Keep the surprise. Skip the awkward gift rules.

Choose one exchange, not three half-explained ones

For Secret Santa or amigo secreto, each participant is assigned someone to give to. For a wrapped-gift swap, people bring a gift for the group under shared rules. These are different activities: tell everyone which one you mean before asking them to shop.

Agree on the budget, date, whether homemade gifts are welcome and any categories to avoid. Participation should be optional. Keep addresses, wish lists and personal information inside the group rather than adding them to a public game or website. Nobody should feel pushed to spend beyond what works for them.

Play together before opening the gifts

Lotería works as the warm-up, not the gatekeeper. Share a round while late arrivals settle in, then move to the exchange. People who are not joining the gift exchange can still enjoy the game. People who do not want to play can still exchange their gifts.

Do not make someone win Lotería to receive the gift already assigned to them. If you want a game prize, keep it small and separate from the exchange. Avoid paid entries, cash pools and betting. The point is a shared evening, not a complicated competition.

A simple schedule for the host who is also wrapping gifts

Prepare the matching deck and boards before guests arrive. These timings are a flexible example; a round may take longer depending on the group and winning pattern. If time is short, skip an extra round instead of rushing the exchange.

• Welcome: show where to put gifts and explain which activity is optional.
• Five-minute demonstration: show one Lotería card and the winning pattern.
• One shared round: read both names, show the picture and pause.
• Exchange: follow the rules everyone agreed on beforehand.
• Closing: check that everyone in the exchange received their gift before clearing up.

Turn a shared memory into a card, not an embarrassing reveal

A gift-exchange deck could feature the dog who steals the wrapping paper, the mug everyone borrows, the favorite cookie or the playlist that comes back every December. Ask permission before including people, nicknames or private jokes. Do not surprise someone with an announcement they have not chosen to share.

For a 4 × 4 board, prepare at least 16 distinct cards. You might photograph a ribbon, mug, cookie, scarf, ornament, book, candle, plant, gift bag, bow, sweater, kitchen, table, pet, playlist cover you own and a group-approved photo. A 5 × 5 layout needs at least 25 distinct cards. Use your own or licensed pictures.

Keep names short and images clear. Review each crop, generate the boards, then save the final set before downloading. Print one test page at the intended scale before using all your paper. The deck you call from must match the boards you hand out.

Want to host without making a deck?

Navidad Latina is our original bilingual Christmas Lotería, purchased separately from a Maker project. Preview the actual cards to decide if the images, humor and references fit your group. A Christmas theme is not a guarantee that every card suits every workplace or family.

Choose digital if you want to print and prepare it yourself; choose the physical format if you want a shipped set. Check each version’s exact contents and delivery information. Do not mix its calling deck with another edition’s boards.

If you make your own, choose only what you need

Creating and previewing a Maker draft is free. A new project pass covers one project, up to 50 boards with the Maker logo, 30 days from purchase to edit and three final saves. An active paid membership covers unlimited projects, up to 100 boards per project and unlimited edits and final saves with logo-free exports while active. Older passes keep their original benefits.

A saved free draft can also become a separate order of 50 or 100 custom printed boards with their matching calling deck, without buying digital access first. Printed orders do not unlock paid digital downloads. Shop downloads, printing, shipping and AI credits are separate. Read current prices and the estimate for your order rather than assuming holiday delivery.

A good intercambio leaves people feeling included

A handmade note, a modest budget and a clear plan can matter more than a dramatic reveal. Let people choose whether their gift or photo appears online. Save the boards and deck together so the game can return next year without another round of preparation.

For the host, the best gift may be someone else offering to call the game, wash mugs or take out the recycling. Keep the exchange kind and the rules short enough to explain before the ponche gets cold.