How to organize a gift exchange White Elephant

Video: White Elephant Gift Exchange - a how to guide

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 2: Game Basics
Part 2 of 2: Variations
Tips

Exchanging White Elephant Gifts is a relaxed way to have fun with colleagues at work or at family gatherings. “White Elephant” gifts are traditionally considered to be extremely shabby “gifts” or those that do not suit the tastes of the recipient. The main idea of the White Elephant gift exchange is to give everyone a chance to get rid of unnecessary trinkets - and invariably receive new ones in return! The exchange of “White Elephant” gifts can take place in different ways. There is a list of rules, in particular, that the gift must be yours in advance, which means that you re-donate an unwanted item or trinket. Others buy new, usually inexpensive, sticky knick-knacks just for the party. The goal is to pick out silly, funny or entertaining souvenirs. If you are really stumped with a choice, just visit your local discount store.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Game Basics

1 Establish rules for your group. Is this a gift giving party or should the attendees buy something new? How much can you spend? Make sure everyone understands the rules, whether they like having to buy new items, and whether they understand how much to spend on a gift. You don't want one person to donate a modern game console and another donate a used pen cap.
2 Find the perfect White Elephant Exchange Gift. Wrap it in a gift or homemade wrap and bring it secretly to the party.
- If you're having trouble coming up with a gift that's both ridiculous and appropriate, consider these gift ideas:
  - Disgusting decorations
  - Foul-smelling perfume or lotion.
  - Cheap, ugly statues and other decorative knickknacks.
  - Disgusting T-shirt, sweater, tie or bow tie.
  - Training videos, especially with Richard Simmons.
  - A frame with a picture of your boss, but only if the boss has a good sense of humor.
3 Keep your gift a secret. The idea is that the recipient is unaware of the gift. As soon as you come to work, put the gift in the gift box along with other gifts.
4 Write down the numbers in sequence on pieces of paper. Make as many numbers as there are participants in the exchange. For example, if there are 15 participants, prepare small pieces of paper with numbers from 1 to 15, fold them once or twice, and drop them into a small bowl or bag.
5 Invite everyone to draw their number. The number will indicate the order in which he will choose the gift.
6 Start with the participant who drew # 1. The first person selects any wrapped gift in the gift box and opens it. Further - in the orders of the queue.
7 The next participant must choose a gift from an already opened package or pull a new unopened gift out of the box.
- The participant who has their gift stolen can steal the next participant's gift or pull a new one out of the box.
- You cannot immediately steal back a gift that was stolen from you. You must wait at least one round for theft in order to steal back the gift that was once in your possession.
- A gift cannot be stolen more than once in one round.
8 Continue in order. The person with the next number in order either pulls the gift out of the gift box or steals the gift from someone else. Competitors who have had their souvenirs stolen choose a gift from a box or steal souvenirs that have not yet been stolen in this round.

Part 2 of 2: Variations

1 Agree and implement as many additions to the game as you like. There are many variations of the White Elephant Gift Exchange. Review a couple of options and decide before starting the game which ones you want to implement.
- Celebrate gifts by gender, if possible. It is appropriate to make labels for gifts for men and gifts for women.
- Can be gift wrapped instruction cards and put inside the box. Directions may include rules such as “the holder of this card selects two gifts, reveals both of them and places them back in the gift box,” or “the holder of this card chooses a gift and no one can steal this memento”. If you decide to play with such cards, please note two things:
  - Participants who prepare directions cards must bring both cards and a gift. If they don’t bring gifts, there may not be enough souvenirs for everyone.
  - Direction cards are more difficult to use if you choose to open the gifts at the very end. Obviously, it is impossible to “open two gifts and pick one” if, according to the rules, you should not open gifts until the very end of the exchange.
- The first player may be given the opportunity to exchange gifts with another player at the very end. Since the first player cannot steal, this opportunity is given to him at the very end. This option works best when gifts are not opened until the very end of the exchange - otherwise, the first player will receive an undeniable advantage.
2 Experiment with stealing. There are many different types of theft in the White Elephant Gift Exchange. Play with your options in mind.
- A souvenir that was stolen three times - freezes... After an item changes ownership three times, it can no longer be stolen and it remains with the third person who stole it. Be sure to keep track of how many times the gift was stolen by writing down in a notebook, otherwise you will get confused.
- In addition, restrictions may apply to how many times one participant can steal something (instead of the number of times one item is stolen). For example, if you set the limit to three, the item can be stolen many times until it ends up in the hands of the participant who has exhausted his theft limit.
- Set a limit on the number of thefts for each round. If, for example, you limit the theft of gifts to three units per round, then after the third theft, the next player "must" choose a gift from the box.