# Rules for Paul McCombs' Birthday White Elephant Gift Exchange

## Everyone brings a gift
It should be an item that's too good to throw out, and to crappy to keep. It could be anything. A game, a music CD, a figurine from Auntie Em, anything. It is unnecessary (and sometimes important) that the original owner does not identify herself.

## Selecting the order of turns
* Put a numbered slip of paper for each person participating in the exchange.
* Put all of the slips of paper in a hat or bag to be drawn blind by the participants.
* Everyone will draw a numbered slip of paper.

## What happens on each turn
On the first turn, person #1 chooses a gift, opens it, and it is admired by all.
On the second turn, person #2 gets the choice of "stealing" any unwrapped gift (#1) or choosing a wrapped one.
On the third turn, person #3 gets the choice of "stealing" any unwrapped gift (#1 or #2) or choosing a wrapped one.
Turns proceed until everyone has a gift. A turn is ended when a gift is opened and (hopefully) admired by everyone.
If a gift is stolen from you, you can steal a gift or open a new one subject to the following restrictions:
* A gift can not be stolen more than once in a turn.
* The seventh "Owner" of a gift gets to keep it - it is unavailable to be stolen again.

## The final turn
Person #1 (who had no informed choice at the beginning) can choose to put back his or her gift and steal any gift that is still available to be stolen, starting the final round of stealing ending when someone either chooses or is forced to take the gift given up by person #1.