A favorite things party is the friendliest gift swap there is. Every guest brings a few copies of one thing they love, usually three to five identical items at a set price, and goes home with a bag of other people’s favorites. No one gets stuck with a joke gift, nobody steals anything, and everyone learns about a hand cream, hot sauce or paperback they would never have found on their own.
Because the format is newer than a white elephant or a Secret Santa, the invitation has to explain it. Guests need the number of items, the price, whether to wrap, and how the swap works on the night. This guide gives you the rules in plain words, favorite things party invitation wording you can copy, and video invitation designs to send it in. To build one in a few minutes, try the video invitation maker.
How a Favorite Things Party Works
The classic version runs like this. Every guest brings the same number of one favorite item, for example three tubes of their favorite lip balm, all at the same price. During the party, each guest takes a minute to show their item and say why they love it. Then the names go into a bowl, and each guest draws names to find out who gets their items, or everyone draws in turns and picks from the table. By the end of the evening each person has given three things and received three things.
- Number of items: equal to the number of gifts each guest will take home. Three is the most common; five works for a bigger group.
- Price: per item, not total. $10 to $25 per item keeps it fair.
- Same item: everyone brings identical copies of one thing, so whoever draws your name gets the same favorite.
- Wrap or not: some hosts like a bag with tissue so the reveal still feels like a gift; others prefer items on a table so guests can see them all.
- Group size: eight to fifteen people is the sweet spot. With more than that, split into two tables.
What to Put on a Favorite Things Party Invitation
- The name of the party and a one-line explanation for guests who have never been to one.
- How many items to bring and the price per item.
- Wrapping rules: wrapped, bagged, or unwrapped for display.
- Date, time and address, plus parking if it is an apartment.
- Food and drinks: say what you are serving and whether guests should bring anything else.
- An RSVP deadline a week out, so everyone knows the final number and can buy the right quantity.
That last point matters more here than at any other party. If eleven people say yes and you asked for three items each, a late fourth or fifth guest changes the math. Ask people to answer by a clear date and tell late answers how many items to bring.
Favorite Things Party Invitation Wording
Classic wording
You’re invited to a Favorite Things Party!
Bring three of your favorite things, about $15 each. Same item, three times.
We’ll share why we love them, draw names and swap.
Saturday, December 12 · 7 pm · Jenna’s place, 22 Maple Court
Wine, snacks and dessert are on me. RSVP by December 5.
For a girls’ night
Ladies, it’s time for our favorite things!
Bring 4 of the same item you can’t live without ($10–$20 each), wrapped or in a cute bag.
Cocktails, cheese board and gossip from 7:30.
Friday, December 4 at Alexis’s · RSVP by Monday so we know how many to buy.
For a holiday party
’Tis the season for our favorite things.
Bring three of one item you love, $20 or less each: a candle, a cookbook, the best socks you own.
Holiday sweaters encouraged. Sunday, December 13, 4 to 7 pm.
Mulled wine and appetizers provided. Please RSVP by December 6.
For coworkers
Team Favorite Things Swap · Thursday, December 17, 3 pm, 4th floor kitchen
Bring 3 of your favorite small thing, $10 max each. Snacks, desk gadgets, a great pen: anything goes.
Keep it work-friendly. RSVP by December 10 so we can plan the drawing.
Short text versions
- “Favorite things party at mine, Dec 12, 7 pm! Bring 3 of the same thing you love, ~$15 each. RSVP by the 5th 🎁”
- “Round two of our favorite things swap! 4 items, $20 cap each, wrapped. Fri Dec 4. You in?”
- “Bring your favorite thing x3, under $15 each. We’ll swap, we’ll snack, we’ll overshare. Sat 7 pm.”
Funny lines
- “Come for the wine, stay for the hand cream you didn’t know you needed.”
- “Like a white elephant, but nobody leaves with a singing fish.”
- “Your favorite thing x3. Our favorite thing: you, showing up.”
- “Bring three of whatever you won’t shut up about.”
