Steal or OpenWhat is a white elephant gift exchange?
A white elephant gift exchange is a party game: everyone brings one wrapped gift, then players take turns either opening a gift from the pile or stealing one someone already opened. The fun is in the steals. It's also called a Yankee swap or Dirty Santa.
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.
Why it's called white elephant
A "white elephant" is an old phrase for a possession that's more trouble than it's worth. That's why many groups bring funny or odd gifts, though plenty play with useful gifts in a set budget.
What to bring
One wrapped gift inside the price limit your group agreed, usually $20 to $30. Wrap it so the shape gives nothing away; a gift nobody can guess gets opened sooner.
White elephant vs. Secret Santa
| White elephant | Secret Santa | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you buy for | Anyone: your gift goes in a pile | One person, drawn ahead of time |
| Planning ahead | Only a price limit | Drawing names days or weeks before |
| On the night | Turns, opening and stealing | Handing over gifts |
| What you go home with | Whatever you hold at the end | A gift chosen for you |
White elephant suits groups where people don't know each other well, like an office, because nobody has to shop for one person.
Questions people ask next
Is white elephant the same as a Yankee swap?
Yes. Yankee swap and Dirty Santa are other names for the same steal game, with small differences in house rules.
How much should you spend on a white elephant gift?
Whatever your group agrees. $20 to $30 is common; offices often go lower.
Do white elephant gifts have to be funny?
No. Some groups go for gag gifts; others want useful gifts that people will fight over.