Anniversary Party Games

• The Diamond Toast Game
• Paper Anniversary Gift Exchange Game
• Name that Year Anniversary Game
• Engagement Party Games that Work Equally Well for Anniversaries

Anniversary Party Games: The Diamond Toast Game

You can alter this game to fit any anniversary or engagement party. For instance, the 40th anniversary is the Ruby Anniversary. So simply change the name of the game to the "Ruby Toast Game".

The idea is that you'll pair guests who are selected to create an impromptu toast. Guests who play are randomly selected by whether they receive a particular party favor, like for example, a ring party favor. Ideally you want 5 to 10 toasts or 10 to 20 players. If your party is smaller, 2 or 3 toasts (4 to 6 players) is fine. Applause gages which pair wins.

Start with a small favor box for each guest. In each box, you'll place either one of two things:

• a plastic diamond ring favor or other symbolic party favor
• another party favor: candy, colored paper, or leave the box empty

Instead of a diamond ring favor, you could also use anything else that represents the diamond anniversary. And instead of diamonds, you can use any symbolic party favor to represent your anniversary year. To discover the traditional anniversary symbol of the year you're celebrating visit Traditional-Anniversary-Gifts-by-Year.com.

Depending on the size of your party, select 6 to 20 boxes that you'll place special favors in to select your players.

Write numbers with the letter A or B on pieces of paper in this manner: 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, etc. Include one piece of paper with each ring or other trinket.

If you're hosting a sit-down dinner, simply place the boxes at each place setting. If it's a mingling party, have someone pass out the boxes to each guest.

A friend of the host should announce that there will be a toast and that all the guests should open their boxes. If their box contains a diamond ring, they must make a one line toast. The announcer explains that guests are paired by the number on their piece of paper. The person with 1A goes first. Then his or her partner completes the toast with a second line.

Oh, there's more. Every guest with a B, must complete their partner's toast ending with a rhyme! (like a poem). So 1A's and 1B's lines must rhyme. 2A's and 2B's lines must rhyme. And so forth. By a show of applause the couple with the best toast wins. Here are some examples:

1A: Here's a toast to Dan and Jane.
1B: The honeymoon's still going, the love remains.

2A: The couple is celebrating their 10th anniversary.
2B: Let's hope it ends up with a trip to the nursery!

3A: Dan, give your bride a big fat kiss.
3B: But slow down with the beers, or you just might miss.

Anniversary Party Games: Paper Anniversary Gift Exchange Game

In order to play the game, each guest who wants to play must bring a wrapped paper gift. So, let guests know in advance so that they have time to plan to bring something. Guests can be as creative as they like. Paper inspired gifts could be anything from a roll of toilet tissue to movie tickets is acceptable. The more variety the better - and the gift need not cost much either!

Guests place their exchange gifts in a designated area, away from any real paper anniversary gifts they have brought for the bride and groom.

Guests draw numbers to see who will open the first gift. The person who draws number 1 selects a gift and opens it. Then person number 2 selects a gift and opens it. If person number 2 likes person number 1's gift better than the one she opened, she may steal it. Therefore person number 1 gets to select a new gift from the unopened gifts.

Gifts may be stolen up to three times in the course of play. After 3 steals, the gift belongs to the holder. Opening and stealing gifts happens until all the gifts are revealed.

This game can get quite competitive! So be prepared for serious laughter and possibly a little whining!

Name that Year Anniversary Game

The host gathers several photos of the anniversary couple from years past, starting with their wedding photo. If you're playing this as an engagement party game, gather childhood and more recent photos from the bride- and groom-to-be.

Place the photos on a table along with a number beside each photo.

Use a Word program to create sheets of paper that have a chart with the year and a place where guests can write the number of the photo they believe matches. You can get fancy by placing the name of the game, "Name that Year," a photo of the couple and the couple's names on your handouts. Pass one sheet out to each guest.

The object of this anniversary party game is for guests to write the number of the photograph by the year it was taken. Guests give their sheets to a host's helper. The results are tallied. The person with all the correct years wins. Small token gifts are a nice touch for the winner. If there are several winners (while highly unlikely), fold the sheets, place them in a bowl and draw a winner.

Return from Anniversary Party Games to Engagement Party Games.