How to win in the White Elephant using the game theory
It would be great to leave the White Elephant exchange party with the most awesome present, wouldn’t it? Read this article and learn how to use the game theory to “win” in the White Elephant game.
The White Elephant (also known as the Yankee Swap and Dirty Santa) is a hilarious gift exchange tradition. Unlike the Secret Santa, it prioritizes competition and intrigue, so you never know what present you’ll get in the end! Players swap and steal gifts from each other, and White Elephant is known for exchanging gag gifts.
On top of that, there is always competition for the nice gifts. Below, we offer a step-by-step While Elephant rules strategy from the game theory to help you win the best (or at least, not the worst!) gift in the next gift exchange.
How does the White Elephant exchange work?
For those of you who haven’t played for a while, here is a short reminder of the White Elephant rules:
- Send party invitations, specifying the location, date, and what type of gifts to bring.
- Each player brings one wrapped gift, usually of a certain dollar amount. Gifts should be generic and not intended for a specific person.
- Players draw numbers to determine in which order they will unwrap gifts. You can pick numbers from the hat or use an online generator, such as the MySanta app.
- Everyone sits in a circle where they can see all the gifts (for example, under the Christmas tree).
- The first player chooses any gift and unwraps it in front of everyone.
- The second player can either open a new present from the pile or steal a gift from the first player.
- The game continues until the last player takes a turn to unwrap or steal a present. After that, the first player has a chance to steal (if they want to), and the game ends.
There are many game variations, so you can customize the rules for your group. For example, each gift can be stolen only two times in a game, or the first player doesn’t get an extra chance to steal. You can also set the theme for gifts. Now, let’s have a look at how to get a better present in the end.
The order of playing matters
Based on the rule, the best position in White Elephant is to go last. In this case, you can steal nearly any present you want! However, since the order is randomized, you cannot control whether you go first or last.
How can you win the White Elephant using a game theory?
The game theory offers a solution for winning your gift exchange. In White Elephant, there are a few basic strategies you can follow:
- Always steal a gift
- Always open a new gift
- Steal a gift under certain circumstances.
To increase your chance of winning a desirable gift in White Elephant, you can use the model suggested by Ben Casselman. The model is available on GitHub. Here’s a basic strategy you can follow:
1. Mentally assign a value to every opened gift.
For example, you can rate each gift from 1 to 5, or assign a dollar value, whichever works for you.
2. When your turn comes, calculate the average value of all opened gifts.
At this point, it doesn’t matter whether they are available for stealing.
3. If there is a gift you can steal and its worth is above the average, steal it!
If not, open a wrapped gift. For example, if the average value is 3, and you can steal a gift rated 4, you should definitely do it.
Although this strategy doesn’t guarantee that you leave the party with the best gift in the room, it increases your chances of keeping a nice present. At least there is a chance that you won’t leave the party with something regifted you don’t need.
Tips to liven up your White Elephant exchange party
Unwrapping and stealing presents is fun in itself. Yet, you might add more excitement to this group activity:
Set the gift theme
White Elephant gift exchanges are known for exchanging extravagant, humorous, or downright useless gifts. You can break this tradition by introducing a gift theme everyone should stick to. For example, you can agree to exchange Marvel-themed presents, gifts for home and garden, food and sweets, or something pink – the more creative the better!
Appoint a commentator
To make the whole game more fun and engaging, appoint someone to comment on the process of unwrapping and stealing gifts. A lot of laughter and fun are guaranteed! Plus, if you have a large group, having a commentator will help everyone track the game progress.
Keep gifts wrapped until the end
One fun variation of White Elephant is keeping all gifts wrapped until the end. You can pick and steal gifts based on their packaging without knowing what’s inside the box. In the end, all the guests unwrap their presents and… you’ll see a lot of surprises coming!
Dress up for the occasion
Set a dress code for guests – it will set the tone for the party and help create the holiday mood. The theme might be anything from traditional ugly Christmas sweaters and hats to Hollywood glamour, vintage, and even pajamas.
Introduce the Secret Santa element
After everyone has unwrapped their gifts, they can guess who brought them to the party. Players can use clues or follow their intuition. Those who figured it out correctly win a small bonus prize. Or, organize the two gift exchanges at the same time to combine competitive fun with exchanging thoughtful, personalized gifts.
FAQs
What are the most common mistakes people make in White Elephant?
The most popular mistakes in White Elephant include not bringing something funny or desirable or choosing something too personal that only a few players would appreciate. Forgetting to wrap the gift attractively to create intrigue is also a common mistake to avoid.
What’s the best position to pick in a White Elephant gift exchange?
As a rule, player who picks last has the best position, as he can steal any unwrapped present he wants (provided that the gift is available for stealing). If you offer an extra round of stealing for the first player, he is in a good position, too.
What’s the psychology behind stealing vs. keeping a gift?
The psychology of stealing in White Elephant is based on perceived gift value, a desire for novelty, and the thrill of competition. On the other hand, keeping an item reflects satisfaction with the known item and aversion to risk or conflict.