How to Explain the Rules in One Paragraph
Most guests will read the invitation on a phone, so give them the rules in one short block. You can paste this into the invitation details or send it as a follow-up message to everyone who said yes:
How it works: bring 3 identical items of one thing you love, about $15 each. Put your name on a slip. When it’s your turn, tell us what it is and why you love it. Then we draw names: whoever draws yours takes one of your items, and you draw three names to take theirs. Everyone goes home with three new favorites.
If you prefer a table version, write: “Set your items out on the gift table when you arrive. After the show-and-tell, we’ll draw numbers and pick in order, one item per round, three rounds. You can’t pick your own.”
Gift Ideas to Suggest on the Invitation
Some guests freeze when they hear “your favorite thing.” A short list of examples on the invitation gets them unstuck. Pick ideas that match your price point:
- Under $10: lip balm, a hot sauce, a fancy chocolate bar, a face mask, a favorite pen, a pack of cocktail napkins.
- $10 to $20: a candle, cozy socks, a hand cream, a paperback, a spice blend, a phone grip, a coffee from a local roaster.
- $20 to $30: a cookbook, a small kitchen tool, a nice wine, a skin-care set, a throw blanket on sale.
Ask guests to bring things they actually use rather than things they think people want. That is the whole charm of the party.
Hosting Tips That Belong in the Message
- Bags: if you want the items bagged, say “bring them in a gift bag with tissue” so you don’t end up with a pile of loose tubes and jars.
- Name slips: have small cards ready so guests can write their name and item.
- A take-home bag: give each guest a tote for what they receive, or ask them to bring one.
- Show-and-tell time: one minute each. With twelve guests, that is the first twenty minutes after everyone arrives, so put a start time on the swap.
- A late-arrival plan: guests who come after the drawing still trade, but they pick from what is left.
When to Send Favorite Things Party Invitations
Send invitations three to four weeks ahead for a December party, because weekends fill up fast. Set the RSVP deadline about a week before, then send a reminder with the number of items and the price two days before. Our RSVP reminder wording guide has short follow-up lines you can copy. There’s also a separate guide to housewarming party invitations.
How It Compares With Other Gift Swaps
A favorite things party is a gentler cousin of the other holiday swaps. If your group wants stealing and laughs, use our white elephant invitation wording. If you want each person to shop for one assigned name, try Secret Santa invitation wording. For bakers, a cookie exchange follows the same “bring several of one thing” idea with cookies instead of gifts.
Send It as a Video Invitation
With TwistInvite, you create the invitation in the app. Choose a design, replace the sample text with your party details and the rules, and upload a photo of last year’s haul if you have one. You can also import a song or hold to record a short voice message that explains how the swap works.
Share one link in the group chat, by WhatsApp or by text. Guests open it in their browser and answer Going, Can’t make it or Maybe, with no app and no account. You can ask for their email for updates, and the replies give you an exact headcount before you tell everyone how many items to bring. Open the Christmas designs in TwistInvite, or see our gift exchange invitation page for more swap designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you bring to a favorite things party?
Three to five identical copies of one item you love, at the price per item the host sets. For example, three jars of your favorite candle or three bottles of a hot sauce, about $15 each.
How many items do you bring to a favorite things party?
Usually three. Each guest brings the same number of copies of one item and goes home with that many items from other guests. Five works for a larger group with a lower price per item.
Do you wrap gifts for a favorite things party?
It is up to the host. Bagged items with tissue keep a little surprise; unwrapped items on a table make it easier for guests to choose. Put the rule on the invitation.
How do you explain a favorite things party on the invitation?
Use one sentence: “Bring three of the same item you love, about $15 each; we’ll share why we love them and swap.” Then add the date, time, address and RSVP deadline.
Can guests RSVP without downloading an app?
Yes. Guests open the TwistInvite link in their browser and answer Going, Can’t make it or Maybe, without an account. Only the host uses the app to create the invitation.
Create it in the TwistInvite app
Download free on iPhone or Android, then share one link with your guests.