Misshelved, a Christmas Gift Exchange Game, is a more compelling version of White Elephant, Dirty Santa, and Yankee Swap. Misshelved has three main components: gift wrap layering, unique stealing system, and card play. These three components will make your holiday gift exchange stand apart from the rest. In this post we will outline how each of these work to make this game enjoyable for all who play.
Gift Wrap Layering
One of the steps in preparing for a gift exchange is wrapping your gift. In Misshelved, gift wrapping can be used strategically as players work to disguise their gift. You may want your gift to be opened quickly so that it is fought over, in which case you might wrap it in only one layer. Alternatively, you may want it to stay a mystery for as long as possible, in which case you might wrap it in several layers. Typically, players wrap their gift in 2-4 layers, but it can be fun to think big and use many more layers! A layer can be a box, a gift bag, tissue paper, or wrapping paper. As gifts are selected, stolen, or swapped, a layer of wrapping gets removed from the gift. There are also cards that you can play that allow you to remove a layer from your gift or from someone else’s gift.
Stealing System
Silent bidding is one of the most compelling reasons to use Misshelved for your gift exchange this year. In most gift exchanges a gift becomes unavailable after it has been stolen one time, thereby limiting the game play significantly. Some groups have tried to get around this by increasing how many times a gift can be stolen, but this only prolongs the inevitable frustration that one feels when playing with these rules. Misshelved has made gift stealing a key feature of the game. There are three ways in which you may steal a gift in Misshelved: “Steal” cards, the North Pole Trio set, or “Swap A Gift” cards.
- Steal Cards
- The primary method to steal is to play “Steal” cards. Once a player plays a “Steal” card, any other player in the game may join the steal by playing their own “Steal” card. If a player does not have a “Steal” card they cannot join the steal. Each player who has joined the steal places a silent bid. Each card in your hand contains a value between 0 and 3, although there are a few special cards with higher values. A bid must contain a minimum of one card, but there is no upper limit to how many cards a player uses in a bid (from their hand). The bid is considered silent because all bids, when played, must be played with the cards face down. Once all bids are played by each participant, the bids are revealed. The bid values are totaled, and the highest bid wins. If there is a tie, the tie goes to the player who played the most cards. Keep in mind that there are special cards that can allow you to significantly increase the value of your bid and make the bidding process very dynamic.
- North Pole Trio
- It’s a collection of three cards: “Santa Claus,” “Sleigh,” and “Reindeer.” As you decide which cards to discard and pick up, keep in mind that if you are able to collect all three of these you will have acquired the most powerful play in Misshelved. When you play all three of these cards at the same time you are able to steal the gift of your choice without being blocked. Don’t forget that each gift that has a new owner must lose a layer if it still hasn’t been revealed.
- Swap a gift
- In card play there is a card type called “Swap a Gift;” this card allows the player who plays the card to pick two other players (not including themselves) and force them to exchange gifts. Don’t forget that each gift that was swapped must lose a layer if it still hasn’t been revealed. This allows a set of players to work in coordination. For example, a wife may have her husband swap gifts with a player that is holding the gift that he/she is trying to win.
Card Play
Misshelved is played in rounds. In each round you will pick up cards and, if desired, play cards. These cards give you advantages over the other players in the game. Below is a description of how these cards can be used.
- Steal – Allows an individual to initiate or join a steal. This is the primary way by which players steal a gift from other players.
- Santa Claus – The first part of the North Pole Trio or the North Pole Duo.
- Sleigh – The second part of the North Pole Trio or the North Pole Duo.
- Reindeer – The third part of the North Pole Trio or the North Pole Duo.
- Double The Effect – Can be played with any other card. It is as if you have 2 of the other card played. It only doubles the effect of one card.
- Example 1: Play a ‘DOUBLE THE EFFECT’ card along with a ‘SKIP A TURN’ card and skip two players instead of only one.
- Example 2: Play a ‘DOUBLE THE EFFECT’ card as part of your bid along with a card that has a bid value of $3, the bid value is now worth $6
- Money – Is playable during a silent bid and can be played in combination with other cards. It is valued at higher bid point values than other cards. Maximize the money card by playing it with a ‘Double the Effect’ card
- Steal Two Cards – Choose a player to steal from and without looking at the face of the cards select 2 cards from their hand. The player who lost 2 cards now must wait until their next turn to replenish their hand. This has the added effect of depleting that players bidding power for that round.
- Discard Two Cards – Can be played on any player in the game, including yourself, requiring the player to discard 2 cards and pick up 2 new cards from the draw pile.
- Discard Your Hand – Can be played on any player in the game including yourself, requiring the player to discard all cards in their hand and pick-up 7 new cards from the draw pile.
- Skip A Turn – Can be played on any player in the game, including yourself, requiring the player to miss their next turn. If you are playing this on yourself, you must play it as the first action on your turn, which then prevents you from drawing any cards.
- Swap A Gift – The individual who plays this card selects 2 OTHER players, who must then swap the gifts (or lack thereof) in their possession. When the gifts are exchanged, each player removes a layer from the gift they received.
- Remove A Layer – Can be played on any player in the game, including yourself, requiring the player to remove another layer of their gift. This cannot be blocked.
- Block A Steal – Blocks another player from initiating a steal on the player who plays this card. Must be played immediately when a steal is initiated. Once another player has joined the steal then a ‘Block A Steal’ card can no longer be played.