A white elephant gift exchange, Yankee swap or Dirty Santa is a party game where amusing and impractical gifts are exchanged during festivities. Here’s how it typically works:
- Setting Up:
- Each participant brings a wrapped gift within a predetermined budget limit. The gifts are placed in a central location.
- Drawing Numbers:
- Participants draw numbers to determine the order in which they’ll choose and unwrap gifts. The first player selects a gift from the pool and opens it.
- Gift Exchange:
- Subsequent players have two options:
- They can either choose a new, wrapped gift from the pile or “steal” an unwrapped gift from someone who has already opened a gift.
- If a participant’s gift is “stolen,” they can choose to open a new gift or steal from someone else.
- A gift can typically only be stolen a set number of times (often with a limit of three steals per gift).
- Subsequent players have two options:
- Continuation:
- The game continues until all participants have had a chance to select or steal a gift.
The element of “stealing” gifts adds excitement and unpredictability to the game, as a coveted item might change hands multiple times.
“White Elephant” or “Yankee Swap” games can be lively and entertaining, especially when participants vie for the most interesting or desirable gifts while navigating the stealing and swapping rules. It’s a fun way to exchange gifts and often results in lots of laughter and friendly competition among family and friends.
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