The Christmas Eve Pajama Exchange Dice Game: Rules, Twists and How to Wrap It

The short answer

Everyone sits in a circle holding one wrapped box, a die goes around, and each number tells the roller to pass, swap, steal or lock a box until a timer runs out. The twist in this version: every box holds the same print of matching xmas pjs family members will wear that night, and a name card inside sends each set to the right person at the end. The stealing decides who opens first and who wins the one or two "bonus" boxes, while the sizes were sorted weeks before anyone sat down. Below are the full rules, four versions for different families, and a way to wrap the boxes so nobody can guess what is inside. We sell the pajamas mentioned here, so treat the product picks as editorial opinion.

Either works as the shared print. The snow globe set's listing says the kids' and baby sizes are flame-resistant, and its options run from baby 3-6M to adult 4XL, with a pet bandana. The Santa set is a two-piece fleece, and its listing says each pajama set comes with buffalo plaid socks, which make a good extra for a bonus box.

Christmas Eve Pajama Exchange Dice Game Rules: The Full Table

The game has two phases. In the passing phase, boxes move around the circle on the dice rolls until a timer goes off. In the opening phase, everyone opens the box they are holding, the same print appears in every box, and the name cards send each set home. Read the table aloud before the first roll.

Setup

• Boxes: one wrapped box per player, all the same size and paper, plus one or two bonus boxes holding a small extra. Bonus boxes are wrapped the same way and mixed in, so the number of boxes is the number of players plus one or two.
• Players: sit in a circle on the floor or around a table. Hand out one box each, and put the bonus boxes in the middle.
• Die: one ordinary six-sided die. For a group with toddlers, see the little-kids version below.
• Timer: a phone timer that everyone can hear but nobody can see. Not knowing when it ends is what keeps the passing frantic.
• Lock markers: a small pile of stick-on bows.

What each roll does

Roll	Action	Fine print
1	Pass your box to the person on your left	If you hold two boxes, pass the one you choose
2	Pass your box to the person on your right	Same as above
3	Swap boxes with anyone in the circle	They cannot refuse; locked boxes cannot be swapped
4	Steal: take any unlocked box, including one from the middle	Put a mark on the tag each time a box is stolen. On its second steal, the box gets a bow and is locked for the rest of the game
5	Everyone passes one seat to the left	The whole circle moves at once, locked boxes included
6	Take a box from the middle if one is left, otherwise roll again	One extra roll only; a second 6 does nothing

Limits that keep it fair

• Two steals per box. The second steal locks it. Without a cap, one popular box can bounce around the circle for ten minutes while everyone else sits idle.
• Two boxes per player. Anyone holding two boxes cannot steal or take from the middle; a 4 or 6 counts as a pass to the left.
• No refusing. A swap or steal cannot be blocked, which is why the locks exist.
• Timer ends everything. When it sounds, the box in your hands is yours to open, even mid-pass.

Anyone left holding no box when the timer sounds takes the box from the person holding two, picked by that person. Nobody leaves the game empty-handed, and nobody ends with the wrong pajamas, because of the name cards described below.

Phase 2: the opening

Open in age order, youngest first, so the smallest children are not waiting through eight unwrappings. Each person opens, holds up the pajamas, then reads the name card inside the lid and hands the set to its owner. Bonus boxes stay with whoever ended up holding them. Then everyone changes, and the evening carries on with everyone in the same print.

Before the Game: How to Size and Pack Each Christmas Pajama Box

This is the part that makes the game work, and it needs doing in November, not on Christmas Eve. If one person's set does not fit, the reveal falls flat, and there may not be time to replace it. Our Christmas Eve box guide covers what else goes in a child's box; here the box holds the pajamas and a name card, so the sizing has to be right.

