White Elephant Gift Exchange
White Elephant is the holiday party game where everyone brings a funny or odd gift, and presents can be stolen. Expect lots of laughter and a little friendly rivalry.
Basic rules
- Everyone brings one wrapped gift with no name on it.
- Draw numbers to decide the playing order.
- Player 1 picks and opens a gift.
- Each next player either opens a new gift or steals an opened one.
- A player whose gift is stolen opens a new gift or steals another (but not the one just taken from them).
- A gift can be stolen at most 3 times, then it’s “frozen”.
- The game ends when all gifts are opened. Optionally, player 1 gets one final steal.
Popular variations
- Secret funny Santa: Draw names online first, then everyone buys their match the funniest gift. No stealing.
- Regift edition: No buying allowed; wrap something unused from home.
- Dice game: Roll a 6 to open a gift, a 1 to pass gifts to the right.
- Left-right story: Pass gifts left or right each time the words appear in a story.
Funny White Elephant gift ideas
- A year’s supply of toilet paper with a fancy bow
- A mug or pillow printed with your own face
- Giant socks
- A 1,000-piece single-colour puzzle
- The ugliest Christmas sweater you can find
- A desk bell for the office
Tips for a smooth game
- Keep the budget low; the goal is laughs, not luxury.
- Read the rules out loud first, especially the freeze rule.
- At work, remind everyone to keep gifts office-appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between White Elephant and Secret Santa?
In Secret Santa, each person buys for one specific, secretly assigned person. In White Elephant, nobody buys for anyone in particular: all gifts go into a pile, are picked in turn and can be stolen.
How many people do you need?
It works best with 6–20 players. For bigger groups, limit steals to keep the game moving.
How bad should a White Elephant gift be?
Funny, not hurtful. Avoid gifts that poke fun at anyone’s looks, age or beliefs.