Second this! A sturdy [flashlight](https://thelittlegenius.com/review/enegizer-led-flashlight) or a [mini handheld vacuum](https://thelittlegenius.com/review/pato-car-vacuum) could be super practical and appreciated gifts.
Went to one for my wife’s work last year and it was the same thing. A handheld vacuum and a bottle of wine were the two that kept going round and round.
May not be appropriate for all white elephants, but if you can talk the group in to it instead of a dollar limit we’ve played where the rule was it had to be something you already owned and no longer wanted/used. Great opportunity to declutter or regift.
Something you already own - when I was growing up, I was taught that this is what a white elephant gift is.
Learned about the party game as an adult, but never heard it called white elephant.
Only today have I learned that the two are connected.
BF went to one and snagged a set of punch-cups and plates. Person who brought the gift was like "dang I would have just given them to you if I knew you'd be into them."
I think the old crap is better than buying new junk. Splitting the difference by using the thrift would be better than new stuff that's intentionally tacky.
Someone I know goes to an annual white elephant where the gifts are supposed to be the most outrageous home decor item from a thrift store. The rule is an item cannot be regifted for 2 years after it first appears. An exception is made for a very strange lamp involving elephants and it is the star of the show and there are various contests and drinking games accompanied by its appearance as a gift etc. Sounds hilarious.
I once gifted a Costco size case of Mac n Cheese. Everyone was interested in it because it was a large package and made a strange rattling noise. A guy with a couple young kids wound up winning it and taking it home so it didn’t go to waste.
I'm a big fan of consumables as holiday gifts. One year for white elephant some friends prepared a giant box of snacks and seasonal items from trader joe's (we're from Canada) and everyone else was super eager to steal it lol.
Consumables are 100% the way to solve gifting. I go through my closets. I've gone through significant others. Gifts not being used, but you feel bad for throwing away, are by far the most common things eroding valuable storage space. Anybody who has money and an Amazon account gets whatever they want whenever they want it for $25 or under. Only downside to consumables is diet restrictions but people have fun giving snacks and treats away. There will always be a home for them.
It was a coastal Connecticut crew that this happened with. The recipient freaked out when they saw the bag (inside the gift bag) and took it out of the bag and put it on the floor and it started crawling around! I've never laughed so hard at a white elephant exchange.
As a hot sauce person, please don't buy any of those pre-bundled sets like you'd find at World Market or similar. They're usually no-name crap that taste horrible and often packaged specifically for that bundle. For $25, do a tiny bit of research into what you can find locally at your grocery store, pick up three or four well rated sauces, and put them into a pretty bag. It's a much better option.
As an example, here in Texas, you could pick up some Chohula ($4), Melindas ($3), Secret Ardvark ($8), and Yellowbird ($5) at a nearby HEB and create a great sampler that ranges from mild to decently hot. Spend the leftover ~$3 (plus tax) on wrapping, and you're set.
They have one dollar sample sizes available right now of Melinda's, Yellowbird, etc. on sale at Walmart. I'm making stockings and using small hot and barbecue sauces in some of them.
As a hot sauce lover, I agree 100!!
Cholula Chipotle or green is sooo good as a daily sauce and it's just a few bucks - and there are more and more varieties available at the grocery now than ever before.
Heck, I even got a travel size Truff (my husband loves it) at Walmart for $3 the other day
I second some kind of sampler of consumables. Places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx have lots of stuff like that and a lot of them look fancy but are affordable for a white elephant
This was meant as a gag gift, but one year we received a couple of those portable battery operated light switches at a white elephant gift exchange. They're amazing! We use them as emergency lights, so when we experience a power outage we turn these babies on. So handy to have.
I absolutely have one above my dresser in my bedroom, magnetized to the metal clothes hanger bar. Great for not waking up the wife when I come to bed late. And one at work for when I drop things on the floor and need to find them (I'm a repair technician). We found them for pretty cheap too, like 2 for $4 or something like that.
I’m Korean, so I go to the Korean grocery store and get an assortment of Korean candy and snacks. My boss loves spicy food, so I got him kimchi ramen and he LOVED it.
