A popular party game: The white elephant gift exchange
The white elephant gift exchange is a popular party game played in the winter time during the holidays of thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s. The object of the white elephant gift exchange is for guests at a party to give a gift to the game and each guest leaves with a gift. There is a random drawing to determine the order in which players get to open gifts or to steal unwrapped gifts.
The game’s other names
The white elephant gift exchange is also known by the following names:
- Yankee Swap: This is the game’s name in New England.
- Grinch Exchange
- Chinese Gift Exchange
- Nasty Christmas
- Rob your neighbor
White elephant gifts exchange
The term white elephant refers to an old tradition of giving gifts that were old trinkets and unwanted gifts for past years. This procedure is sometimes called regifting today. The origin of the term white elephant is unclear. One possibility is that the term came from a King of France when he gave a sick pet which was a white elephant to the King of England.
Game overview
The game is generally played among family, friends, and co workers. There are usually six to eight players in a white elephant gift exchange. This gives people enough of a chance to steal gifts from each other. This is a key part of the game’s enjoyment.
Which gifts for the game?
The party’s gift theme should be determined ahead of time. The monetary value of the gifts should be between ten and twenty dollars. The gifts have to wrapped or sealed. Gift certificates are not acceptable.
Gift Ideas
Serenata Chocolates offers a wide range of Christmas Chocolate gifts come in all shapes and varieties, from the treasured box of assorted chocolates to specialty chocolates.
My first experience with this was when I worked for Mormon attorneys. Imagine this. 45 attorney’s plus 50 paralegal, a handfull of assisting staff. Surprise! the partners thought it would be “fun” to limit the amount to $20 but then they themselves threw in diamond topaz earrings, $2000 necklace, $1500 video cam corder and one other outrageously expensive trinket. Are you getting the picture? 100+ over worked people ADD a totally open bar, and you guessed it, WAR! It was so ugly, I’m talking, name calling, fighting, shoving, anger, it was just a nightmare. The Worst example of the Christmas season I’ve ever experienced.
I don’t recommend it for law firms. Or brokerage firms.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I am the great White Elephant!
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 am
I have always played this as “Rob Your Neighbor”. But, every time that I have played it–sometimes multiple times in the same year–it has been a blast! I think it just has to do with the people who’re participating in the gift exchange. If it’s all done in goodwill and fun, you’ll come away having a good time. On the opposite, if someone is actually trying to get THE best gift PERIOD…it’s gonna be a l - o - n - g game.
November 9th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
This can be a fun game, but I think the gifts should be something nice - not expensive, but nice. Not some old thing laying around.
I have just started hearing the term “regifting” - I hadn’t really before this year.
December 8th, 2010 at 8:20 pm