Singing fish
Sam
The white elephant game, on the big screen.
Run a white elephant gift exchange for the whole room. Everyone draws a number and opens or steals from their own phone, and the big screen keeps every gift, every steal, every freeze and every photo.
On the big screen
White Elephant · Turn #5
#5 Maya: open a new gift or steal
Up next: #6 Omar
4 wrapped
Llama knitting kit
Lee
Desk cactus
Ana
Glow-in-the-dark socks
Priya
Last moves
- Priya opened Glow-in-the-dark socks
- Sam stole Singing fish from Priya (2 of 3)
- Lee stole Llama knitting kit from Sam (1 of 3)
- Ana opened Desk cactus
- Priya stole Singing fish from Ana (1 of 3)
Maya is up: open a new gift, or steal one. One more steal freezes the singing fish.
How it works
- 01
Everyone draws a number on their phone
Players scan the code on the big screen and join in their phone's browser, with no app. Once 4 are in, you press "Draw numbers": every phone shows its own number, and the big screen shows the order.
- 02
Open a gift, or steal one
On your number, your phone offers both. A player who is robbed goes again straight away, and can't take back the gift just taken from them. Each gift is photographed as it is unwrapped, and the photo goes straight to the big screen.
- 03
The board keeps count
Every opened gift is on the big screen with who holds it and a pip for each steal. A gift freezes after 3 steals and gets a lock. When the last gift is open, #1 gets a final swap, and then the awards go up.
Why white elephant needs a board
White elephant falls apart on the counting. By the fourth gift nobody remembers whether the candle has been stolen twice or three times, the back row never saw what was unwrapped, and the argument about whose turn it is has started.
Here the big screen keeps the board. Every opened gift sits on it with its holder and its steals, the most-stolen gift is ringed, and a frozen gift gets a lock nobody can argue with. The last 5 moves run down the side, so who stole what from whom is never a matter of memory. Each gift's photo goes up on the big screen too, so the back of the room sees what was unwrapped.
Every player holds their own number and makes their own choice, which is what lets you play white elephant online as well as in the room: a player who isn’t there opens or steals from their phone, and the host unwraps the gift for them. The host runs the game from a phone too, with an undo for a move that went wrong and “Add a player” for anyone without a phone. Play it as White Elephant, Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa: only the name changes.
FAQ
White elephant, explained
How do you play the white elephant game?
Everyone brings one wrapped gift and joins on their phone. You press "Draw numbers" and every player gets a number. On your number you open a wrapped gift or steal one that is already open, and a player who is robbed goes again. A gift freezes after 3 steals. When the last gift is open, #1 gets a final swap.
Can you play white elephant online?
Yes. Everyone joins in their phone's browser by scanning a QR code or opening a link, with no app and no account, and opens or steals from there. The gifts stay in the room: a player who isn't there plays from their phone, and the host unwraps their gift for them. Everyone follows the board on the shared screen, in the room or on a video call.
How many steals before a gift freezes?
A gift freezes after 3 steals by default, and whoever stole it last keeps it. You can choose anywhere from 1 to 5 steals, or no limit at all. A frozen gift gets a lock on the big screen, and it can't be stolen again or taken in the final swap.
Can you steal a gift straight back?
Not by default. The no steal-backs rule stops a robbed player taking back the gift that was just taken from them, so they open a new gift or steal a different one. Switch it off if your group likes to trade blows.
What is the final swap?
When the last gift is open, #1 may swap their gift for any gift that isn't frozen, or keep their own. It makes up for going first with nothing to choose from, and the big screen dims the frozen gifts while #1 decides. It's on by default, and you can switch it off.
What does the big screen show?
The board: every opened gift with who holds it, a pip for each steal and a lock once it freezes, with the most-stolen gift ringed. Beside it are the gifts still wrapped, who is up and who is next, and the last 5 moves. At the end it shows who is going home with what, then awards such as "Most-stolen gift" and "Biggest thief".
Where do the gift photos go?
Straight to the big screen by default, and to the players' phones. If you'd rather see each photo first, switch on "Host approves photos" and approve or hide each one from your remote, or press N while presenting full screen. Anyone watching only through the link sees the board without photos or gift names. Photos are deleted after 90 days.
What if someone doesn't have a phone?
Add them by name from your remote with "Add a player", and they get a number like everyone else. When it's their turn, you open or steal for them.
Can the host undo a move?
Yes. Undo takes back the last move, and pressing it again goes further back, as far as the first move. Undoing an open puts the gift back in the pile. It works until the awards go up.
What about Yankee Swap and Dirty Santa?
They're the same game under other names, and you can play it under either one. Choose Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa in the settings, and the big screen and the phones use that name. The rules don't change.
How long does a game take?
Allow about 75 seconds a turn, so 20 players take about 25 minutes, and the lobby shows the estimate for the players already in. To keep a big game moving, set a turn clock of 30, 60 or 90 seconds. When it runs out, stealing closes and the player opens a gift. You can pause it or add 15 seconds.
How many people can play?
At least 4, counting anyone you add without a phone. Past 30 players the lobby suggests a turn clock, but it never turns anyone away. The Free plan supports up to 50 participants per live activity, Pro raises that to 150, and Badass supports up to 300.
Do players need an app or an account?
No. They scan a QR code or open a link and play in their phone's browser. Nothing to install and no sign-up.
Read more
- Gift exchange games, with the rules for eachTen Christmas gift exchange games with full rules, from white elephant and the dice game to pass the gift, plus a left right story to read aloud
- White elephant rules, step by stepHow the white elephant gift exchange works, how many steals before a gift freezes, the first player's final swap, Yankee swap and dirty Santa rules, and the dice game