White Elephant / Yankee Swap Rules and Turn Order Generator
The rules in plain English, the most common variations, a random turn order and a tracker that keeps count of who stole what and which gifts are frozen.
It runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere, and there's no sign-up.
The rules
- Everyone brings one wrapped gift, usually within a set price limit. Put them in a pile.
- Draw a random turn order (use the generator below).
- Player 1 opens a gift from the pile.
- On each turn, the next player either opens a new wrapped gift or steals an opened gift from someone.
- If your gift is stolen, you go again right away: open a new gift or steal a different one. Then play passes to the next player in order.
- The game ends when every gift has been opened (or after player 1's final turn, if you use that rule).
Common variations
- Freeze after 3 steals: a gift that has been stolen 3 times is frozen and can't move again. Some groups use 2.
- No immediate steal-back: you can't steal back the gift that was just taken from you.
- Steals per turn: some groups cap one turn's chain of steals (for example, after 3 steals in a row the next person must open a gift).
- Player 1's final turn: after the last gift is opened, player 1 may swap with any unfrozen gift.
- Yankee Swap / Dirty Santa: same game, different name. Some Yankee Swap groups let players swap instead of steal; the tracker works the same way.
More detail and tips: White Elephant gift exchange rules guide.
Turn order generator and steal tracker
Need more games for the party?
The Christmas Party Games Mega Pack from Cedar & Ledger has 5 printable game sets for holiday parties.
See the Christmas Party Games Mega Pack
We make this pack, so take that into account. The tool above is free to use either way.
Questions
What are the basic White Elephant rules?
Everyone brings one wrapped gift. Draw a turn order. Player 1 opens a gift. Each next player either opens a new wrapped gift or steals an opened one. Anyone whose gift is stolen picks again: open a new gift or steal a different one. The game ends when every gift is opened.
Is White Elephant the same as Yankee Swap?
Mostly, yes. White Elephant, Yankee Swap and Dirty Santa are names for the same steal-or-open gift exchange. Groups differ on small house rules like steal limits and whether player 1 gets a last turn.
What does 'frozen after 3 steals' mean?
A common rule: once a gift has been stolen 3 times, it's frozen and stays with whoever holds it. This keeps the game moving. You can set any limit in the tracker, or turn it off.
Can you steal a gift right back?
Many groups say no: if your gift is just stolen, you can't take that same gift straight back on the same turn. The tracker enforces this if you tick the no steal-back option.
Does player 1 get a turn at the end?
In a popular variation, yes. Player 1 never got to choose from opened gifts, so after the last gift is opened they may swap with any unfrozen gift, which ends the game. Tick the option to use it.
Is anything saved?
No. The randomizer and tracker run in your browser and nothing is stored or sent anywhere. Reloading the page clears the game.
More free tools: all calculators, including the Secret Santa name generator.