How to Host a Jellycat Exchange with Your Friends This Holiday

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You might have heard about ornament exchange parties from growing up in the 90s, but have you heard of the new holiday party craze that’s taking over social media? The Jellycat exchange has entered the chat, and we’re already counting down the days until we can host one with our friends.

While Jellycat has established a name for itself in the toy industry for years, it has recently evolved into a brand that Gen Z and Millennials alike have come to obsess over. Maybe it’s the nostalgia of opening up a stuffed toy that takes you back to childhood, or maybe it’s the adorable food-themed plushies that make you spend your dollars. Whatever the reason, the popular trend has made its debut in the holiday season.

Today, we’re going to show you how to host a Jellycat exchange with all your besties this year. Everything from theholiday invitations, easy party food to serve, and how to initiate the exchange. Keep reading to start planning your party now!

General Gift Exchange Rules:

• Set a Price Limit: Jellycat plushies range in prices, so you can cater the price limit to the amount you’re willing to spend. Whether that’s $25 to $50, set the price limit so everyone knows how much they can cap their spending.
• Choose a Theme: If you’d like to choose a theme for the type of Jellycat you want everyone to buy, it could spice up the gift exchange as well. Whether you want to make it Food and Drink themed Jellycats, Christmas themed Jellycats, 
• Establish Wrapping Rules: For a Jellycat gift exchange, we recommend wrapping the stuffed toys in a gift bag of any size. Sometimes it’s fun to place a small item in a big bag to make the mystery of the gift exchange even more fun.

How to Host a Jellycat Gift Exchange

1. Send Gift Exchange Invites

First things first, you’ll want to set a date and send out invitations to your friends. Make sure you include all the details of the party — including date, time, price limit, wrapping rules, and any other items you’d like them to bring (maybe a food item or bottle of wine).

2. Choose Your Jellycat

Multiple retailers carry Jellycats, like Nordstrom, Amazon, Walmart (online), and FAO Schwarz. However, you can also order Jellycat plushies from their website. Here are some of our favorites to choose from:

3. Decorate Your Home with Holiday Decor

Before your friends arrive, deck your home out in fun holiday decor. Set the table in a red and green table setting and add some festive touches to your living room, where your friends will gather for the exchange.

4. Serve Festive Holiday Food and Drinks

A party wouldn’t be a party without some themed food and drinks for the season. Whether you’re prepping the food all on your own or having your friends bring their favorite holiday party snack, having an array of delicious Christmas food will add to the coziness of the evening.

Here are some of our favorite holiday foods to make:

5. Time for the Jellycat Exchange

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for — the Jellycat Exchange. First things first, make sure you have a rules card printed out or on your television screen to show your friends before the exchange starts. 

Gather in a circle in your living room with the presents at the front of the room. Explain the rules of the exchange, and start playing. It’s always fun to see how these exchanges go and what Jellycat surprise everyone will get.

6. Fun Holiday Games to Play

Once the exchange is over, feel free to play more holiday games. Some of our favorite quick games to play are:

Candy Jar Guessing Game: 

Fill a mason jar or candy jar with Christmas mini Reeses, holiday M&Ms, or other Christmas candy pieces. Have everyone write their name and their guess of how much candy is in the jar on a small piece of paper. Place the guesses in a small collection box.

• At the end of the night, reveal the winner — the person who guessed the correct number of candy or was closest to the correct number.

More quick games to try with your friends:

7. Send Your Friends Home with a Homemade Treat

As your friends leave, make sure you send them home with a homemade treat to thank them for coming to your home. We always love sending our friend some with a Christmas cookie or puppy chow mix. You can find the recipes below: