For many people, exchanging gifts is a major part of the holiday season — regardless of whether  those presents are placed under a Christmas tree by “Santa Claus.” One way to make the traditional holiday present exchange a bit more fun is by gamifying it. Think: hosting a Secret Santa with your extended family, or participating in a White Elephant with your coworkers before you break for the holidays.

Each of these kinds of events comes with its own rules and expectations — and you may be unsure what type of gift is appropriate for which. Here’s how to navigate the different types of gift exchanges that may appear on your holiday party calendar this year.

Secret Santa 

Secret Santa gift exchanges involve selecting one person’s name at random from the group of participants and purchasing a gift that’s specifically tailored to them. While it’s possible to get a gift for the same person who gives you one during the game, often your recipient won’t be the same person giving you a present.

Ideally, limitations are placed on a Secret Santa so that everyone receives gifts of a relatively similar price point. And while Secret Santas can be tricky for groups of people who don’t know one another very well, there are ways to work around this problem: The website Elfster, for example, helps organize your Secret Santa so that everyone’s giftee is assigned anonymously, and it also allows you to create a “wishlist” featuring your specific interests and preferences.

Still not sure what to get your Secret Santa recipient? In general, good Secret Santa etiquette says you can get someone something generic and, potentially, regiftable — think a nice candle or a box of chocolates. Don’t be afraid to give a homemade gift for Secret Santa either. Know how to knit a store-quality scarf or make amazing empanadas? It counts!

White Elephant 

A White Elephant gift exchange differs from a Secret Santa in that you’re buying a present that anyone in the group could potentially want. And while people play White Elephant differently,  you’re typically also encouraged to get a little more creative — and even silly — with what you bring to the party.

Per Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, a “white elephant” is “an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others” or “something of little or no value,” which is a good way to look at this exchange. Traditionally you’re encouraged to bring something to a White Elephant exchange that you have no use for — like, say, a weird gift you yourself received last year.

But many people don’t abide by those traditional rules, and instead purchase something specifically for a White Elephant party. While you should absolutely check with a host about the vibe of the event before purchasing an item, it’s common to go with a gag gift or something wild and unexpected, like a unique food item. (Pickle-flavored cotton candy, anyone?) Or, go with something that’s technically useful — like an oversize roll of toilet paper, which has been a popular offering at these kinds of exchanges.

While the rules of a White Elephant depend on who is hosting, USA Today reports that the game begins by assigning players a random order, typically by drawing numbered cards from a hat, and setting a rule for how many times a gift can be stolen. Players then take turns either choosing an unopened gift from the pile (which will be unwrapped immediately) or stealing an already opened one. If a player’s gift is stolen, they get another turn to pick or steal, and the first player is given a final chance to swap at the end. Once the exchange is over, everyone keeps the gift they end up with.

Favorite Things Party

Want to maximize the number of things you walk away with at a holiday gift exchange? Consider throwing a “Favorite Things Party.” This involves each person bringing multiples of the same item that they have a personal connection to, or one of their favorite things. So, perhaps you’re passionate about a great-smelling hand soap, a tasty hot sauce or a certain lip balm — you would bring several of that item to the party.

The exact number of each item depends on the number of participants and can vary depending on what you hope to achieve from the event. For example, if you have a group of 20 people, you may want each person to bring three of the same item, and then go through rounds so each person picks the three things they like best. However, if you have a smaller group — say, just four people — you could have everyone purchase enough items so that each person gets to go home with their friends’ favorite things.

One downside of a Favorite Things Party is that you may end up spending a bit more than you would at events where you have to purchase just one gift — but the trade-off is you will walk away with quite a few things, ideally of high quality. Want to do a Favorite Things Party on a budget? Consider making the favorite things food items: Everyone can bring their favorite soda, candy or mini bottle of liquor.

Grab Bag 

If you want a gift exchange that leaves the recipient of your gift up to chance, consider a grab bag. In this situation, wrapped gifts are placed inside a large bag, and people have the opportunity to pull theirs out randomly. Ideally, grab bag gifts are something most people could use or enjoy, but gag gifts can be fun too. You can also encourage swapping or even gamify it, like with White Elephant.

Have gifts that are breakable and shouldn’t be tossed into a bag? Instead of worrying whether that picture frame will get cracked when it collides with, say, a Stanley tumbler, consider putting all the gifts out in the open and numbering them — then, have people draw a number that corresponds to the gift instead.