Build the size list first

1. List every player, including babies who will not roll but will be in the photo, and the dog if the print has a pet size.
2. Get a measurement, not a guess. Use height for children and chest for adults, then read each against the PatPat size chart. Women's letter sizes at PatPat run smaller in the chest than many US charts, so order by the measurement and not the letter she wears elsewhere.
3. Do not size children up for growth. Under US rules, children's sleepwear is either flame-resistant or snug-fitting, as CPSC explains. A snug-fitting piece relies on its close fit, so order the size the chart gives.
4. Find a print that covers your hardest size. In our reading of the family sets, adult 3XL appears on about half the prints and 4XL on only a few selected ones, and 0-3M baby sizes are rare. Start with whoever is at the edge of the range and choose the print from there. Our plus size matching pajamas guide walks through that search, and the size finder checks a whole list against current stock.
5. Put everyone in one order. On PatPat, one listing covers every member: choose the member and size for each set and add each one to the cart separately. Each size sells out on its own, so a print can still be listed after the size you needed is gone.

Shop the look

For a family that needs a wide size spread, both of these gingerbread prints list adult sizes beyond 2XL: one listing each, choose each member and size.

The black gingerbread set listed XS through 4XL in adult sizes, kids 2Y to 12-13Y and baby 3-6M to 12-18M when we read it, and its listing says each pajama set includes buffalo plaid socks. The light blue set ran to 3XL with kids to 12-13Y; some sizes may already be gone on that one, since it had less stock than most prints we checked. Both list a pet size, which on these sets is a bandana and not a pajama set.

Check every set the day the parcel arrives

Count the pieces, hold each one against the list and leave the tags on. PatPat's refund policy gives 30 days from receipt to request a return, for unworn items with tags and original packaging, and says it cannot accept returns on sale items. There is no direct exchange: the fastest route is to return the item and, once the return is accepted, buy the new size separately, so the size you want could sell out in between. That is why the fit check happens weeks before the game, not on the night. Once a set fits, you can pack it.

Pack each box the same way

• Fold the set with the size label inside. Nobody's size gets read out when the box is opened by someone else.
• Tape a name card under the lid. A card on top of the pajamas gets seen the moment the paper comes off; one taped inside the lid gets read only after the pajamas are held up.
• Pad the small boxes. A baby set is much smaller than an adult 2XL. Use the same size box for everyone and fill the space with tissue so the baby's box does not give itself away by size.
• Keep socks in the right box. If your print comes with socks for each pajama set, they go in with that person's set, not the bonus box, unless you bought spares.

How to Wrap Pajama Exchange Gifts So Every Box Looks the Same

Identical wrapping is the whole game. If one box is bigger, shinier or a different shape, the steals all go to that box and the rolls stop mattering. Here are three ways to wrap, from most to least effort.

Method	What you need	Best for	Watch out for
Matching boxes, one paper	Identical shirt boxes, one roll of paper, the same ribbon on each	Families with kids old enough to notice a difference	Write nothing on the outside except a number
Identical gift bags	Bags of one design and size, tissue on top, a twist of tape across the handles	Large groups and anyone short on time	Bags can be peeked into; the tape slows that down
Fabric wrap	Matching tea towels or squares of fabric, tied with a knot	Families who want reusable wrapping	Soft wraps show the shape of what is inside, so roll every set the same way

Small details that keep the game moving

• Number the boxes on the bottom. It gives you a way to keep track of steals: put a pen tick next to the number each time a box is stolen, and the second tick means a bow goes on.
• Leave a tape tab. Fold the end of each strip of tape back on itself so small hands can start the unwrapping without an adult or scissors.
• Make the bonus boxes heavier, not bigger. If the extra is a pair of socks or a cocoa packet, the bonus box will feel lighter than a pajama box. Add a folded tea towel so the weight evens out.
• Clear the wrapping as you go. CPSC's holiday tips say to discard plastic wrapping and packaging right after gifts are unwrapped. Keep a trash bag beside the youngest player.

If you are gifting to relatives who live elsewhere and will join on a video call, the Christmas Eve pajama gifting guide covers measuring people you cannot ask and how the return window lines up with December 24.

