Play the White Elephant Game Online!
Bring the holiday cheer online! Whether it’s with coworkers, family, or friends, our White Elephant Game makes virtual gift-giving fun, easy, and full of laughs. No stress – we take care of all the heavy lifting.
Played and loved annually by teams at:
3 Simple Steps to Play White Elephant Online
1. Create a Game & Invite Your Guests
Our platform supports custom rules to match your group size—so everyone stays engaged and the game runs smoothly. Easily generate invite links to send to players.
✔️ Edit Game Settings: Customize game name, gift distribution method, and address collection, along with game rules like maximum number of steals per gift and turn order
✔️ Invite Guests Via Code or Link: Easily generate an invite link to send to players via email, text, or work chat.
✔️ Add Video Conferencing Details: Add a link to your video meeting to the game so players can join the meeting once it starts
2. Add Your Gift
Add gifts by pasting a link to the item from any online store, or uploading a photo of something you already have. Hosts can also submit gifts on behalf of players if needed.
✔️ Add the Link to Your Gift: Copy and paste a link to an item from Amazon, Best Buy, Etsy, and more. Our platform will automatically grab the gift image and title from the retailer website
✔️ Custom Wrap Gifts: Choose from a variety of box shapes and sizes to wrap your gift
✔️ Edit Wrapping Colors: Customize your box and ribbon color to your liking
3. Game Day Magic
Hop on a video call and let the fun begin! A Game Lead shares their screen and guides the game, clicking to unwrap and steal gifts. Players swap and steal until every gift has a home.
✔️ Upload Your Own Game Background: Customize your game with your company's logo – or just a festive background of your choosing✔️ Gift Unwrapping Animations: Enjoy gift unwrapping animations designed to make the experience fun and spontaneous✔️See Gift and Turn History: View past gift choices, steals, and who has what gift
After the Game
Once the game is complete, we’ll show each guest which gift they ended up with and how to buy and send it.
✔️ Gift Details and Purchasing Instructions: We'll give each player a detailed report including which gift they ended up with and who got their gift + where to send it
✔️ Game Recap: Our platform presents a recap after the game, including stats like who was stolen the most and which gift was stolen the most.
✔️ Hosts Can Send Gifts: Hosts have the option to purchase and send gifts themselves
How to Play
White Elephant Online
Setting Up the Game
Once you've decided on a budget and/or theme and have your list of guests in mind, purchase a game here. Then, decide on the game date and time and create a virtual meeting invite link using your video conferencing platform of choice. Paste that video conferencing link into the game dashboard for easy access, then edit game settings (such as maximum number of steals, turn time limits, etc) and upload a custom background for the gifts (or let the platform choose).
Game Day
Playing is easy! First, generate an invite link with one click from your game dashboard and send it to your players. Then, hop onto a meeting via your favorite video conferencing platform. Once everyone has clicked their invite link and joined the game, click to "check in" each player. That's it!
Running the Game
One person acts as the Game Lead. First, they'll share their screen. Then, each player will tell the lead which gift they want to unwrap, and the lead will unwrap it for them. All players, including the lead, can see whose turn it is, when their next turn is, what gift they have at any given time, and which gifts have yet to be unwrapped.
✨ Want the full scoop? Read more about How to play White Elephant Online.
White Elephant Rules
1. Set a Budget and Theme
Decide on a budget for gifts as a group and establish whether each player will purchase their gift individually or if a game lead will purchase all gifts. Then, pick a theme. Your theme could be anything from "Funny Gag Gifts" to "Ugly Sweaters" to "Gifts for Foodies." Check out our White Elephant Themes Guide for more info.
2. Everyone Get a Gift
Players choose a gift within the budget set by the host. With our platform, submitting a gift is easy: simply paste a product link from any online retailer and we'll grab the gift image and title. Alternatively, you can upload a photo and title of something you already have.
3. Pick or Steal
Once the game starts, the first player will select a gift and unwrap it. Each player after that can choose to either unwrap a new gift or steal a gift from a player before them. To keep the fun from turning into chaos, our platform lets you set limits:
✔️ Number of steals per turn
✔️ Max times a gift can be stolen
✔️ Max times a player can be stolen from
It's perfect for keeping big groups engaged and making sure the game runs smoothly.
4. Ending the Game
After all players have had a turn, the first player is allowed to swap the gift they have for any other opened gift. Additionally, anyone whose gift has been stolen can steal from another player (as long as that player has not been stolen from yet). When a player declines to steal a gift, the game comes to an end.
Hosting the Game Virtually at WhiteElephantGame.com
Pick a Date and Time
Decide on a date and time that works for your group and put it on the calendar with a video conferencing link. Make sure you've planned far enough in advance to send invites to all players.
