White elephant rules for your gift exchange

Everyone brings one wrapped gift and draws a number. On your turn you open a gift from the pile or steal one somebody already opened. A gift is frozen after its third steal, and player 1 gets one last swap at the end.

Draw numbers

What you need

One wrapped gift per player, within the budget
Numbers for the turn order
Sticky notes to count steals
A die, if you play the dice version

How to play white elephant, step by step

Everyone brings one gift
Agree on a budget. Each player brings one wrapped gift within it, with no name on it, and all the gifts go in one pile.
Draw numbers
Each player draws a number to set the turn order. Slips of paper in a hat work, and so does the number drawer on this page.
Player 1 opens a gift
Player 1 picks any gift from the pile and unwraps it where everyone can see.
Open or steal
On every turn after that, choose: open a new gift from the pile, or steal a gift someone has already opened.
Stolen from? Go again
If your gift is stolen, you go right away: open a new gift or steal a different one. You can't take back the gift that was just taken from you.
Opening a gift ends the turn
Steals can chain from player to player, but as soon as someone unwraps a new gift, play moves on to the next number.
Three steals and it's frozen
After its third steal, a gift is frozen: whoever holds it keeps it, and nobody can steal it again.
Player 1 gets the last swap
When the pile is empty, player 1 may swap their gift for any gift that isn't frozen, or keep it. Then the game ends and everyone keeps what they hold.

Steal limits and frozen gifts

Stealing is the game, and the limits keep it moving. A steal never ends a turn: the player who lost a gift goes straight away, so one good gift can pass through four or five hands before anyone opens the next one. The only rule inside that chain is no instant steal-backs. You can't take back the gift that was just taken from you, though you can come back for it on a later turn.

Most groups freeze a gift after its third steal. The third person to steal it keeps it, and it is out of play, final swap included. Put a sticky note on each opened gift and add a tally mark for every steal, so nobody has to remember. With a big group, some play a second limit too: after three steals in one turn, the next person stolen from has to open a new gift.

The first player's final swap

Player 1 has the worst seat in the game. They open the first gift with nothing to steal, then watch it get taken or ignored. So when the last gift in the pile is opened, player 1 gets one more move: swap their gift for any gift that isn't frozen, or keep what they have. Whoever they swap with takes player 1's gift, with no steal back, and the game is over.

White elephant number drawer

Type how many people are playing and pass one phone around: each player taps once and gets a number, like pulling one from a hat. Or add everyone's names to get the whole turn order at once, ready to put on the TV.

How many players?

The draw runs on this device. Names and numbers are not sent anywhere or saved.

Variations

Yankee swap and Dirty Santa

These are mostly other names for the same game. Yankee swap is what it is usually called in New England, and Dirty Santa is common in the South. House rules drift from group to group: some Yankee swaps let you open a gift first and then decide whether to trade it for one that is already open, and some groups freeze a gift after its second steal instead of its third. Whichever you play, say the steal limit out loud before the first gift is opened.

White elephant with dice

The dice version trades turns for a timer, which suits a big group. Everyone takes a wrapped gift from the pile, not their own, and sits in a circle. Set a timer for a few minutes and pass one die around: roll, do what the table says, pass the die to your left. When the timer goes off, everyone unwraps. Then play a second, shorter round with the gifts open. When that timer ends, you keep what you hold.

Roll	What happens
1	Keep the gift you have.
2	Swap gifts with the person on your left.
3	Swap gifts with the person on your right.
4	Swap gifts with anyone you choose.
5	Everyone passes their gift one seat to the left.
6	Roll again.

No die? Roll one here.

Virtual white elephant on Zoom

Everyone buys a gift and keeps it wrapped at home. On the call, each player holds their gift up to the camera, and one person keeps a list of who holds what. Share your screen with the number drawer to set the order, then play as usual: open gifts on camera, steal by name, and update the list after every move. At the end, each giver ships their gift to whoever ended up with it, so say in the invite whether shipping counts toward the budget.

Budget and gift tips

Treat the budget as a limit

Pick one number everyone can afford and say it in the invite. Many groups choose $20 to $30. A gift far over the limit makes everyone else's look small.

