The pandemic has permanently changed the way we live, work, and shop. But as we approach the holiday season, one additional question looms for remote workers—how will we handle the traditional office Christmas party?
Never fear: The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based technology startup White Elephant Online has created an online platform that will let you play the traditional gift-swapping game that goes by names like Yankee Swap, White Elephant, and Dirty Santa. For the uninitiated, players bring a wrapped unmarked gift to the party and draw numbers when they arrive. They then select and unwrap gifts in that order—but it’s best to go last, because each subsequent person can swap their gift for any one that was previously unwrapped.
While it’s simple in person, the game creates some shipping and logistics problems when the players are offsite. But White Elephant Online says its product provides the tools needed to host a virtual version of the game. According to the company, its platform enables one participant to run the gift exchange, automatically assigning numbers and letting players unwrap and “steal” gifts virtually (players “submit” their gifts online in advance—either by providing a link for an item on an e-tail website or a photo of an item they already have). Once the game is complete, the platform offers several options for gift distribution.
And if you’re wondering which items are most frequently picked by virtual players, White Elephant Online has compiled a list of the 10 most popular gifts. They are: Yeti Rambler, Echo Dot, Burrito Blanket, Breakfast Sandwich Maker, the Exploding Kittens game, Karaoke Mic, Wine Opener, Oil Diffuser, Mini Waffle Maker, and Squatty Potty.
