Host a White Elephant Gift Card Exchange This Holiday Season

Recently I attended a Christmas party with a White Elephant Gift Exchange, but it had a fun twist. Instead of exchanging random object from around the home or a gag gift, we exchanged gift cards of equal amounts. The concept was great, because we each came with a gift card for $5 and knew that we were going home with exactly the same amount that we left with. The best part was, that even for as little as $5, we each left with a pretty neat gift-no stale cookie filled Christmas mugs.

Rules of the White Elephant Gift Exchange

At the beginning of the party place all of the gift cards onto the center of the tables. The gifts should not be labeled indicating who they are from or what store they are from. The host should keep a few blank envelopes on hand in order to disguise gifts that are obviously from a certain location.

The guests then all draw numbers. Number one then chooses a gift from the pile, opens the gift, shows it to the other guests and then keeps it for the time being. The next person, number 2, then has the choice of either picking an unopened gift from the pile or stealing an opened gift from the previous owner. If an individual's gift is stolen, he or she can either choose another gift from the pile or steal another person's gift. He or she cannot steal back the gift that has just been stolen from him or her. A gift can only be stolen two times until it reaches "dead" status. A dead gift can no longer be stolen. After all the turns have been taken, the first person has a chance to go again, since he or she had the disadvantage of not being able to choose from one of the previously unwrapped gifts.

One variation of the white elephant gift exchange allows an individual to unwrap a gift first then decide to swap a gift rather than stealing it. A gift can only be swapped three times until it reaches dead status.

Ideas for Gift Cards

Starbucks, Seattle's Best, or other local coffee shops

Jamba Juice or other smoothie shop

Local Car Wash

Local Video Store

iTunes

Bookstore such as Barnes and Noble or Borders

Target or Wal Mart
Bucket of balls at the local driving range

Baskin Robbins, Cold Stone, or other ice cream shop

Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, or other electronics store

Home improvement store such as Home Depot or Lowes