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Dirty Santa

Dirty Santa is the mischievous holiday gift exchange where everyone brings one wrapped gift and the stealing gets, well, dirty. Here are the full rules, a step-by-step guide, and a free way to run it online.

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What is Dirty Santa?

Dirty Santa is a party gift-exchange game most popular in the Southern United States. Everyone brings one wrapped, unlabeled gift to a shared pile, then players take turns either opening a new gift or "stealing" one that's already been opened. The "dirty" part is all the good-natured stealing. It's the same game as White Elephant and Yankee Swap, just with a different regional name.

Dirty Santa rules

Simple rules, maximum chaos. Tweak the details to fit your crowd:

  1. Everyone brings one gift. Wrapped, unlabeled, within the agreed budget, all added to a shared pile.
  2. Draw numbers. Each player draws a number for turn order, player 1 goes first.
  3. Open or steal. On your turn, unwrap a new gift from the pile or steal an already-opened gift from someone else.
  4. Re-pick if you're stolen from. Lost your gift? You immediately open a new one or steal a different opened gift.
  5. Three-steal limit. A gift can be stolen up to three times, then it's frozen with its owner. No stealing it back on the same turn.
  6. Player 1 finishes. After the last player, player 1 may keep their gift or steal any unfrozen one, ending the game.

No paper slips required, draw turn order online free in one tap.

Step by step

How to play Dirty Santa

Everyone brings a wrapped gift

One gift per person, unlabeled, within budget, all placed in a common pile.

Set a budget

Agree on a spending limit up front, commonly $20 to $30, so gifts feel fair.

Draw numbers for turn order

Randomly assign each player a number. An online tool makes this instant.

On your turn, open or steal

Unwrap a new gift from the pile, or steal an already-opened gift from another player.

Stolen from? Go again

Anyone who loses their gift immediately opens a new one or steals a different opened gift.

Freeze after three steals

Once a gift has been stolen three times it's locked with its owner, keeping the game moving.

Player 1 gets the last move

After the final player, player 1 may swap for any unfrozen gift. Then everyone keeps what they hold.

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How to play Dirty Santa, at a glance

Pin it, print it, or share this quick visual guide with your group.

How to play Dirty Santa infographic with 7 steps: everyone brings a wrapped gift, set a budget, draw numbers for turn order, open a new gift or steal an opened one, go again if stolen from, a gift freezes after 3 steals, and player 1 takes the final turn.
Same game, different names

Dirty Santa vs. White Elephant vs. Yankee Swap

All three are the same steal-and-swap gift game with regional names.

😈

Dirty Santa

The Southern US name. "Dirty" is all the stealing, usually with a 3-steal cap.

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White Elephant

The most widely used name for the game. Rules →

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Yankee Swap

The Northeastern US name, same pick-and-steal format. Rules →

Want assigned matches instead of stealing? That's Secret Santa, and our free tool runs either one.

Good to know

Dirty Santa questions, answered

What is Dirty Santa?+
A party gift exchange, popular in the Southern US, where everyone brings one wrapped gift and players take turns opening a new gift or stealing an opened one. The "dirty" is the stealing. It's the same game as White Elephant and Yankee Swap.
What are the rules of Dirty Santa?+
Everyone brings one wrapped gift under budget, players draw numbers for turn order, and on each turn you open a new gift or steal an opened one. A gift can be stolen up to three times before it's frozen, and player 1 gets a final swap.
How many times can a gift be stolen?+
Most groups use a three-steal limit: after three steals a gift is locked with its owner.
Dirty Santa vs. Secret Santa, what's the difference?+
In Secret Santa you're assigned one specific person to buy for; in Dirty Santa no one is assigned anyone and everyone steals from a shared pile. See our Secret Santa guide.

Run your Dirty Santa the easy way

Set it up free in two minutes, draw turn order in one tap, set a budget, and invite everyone, in person or online.

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Free forever · No app · Works for family, friends & coworkers