The Same-Print Reveal: Ending the Game With Everyone Matching

The fun of this version is the moment the third person opens a box and holds up the same pajamas as the first two. To get the most out of it, build the expectation that the boxes are all different.

• Talk the boxes up. Before the first roll, say something like "Some of these are better than others." It is true, because of the bonus boxes, and it makes people fight for the steals.
• Open youngest first, slowly. The first opening gets a cheer. The second gets a puzzled look. By the third, the room is laughing. Give each person a moment to hold their set up before the next one starts.
• Save one adult for last. The person who complained most about the steals is a good last opener; by then everyone knows what is coming, and they get the biggest groan.
• Bonus boxes last of all. They are the only real prize in the game, so they make a good final moment. Socks, a cocoa packet for older kids, a book or a card game all work.
• Change straight away. Everyone goes to change while the name cards are still fresh, and the group photo happens in front of the tree before anyone wanders off.

We think the reveal works best with a print that reads clearly from across a room, because the joke depends on people recognizing it instantly. A large repeating pattern does that better than a small, busy one. In our view these two suit it.

The alpine ski print has raglan sleeves and green trim and comes in sizes from baby 3-6M to adult 2XL, with a pet bandana; some sizes may already be gone, since it had less stock than most prints we checked. The Fair Isle set's listing says each pajama set includes buffalo plaid socks and that the kids' and baby pieces are flame-resistant, and adults ran S to 2XL when we read it. If you would rather match tops with pants in a different print, or need a wider size range, compare other xmas pajamas before you settle on one.

Want a slower version for a group that will not play the dice game? Skip the dice and open one box per person on the hour through the evening. It keeps the same reveal with none of the stealing.

4 Ways to Play: Small Family, Big Family, Little Kids and Video Call

The base rules suit six to ten people aged about six and up. Change these points for your group.

Version	Players	What changes	Timer
Small family	3–5	Two bonus boxes; each player gets three rolls instead of a timer; 5 becomes "pass to the left twice"	None
Big family gathering	10–20	Two dice going around opposite sides of the circle; steals only on a 4, locks after one steal	8–10 minutes
Little kids	Ages 3–6 with adults	A big soft die with pictures; no steals; every child is paired with an adult	3–4 minutes
Video call	Two or more households	Each household opens its own boxes; the dice decide opening order and who wins the bonus boxes	About 10 minutes

Small family (3 to 5 players)

With only a few people, a timer ends too soon or drags. Give each person exactly three rolls, going around the circle, then open. Two bonus boxes make sure there is still something to steal for. With three players, the "everyone passes left" roll moves every box at once, which is fun once, so change a 5 to "pass to the left twice" and the boxes travel further.

Big family gathering (10 to 20 players)

One die around a circle of twenty takes too long, and people at the far side stop paying attention. Start two dice at opposite points of the circle, each passed to the left after a roll. Lock a box after its first steal rather than its second, or a handful of boxes will soak up every steal. Ten minutes is plenty. If the room cannot fit one circle, split into two circles with their own boxes and timers, and do the reveal together.

Little kids (ages 3 to 6)

Young children can enjoy the passing, but a steal can end in tears. Take the steal out: on a 3 or 4, the child chooses a song and everyone dances with the boxes for ten seconds. Pair every child with an adult who reads the die and holds the second box. Keep the timer short, three to four minutes, and open straight away.

Use a large soft die rather than a standard one if anyone under three is in the room. CPSC says to keep toys with small parts away from children younger than three, and a standard die is small enough to go in a mouth. A phone dice app works too. Picture faces help: draw an arrow left, an arrow right, a musical note and a star, and nobody needs to count.

A familiar character print can make the reveal land better with this age group. The Frosty the Snowman set below is described on its listing as officially licensed Warner Brothers merchandise, with a navy and red color-block design and snowflakes, and the listing says the kids' and baby pieces are flame-resistant. It has no pet size.

