~$15
Heated Ice Cream Scoop (View on Amazon)
A scoop that warms in the hand to glide through hard ice cream. Cheap, clever, and people say "oh, I need that" out loud.
Home Cookspractical
Free · No sign-up · Pass one phone round
White elephant rules, and a game that keeps score.
Everyone brings one wrapped gift, the order is drawn, and each turn you open a new gift or steal one. The tool on this page draws the order, times each turn, and keeps track of who has what, how many times each gift was stolen and which ones are frozen. Pass the phone round.
By the Gift DeskUpdated
Set up your game
The order is drawn at random. Pass this phone round; nothing to sign up for.
How does white elephant work?
Everyone brings one wrapped gift at an agreed price and the order is drawn. The first player opens a gift. Each next player either opens a new gift or steals one that's already open; whoever is stolen from then opens or steals in turn, but can't take the same gift straight back. A gift is frozen after its third steal. The game ends when the last gift is opened.
How to play white elephant
- 1Set a budget and bring one giftEveryone brings one wrapped gift at the agreed price, often $20 or $25. Wrap it so the shape doesn’t give it away.
- 2Draw the orderNumbers out of a hat, or let the tool shuffle. Number one goes first and is the only one who can’t steal on their first turn.
- 3Open or stealOn your turn, unwrap a gift from the pile and show it to everyone, or steal a gift someone has already opened.
- 4Stolen from? You go againWhoever loses a gift opens a new one or steals a different one, but not the one just taken from them. Then play moves on to the next number.
- 5Three steals and it’s frozenOnce a gift has been stolen three times it stays with whoever has it. Groups set this anywhere from one to three, or play without a limit.
- 6The last gift ends itWhen the last gift is opened, the game is over. In a Yankee swap, number one gets a final turn to swap with anyone, since they never got to steal.
Classic, Yankee swap, Dirty Santa: what changes
It’s the same game under different names: white elephant across most of the US, Yankee swap in New England, Dirty Santa in the South. What really changes from party to party are the house rules, so agree on them before the first gift is opened.
| Rule | What it does | In the tool |
|---|---|---|
| Steal limit | A gift is frozen after a set number of steals, three in most groups. Fewer steals means a faster game. | 1, 2 or 3 steals, or never |
| No stealing straight back | You can’t take back the gift that was just stolen from you on the same turn. Keeps the game from going in circles. | Always on |
| Yankee swap final turn | Number one gets a last turn at the end to swap their gift for any gift that isn’t frozen. | The Yankee swap rules |
| Dirty Santa | Usually the same game with more stealing: a higher steal limit, or none at all. | Anything goes |
| Turn timer | Each person has a minute to decide. Big groups get through the pile in about an hour. | 30, 60 or 90 seconds |
Agree the rules out loud
Read the house rules before the first gift: the steal limit, steal-backs and the final swap. Most arguments come from rules nobody said.
Mix funny and useful
The gifts that get stolen are the useful ones that are a bit fun: a heated blanket, a good mug, a game. Pure gag gifts get a laugh and stay put.
Keep it moving
With more than ten people, use a timer and a steal limit of two. The tool shows whose turn it is, so nobody has to keep count.
White elephant gift ideas by budget
The ones people actually fight over, from our white elephant gift guide. Funny gets a laugh; useful gets stolen.
Under $15
Mini Waffle Maker (View on Amazon)
A tiny waffle iron that makes one waffle at a time. Adorable to unwrap, and it fits in any kitchen, including a dorm’s.
Home Cooksfun
Bacon Scented Candle (View on Amazon)
Silver Dollar Candle Co. Bacon + Bourbon Soy Candle
A candle that smells exactly like breakfast. Everyone wants a sniff, and somebody always insists it’s actually nice.
Home CooksHomebodies
$15 to $25
Rechargeable Hand Warmer Power Bank (View on Amazon)
OCOOPA UT2s Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers
A pocket heater that charges a phone. Passed around the circle, it warms everyone’s hands, and suddenly everyone wants it.
Hikers & CampersTech Lovers
Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone (View on Amazon)
A wireless mic with a speaker and flashing lights. Whoever opens it will be singing within five minutes, for better or worse.
Music Loversfun
Korean Fire Noodle Challenge Variety Pack (View on Amazon)
2PM Extreme Spicy Korean Instant Ramen
A pack of extremely spicy instant ramen. Whoever ends up with it will be challenged to eat one before the night is over.
Hot Sauce Loversfun
$25 to $50
Wearable Oversized Blanket Hoodie (View on Amazon)
Bedsure Wearable Blanket Sherpa Hoodie
A giant sherpa hoodie that’s half blanket. Someone will put it on immediately, which only makes the next person want to steal it more.
cozyfun
Giant Gummy Bear (View on Amazon)
World's Largest Gummy Bear Gift Box
A gummy bear roughly the size of a loaf of bread. It gets held up for photos, then sliced and shared around the room.
funconsumable
Retro Phone Handset for Cell Phones (View on Amazon)
Opis Technology 60s Micro Retro Phone Handset
An old-school telephone handset that plugs into a smartphone. Ridiculous on sight, and genuinely comfortable for long calls.
Tech Loversfun
Questions people ask
What are the rules of white elephant?
Everyone brings one wrapped gift and the order is drawn. On your turn you open a new gift or steal an opened one. If your gift is stolen, you open or steal again, but not the gift just taken from you. A gift is frozen after three steals, and the game ends when the last gift is opened.
What's the difference between white elephant and a Yankee swap?
Mostly the name: Yankee swap is what New England calls it. Many Yankee swap groups add one rule: when the last gift is opened, the first player gets a final turn to swap with anyone, because they never had the chance to steal.
How many times can a gift be stolen?
Most groups freeze a gift after its third steal, so it stays with whoever has it. Some use one or two steals for a quicker game, and some play without a limit.
Can you steal a gift back right away?
No, under the usual rules: if a gift is stolen from you, you open a new one or steal a different one. You can steal it back later, on another turn, if it isn't frozen.
How much should a white elephant gift cost?
Whatever the group agrees: $20 to $25 is the most common, $10 to $15 for a classroom or a big office, and $50 for a family that likes a bigger game. Everyone sticking to the same amount matters more than the amount.
How long does a white elephant game take?
With a one-minute turn timer, about an hour for 20 people, steals included. Without a timer, the same group can take twice as long.
Do we need an app to play?
No. The tool on this page works in any browser, with no account: set it up, pass one phone round, and it keeps track of the turn order, the timer, the steals and the frozen gifts. A game in progress stays on that phone if the page is closed.
Is white elephant the same as Secret Santa?
No. In Secret Santa each person draws one name and buys a gift for that person. In white elephant nobody buys for anyone in particular: the gifts go in a pile and the stealing decides who ends up with what.