A white elephant exchange is a party game where everyone brings one wrapped gift, then takes turns either opening a new gift or stealing one that has already been opened. It works for office parties, families and friend groups of almost any size.

Before the party

  • Set a spending limit so gifts are roughly equal. Many groups choose a limit around $20 to $30.
  • Agree on the theme, if any: funny, useful, homemade or a mix.
  • Ask everyone to wrap the gift without a name tag, so nobody knows who brought what.

Basic rules

  1. Place all gifts in a pile in the middle.
  2. Everyone draws a number to set the order.
  3. Player 1 opens a gift from the pile.
  4. Each following player chooses: open a new gift from the pile, or steal an opened gift from someone else.
  5. A player whose gift is stolen chooses again: open a new gift or steal a different one.
  6. The game continues until every gift has been opened.

Common steal rules

  • No immediate steal-back: you cannot steal back the gift that was just taken from you in the same turn.
  • Steal limit: a gift is “frozen” after it has been stolen a set number of times, often three. The third owner keeps it.
  • Last turn for player 1: after everyone has gone, player 1 may swap with anyone, because they had no chance to steal at the start.
  • Yankee swap: another name for the same game, common in New England.
  • Dice version: players roll dice to decide whether to pass, swap or open.
  • Time limit: the game ends when a timer runs out, which keeps large groups moving.

What makes a good white elephant gift?

Funny gifts get laughs, but useful gifts get stolen. The best gifts appeal to almost anyone, such as cozy blankets, fun kitchen gadgets, party games and good snacks. Avoid anything that depends on size or personal taste, such as clothing or perfume.

Wrap it well: a mystery shape makes it more fun to pick. For ideas within the usual spending limit, see our white elephant gifts and gifts under $25.