7 Ways to Add Sparkle to Your White Elephant Party
Traditions are, by their very definition, repetitive. But that doesn’t mean we’re cursed to repeat those Christmas rituals in exactly the same way, year after year. Ideally, each holiday event should be both familiar and unique.
Maybe you have a group that does a White Elephant party every year, and you want to guard against things getting stale. Or maybe you just want to make sure your holiday gathering is unlike any other. In either case, the solution is simple: Add something extra.
Here are seven ideas for making your White Elephant party stand out from all the other holiday gatherings. Not all of these options are appropriate for every group, but one of them might be perfect for your group. In fact, it might even become a new holiday tradition.
1. Pick a gift theme
One excellent way to spice things up is to have people bring gifts that fit a particular theme. There are many themes you can run with, depending on the group’s interests and preferences. Here are a few popular ones:
- Re-gifts only
- Tacky ornaments
- Homemade gifts
As you might imagine, some themes make it harder for the attendees to come up with an appropriate gift, while others could actually make it easier. More challenging themes (“find something that goes on a wall”) are generally better for close-knit groups. Less challenging themes (“bring a candy gift”) are ideal for more formal gatherings, such as office parties. For lots more theme ideas, check out this article.
2. Employ different game rules
There are roughly a zillion different ways to play White Elephant. If the people in your group are used to playing it a certain way, you might want to throw them a curve by using rules variations. For example, you could try the “swap before opening” version of the game. Or, if you’re hosing a smaller group, you could try playing the game with dice.
3. Hold an ugly sweater contest
This idea could literally add sparkle to the party, as people come dressed in the gaudiest Christmas sweaters they can get their hands on. The nice thing about an ugly Christmas sweater contest is that it doesn’t have to take up a lot of time at your party. Nor does it put too much of a burden on the attendees, as they can either make or buy their ugly sweaters (yes, there are many places to buy ugly sweaters online). All you have to do is figure out how the winner will be picked, and come up with some sort of nominal prize.
4. Bedazzle yourself
Whether you’re running an ugly sweater contest or not, put some thought into how you dress for your holiday get-together. Imagine greeting your guests in a gaudy sweater, Santa beard, or even an outfit festooned with gift bows. As host, you set the tone for your party, so make sure that tone is as fun and festive as it can be.
5. Rent a karaoke machine
This one could be a big hit if you have natural-born entertainers in your group. Or if you’re serving alcohol. Obviously, you’ll want to load your karaoke playlist with Christmas classics like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Most importantly, make sure you’ve got time for this activity, as it can stretch on for hours.
6. Break out the Christmas games
Just because it’s a White Elephant party doesn’t mean you can’t play other Christmas-themed games. Here are a few options:
- Christmas Trivia
- Christmas Charades
- Name That Christmas Carol
Games can work well with both small and large groups, though the latter requires a little extra planning. As with karaoke, the main issue is whether you have enough time for a gift exchange and other Christmas games – plus eating, socializing, and whatever other activities you have planned.
7. Get creative with decorations
When you think of Christmas, one of the first things that comes to mind are the decorations. That poses a challenge, because people aren’t going to be wowed by traditional holiday frills, the likes of which they have in their own homes. To make your event memorable, consider going the extra mile with a grand centerpiece or an overarching theme. One option is to twist up the ugly sweater idea and make your entire decorating scheme as tacky as all get-out.
Does that cover everything? Not even close! Based on what you know about your invitees, you can doubtless come up with many more ideas for making this year’s White Elephant party even more fun and memorable.