Buy a Game
Purchase a game based on the size of your group. Once you purchase, our platform makes it easy to invite players, add gifts, and adjust game rules if desired. You can also expand the size of your game if your group grows down the line. To purchase a game, click here.
Game Day
On game day, the lead controls the game. When it's their turn, each player will tell the lead whether they want to unwrap a new gift or steal a gift already owned by someone else. The game continues until every player has a gift!
Purchase and Ship Gifts
Once the game is over, our platform notifies each player what gift they received and who received their gift. Players can optionally add their shipping information to our platform prior to the game, making it easy for other players to know where to send their gift. Alternatively, the game lead can purchase and ship all gifts if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
1. Why do I need an online platform to play White Elephant when I can just do it over a Zoom call?
Without an online platform, White Elephant Game organizers must manually track turn order, manage gift visibility, and enforce steal limits, often leading to mistakes and confusion. With no platform, remote teams also won't be able to easily see available gifts or stay in sync during gameplay. Our platform solves these problems by automating logistics, enforcing rules in real time, and providing a shared visual experience that keeps the game fast-paced, fair, and engaging for everyone.
2. Can I join and play from my phone?
Yes! Our platform is mobile optimized so players on iPhone or Android devices can join and play just as easily as those on a computer.
3. I want to host a White Elephant exchange for my coworkers. How do I do it online?
1. Purchase a game based on group size.
2. Pick a date and time.
3. Decide on your budget, theme, and game rules.
4. Generate an invite link and send it to players.
5. Join the game and enjoy!
4. I want to host the White Elephant game for my friends and family. How do I do it online?
Invite your crew, set a gift budget, and let the game handle the chaos! Everyone plays from their phone or laptop, no tech skills needed.
5. Can I create a game where I pick the gifts for everyone?
Yes! On our platform, you can edit the settings to allow you to upload all of the gifts yourself. Players will be able to join and select the gifts you've added without needing to add their own.
6. Is there a limit to how many people can join the game?
Our platform supports up to 100 players at the highest tier. If you'd like to play with more than 100, we can accommodate you – just send us an email at hello@whiteelephantgame.com and we'll get you set up.
7. Can I host multiple games for different groups?
Absolutely. Feel free to create separate games for your office team, friend group, and family.
8. Can I host a virtual gift exchange for remote employees in different time zones?
Yes! Players can add gifts and join from anywhere. Your game stays open until everyone’s had a turn.
9. I want to plan a fun family event—can kids join too?
Definitely! Because the lead runs the game and handles all gift selection and turn management, kids of all ages can join in!
Gift Submission and Rules
10. How do participants submit gifts online?
Each player adds their gift by pasting a link from any online retailer or uploading a photo of something they already own.
11. Can guests upload photos of real items instead of buying online?
Yes! Our platform lets players upload photos of their own items.
12. What if someone forgets to add a gift before game day?
Players won't be able to join unless they've added a gift or the game lead has added one on their behalf.
13. Can I set a gift budget?
Yep! Set a clear budget in the invite so everyone stays on the same page.
14. Can I control how many times a gift can be stolen?
Yes, you can control the max number of steals per gift, along with many other rules, in the game settings panel.
15. How many steals are allowed per turn or per player?
You decide! The default is one steal per turn, but you can adjust it in the game settings.
Privacy and Safety
16. Do players have to share their addresses?
Nope! Addresses are only shared between the buyer and recipient when it’s time to ship. You can also adjust the game settings such that player addresses are only visible to the host and not the other players.
17. What if I don’t want participants to see each other’s contact info?
We keep everything private. Emails, addresses, and names stay hidden unless you choose to share.
18. Is it possible to keep gifts anonymous?
Yes! Players may anonymously purchase and ship gifts to their designated recipient once the game is over.
Game Management and Support
19. Do players need to create accounts to join?
No! Anyone can join, with or without an account
20. Can I play without screen sharing?
Yep! The platform runs everything in-browser, so screen sharing is not absolutely necessary, though we recommend it!
21. What happens if someone leaves the game midway?
They’ll be auto-skipped, and they can rejoin anytime to pick up where they left off.
22. Can I play the game more than once?
Yes! Each new game will require a new purchase, but feel free to play as many times as you want.
23. Do you offer support during the event if something goes wrong?
We’ve got you covered with email support during peak holiday season.
Pricing and Access
24. Is it really free to play with family and friends?
Yes! You can host a game with up to 10 family members for free with all the core features included.
25. What’s included in the free version?
Everything that comes with the paid versions! You get full gameplay, gift submissions, and unlimited fun for small groups—no strings attached.
26. Can I upgrade later if my group gets bigger?
Of course! If you'd like to upgrade the size of your game, send us an email at hello@whiteelephantgame.com and we'll help you set it up.