TeamPlayBY HAZNAR
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White Elephant generator, online

White Elephant is the gift swap where you can steal. TeamPlay is a White Elephant generator that runs the whole exchange: everyone adds one gift - a name, a line about it and a photo if they like - and it goes into a numbered box. The app draws a random turn order, and each person opens a box or steals a gift someone has already opened, but never the one they brought. It keeps the turn order, the steal rules and the clock, and tracks who ends up with which gift.

Time
~15 min
Team size
2-40 players, solo
Plays
Everyone for themselves

How a round works

  1. Bring a gift. Everyone adds one gift - a name, a line about it, a photo if you like. It goes into a numbered box; nobody sees inside until it's opened.
  2. Open or steal. In a random order: open a box or steal an opened gift - never the one you brought. Robbed? You go straight away. A gift can be stolen once a turn, and after 3 steals in all it's locked with whoever has it.
  3. The final round. The first player may swap for any opened gift; whoever they rob may swap with someone not robbed yet, and so on until someone keeps theirs. Nobody ever takes - or is handed back - their own gift.

White Elephant rules

These are the rules TeamPlay plays by, which follow the classic office version of the game:

  1. Everyone brings one gift. Nobody sees inside a box until it's opened.
  2. A random draw sets the turn order.
  3. On your turn, open a new box or steal a gift that's already been opened. You can never take the gift you brought.
  4. If your gift is stolen, you go straight away: open a box or steal a different gift.
  5. A gift can only be stolen once a turn, so steals can't loop back and forth.
  6. After three steals in all, a gift is locked with whoever has it. The host can turn this limit off.
  7. Once every box is open, a final round lets the first player swap for any opened gift, since they never got to steal. Whoever they rob may swap in turn, until someone keeps theirs.
  8. Nobody ends the game holding the gift they brought.

Best for

  • The end-of-year party, when the gifts are already wrapped
  • Remote teams, where nobody can pass a parcel round
  • Groups that enjoy a bit of friendly sabotage

Where it fits

It works well at:

Questions

What are the stealing rules?

Whoever is robbed takes their turn straight away. A gift can be stolen once a turn, and after three steals in all it's locked with whoever has it - the host can turn that limit off.

How does the game end?

In a final round the first player may swap for any opened gift, and whoever they rob may swap in turn, until someone keeps theirs. Nobody ever ends up with the gift they brought.

How many people can play?

Two to forty, each playing for themselves. Every move has a 45-second clock so the exchange keeps moving.

Do players need an account?

No. Players join with the room code and their name. Only the host signs in, and the Free plan covers up to 15 people.