there is a much faster way you guys to white elephant
"Another variation is to leave all the gifts wrapped until the end. Stealing is still allowed (up to w/e number, i say 1), but must be done while the gifts are still wrapped. No stealing after the wrapping comes off."
so we all pick a gift, and then if you want you unwrap it, then you keep it.
if you don't want to keep it, and you think someone else might have a better gift, then take it once and open it. then you get to keep it.
i think this way, we get a little fun and it's not that long of a game.
also "Participants draw numbers from a hat to determine their gift choice order, starting with one, up to the total number of participants." that's how the game actually does work so yea.