How to host a white elephant party

Step by step

1. Pick a date and invite people two to three weeks ahead. Say it is a gift swap and give the price range.
2. Set the rules: price range, steal limit, steal-back and final swap. Put them in the invite.
3. Choose a theme or none. See white elephant themes.
4. Prepare the room. Put a table for wrapped gifts, a clear space for open gifts and chairs in a circle.
5. When guests arrive, ask them to put gifts on the table with no names.
6. Hand out numbers. Use paper slips, or the number generator.
7. Read the rules aloud, then start. Player 1 opens a gift.
8. Keep the game moving with a timer and a scorekeeper.
9. End with a final swap, photos and snacks.

Use the Hollyhush white elephant game night tool to draw the order, track steals and show a live board on your TV. Run a game night

What you need

• A table for wrapped gifts and one for open gifts.
• Numbered slips in a bowl, or a phone with a number tool.
• A printed rules card so guests can check the rules.
• Sticky notes for frozen gifts.
• A timer or a person to keep time.
• Extra wrapping paper and a few spare gifts in case a guest forgot.

A sample party schedule

Rules to announce before you start

Say the price range, the steal limit, whether immediate steal-back is banned, and whether player 1 gets a final swap. Mention that frozen gifts can not be stolen. If you run a variation, such as a dice round, explain it now. A rules card on the gift table saves repeated questions. Read white elephant rules for the complete list and steal rules for steal details.

Keeping it fair and fun

• Wrap the gifts the same way, or have guests use bags. See gift wrapping ideas.
• Let nervous guests draw a later number.
• Do not allow guests to peek or bargain.
• If a gift is a flop, remind the group everyone gets a laugh.
• End on time. Long games lose people.

For groups over 25, use a steal limit of two, or play the dice game to keep it under an hour.

What to do if a guest forgets a gift

It happens at every party. Keep two or three spare gifts on hand, such as a candle, a box of chocolates or a small game, wrapped in the same paper as the rest. A guest who forgot can take one and still play. Do not let a guest join the game with no gift, because the numbers will not match. If you have a lot of spares, list their price so the pile stays fair. Add them to the pile before numbers are handed out.