Rules
Dirty Santa rules
Dirty Santa is white elephant under its Southern name: everyone brings a wrapped gift, you draw numbers, and on your turn you either unwrap a new one or steal one that's already open. The "dirty" is the stealing.
How to play
- Everyone brings one wrapped gift under the agreed price. Put them all in a pile.
- Draw numbers for the order (number generator).
- #1 unwraps a gift and shows everyone.
- Each next player unwraps a new gift or steals an opened one. If your gift is stolen, you go right away: unwrap or steal a different gift (not the one just taken from you).
- A gift is "dead" (frozen) after its steal limit, usually two or three steals. Whoever has it keeps it.
- Game over when the last gift is unwrapped.
Where Dirty Santa groups tend to differ
- Lower steal limits. Two steals is common, which keeps the game moving in a big family.
- Gag gifts are part of it. Many Dirty Santa crowds expect at least a few joke gifts. Say on the invite whether yours does.
- Final swap. Some play it, some don't. If you do, read what it does to the odds first.
The full rules, every house rule worth settling, and tips for big groups are on the white elephant rules page.
Questions
- What is the difference between Dirty Santa and white elephant?
- Nothing important: it's the same open-or-steal gift exchange under another name, which you'll mostly hear in the South. Dirty Santa groups often play with lower steal limits and treat it as more of a contact sport.
- How many times can you steal in Dirty Santa?
- Groups vary. Two or three steals before a gift is frozen are the usual choices.