How to Host a Virtual White Elephant

Updated October 17, 2026

Remote teams can have just as much fun with a gift swap; it just needs a little more planning. Here's a timeline that works. For the game rules themselves, see virtual White Elephant rules.

Timeline

3 weeks before	Pick a date and a price limit ($20–$30), and decide on gift logistics (below).
2 weeks before	Everyone buys a gift and sends the host a photo (or ships it to the host).
Party day	Share your screen with the turn order in TV mode and paste the link in chat. Reveal gifts as people choose them.
Week after	Gifts ship to their winners.

Three ways to handle gifts

1. Ship to winners: everyone buys online, waits for the game, then ships to the winner's address. This is the cheapest option, with no double shipping.
2. Host has everything: gifts ship to the host, who unwraps them on camera. This makes the best show, but the host does the most work.
3. Digital gifts: e-gift cards or subscriptions revealed on screen. This is the easiest option for global teams.

Keep it moving

• Use 45-second turns and a 2-steal limit.
• Keep a shared slide with each opened gift and its current owner.
• Finish with a 3-minute final steal round using the timer.

Need gift ideas that ship well? Try the coworker gift list.