Steal or OpenThe Christmas gift swap game with steals
The best-known Christmas gift swap game is the steal game, also called white elephant, Yankee swap or Dirty Santa. Everyone brings one wrapped gift; players take turns opening a new one or stealing one already opened. A dozen people with a three-steal limit finish in under half an hour.
Who's playing?
Type each name and press Add. You can fix names at any turn.
No players yet. You need at least 3.
House rules
Turn 1 of 8
Name
Open a gift or steal one.
Tap the gift to steal.
Turn order and names
That's a wrap
Who went home with what:
The game stays on this phone. Close the page and it picks up where you left off.
Which gift exchange game fits your party
| Game | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Steal game (white elephant) | Open a gift or steal an opened one | Offices and mixed groups; no names drawn ahead |
| Secret Santa | Each person buys for one name drawn ahead | Groups that know each other well |
| Dice game | Roll a die; the number says pass, swap or steal | Families and kids |
| Left-right story | Pass gifts left or right as a story is read | Big groups seated in a circle |
This page runs the steal game. The other three need no tracking: a die or a story does the work.
How long the steal game takes
Twelve players with a three-steal limit: 12 openings and at most 36 steals, so up to about 24 minutes. Times assume about a minute per opening and 20 seconds per steal, our rough guess; a chatty group is slower.
Questions people ask next
What is the gift exchange game where you steal?
White elephant, also called Yankee swap or Dirty Santa.
How many people do you need for a gift swap game?
At least 3 for the steal game. It works well from about 6 to 30.
Do kids like the steal game?
Many do, but losing a gift can sting. Freezing gifts after one steal keeps it gentle.