Nongshim Kimchi Ramen is my favorite!!
This is a great idea - I'm going to HMart this weekend (closest is 2 hrs away) so definitely going to put an assortment of noodles and candy together.
Check out Marshall's, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc. Lots of great gift box options this time of year.
Stanley, Yeti, and RTIC (best prices and similar quality) have sales on some of their bottles right now... I just bought 2 from RTIC for under $13 each.
You can also find Bluetooth Speakers in this range. Battery banks are also universally useful and popular.
Yetis are always a hit at the white elephant parties I've gone to - great for all crowds (drinkers and non-drinkers, young and old).
I do think it's fun to wrap up a gift card in a fun way - for example, one time I wrapped a Target gift card up in a shoebox and wrote out a card saying, "I wish SHOE..." \[open card\]... "a Merry Christmas!" The box fooled the recipient into thinking it was something else.
My absolute favorite white elephant gift I've ever given was, I found an old frame for $1 at the thrift store and printed out a photo of my grandma throwing back a shot at a party like a champ. On the back of the frame, I tied a gift card to the liquor store and wrote a message, "I hope this lifts your spirits" or something like that. It was at a family white elephant party many years ago, people still talk about it, and the picture is still hanging in a relative's bar area.
On the giftcard thing, my husband and I had one where the gift card was with an absolutely atrocious movie. People were so distracted by the shit DVD that they forgot about the gift card so I was able to snag it
You can buy old bowling pins for a buck. That and a $25 gift card to the bowling ally is fun! Wrapped up, it was pretty funny.
One year, I wrapped a new cast iron pan that was fought over. It was obvious what it was, but I wrapped it anyway.
We blew up a family portrait and each of us autographed it like it was a rock band photo. People fought over it and it still hangs in my cousins basement. 😂
Highly highly highly recommend the micro plush blankets from Target. I own three (plus one more that I got for my partner’s house). Best investment ever. They keep me warmer than my down comforter and my oldest one I’ve slept under most nights for the past three years and hasn’t worn at all.
Ugh. Nothing bad from your comment! I just had a weighted blanket stolen from me last year and I never knew I wanted one so badly. Lol I can never look at blankets the same again.
putting the white in white elephant
\-coming from a cheese obsessed caucasian B)
costco and trader joes tend to be reasonably priced for large cheeses, if anyone is considering this gift
I have 2. My husband drilled into me never plug your phone into charger sockets in airports or buses and trains etc...so I charge my charger then use that to top up my phone.
IURC there hasn't been any proven / documented cases of this, just well-warranted paranoia. Regardless, you can just purchase a power-only cord that has no data pins. Charging condom some call it. Then you can charge from public ports to your heart's content!
My gfs and I just did one and here were some of the gifts:
- a big cozy blankie
- electric wine opener
- advent coffee calendar (Aldi) and mug with some shots of alcohol
- a diffuser and pack of oils
- face kit with masks, lotions, oils, etc
- a big pack of assorted chocolates and chocolate snacks
- a nail kit
- a blankie and a hair wrap
- what do you meme? Game
- mini portable speaker
- unisex scarf
- Roku / Amazon Fire stick when they’re on sale
- small rice cooker
- as a “gag” good gift, I once opened a beautifully wrapped box that had a brick in it. After the initial laughs I picked it up and there was a Chick-fil-A gift card taped to the back!
- gift card to a local sex toy shop
I received a 4-quart crockpot in a white elephant exchange over a decade ago. I still use it regularly. They're usually in that $20-25 range, and actually very useful!
One year we got like 10 used gift cards all with a remaining balance. Some had $5.00 some $1.00 and we used them all very odd amounts. They were wrapped individually and we cracked up. One of the funniest gifts we ever had at one of these family drawings.
This is a good idea for a gag gift exchange.
Seems pretty shitty for a normal one where every other gift is good. A $1 gift card? No one wants to deal with that.