Video call (two or more households)

Boxes cannot travel through a screen, so in this version each household holds its own members' boxes and the dice decide the order and the prizes. Every player gets a number. When you roll a 4, you "steal" the next opening slot, moving your number up the list; a 3 swaps your slot with anyone's; a 6 claims a bonus box, which the host mails afterward or hands over at the next visit. When the timer ends, open in the order on the list, one household after another, cameras on.

Plan the shipping first. To ship sets straight to another household, place a separate order to their address. PatPat estimates 1 to 3 days of processing, which can run longer in peak season, then 2 to 5 business days within the contiguous 48 states, with Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico at 10 to 16 days. Those are estimates from the shipping policy, not promises, and the Christmas pajamas shipping guide works them back into order dates. Ask each household to check their sets on arrival with tags on, since they hold the return window.

Dice Odds and Timing: Keeping the Game Under 20 Minutes

Every face of a fair die comes up one time in six, so roughly one roll in six is a steal. That number tells you how long to set the timer. If each roll and its action takes about ten seconds, a group gets through about six rolls a minute, and so about one steal a minute.

Timer	Rolls at about 10 seconds each	Steals you can expect (one roll in six)	Good for
3 minutes	About 18	About 3	Little kids
5 minutes	About 30	About 5	Six to eight players
8 minutes	About 48	About 8	Ten to twelve players
10 minutes, two dice	About 120	About 20	Large gatherings

These are averages, and real games run longer when people argue about steals. Two rules of thumb follow. First, with two steals allowed per box, the number of expected steals should stay below twice the number of boxes, or most boxes end up locked and the last minutes are just passing. Second, add the opening time: about a minute per person for the reveal, which makes the opening phase longer than the dice phase in a big family. For an eight-person family, five minutes of dice and eight minutes of opening puts the whole game at about a quarter of an hour.

That fits neatly into the evening. Play it after dinner and before any movie, so the new pajamas go on early. If you are hosting kids for a longer night, our list of Christmas pajama party games has quieter games to follow it. And if you still need the sets themselves, start with the size list above, then browse christmas pajamas family prints for the one that covers your hardest size.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play the Christmas pajama dice game? Everyone holds a wrapped box, and each roll of the die means pass left, pass right, swap, steal, everyone passes, or take a bonus box. When a hidden timer sounds, everyone opens the box they hold.

How do you make sure everyone gets pajamas in their size? Tape a name card under each box lid. Everyone opens the box they end up with, then hands the set to the person named on the card.

How many times can a gift be stolen? In our rules, twice. The second steal locks the box with a bow, which keeps the game moving.

Can toddlers play a gift exchange dice game? Yes, with an adult partner, no steals and a large soft die. CPSC advises keeping small parts away from children under three, and a standard die is small.

How long should the timer be? About five minutes for six to eight players, eight to ten minutes for bigger groups. Add roughly a minute per person for the opening.

When should I order the pajamas for the game? Early enough to check every size on arrival with tags on, and well before Christmas Eve. Sizes sell out one at a time, so put everyone in one order.

The game only works if every box holds the right size, and each size on a print sells out separately; build your size list this week, while the size you need is still there.

About this article

Written and fact-checked by the PatPat Editorial Team. How we research, source and review what we publish is set out on our editorial standards page.

Method. Product details, listing text and in-stock sizes were read from PatPat product pages in November 2026, and return and shipping terms from PatPat's policy pages. PatPat is the seller of these pajamas, and we did not wear-test any garment. The game rules, variations and timer suggestions are our own design and editorial judgment, and the timing table is simple arithmetic based on a fair six-sided die and an assumed ten seconds per roll, not a measured result.

Sources. Small parts and packaging: CPSC, Holiday Safety. Sleepwear routes: CPSC, Children's Sleepwear. Returns and exchanges: PatPat refund policy. Delivery estimates: PatPat shipping policy.

Last updated 10 November 2026 · Next review November 2027