White Elephant Gift Exchange Rules

1. Listen to the instructions. 

That means you--yes, you folks talking and not paying attention--you are the clowns who will be asking annoying questions later. Stop drinking, shut up, and pay attention!

2. Pay attention during the game. 

The most annoying White Elephant gift exchanges are the ones where no one remembers their number. Pay attention--know when it's your turn!

3. Draw numbers and the first person picks a gift.

Yes, you must unwrap the gift. That's the game.

4. Proceed in order--everyone after the first person picks either a new gift from the pile or steals a gift. 

If someone steals your gift, you have the same choice--pick new or steal.

5. A gift may be stolen 3 times*; third steal and the gift is frozen. 

* Note: change steal number to 2 times for groups that are larger, or for groups drinking heavily. 

* Note 2: You cannot immediately steal back from the person who just stole from you; however, you can if other stealing happens in between.
 
6. No insider trading.

Example: a couple is playing the game and she executes the 2nd steal, and then orchestrates her partner to make the 3rd steal, thus freezing the gift and guaranteeing that it goes home with the couple. That's cheating--manipulating the system with 2 players colluding. Similarly, no scheming for trades after the game while the game is in progress. Group consensus will determine insider trading.

7. End of game
 
If, at the end of the game, the first person still has the gift they first picked, they can elect to exchange their gift with anyone else--even frozen gifts! Upon this exchange, the game is over.

If the first person does not have the gift they first picked, then when the last number takes their turn, the game is over.

8. All participants are responsible for monitoring number of steals, insider trading, and whether the first person still holds their original gift.

Have fun, and steal something--it's what makes the game interesting!

[updated 1-18-18]