White Elephant Gift Exchange: Tips & Tricks!

[amy07]

Someone mentioned on another thread about doing a White Elephant gift exchange. This was with items that you no longer want. NOT with gifts at a certain $ amount. If any of you have done this in the past can you please give me the info on how to do this? Does each gift get a # and then people draw for the # or is just random?

I've done the "chinese Christmas" or "dirty Santa" where you can "steal" someone's gift. But I liked the idea of bringing something you already own but want to get rid of.......It would fit the group I'm wanting to do this with perfectly. TIA

 

[myinnerchef]

Someone mentioned on another thread about doing a White Elephant gift exchange. This was with items that you no longer want. NOT with gifts at a certain $ amount. If any of you have done this in the past can you please give me the info on how to do this? Does each gift get a # and then people draw for the # or is just random?

I've done the "chinese Christmas" or "dirty Santa" where you can "steal" someone's gift. But I liked the idea of bringing something you already own but want to get rid of.......It would fit the group I'm wanting to do this with perfectly. TIA

We've done this and combined the two games. Sometimes in the groups we've done this with, the gift givers try very hard to find the most hideous white elephant they own to make it a little more fun. You need to choose a method for who goes in order, it could be the order they arrived, it could be birthdays (theirs or another family member), it could be they draw a number out of a hat.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

We combine the 2 games for our Cluster Christmas Party every year. It's hilarious, because some of the same things turn up every year, and get passed on to someone else.

Everyone puts their gift (oh - and spouses/SO's are included too) in the middle of the circle, and everyone draws a # - with #1 going first. For the next person, you can either take a gift someone has opened, or you can choose one from the pile. At the end, #1 can keep what they now have, or trade for something else. Oh - and a gift can only be stolen 3 times. After that, the person gets to keep it.

 

[amy07]

what kind of items seem to get the best (or worst) reaction?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

what kind of items seem to get the best (or worst) reaction?

Well, last year, we ended up with this butt ugly snow globe with dolphins in waves. Hideous! We were begging people to take it from us, but no one would - they would pretend they would take it, and then take something from the pile. Our intention was to bring it back this year, but wouldn't you know - we took it home, and DS fell in love with it! He even took it to school for D day.

If someone really wants something - they have to keep quiet, and use some stealth, because at least in our group, people are ruthless about letting you keep it!

We've had:

Ugly Christmas decorations
Other tacky home decor
Jane Fonda Exercise videos
Old CD's of extinct bands
hideous pieces of clothing, to name a few things....

For us - the tackier, the better!

 

[amy07]

Well, last year, we ended up with this butt ugly snow globe with dolphins in waves. Hideous! We were begging people to take it from us, but no one would - they would pretend they would take it, and then take something from the pile. Our intention was to bring it back this year, but wouldn't you know - we took it home, and DS fell in love with it! He even took it to school for D day.

If someone really wants something - they have to keep quiet, and use some stealth, because at least in our group, people are ruthless about letting you keep it!

We've had:

Ugly Christmas decorations
Other tacky home decor
Jane Fonda Exercise videos
Old CD's of extinct bands
hideous pieces of clothing, to name a few things....

For us - the tackier, the better!

That's why I think it'll work great for this group!!

 

[ChefJWarren]

Every year I have a Crappy Xmas Gift Party. My invitation is titled "Got Crap?". They have to bring something that they received for Xmas they do not want and swap with someone else. We do the stealing and whole party with that also. Its lots of fun!

 

[princessmeshelle]

i HATE white elephant gift exchanges! yeah, they are kinda fun, to see who gets the worst stuff, but you know.... i have such a hard time becausei get rid if stuff i don't want. i don't keep it. so when it comes time to do this i usually end up having to buy something. my small group's rule is not over 10$ and the tackier the better. i can't do that. our christmas party is on sunday. so far i have come up with my old cookie press. it's not PC, i got the PC one from a fried when i started so i don't need 2 presses. i don't know. it's unwanted, but i'm not sure if it is tackie enough. whatever.

 

[candiejayne]

My families get together at christmas does the White Elephant type of game, but we require that it be something new, unisex, and worth a certain dollar value. One year at Kohl's, I got a killer deal on a blanket, paid about $7 for it but the regular price as at the value set that year, I got off nicely with that one!

 

[amy07]

Well, I have my elephants ready to go for my party this weekend. When I was cleaning out my hutch I found about a dozen lightbulbs that we will not use since we have made the switch to the new ones. I wrapped them individually in tissue paper and put in a very cute gift bag.
The other is all of my old stoneware that I will not be using again - the flat stones with the rack. I think some may be fighting ove this one