White elephant rules and other gift exchange games
Short answer. Bring one wrapped gift each. On your turn, open a gift or steal one.
Two steals freeze a gift, and the first player gets one final swap.
Ready to play?
Kept only in this tab. A shared screen gets the game sealed, so the names stay private.
Kids go first; nobody steals their gifts. With names, list the kids first.
Draw a new order to apply the kids setting. The current game keeps its rules until then.
Active house rules
- 2 steals freeze
- Final swap on
Turn order
Turn order
Hand the numbers out around the table in this order. The first seat gets the first number, the next seat the second, and so on. Number 1 goes first.
Play in number order. A gift freezes once it has been stolen 2 times. Player 1 gets one final swap at the end. Kids go first, and nobody steals a kid's gift.
Steals and turn timer
Keep a spare gift in case someone forgets. Odd numbers are fine. Add your own house rules in the tool.
Seven rules, in order
- Agree a budget. One price limit for everyone.
- Bring one wrapped gift each. No name on it.
- Draw the order. The first player opens a gift.
- Open or steal. Open a wrapped gift or take one that is not frozen.
- Robbed? Go again. Open or steal, but no gift moves twice in one turn, including straight back.
- Two steals freeze a gift. It stays with its holder to the end.
- One final swap. At the end, the first player may swap with anyone. Both gifts must be unfrozen. Then stop: no further stealing or replacement turns.
These are our house rules. Yankee swap and Dirty Santa are the same game.
Follow the giftless player
Anna, Ben, Cleo and Dan play. Anna has a mug, Ben has a scarf. Now it is Cleo's turn.
1Cleo takes the mug
AnnaCleo
Anna goes next. The mug can't move again this turn.
2Anna takes the scarf
BenAnna
Now Ben goes.
3Ben opens a gift
WrappedBen
That ends the turn. Dan is next.
No gift can move twice in one turn, including straight back. If nothing can be stolen, open a wrapped gift.
- Opened0 steals
- Stolen once1 steal
- Frozen2 total steals
Opening is not a steal. A frozen gift stays with its holder, including at the final swap.
Which version fits your group?
Kids, no stealing
Each child opens one gift. Trades after that need both children's agreement.
Speed round
Each gift can be stolen once, and a robbed player opens a gift. 30 seconds a turn, no final swap.
Secret Santa instead
Everyone buys for one person, and nobody steals. Draw the names with the Secret Santa generator.
On a video call: one host collects and numbers the gifts. Agree who pays postage and get permission for private addresses. Keep track of who holds what, and pause if the giftless player disconnects.
What makes a good gift?
Ask first: useful gifts, joke gifts or regifts? Pick something most people in the group would enjoy.
Check food needs and keep ingredient labels. Skip alcohol and anything that needs a clothing size.