Here’s the drill, folks: Everyone shows up with a wrapped gift that they spent way too much (or too little) time thinking about. Gifts go into a pile. You draw a number to determine your turn, and the first person gets to unwrap a gift in front of the whole group. Cue “oohs” and “ahhs,” or laughter, depending on the gift.

Now, here’s where the drama begins. When it’s your turn, you can either open a new gift or steal someone else’s hard-won treasure. BUT—brace yourself—each gift can only be stolen three times. After everyone has taken a turn, the first person gets a final chance to snatch a gift they want.

Game over? Not so fast. Every group has their own rules. Some keep it simple with $15 limits, others bring in weird re-gifts, and a few sadistic souls save this tradition for January to dump their worst holiday presents. My advice? Check with the host, and maybe steer clear of the person who brought the taxidermied squirrel.

Nope! But funny gifts are half the fun—if you know your audience. Inside jokes? Hilarious. A “Bathroom Guestbook”? Instant hit. But if you’re walking into a group of strangers or your boss is there, maybe avoid the gag toilet paper.

When in doubt, go for universally appealing gifts: chocolate, cute candles, lottery tickets—basically anything that says, “I don’t know you well enough to risk a joke, but I still care.” A little thoughtfulness goes a long way, but so does a small bottle of rum. Choose wisely.

Oh, so you want to spice things up? Say no more.

• Ugly Sweater Contest: Make everyone show up looking like they wrestled a Christmas tree and lost.
• Karaoke Machine: Nothing says holiday spirit like a tipsy rendition of All I Want for Christmas Is You.
• Theme Your Gifts: Try “As Seen on TV” products, DIY disasters, or gifts under $5 (the weirder, the better).
• Add a Drinking Game: Every time someone says “steal,” take a sip (responsibly, folks).
• Mystery Round: Throw in one extra wild card gift and let chaos reign.

Remember, the goal is to make people laugh until they cry—or cry because they’re stuck with the knitted cat sweater. Either way, it’s a win.

A White Elephant party is where holiday gift-giving meets your best comedic instincts. Think of it as a hilarious free-for-all: Everyone brings a wrapped gift (often silly, sometimes borderline ridiculous), and then takes turns unwrapping or stealing them. The results? Lots of laughs, mild gift envy, and the occasional awkward moment when no one wants to touch that re-gifted foot spa.