White Elephant Online makes it easy to host a fun, interactive White Elephant gift exchange for remote or hybrid groups. Our platform handles the game setup, gift reveals, and stealing, so you can focus on enjoying the experience with your team, friends, or family.
With WEO Gifting, you can also select, purchase, and ship gifts directly through our platform, eliminating the need to coordinate gift purchases and deliveries separately.
Here's a high-level overview of how everything works, from creating your game to sending gifts to their winners.
1. Create Your Game
Getting started is simple! White Elephant Online is completely self-service, so you can host your event whenever and wherever you'd like.
- Create your game: Choose your group size, purchase your game, and customize your settings.
- Choose how to handle gifts: Use WEO Gifting for integrated gift selection and delivery, or allow participants to submit gifts from outside retailers.
- Invite your participants: Share your game's unique invitation link so everyone can join.
Your game organizer (Game Lead/Admin) can manage participants, game settings, and other details from the dashboard.
2. Select and Submit Gifts
Every player must have a gift to participate, whether they select it themselves or the organizer selects it on their behalf. Gifts are virtually wrapped to keep them a surprise until game day.
There are two ways to submit gifts:
Option 1: WEO Gifting (Recommended)
WEO Gifting makes the entire gifting process easier by bringing gift selection, purchasing, and shipping into White Elephant Online.
- The organizer selects a gift budget for the group.
- Participants can browse the curated WEO Gift Catalog and select a gift, or the organizer can select gifts on everyone's behalf.
- Gifts are virtually wrapped and submitted to the gift table.
- Shipping addresses are collected securely and are not shared with other participants. (Game admins can see addresses if they’re responsible for purchasing).
- Gifts are purchased after the game and shipped directly to their winners.
WEO Gifting is powered by Snappy, our gifting fulfillment partner trusted by thousands of companies.
Option 2: Submit Gifts from Outside Retailers
You can also submit gifts from your favorite online retailers or upload an image of a gift you already have.
- Participants submit a product link or gift image.
- Gifts are virtually wrapped before the game.
- No purchase is required when submitting a gift.
- After the game, participants or the organizer arrange gift purchases and shipping outside White Elephant Online.
This option works well for groups that are comfortable coordinating gift delivery and sharing the necessary shipping information.
3. Play Your Game
On game day, everyone comes together to unwrap, steal, and compete for their favorite gifts!
Here's how it works:
- Get everyone together: For virtual or hybrid events, participants join a video call using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or another conferencing platform.
- Assign a Game Lead: One person shares their screen and controls the game, including unwrapping and stealing gifts. The Game Lead doesn't have to contribute a gift.
- Check in: Participants can log in to see their assigned numbers and current gifts, and check themselves in before the game begins, but don’t click gifts themselves.
- Start playing: Follow the classic White Elephant rules, with customizable settings for gift stealing and other gameplay options.
- Reveal the winners: Once the game ends, everyone gets notified of which gift they won, and who won their gift.
Whether you use WEO Gifting or submit gifts from outside retailers, the game itself works the same way.
4. Purchase and Send Gifts
Once the game ends, it's time to get the gifts to their winners! The next steps depend on how your group submitted gifts.
With WEO Gifting
Gift purchasing and shipping are handled directly through White Elephant Online.
- Participant payment: Each participant pays for the gift they originally submitted, not the gift they won, directly in White Elephant Online. Once payment is complete, the gift is automatically submitted for fulfillment and shipped directly to its winner.
- Organizer payment: The organizer can purchase all the gifts in a single payment.
- Direct shipping: Gifts are shipped directly to winners using the shipping addresses collected through the platform.
- Gift Tracking: Gift status is available on the Game Screen, and tracking information is emailed to the recipient once the gift is shipped.
Gift budgets include shipping, taxes, and applicable fees, so there are no additional gift fulfillment charges beyond the selected budget.
With Outside Retailer Gifts
Gift purchases and shipping are coordinated outside White Elephant Online.
Depending on your group's arrangements, participants may purchase and send the gifts they submitted, or a central organizer may handle gift fulfillment.
White Elephant Online provides post-game information to help your group coordinate the next steps.