You are exactly right. Humans are social creatures, and the &quot;winning and losing&quot; in such events is governed by far, far more than the &quot;expected value&quot; of the gift.<p>Excessive &quot;ragging&quot; is a net loss, often for the entire group. Chemistry is tricky, and a game like this can get toxic, quickly. As can any game. That&#x27;s why people often play games, it&#x27;s a very effective way to suss out people&#x27;s true nature. Doesn&#x27;t matter whether it&#x27;s White Elephants, Bridge, or Golf.<p>One excellent strategy is to deliberately pick a lame gift and make up a funny story about why you want it. For example, if absolutely nobody wants the lime green monokini, take it and announce that you intend to hire a houseboy and make him wear it.<p>Presto, everyone is laughing and you are off the hook for winning without dampening the fun of those who want to play the game for keeps.