White Elephant organizer: sign-ups, rules and a gift registry
A White Elephant has no assigned recipients: everyone brings one wrapped gift and takes turns opening or stealing at the party. This tool handles everything before the party (sign-ups, your rules, invitation emails and an optional gift registry). The game itself is played in person or on a video call.
How it works
- Create the exchange. Name it, set a budget, a date and a place, and write your rules. Start from a template (classic, Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa or office-friendly) and change anything.
- Share one link. Send the sign-up link, show the QR code on a screen or on paper, or read out the short pass code.
- Guests say yes. Everyone enters their name and email, confirms it with a 6-digit code, and answers "Do you want to take part?". They get a confirmation email that links to your rules.
- Collect gift ideas (optional). Switch on the gift registry and guests add ideas with a link and a price, then mark what they have bought so nobody doubles up.
- Close sign-up. Press a button, or set a sign-up deadline and it closes by itself. Everyone who said yes is on your list for the party.
What you get
- Your own steal rules, written once and linked from every email, so nobody argues about them at the party.
- Rule templates for the classic game, Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa and an office-friendly version.
- A gift registry: guests add ideas, mark them bought, and never see who added or bought what. You can see who added each idea and remove any of them.
- Yes and opt-out buttons in the invitation, and a list that shows who is enrolled, not enrolled yet or opted out.
- A sign-up deadline that closes sign-up for you, and a reopen button if plans change.
- No accounts or passwords for anyone, and one button deletes the exchange and every name and email.
What it doesn't do
It does not run the game itself: there is no turn order, steal counter or draw of numbers, because those happen at the party. Our White Elephant rules guide covers how a round works and which rules to agree on.
Rule templates to start from
- Classic White Elephant: Open a gift or steal one, with a limit on steals.
- Yankee Swap: The same game with a swapping feel and a higher steal limit.
- Dirty Santa (gag gifts): Funny gifts and plenty of stealing.
- Office-friendly White Elephant: Optional, inclusive and work-appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Does this run the White Elephant game for me?
No. It organizes everything before the party: who is coming, the budget and the steal rules, and an optional gift registry. At the party you play the game as usual, in person or over video.
Do I need to draw names?
No. A White Elephant has no assigned recipients, so there is nothing to draw. Everyone who says yes simply brings one wrapped gift.
What is the gift registry for?
It lets guests collect gift ideas and mark what they have bought, which helps people who are not sure what to bring and stops two guests from buying the same thing. Guests cannot see who added or bought an item. You can switch it off for any exchange.
Can I set a limit on steals?
Yes. Write it in the rules, or start from a template that already includes one (for example "a gift can be stolen twice, then it is frozen"). Every email links to your current rules.
Is a Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa the same thing?
Mostly. They are different names for the same gift-stealing game, and each has a template with its usual rules. See our guide to the differences.
Can we play remotely?
Yes. Guests join and read the rules from their own devices, and you run the game over video. Our virtual gift exchange guide has tips for the steals.
Do guests need accounts?
No. Guests join with a link, a QR code or a pass code, confirm their email with a 6-digit code, and get a private page of their own.
Keep reading
- White Elephant rules: how the game works, from setup to the last steal
How to play, how stealing works, and the rules to agree on before the first gift is opened.
- White Elephant, Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa: what's the difference?
Mostly the same game under different names, with a few rule differences worth knowing.
- Secret Santa or White Elephant: how to choose
Two very different games with similar seasons. Here is how to choose the right one for your group.
- How to run a virtual or remote gift exchange
Shipping, addresses, time zones and a reveal that works over video.
- How to run an office gift exchange that everyone is comfortable with
Keeping a workplace exchange optional, inclusive and low-pressure, with a sensible budget.
Want assigned recipients instead? See the Secret Santa generator