Name of Group Game: White Elephant Gift
Type:
Indoor

Number:
Small Group (3 – 9 people) to
Large Group (20 + people)
Age: Elementary School – Adult

Time: 35 – 40 minutes

Summary: Traditional holiday game- bring a gift to exchange and get a gift in return!

Goal: End up with a good gift.

Preparation:
– Ask all participants to bring a wrapped gift (value under $10) ahead of time
– Deck of cards

How to Play the White Elephant Gift Game:
1. Have everyone sit together in a circle. Pile the gifts in the middle of the circle. Have each person draw a card from the deck of cards.

2. The person with the lowest card, the two of spades, picks a present first (Card suit from lowest to highest: spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts). After picking a present, the first person unwraps it for everyone to see.

3. Next, the person with the next lowest card has the choice of picking a gift from the pile or stealing the first person’s gift. If he/she chooses to steal the person’s present, the first person can take choose and unwrap a different gift from the pile.

4. This pattern continues until everyone has a gift. When the last person picks a gift, the game is over. After the game, people can barter and exchange their gifts.

Note: 
A gift can only be “stolen” three times. After a gift has been stolen from two different people, the third person is able to permanently keep the gift (the gift cannot be stolen anymore).

Variation:
Instead of using playing cards, people can draw numbers from a hat. The person with the lowest number picks a gift first.

You May Also Enjoy:
Secret Santa – Gingerbread House Contest – Christmas Charades

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