What’s a White Elephant Gift Exchange?

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A white elephant gift exchange is a popular party game in the United States, with many variations in name and gameplay. Generally, a party needs a minimum of six participants, although the larger the group, the more fun and longer the game will be. The goal of the party is usually entertainment rather than money, but it can lead to fierce rivalry between players seeking to obtain sought-after gifts.

All participants must bring a wrapped gift. Traditionally, a white elephant gift is something unusual, somewhat useless, or inconvenient. Costume jewelry, odd knick-knacks, unidentifiable kitchen items, and the like are typical white elephants, and guests are asked to wrap them well and not to leave identifying marks on gifts. Part of the game is often a series of guesses about who brought what gift.

Usually, the participants draw numbers or cards to indicate the order of the players. Strategic players try to end up somewhere in the middle of the game. The presents are stacked in a central position and the game begins when one person opens the first present. The content is displayed in the room and the next player’s turn begins.

The second player can either open a new gift from the pile or steal the first player’s gift. If the second player takes the first player’s white elephant, the first player must open a new present. A gift can only be stolen once per turn. At the end of the second player’s turn, the third player proceeds with the same options and so on until the end of the game.

Some parties enforce a rule that a gift can only be stolen three times, requiring careful strategy in the case of large multiplayer games. Sometimes, players team up to make trades that are beneficial to each other, although some trades prohibit cooperation. In some cases, traditional gifts return to white elephant parties year after year, and players can trace the history of sumptuous fur coats, hideous gravy boats, and other examples throughout the years.

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