How to Play That Gift Game

Everyone plays white elephant a little differently. We put the rules on the cards.

4 to 14 players  ·  Ages 7 and up  ·  20 to 30 minutes

Set up

  1. Bring a wrapped gift.
    Everyone brings one and adds it to the pile.
  2. Red and gray cards in the middle.
    The red gift cards and gray surprise cards go face down in the middle of the table.
  3. Deal the white cards.
    Don't show them to each other.
    4 to 5 players 6 to 7 players 8 players 9 to 11 players 12 to 14 players
    7
    cards each     		6
    cards each     		5
    cards each     		4
    cards each     		3
    cards each

Play

  1. Pick your first gift.
    Whoever brought the game goes first and play continues clockwise. Draw a red card and take the gift it describes, but leave it wrapped. Once everyone has a gift in front of them, the red cards are done. From here, you play from your hand.
  2. Make your move.
    On your turn, play one white card to trade, open, steal or pass a gift. The card tells you exactly how. Play a Surprise card and you draw from the gray deck and do what it says.
  3. Last card, last gift.
    When the last card is played, the gift in front of you is yours to keep. Until then, it's up for grabs.

Q & A

My card says open the gift in front of me. Am I out?
No. Every gift stays in play until the last card, opened or not.

My card says trade with the tallest person, and that's me.
Trade with the next tallest. Same for any card that lands on you: it goes to the next person who fits.

Do I have to say I'm holding a Block or Final Trade card?
That's up to you. Show it or keep it a secret, whichever you like.

  • The Final Trade card goes last. You trade your gift for any other one, wrapped or not.
  • A Block card stops any trade, even the Final Trade.

Print the rules   Buy That Gift Game