Game Profile: White Elephant

Name White Elephant
Byline The Gift Exchange Card Game 
Mechanics Card Drafting, Set Collection
Theme Holiday Gift Exchange
Publication MayDay Games
Ages 8+
Time 15 – 20
Players 3 – 7
Description

Some may know the classic White Elephant gift
exchange game as Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, or Parcel Pass.  The White
Elephant Card Game
 simulates this classic holiday game for a jolly
good time.  
It’s the classic cheapskate dilemma…you have three people on
your Christmas list and an aversion to opening your pocketbook.  Luckily
you will be attending several White Elephant gift
exchange parties where, if you “play your cards right,” you can swap
some junk you found in the attic for re-giftable treasures.  Viola!
 You fill your gift list for free – the ultimate cheapskate victory.

Each player starts the game with a Gift List Card that is
displayed face-up in front of them; this is the player’s gift list.  Next,
players are dealt a hand of Gift Cards to make up their “attic”. Each
player “brings a gift to the party” by simultaneously placing one
Gift Card from their hand face-down in the center of the table.  Just like
in the actual party, players can either select a Gift Card from the center of
the table or steal a Gift Card from another player.  Be careful, you might
end up with the Really Creepy Antique Frog statue, or Fred the Box Turtle made
with pipe cleaners for your Mother In-Law.  Play continues until all Gift
Cards have been played.  Count the one highest-numbered Gift Card received
that matches each person on a player’s Gift List to tally the points.  In
a tie, victory is claimed by the cheapskate who best explains why their most
excellent offerings will tickle the fancy of the people on their list.

Keywords: White
Elephant, Card Game, Holiday, Game Profile