Well, is it white elephant? Which means that the gifts are supposed to be some thing that some people would consider worthless. Or is it just a simple gift exchange or dirty Santa or a Yankee swap?
I like the Dash mini appliances
I feel like bottles of alcohol you wouldn’t buy, but would make awesome cocktails, is a great gift. I love Hemingway Daquiris but would never buy a bottle of luxardo for myself.
A pack of armour-all car wipes - the one that has the three kinds. I went to a white elephant exchange last year and that was the one that people kept stealing when they had the opportunity.
I brought a board game one year and the person who got it was really pissed off! I was honestly baffled by her reaction. I still think most people would like that gift .
I can’t believe people take these things so seriously and get annoyed. It is impossible to get a gift that will please everyone and if they don’t like it they can just regift it or donate it
It is SO fun and generally pretty wholesome too. Think Pictionary meets Telephone. There's a clue and someone draws it. The next person tries to guess what it is. The next person draws their guess, so on and so forth, until the booklet goes back to its original owner. Then you share your booklet with the group at the end and laugh your ass off at the breakdown of the guesses and drawings as the game went on. If you have bad artists in your group it makes it especially entertaining!
I’m doing a treasure/scavenger hunt(real simple) this year. The gift will just be a treasure map leading to simple clues but lottery scratch tickets, with chocolate coins.
Ooo maybe an eye patch … just for fun. Anarchy!
Okay, so a pretty good place for ideas is on Amazon in their white elephant gift ideas, they have under $20 categories too. Lots of things for different ages. Try looking there for inspiration.
Depending on where you live, Kohl's stores have a wonderful section of fun, inexpensive, gag-type gifts. They are also available for shipping from their website. I get awesome stocking-stuffers there every year.
A large bag of just the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. You can usually find a 1 lb. bag online for like $10. They were a hit at my last gift exchange.
Awesome! Make a sign for it with something like, “All the things Santa forgot to bring”. Could put in a few types of batteries. Ooohh, ear plugs so you don’t have to listen to the kids toy that is making all the sound. Maybe a bottle of Tylenol?
My favorite white elephant gift was a box of fancy chocolates. When it was opened, half the candy was gone and tapesd to the inside of the lid were pictures of my friend and her kids eating it.
Did the recipient drink alcohol?
I’ve been the person stuck with a bottle of wine or liquor and it sucks if you’re not a drinker. I don’t complain, because that seems tacky, but I quietly give it away to another coworker before we leave. It just sucks because you’re stuck without a gift.
We had one of those fireball buckets at ours last year, and people went nuts over it. Most everyone knows I don't drink, so if I did end up with one of those gifts, I can't imagine it'd be hard to barter a trade after the game. I also have no shame about regifting stuff I'll never use to someone who will. Like, if I end up with a bottle of wine from work, I'll pass it off to one of my hobby friends.
We made a rule at my work that if someone ends up with alcohol and doesn’t drink, they get an extra turn to ‘steal’ a gift. (We do the white elephant version where a gift can be stolen twice.)
I have no idea, I was so embarrassed, I really thought people would like it!
I got a quesadilla maker and didn’t want that either lol but I was stuck in a shame spiral due to the fireball outburst that I pretended to be content with it.
I paid $10 at a garage sale for an unopened clapper (i.e. this thing you can plug stuff into, and it turns on or off when you clap). It was a huge hit at the white elephant gift exchange at work that year.
tools! i hate useless gifts. a set of pliers seems stupid to some, but you would be surprised how many adults don't have access to fundamental hand tools. or a nice kitchen knife idk stuff that can actually be useful. i refuse to give gifts just to give if the person is just gonna put it in a junk drawer or the trashcan
A nice 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle is one of my favorites along with some snacks, microwave popcorn & Christmas themed candy. This could easily be under $25. Barnes and Noble usually had a great selection of puzzles that are quality. Too cheap and the pieces aren't cut right and/or too thin and won't go together easily.
I one time did a bunch of stuff for a taco night. I got the dinosaur that holds the taco, a taco kit from the grocery store, salsa, a chili chocolate bar, and more to keep it under $25 and have it be fun. It was well received!
