better still, it gets the whole room playing together once the wrapping paper is cleared away. So grab one of these Secret Santa board games, wrap it up and get ready for the smiles (and the steals, if you’re playing white elephant)!

If you’re shopping for more than one swap, our board game gift guide for families and budget-friendly Christmas gifts for children have plenty more ideas. And for Christmas Day itself, take a look at the best Christmas board games for families.

10 Best Secret Santa Board Games or White Elephant Ideas