Updated October 6, 2026. Product prices and listed contents checked on this date; prices exclude engraving, tax and shipping.
Give a wooden game that can come out of the wrapping and onto the table. Pack pennies with Original Penny Drop or Penny Drop Travel, a deck of cards with Tournament Cribbage Board, and a suitable domino set with Mexican Train Florida Edition. The guide below separates the game from its extras so you can have the first round ready.
Add the part the photograph cannot promise
Penny Drop
12 pennies per player. For four players, add 48 pennies.
Tournament Cribbage Board
A deck of cards. Six playing pieces and printed rules come with the board.
Mexican Train Florida Edition
A suitable domino set. The package is one hub, nine tokens and rules.
Compare the shortlist
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| Gift | Choose for | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Original Penny Drop | A household or group | Pennies separate |
| Penny Drop Travel | Someone who takes games along | Same rules; pennies separate |
| Tournament Cribbage Board | A pair who play cribbage | Playing cards separate |
| Mexican Train Florida Edition | Someone who owns dominoes | Dominoes separate; Double 12 recommended |
Family table
Original Penny Drop
Dave Janelle invented Penny Drop in 2015 around a roll-again-or-pass decision: an occupied numbered slot sends the board pennies back to the player, while a safe roll leaves a choice to continue. Original Penny Drop is a race to empty your pennies. Creative Crafthouse recommends Original Penny Drop for 2 to 10 players; the printed Penny Drop rules allow two or more players without a maximum.
For Christmas morning, count the people you expect to join. Four players need 48 pennies; six need 72. Put those coins with the wrapped game so the first round does not begin with a search for change.
Before giving: Original Penny Drop includes a board and storage box, a die and printed rules; players supply 12 pennies each.
Original Penny Drop starts at $29.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.
Visits and trips
Penny Drop Travel
Penny Drop Travel follows the same rules as Original Penny Drop, in a raintree box with a raintree lid. Creative Crafthouse recommends Penny Drop Travel for 2 to 10 players; the printed Penny Drop rules allow two or more players without a maximum. Choose Travel by the physical edition you want to take along.
Penny Drop Travel is an option for someone who takes games on visits. Put the die and rules back with the box after a round, and pack a separate pouch of pennies for the people likely to join.
Before giving: Penny Drop Travel includes its board and storage box, die and printed rules; supply 12 pennies per player.
Penny Drop Travel starts at $17.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.
Established cribbage players
Tournament Cribbage Board
Tournament Cribbage Board is a two-player board measuring 16.75 by 4.5 by 1 inches, with a choice of maple, cherry or beetle kill pine top. Compare the long Tournament Cribbage Board footprint with the space where the recipient usually plays.
For an established cribbage pair, compare the wood options with the board they use now. If you are giving it to a beginner who wants to learn, add a deck of cards and offer to sit with them for the first game.
Before giving: Tournament Cribbage Board includes six playing pieces and printed rules. A deck of playing cards is separate.
Tournament Cribbage Board starts at $76.25; product price checked October 6, 2026.
Established domino players
Mexican Train Florida Edition
Mexican Train Florida Edition contains one wooden hub, nine player tokens and printed rules; dominoes are separate and the product recommends a Double 12 set. Choose Mexican Train Florida Edition for someone who owns suitable tiles, or add a set to the gift.
If their domino set already comes out at gatherings, the Florida Edition hub and tokens can join that familiar game. Check which tiles they own before wrapping. The dominoes in the photograph are a separate purchase.
Before giving: Mexican Train Florida Edition is pictured with dominoes that are not included.
Mexican Train Florida Edition starts at $21.49; product price checked October 6, 2026.
A new game and a new board ask different things
Penny Drop introduces a roll-and-place game. A cribbage board supports a game the recipient may already know, and a Mexican Train hub adds a particular center and tokens to a domino game. Those are distinct gifts, even when each comes with printed rules.
For a household you do not know well, ask who usually plays and what they already own. A board for a familiar game may be welcome; an accessory without its necessary game pieces can be disappointing. If you want a complete two-player game from this catalog, compare Nine Men's Morris and its listed contents.
Check table space too. A hub's dimensions do not describe the space occupied by domino trains during play. A cribbage board's long footprint differs from a small Penny Drop box. Let the recipient's usual playing place inform the choice.
Pack the present for its first game
- Check the exact edition and the product's included contents.
- Add 12 pennies per player for either Penny Drop edition. For cribbage, check the playing cards. For Mexican Train, confirm the domino set.
- Leave the rules accessible. For Penny Drop, you can print the one-page rules and a score sheet from our Penny Drop rules and score sheets page. If you will be there, offer to play rather than handing over an unexplained object.
- For engraving, confirm the exact location and text before ordering. Refer to the engraving page.
- Use the holiday cutoff page for current Christmas planning. Dispatch and arrival are different, and order-by dates are not guarantees.
Questions before you choose
Do Original and Travel Penny Drop play differently?
Original Penny Drop and Penny Drop Travel follow the same Penny Drop rules. Choose the physical edition and provide pennies for either one.
Does the Mexican Train hub include dominoes?
No. Mexican Train Florida Edition includes a hub, nine tokens and rules; dominoes are separate.
Does the cribbage board include playing cards?
Tournament Cribbage Board includes six playing pieces and printed rules; playing cards are separate.
Which is the best group-game gift here?
Penny Drop is the group-game recommendation. Creative Crafthouse recommends Original Penny Drop for 2 to 10 players; the printed Penny Drop rules allow two or more. Check the recipient's handling needs and age guidance before selecting.
More help choosing the gift
For other recipients, use our Puzzle and Game Gift Center. Christmas Puzzle Gifts for 2026: Seven Picks by Play Style. Screen-Free Gifts for Adults: Choose a Hands-On Activity.
