How to play White Elephant with gift stealing

1. Agree on the budget and rules before wrapping

Each person brings a gift within the agreed budget. Set the date, location and theme, and explain the steal limit: the site supports 1 to 10 steals per gift across the game. The platform coordinates play; the group supplies the physical gifts and arranges delivery.

2. Create White Elephant and confirm the group

Choose White Elephant when creating the exchange. Add people and send each one their personal invitation. The organizer must also be added as a participant to play. Starting requires between 2 and 100 confirmed people and no unanswered invitations.

3. Prepare one gift per person and check the board

Register exactly one gift per confirmed participant. Number or identify the physical packages so they match the board. Gift titles stay hidden from guests until each gift is opened; avoid revealing their contents in the group chat. Close invitations and prepare the exchange.

4. Start the game and follow the active turn

The organizer starts the game and the site shuffles the turn order. The active person can open a wrapped package or steal an eligible gift. Waiting players cannot act ahead of their turn. The board refreshes automatically; if it reports a connection problem, check the current state before repeating a move.

5. Resolve steals without skipping the displaced player

When someone steals, the person who loses their gift becomes active within the same turn and may open another package or make an eligible steal. A gift cannot be stolen twice within the same turn and becomes locked once it reaches its total steal limit. Follow the available actions rather than assuming rules from another version of the game.

6. Finish when everyone has a gift

Opening a package advances the turn. When the final package is opened, the game ends and the exchange is marked completed. Check the final holders and hand out the corresponding physical gifts. The history records moves, including those the organizer made to facilitate the active turn.

Common questions

Does the steal limit apply to the person or the gift?

It applies to each gift across the entire game. Once the configured limit is reached, that gift cannot be stolen again.

What happens if someone steals my gift?

You become the active person within the same turn until another package is opened. The board offers opening or stealing according to the available rules.

Does the site purchase or deliver gifts?

No. The group brings the gifts and arranges delivery. The site manages turn order, moves and final package holders.