Buy for anyone

You don't know who will take your gift home, so choose something most of the room would be glad to have: a good card game, fancy snacks or hot sauce, a cozy throw, a mug with a bag of good coffee.

Wrap to disguise

A box inside a bigger box, or an odd shape, keeps people guessing. Leave your name off, and tuck in a gift receipt.

Say whether gag gifts are in

The name comes from the old story of a white elephant as a gift that costs more to keep than it is worth, so some groups play with joke gifts and regifts only. Agree on it up front, and keep it kind at work.

Printable white elephant rules

The whole game on one page, with space for your budget and the date. Print it and put it next to the gift pile.

White elephant rules

The gift exchange where stealing is allowed.

Budget:
Date:

How to play

1Everyone brings one wrapped gift within the budget, with no name on it.
2Draw numbers to set the turn order.
3Player 1 picks a gift from the pile and opens it.
4Each next player opens a new gift or steals an opened one.
5If your gift is stolen, open a new one or steal a different one. No instant steal-backs.
6The turn ends when someone opens a new gift.
7After its third steal, a gift is frozen and stays where it is.
8When the pile is empty, player 1 may swap for any unfrozen gift. Then everyone keeps what they hold.

Dice version

Everyone holds a wrapped gift. Pass one die around on a timer, roll and follow the table. Unwrap when the timer ends, play one shorter round with gifts open, then keep what you hold.

1	Keep the gift you have.
2	Swap gifts with the person on your left.
3	Swap gifts with the person on your right.
4	Swap gifts with anyone you choose.
5	Everyone passes their gift one seat to the left.
6	Roll again.

wishes.app/white-elephant-rules · number drawer and dice roller online

Before the party

Running a Secret Santa instead?

Wishes draws names for free. Everyone joins from one link and makes a wishlist, and each Santa sees the list of the person they drew.

Everyone brings a wishlist

Asked what you want this year?

Wishes is a free wishlist app. Add gifts from any store, share one link, and family can book what they will buy so nobody doubles up.

White elephant questions

What are the rules of white elephant?

Everyone brings one wrapped gift and draws a number. Player 1 opens a gift. Each player after that opens a new gift or steals an opened one, and anyone whose gift is stolen opens or steals again. A gift is frozen after its third steal, and when the pile is empty player 1 may make one final swap.

How many times can a gift be stolen?

Most groups freeze a gift after its third steal, so whoever steals it the third time keeps it. Agree on the number before the first gift is opened, and keep a tally on a sticky note on each gift.

Can you steal back a gift that was just stolen from you?

Not straight away. Open a new gift or steal a different one. You can steal it back on a later turn if it isn't frozen by then.

Why does the first player get a final swap?

Player 1 opened a gift with nothing to steal, so they are the only player who never had a choice. The final swap evens that out: at the end they may trade for any gift that isn't frozen.

What is the difference between white elephant and Yankee swap?

Mostly the name. Yankee swap is what the game is usually called in New England, and Dirty Santa is common in the South. Some Yankee swap groups let you open a gift first and then decide whether to trade it for one that is already open.

How do you play white elephant with dice?

Everyone holds a wrapped gift and sits in a circle. Set a timer and pass a die around; on each roll, do what the dice table says. When the timer ends, everyone unwraps, and a second, shorter round is played with the gifts open. When that timer ends, you keep what you hold.

How do you play white elephant on Zoom?

Each player shows their wrapped gift on camera and one person keeps track of who holds what. Draw numbers on a shared screen, open gifts on camera and steal as usual. At the end, each giver ships their gift to whoever ended up with it, so say in the invite whether shipping counts toward the budget.

What is a good budget for white elephant?

One number everyone can afford, treated as a limit. Many groups choose $20 to $30, and gag gift exchanges often go lower.

How is white elephant different from Secret Santa?

In Secret Santa you draw one person's name and give them a gift, so you can buy with them in mind. In white elephant nobody knows who will end up with what, so everyone buys something most people would like, and the fun is in the stealing.

Does the number drawer save the names I type?

No. The draw runs in your browser. Names you type are not sent to Wishes or anyone else, and they are gone when you leave the page.