White Elephant Gift Exchange Strategy: How To Win Every Time
White elephant gift exchanges are less about the gift and more about the game. The goal is to bring something everyone wants to steal, which means you need a strategy. Here is how to win white elephant every single time, plus the funniest gift picks that always get swiped.
Understand the white elephant rules
In most white elephant games, players draw numbers, take turns picking a wrapped gift or stealing one that is already open. The gift that gets stolen the most is the winner, so your job is to bring the item with the highest steal appeal. Practical is fine, but funny and universally desirable is better.
The winning white elephant strategy
Bring something that is a little bit practical and a lot funny. A toilet mug gets stolen because everyone wants to see it in their kitchen. A screaming goat gets stolen because it is absurd. The sweet spot is an item under twenty five dollars that makes the whole room react when it is unwrapped.
Funny white elephant gift picks
- A yodeling pickle
- A toilet mug
- A screaming goat figure
- A dad joke button
- A nothing box
- An emergency underpants tin
- A bacon scented air freshener
- A “this is fine” mug
Every one of these is in our white elephant gifts collection and priced for the game.
Play the steal, not the wrap
Do not overthink the wrapping. A white elephant gift wrapped in a plain box still gets stolen if what is inside is good. Focus your energy on picking an item with broad appeal, and let the room do the rest.
Win the exchange this year. Shop white elephant gifts before the party.
