The traditional rules for a
White Elephant gift exchange are as follows:
1. Bring a gift: Each player brings one wrapped gift.
2. You must bring a gift to play.
3. Gifts should be items from your home that you no longer want. Gifts can be of any value and should not be newly purchased.
4. Draw numbers: Players draw numbers to determine the order in which they will choose a gift.
5. Take turns: The player with the number “1” opens the first gift, and the player with the number “2” can either open a new gift or steal/swap the first player's unwrapped gift. Players continue taking turns, opening gifts, and stealing/swapping gifts.
6. Gifts can only be stolen 2 times. The third player to possess a gift, keeps it.
7. Final turn: After the player with the last drawn number chooses a gift, or the 2nd steal of that gift has concluded, the first player gets a final turn to steal a gift, or keep the gift they have. If they steal a gift, the player they stole from can keep the swapped gift, or steal. If they steal a gift, the player with the swapped gift has the option to keep the gift or make one final swap. Either way, the game ends with everyone having a gift.
2. You must bring a gift to play.
3. Gifts should be items from your home that you no longer want. Gifts can be of any value and should not be newly purchased.
4. Draw numbers: Players draw numbers to determine the order in which they will choose a gift.
5. Take turns: The player with the number “1” opens the first gift, and the player with the number “2” can either open a new gift or steal/swap the first player's unwrapped gift. Players continue taking turns, opening gifts, and stealing/swapping gifts.
6. Gifts can only be stolen 2 times. The third player to possess a gift, keeps it.
7. Final turn: After the player with the last drawn number chooses a gift, or the 2nd steal of that gift has concluded, the first player gets a final turn to steal a gift, or keep the gift they have. If they steal a gift, the player they stole from can keep the swapped gift, or steal. If they steal a gift, the player with the swapped gift has the option to keep the gift or make one final swap. Either way, the game ends with everyone having a gift.