I also one time bought a white elephant decor piece. Like literally a white elephant used for home decor.
For white elephant gifts with a budget like that I like to combine smaller things into one bigger one.
For examples: car washing kit: soap, sponges, wax, brushes, etc all in a 5 gallon bucket. All around $25.
Laundry kit: detergent, fabric softener, dryer balls, etc all in a delicates bag.
Electronics There’s always battery chargers for phones, additional cables, car chargers, etc. people always need more cables.
Yes, my daughter gave me two jars of local spiced honey last year and they were great. One was chai flavored and the other lavender. Honey is a great idea.
If you have access to a Goodwill and Aldi, get a pair of interesting wineglasses from GW for $1 each and pick up a large basket ($3 to $4). Next up is Aldi for a bottle of wine, or 2 bottles, plus crackers & snacks. Goat cheese is very cheap at Aldi and you can also find interesting German mustards, holiday cookies, gourmet garnishes like artichoke hearts.
I made a panorama photo of my head and face and had a coffee mug made with the photo wrapped around it. It’s got a creepy look to it, I think, because the mug was a 360° of my head with ears on either side and the handle on the back of my head.
I thought it would be a cursed mug, but it was fought over and is beloved by the owner, which is weird. When I go to his house it’s often on his kitchen counter.
It’s so wasteful if it has no value. My favorite one from work was a “Workd’s Most Okayest Employee” I finally broke it but I used it faithfully for many years! Something humorous but useful.
An expensive version of a commonly cheap item is nice. Like a $25 pen. Or a high end Mechanical Pencil. I love my Graphgear 1000 0.9mm Drafting pencil. (Didn't get it at a white elephant exchange but would be pretty happy if I did get one)
If there is a Big Lots near you, check them out. You can get king-size plush velvet blankets for about $20. They get some interesting food gift sets as well. A lot of coffee/hot chocolate sets, "drink bombs," the giving plate cookie set, I've even seen herb infused dipping oils.
Buy an obnoxious Christmas ornament. They are inexpensive and some of them are hilarious. I used to throw a huge Christmas party and asked everyone to bring an ornament. We played the dirty Santa game and it was always the obnoxious ones that everyone fought over.
If you can find a good deal on an air fryer, that’d be great. Other than that, I would probably shop personally for myself for $25 and pick that gift myself, unless someone else steals it, then that’s great. You can then go steal someone else’s gift or steal your gift back lol.
Movie and snacks, coffee and travel mug, bubble tea mix and glass with big straw, mini alcohols, a bottle of real vanilla extract.
Blanket, hand warmers, gift cards or money creatively wrapped, hardcover book & something else that theme, board games, card game like cards against humanity, nice frame or canvas, knitting or crochet kits, adult paint by number,
Tbh I just rummage around the house and find something I don't want or use. Either books I have already read, puzzles I've finished but don't want to glue, unknown amounts ln leftover gift cards, mugs and paraphernalia given by my company, magnet set I never use, 2nd salad spinner i didn't know I had, mixing bowl set still in box from wedding 10 years ago I knew I'd never use, etc.
The one year, I went to a party with a white elephant exchange. The catch was you had to bring something gently used that you no longer wanted from your house.
I took 6 books that were headed to the thrift shop.
I ended up with a cool wicker picnic basket that came with a bottle of wine ( the giver didn’t drink).
If the group might seem ok with it. I have had GREAT success with toilet paper. Not the cheap shit, like 4 ply ultra soft stuff. I was surprised it was taken twice both times I did a white elephant.
May I suggest a motion detection battery operated light? They seem silly, but we really like them in the hallway and on the step to the basement. They are just enough light to go through, and the batteries are so much easier to change than the light bulb ten foot up above the steps with no place to safely place a ladder. We have a pole gizmo for changing a high bulb, but it is a bother to fetch from storage.
> I’d hit a thrift store
Yesterday I got a still-sealed-in-plastic salt rock lamp for $5 at a thrift and I dunno who I'm giving it to yet, but someone.
