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Don't overthink it - people do White Elephant exchanges because they're genuinely fun and take the pressure off gift-giving. There's something hilarious about the chaos of stealing presents, the mystery of what's wrapped up, and the unpredictability of who ends up with what. It's a way to swap stuff you don't need while everyone gets a laugh, and honestly, the entertainment value is worth more than whatever's actually in the boxes.
The premise that it's dying out is backwards - if anything, White Elephant has gotten more popular over the last decade. Guys, I'd push back on the "takes pressure off" angle though. Yeah there's chaos and laughs, but half the fun is actually that mild competitive edge - people get genuinely invested in whether someone steals their gift, or they're scheming to grab something good. It's less about removing stakes and more about making gift-giving feel like a game where everyone's playing rather than just awkwardly handing things over.
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