White Elephant has been a holiday favorite for decades—part gift exchange, part strategy game, and all-around laugh generator. And now, thanks to technology, you can take that same chaotic fun online and enjoy it with teammates or friends scattered across the globe.
Here’s your complete step-by-step guide to making it a memorable event.
Step 1: Plan the Date and Invite Players
Pick a time that works across all your participants’ time zones. Once the date is set, send out invites via email, calendar, or chat.
When inviting people to play White Elephant online, make sure you include the rules, budget, and a link to the White Elephant website or platform you’ll be using so they can get familiar with how it works.
Step 2: Set a Budget Everyone Can Stick To
The magic of White Elephant comes from the variety of gifts—not their cost. Aim for a budget that feels comfortable for everyone, such as $20–$30.
Step 3: Collect the Gifts
You can have participants submit gifts themselves or the host can curate the list. In a virtual White Elephant gift exchange, the fun begins as soon as people start seeing the wrapped items online.
If you want a streamlined experience, a tool like a White Elephant generator can make it easy to upload, preview, and “wrap” digital versions of the gifts.
Step 4: Set the Rules Beforehand
Before you play White Elephant, agree on the number of steals allowed per gift, whether someone can reclaim a stolen gift, and if the first player gets a bonus turn at the end.
Setting rules in advance keeps your White Elephant game online flowing smoothly without confusion mid-play.
Step 5: Make It Accessible for Everyone
One of the best things about a virtual White Elephant is how inclusive it can be. Use a browser-based White Elephant platform so players don’t need to download anything. This makes it easier for everyone to join, whether on desktop, tablet, or phone.
Step 6: Game Day Fun
When the big day arrives, start a video call so everyone can see reactions in real time. Players take turns unwrapping or stealing gifts, and in online White Elephant free games, the animations make it easy to follow the action.
Midway through, you’ll notice the energy ramp up—especially when a much-wanted gift keeps getting stolen. This is where the virtual White Elephant gift exchange magic happens.
Step 7: Wrap It Up
At the end, each participant sees which gift they’ve won. The host can arrange for shipping, reimburse purchases, or simply enjoy the bragging rights for the most stolen item.
One Tool to Make It Effortless
While you can run the game manually, using a dedicated platform like WhiteElephantGame.com simplifies everything—from collecting gifts to enforcing rules—so you can focus on the laughter instead of the logistics.
Whether you’re hosting for colleagues, friends, or family, the White Elephant game works just as well virtually as it does in person. All you need is a little planning, a way to connect online, and a group ready to laugh, steal, and swap their way to the perfect prize.
