White elephant gift exchange

The white elephant gift exchange is a popular party game played during the winter holiday season in the United States. The objective of the game is for guests of a party to each contribute one gift to the game, and ultimately each guest walks away with one gift from the game. Along the way is a random drawing to determine the order in which players get to unwrap gifts or "steal" previously opened gifts.

Rules

Items needed

1. While it is not mandatory, generally a maximum value is agreed upon for the gifts involved; e.g., all gifts should be valued between $10 and $20. It is recommended to remind people that they should choose to bring a gift that they themselves wouldn't mind receiving.

2. Participants bring their gifts wrapped or sealed in a gift bag, and often take care to hide the identity of the giver.

3. Gifts are placed in a designated area.

4. Participants draw numbers to see who goes first, second, etc.

How to Play

1. The guest who has drawn #1 goes first. He/she chooses a gift from the gift pile, opens the gift for all to see, and keeps it for the time being.

2. The guest who has drawn #2 goes next. He/she can either choose to take an unopened gift from the gift pile or to "steal" a gift from any previous gift-opener.

3. If a gift is "stolen" from a previous gift-opener, he or she may either open an unopened present from the gift pile, or "steal" another guest's opened gift. Turns resume when all guests who have taken their turn possess an open gift.

4. After all turns have been taken, the person who has drawn #1 has the option of taking one more turn (stealing any gift) since they had the disadvantage of not knowing what any of the now-opened presents were in the beginning.

ADDITIONAL RULE: A gift is considered "FROZEN" once it has been "stolen" three times, and, once frozen, it becomes unavailable to the other guests---it then belongs to whoever possesses it at that time, and cannot be stolen again. If someone has donated a gift that stands out among the rest, this prevents the game from revolving entirely around that gift.

Origin

The name "white elephant" loosely refers to an old tradition of giving gift items consisting of old trinkets, knick-knacks, or unwanted gifts from previous years (also known as "regifting"). It originates from an old Burmese cultural reference to the value of an albino elephant, which is considered sacred and must be well taken care of, despite the financial burden that it may bring to its owner.

Trivia

This game was featured in the Season 2 episode of The Office titled Christmas Party. It was referred to as "Yankee Swap."