Overview

GiftTRAP is a party board game about matching the right gift to the right person. Players score points on two separate tracks — one for giving and one for receiving — by correctly guessing which gifts other players want and by receiving gifts they actually desire. The first player to move both their Give and Get markers into the Gifted Zone at the end of a round wins.

Components

• 1 game board with Give track and Get track
• 4 packs of colored gift cards (Black \(\), Blue \($, Red\), Yellow $) — each card is double-sided with different gifts
• Colored gift bags, each containing:
  • 2 scoring markers (Give marker = closed gift, Get marker = open gift)
  • 9 GIVE tokens (numbered to match gift grid positions)
  • 4 GET tokens (GREAT, GOOD, OK, NO WAY)
• Expert Strategy Cards (Give More, Get More, GiftTRAP)

Setup

1. Set up the playing board and place the 4 packs of colored gift cards nearby.
2. Each player chooses a colored gift bag and empties its contents.
3. Place both scoring markers (Give and Get) on GO on their respective tracks.

Turn Structure

Each round follows 5 steps:

Step 1 — Deal

The dealer picks which color pack to use. Take a number of gift cards equal to the number of players + 1 from the top of the pack. Place them on the gift grid starting at position 1.

Step 2 — Shop

All players study the gifts on the grid. Consider which gift each other player would want and which gifts you personally desire.

Step 3 — Give

Each player selects one numbered GIVE token for each other player, matching a gift on the grid they think that player would want. Place tokens GIVE-side up in front of the intended recipient (kept secret).

Step 4 — Get

Each player places their 4 GET tokens on the gift grid:

• GREAT — on the gift you want most
• GOOD — on your second choice
• OK — on your third choice
• NO WAY — on the gift you least want

Place GET-side up on the corresponding gift card (kept secret).

Step 5 — Reveal

Starting with the dealer, each player reveals:

1. Flip over your 4 GET tokens to show your choices.
2. Turn over each received GIVE token one at a time.
3. Score each gift for both the giver and receiver.

Then the next player to the left reveals, until all players have scored.

After all players reveal, return GIVE tokens, place gift cards on bottom of the pack, and the next dealer begins a new round.

Actions

The only decisions each round are: which gift to assign to each player (GIVE) and which gifts you personally rank (GET).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Scoring Per Gift

Match	Points	Direction
GREAT	Advance 3 spaces	Giver moves on Give track; Receiver moves on Get track
GOOD	Advance 2 spaces	Same
OK	Advance 1 space	Same
NO WAY	Move back 4 spaces	Same
NO MATCH	Move back 1 space	Same

A NO MATCH occurs when a gift token does not correspond to any of the receiver’s GREAT, GOOD, OK, or NO WAY choices.

• You cannot move back past GO.
• You cannot advance past GIFTED.
• You CAN move back from GIFTED.

Winning

The first player to have BOTH their Give and Get markers in the GIFTED Zone at the end of a round wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Expert Strategy Cards (Optional)

Card	Effect
Give More	Play with one GIVE token at the start of a round. Doubles your Give score for that gift (positive or negative).
Get More	Play on a received GIVE token before revealing. Doubles your Get score for that gift.
GiftTRAP	Shout “GiftTRAP!” and place on a gift card to block further scoring from that gift for the rest of the round. Players who already scored from it keep their points. Once per game per player. Can be played at any time during a round.

• Only the player who plays Give More or Get More doubles their score — the other party scores normally.
• Gift cards are double-sided with different gifts on each side.
• Some gift card content may not be appropriate for all ages — the dealer may curate.
• The number of gift cards used each round = number of players + 1 (one extra gift ensures choice).

Player Reference

Round Checklist:

1. DEAL — Place (players + 1) gift cards on the grid
2. SHOP — Study gifts and think about matches
3. GIVE — Assign 1 gift token to each other player
4. GET — Place GREAT, GOOD, OK, NO WAY on gifts
5. REVEAL — Score all gifts, both Give and Get tracks

Scoring Quick Reference: | Match | Spaces | |——-|——–| | GREAT | +3 | | GOOD | +2 | | OK | +1 | | NO WAY | -4 | | NO MATCH | -1 |

Win condition: Both Give and Get markers in GIFTED Zone at end of round.