How do you do a virtual White Elephant gift exchange?
There are a few complexities that come with doing a virtual White Elephant. First of all, you have to make sure that everyone is able to send and receive their gift. It can also be difficult to figure out the logistics of things like stealing gifts and the order of things. You can do this manually through a platform like Zoom, but the easiest way to plan a virtual White Elephant gift exchange is to have Weve plan it. If you choose to do a virtual gift exchange yourself, here are some things to keep in mind.
- Choose a date for your event.
- Before the event, choose a gift budget. Between $10-25 is usually enough for a fun gag gift.
- Make sure to gather the mailing addresses of all attendees before the exchange.
- Have everybody choose a gift and wrap it before party time.
- Make sure everyone is present on a video platform with their camera on before you start.
- Determine the order using a virtual list randomizer,or simply have one person pull numbers or names out of a hat. (Put as many numbers in a hat or basket as there are people. For instance if 10 people bring gifts, put the numbers 1 through 10 on individual pieces of paper.)
- When it’s time, have everyone show their gifts on camera and keep them visible for the duration of the game. Another way to do this is to have everyone send a link to or image of their gift before then and show all the options in a PowerPoint presentation.
- Just like in an in-person event, the person who drew #1 is the first to choose a gift. They can choose anything they see and the person whose gift they chose can unwrap the present to reveal it. Everyone is able to see what the gift is and the gift should be kept in view. The host uses a spreadsheet to record the gift, the gifter’s name, and the recipient's name.
- Just like an in-person event, everyone else will go in order and can choose to open a new wrapped gift or they can steal the unwrapped gift. If gift #1 is stolen, that person gets to choose a new wrapped gift.
- This pattern continues until everyone has gotten to choose or steal a gift. The host can track if certain gifts are no longer eligible for stealing.
- The host will share the list of gifts and addresses so each gifter can mail their gift to the recipient after the party. (You can also reconvene when everyone has gotten their gift for a more official opening.)
How does Weve run virtual gift exchanges?
Want to save time and the stress of planning? “Weve” got you covered. This year, there is no need to call in Santa to make sure your team gets the gifts they want. We’ve built the tools for a gift exchange into our platform and we will take care of everything from providing lists of gift ideas for different budgets to automating the stealing and gifting process. Weve’s turn-based game works just like the real life version—without the piles of wrapping paper.
- Before your event: choose between our two curated lists of $10 and $25 gifts that will be added to your game.
- During the event: your team will be split into groups of 25 per room to play the game.
- First, the order in which guests get to pick their gift is determined.
- After the first present is revealed, the next person in line can either select a new gift or steal any already opened gift. On our platform, a gift can only be stolen two times before it is considered locked.
- At the end of the game, every attendee has a present. (And they do not just get a screenshot; they actually receive those presents!)
- *After the exchange: Weve will send you a list of assigned gifts for each guest and links so you can purchase and mail them.
What should you consider in the budget for a virtual White Elephant party?
- If you plan a virtual gift exchange on your own, make sure you take into account the price of the platform you use plus the cost of gifts for each guest. And if you are mailing gifts, make sure to take shipping costs into account.
- If you use Weve, there is a service fee for the platform and the cost of the gifts is separate. You can book an ala carte experience or add it onto an existing game.
