The One True White Elephant Gift Exchange Ruleset
Gifts must:
- Number the exact number of players.
- Be wrapped so their contents cannot be visually discerned.
Setup
- All gifts must be placed in a location where players can see all of them without touching any of them.
- Once the game begins, wrapped gifts may not be touched unless they are being unwrapped.
- Players should choose a number at the start to determine the order of play.
- Players need not reveal this number until their turn.
In turn, each player must:
- Reveal their number.
- Unwrap a new gift or steal an available unwrapped gift.
- Never be without a gift after their turn is over.
- Display their gift in plain view.
When a gift is unwrapped
- It is now in play.
- Gifts in play can be stolen a maxiumum of three times.
When a gift is stolen
- The victim must unwrap a new gift or steal a gift in play.
When a gift has been stolen three times:
- It is out of play, safe from theft for the remainder of the game.
When all players have taken their turns:
- The player who went first may keep the gift they currently hold or steal a gift in play, triggering a final orgy of good fn and bad feelings.
White Elephant is over when:
- All gifts have been unwrapped
- All players have a gift
- The player who holds the last gift in play either decides to keep it or cannot steal another because they have all been stolen three times.