11 Best White Elephant Exchange Games That’ll Make You Snort-Laugh

Tired of the same old small talk around the Christmas tree? Well, dust off that twinkle-light tinsel crown, because it’s time to elevate your at-home holiday party game.

I’m here to inject some serious fun into your White Elephant gift exchange.

Forget about politely passing predictable presents – we’re about to turn your cozy casa into a gift-swapping wonderland that’ll have everyone from Grandma to your too-cool-for-school nephew in stitches.

Let’s turn your run-of-the-mill gift swap into a laugh-out-loud extravaganza!

1. The Classic Steal-and-Swap: Musical Chairs with Presents

Let’s kick things off with the OG of White Elephant games – the classic steal-and-swap.

Think of it as musical chairs but with presents and a higher risk of family feuds.

Here’s how it goes down:

1. Everyone brings a wrapped gift (set a price limit to avoid that one show-off)
2. Draw numbers to determine the order (pro tip: use candy canes as number holders)
3. First person opens a gift (cue the “oohs” and “aahs”)
4. Next person can steal that gift or open a new one
5. If your gift is stolen, you can either steal from someone else or open a new gift
6. Repeat until everyone’s got a gift or you’ve disowned half your family

The Rules: Set a limit on how many times a gift can be stolen (3 is standard), unless you want to be there until New Year’s.

Ready to turn your holiday gathering from “meh” to “memorable”? Dive into our full guide and learn the rules and tips for how to host a White Elephant exchange that’ll have everyone talking (and possibly wrestling over gifts)

2. Themed Gift Exchange: Sprinkle Some Pizzazz on Your Party

Feeling fancy? Slap a theme on that bad boy! ‘Cozy winter‘ sounds great until you’re frantically searching for a stylish snuggie at 2 AM. Been there, done that, got the ugly sweater to prove it.

How it Works: Choose a theme and make sure everyone knows it when they’re buying gifts. Play follows the classic rules, but now every unwrapping is a hilarious adventure in theme interpretation.

Some theme ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• As Seen on TV (Snuggie, anyone?)
• Dollar Store Delights (Bonus points for the most ridiculous find)
• Regifted Treasures (We all have ’em, time to set them free)
• Childhood Nostalgia (Pogs, anyone? No? Just me?)

Remember, the weirder the theme, the better the stories you’ll have to tell later.

One of my college buddies ended up with a life-size cardboard cutout of Nicolas Cage from a “Movies” theme.

Apparently the cardboard cutout now guards his front door, scaring solicitors and small children who pass by.

At any rate, you’ll be amazed at how a simple theme can turn your run-of-the-mill gift swap into a laugh-out-loud extravaganza.

3. Paper Bag White Elephant Gift Exchange Game

Ready for a gift exchange that’s more unpredictable than your aunt’s mystery casserole?

How it works:

Everyone brings an unwrapped gift in a LARGE BROWN PAPER BAG

Setup:

• Form a circle with bagged gifts in the middle
• Place Ultimate Gift (wrapped) in center, topped with small prizes
• Explain rules (use a whiteboard to save your sanity)

How to Play:

1. Grab a bag, give a quick peek to the group
2. Roll the dice and let chaos reign!
3. Different dice rolls trigger various gift-swapping shenanigans
4. Keep rolling until the Ultimate Gift is claimed

The aftermath:

• Open your final gifts and prepare for laughter (or groans)

Want to dive into the delightfully chaotic details of this dice-rolling, paper bag-swapping extravaganza?

Click through for the full rundown on the paper bag white elephant gift exchange game and prepare to become the holiday party MVP!

Trust me, your family gatherings will never be the same (in the best way possible).

Psst! As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases-at no extra cost to you. But, I’m picky: I only share the good stuff. If it’s not useful or fun, it’s not on my list. Check this out if you wanna know more.

4. White Elephant Bingo: For the “Not-So-Competitive” Crowd

White Elephant Bingo is perfect for those of us who love to pretend we’re not in it to win it. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Create bingo cards with popular gift items (scented candles, socks, gift cards, etc.)
2. Hand out cards and markers before the gift exchange begins (which is played like the classic white elephant gift exchange)
3. As gifts are unwrapped, players mark off matching items on their cards
4. First to get bingo wins a prize (and bragging rights)

The Twist: Make it a blackout game for extra chaos. The last person to fill their card has to take home the least popular gift. Suddenly that singing fish plaque doesn’t look so bad, does it?

Try not to shout “BINGO!” too enthusiastically when Susan unwraps yet another scented candle. We all know you’ve been eyeing that bad boy.

5. Reverse White Elephant: Embrace Your Inner Do-Gooder

Feeling charitable?

Try a Reverse White Elephant. It’s like regular gift-giving, but with a side of smugness for being a good person.

Here’s how to flex those altruistic muscles:

1. Instead of gifts, everyone brings items to donate (food, toys, clothing, etc.)
2. Set up a display of local charities or causes that could use donations
3. Follow classic White Elephant rules, but instead of keeping gifts, players choose which charity gets the item they “won”
4. At the end, deliver the items to their chosen charities

Bonus Round: Add a twist by including some gag gifts. If someone ends up with a rubber chicken, they get to choose a charity to receive a cash donation instead.

Feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing you’ve spread some holiday cheer beyond your living room.

Plus, you won’t end up with another dust-collecting tchotchke. Win-win!

6. White Elephant Auction: Monopoly Money Meets Gift-Giving

If you’re like me and still haven’t quite grasped how the stock market works, host an auction with play money.

It’s all the excitement of spending without the real-life consequences!

1. Give everyone a set amount of play money (Monopoly cash works great)
2. Unwrap all gifts and display them for everyone to see
3. Start the bidding! Go through each gift one by one
4. Highest bidder wins the item
5. Keep going until all gifts are claimed or everyone’s broke

Plot Twist: Include some mystery gifts to really up the ante.

Watch as your friends turn into Wall Street wolves over a box that could contain anything from a diamond necklace to a pack of rubber bands.

7. Timed White Elephant: Panic-Induced Gift-Grabbing

For the impatient among us (guilty as charged), set a timer for quick decisions.

Nothing says “holiday spirit” like panic-induced gift-grabbing, right?

1. Set a 30-second timer for each turn
2. When it’s your turn, you have 30 seconds to decide: a) Steal a gift from someone else b) Unwrap a new gift
3. If you don’t decide in time, you must take a new gift (no stealing for you, slowpoke!)
4. Continue until all gifts are opened

Spice it Up: Decrease the time as the game progresses. Start with 30 seconds, then 20, then 10. By the end, it’s pure chaos.

8. Holiday White Elephant Sock Exchange

Perfect for those who love festive footwear or just enjoy watching their friends scramble for the best pair.

Each sock pair should be tied together and labeled with a number. These are good tags and twine to use.

How to play the Holiday Sock Exchange

1. Players sit around a table, imagining they’re explorers in a temple of sock treasures.
2. The first adventurer rolls a die and retrieves the sock pair matching the number.
3. The next player rolls and either: a) Picks the corresponding numbered socks from the treasure chest, or b) “Steals” the socks from another player matching the die number.
4. If socks are stolen, the victim rolls again and repeats the process.
5. Continue until one pair remains in the chest.
6. The final player chooses between the last pair or stealing from others.
7. Everyone unwraps their socks and keeps the gifts inside.

Level Up: Players guess who brought their final socks for an extra prize.

Remember: No peeking or unwrapping until the end.

9. Secret Santa White Elephant: The Gift-Giving Hybrid

Can’t decide between Secret Santa and White Elephant?

Why choose?

Combine them for a dash of personalization with a side of chaos.

1. Draw names beforehand, Secret Santa style
2. Everyone brings a gift for their assigned person
3. Play White Elephant rules with the personalized gifts
4. When it’s your turn, you can: a) Steal someone else’s gift b) Open the gift meant for you
5. If your gift is stolen, you can steal from others or open a new gift

The Catch: You can’t steal back the gift you brought. Sorry, no take-backsies!

Just don’t be that person who gives their nemesis a passive-aggressive self-help book. Not that I’ve ever done that… (Okay, maybe once. Sorry, Karen from HR!)

Unlike me, who once gave my dad a mug with a salmon on it (and my dad doesn’t fish). Don’t be like me, okay?

10. White Elephant Scavenger Hunt: Indiana Jones Meets Gift Exchange

Transform the exchange into a scavenger hunt with clues.

Perfect for those who love solving puzzles or just enjoy watching their friends run around like headless chickens.

1. Hide gifts around your house (or wherever you’re having your party) before guests arrive
2. Create clues for each gift (the trickier, the better)
3. When it’s your turn, you get a clue to find a gift
4. Once you find it, unwrap it in front of everyone
5. Next person can steal your gift or take a new clue
6. Continue until all gifts are found and the normal White Elephant rules kick in

Level Up: Make it a team event! Divide into groups and race to find gifts. First team to find all their gifts gets an extra steal during the exchange.

Bonus points if you wear an Indiana Jones hat while setting it up. Just me? Okay then.

11. Virtual White Elephant Exchange: Pajama-Friendly Gift-Giving

Lastly, for our friends who prefer to celebrate in pajamas (no judgment here), go virtual! It’s all the fun of gift-giving without having to pretend to like Karen’s homemade fruitcake.

1. Choose a video conferencing platform (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
2. Use a virtual gift exchange tool to manage selections (Elfster, DrawNames, etc.)
3. Everyone opens their camera when it’s their turn
4. Follow classic White Elephant rules, but with digital “stealing”
5. Ship gifts to recipients after the exchange

Virtual Twist: Instead of physical gifts, do digital presents like e-gift cards, subscription services, or digital art. Instant gratification!

Wrap It Up (See What I Did There?)

Well, folks, we’ve covered a smorgasbord of White Elephant variations to spice up your holiday gatherings.

Whether you’re into charitable giving, frenzied bidding, or treasure hunting, there’s a game here to tickle your festive fancy.

So gather your crew, set some ground rules, and dive into the gloriously chaotic world of White Elephant exchanges.

May your gifts be weird, your laughter be loud, and your holiday spirit be unbreakable.