Can you explain how "Dirty Santa" and "fat quarter craps" work? I'm no gambler, so clueless here.

A "Chinese" auction is great. Bring a quilt item (suggest a price limit). Draw a number when you enter the door. All items are wrapped and placed in a general location - usually the center of the room. Person with number 1 gets to chose any gift on the table. Number 2 can take number 1's item or can open a new item. If number 1's gift gets taking, they open a different gift. Number 3 can take Number 1 or 2's item or can open a new item. This goes on until finished. One can not take the same gift back until they have opened another item. (If 3 took 2's gift, 2 can not take it back immediately. If 2's second item is taken, they can take 3's item. One item can only be taken 3 times and it's done being taken, except at the very end. The only person that can take an item from anyone, is number 1. Therefore number 1 can have fun in this exchange, too.

I have also done a reading where items go left or right and at the end of the story the item you have is the one you get to keep. Something like, Jeff went to the store. He had to make two left turns (item moves twice to the left). Once he was on his way, he remembered he need to see a friend, so he went right to the door (item moves once to the right), etc. I believe you can goggle left/right stories and will find many to use.

How many HOURS does this take? I can hardly stand this game at the family gift exchange. We would be at At Guild till midnight. A couple of members over think their door prize selection! ;)

sandy

Dirty Santa is just another name for the Chinese auction described by Zinda. Fat quarter craps is a dice game. Each player starts with 3 fat quarters and three dice. The dice are marked with a C, L, R, and a dot. If a C is rolled a fat quarter goes to the center and is out of play. If a L is rolled a fat quarter is passed to the player on your left, R the player to your right. If you roll a dot you keep the fat quarter. The player with the last fat quarter gets all the fat quarters in the center. You can use regular dice with 1 dot being the same, 6=C, 2&3=L, 4&5=R. Each game takes 4-8 players and takes about 20 minutes to play. I forgot to say you only roll the number of dice in the same number of fat quarters you have. ie: in the second round you have two fat quarters you roll two dice. Try it sometimes. Can be lots of fun.

Thanks to everyone for your help. I have more ideas to work into guild meetings now.