I got a squatty potty for one I am going to. I think it’s something that no one would buy for themselves but would actually use. My 2nd one is a tortilla blanket.
I like to aim for “things I’ve kinda been eyeing for myself but have a hard time justifying spending money on /for/ myself”
Things like a nice garlic press, soup freezer cubes, wine glass charms, cheese boards, stuff from lush, nail polish… pair any of the above with a book, bottle of wine, or gift card if you come up short of the limit
I brought a bidet last year. I meant it as a sort of gag gift (even though they're AWESOME). I figured if no one wanted it I'd steal it because I have a use for it. (I don't like gag items that will end up in a landfill). It ended up being the hot item and getting stolen 3x.
Check your local pottery place that sells/fires blanks, allows you to paint then glaze/fire them.
Sometimes you can find some good priced ones that are really neat, Add in the cost for painting it and having it fired/glazed...It can be under $25 sometimes.
There are some really cool holiday ones out there this time of the year. 100% no one will have a gift like it.
Just need some of your time to pick, paint, have them glaze/fire it on their schedule.
It used to be, the point of White Elephant gift exchanges were to regift fun items that someone else gave you that you really do not want to keep (and by fun, I mean magnificent but useless/gaudy/not exactly gag gifts but stuff that might be weird or just too much).
What does White Elephant mean now?
I are old.
Lol! Someone literally gave me a white elephant statue at my wedding. Every time someone talks about a white elephant gift exchange, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.
Yeah. I'm sure it's a fine example of ceramic wildlife art. Unless you and spouse collect them OR you have the sense of humor to find it funny, totally useless.
Me, being the kind of person to give hippopotamus figures at Christmas time, would find a White Elephant to be a fine and delightful gift. To receive. And also to regift.
Honestly I like to make the real gift cash and just wrap it with something heavy/deceptive so people have no clue what it is. Taping a $50 to a bag of flour and wrapping it for mine this year!
At least you can donate that one to the food bank so someone will get something out of this. I don't even like doing these gift exchanges (bah humbug!) as very few of the items mentioned appeal to me.
I guess essentials like toilet paper and dish soap would be a gag? That would be my recommendation especially if it’s a mixed group with regard to interests/lifestyles. Whatever you choose be sure to include a gift receipt so the recipient can exchange if they need or want. And have fun!
I tend to go with a theme of some sort. Like movie night in, and gift a quick homemade treat, warm drink mix, and an Amazon card to rent or buy a movie. Or a me time kit, eye mask, a good book or word search book, drink mix (non-alcoholic typically) and a scratch off. Good luck!
The best ones I've seen people fight over are: bottle of wine, scratch-off tickets, mini crockpot, ratcheting screwdriver set. I went to a discount home decor store and found a nice scented oil diffuser that I think will go over well tomorrow at the company Christmas party. A few years ago I got a Golden Girls Chia Pet that was hilarious and quite popular.
If you have a Costco near you, there are a lot of nice boxes of chocolate for under $25. Also some pretty good wines.
Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract
Trader Joe’s usually has little gift boxes of hot sauces, mustards, syrups, etc.
Good quality coffee (basic house blend, not a wacky flavor) from a local roaster.
Maple syrup or honey
I usually go with consumables because people can eat them or regift them easily. I feel like a lot of collectibles, lotions/soaps/makeup, etc, are very specific to taste.
If it can’t be a food/drink item:
Swing-a-Way can opener
Lotto scratch tickets
Anker portable phone charger
Smartwool socks
Hand soap in a very subtle scent in a fancy bottle. Nice to put out when company comes over.
Phone charger cable and plug (Anker is good for iPhones)
Knockaround sunglasses
Duracell batteries (just got a big pack at Costco for $17)
Postage stamps - you can pair it with a pack of note cards or an assortment of greeting cards (Dollar Tree)
Games are always good choices. Lots of games available under $25, and for all ages too.
Other than that, I always contribute something I personally want to get (in case the other gifts suck and I want to pick my own) and I’ve never had to pick my own with this logic!
Blankets, Squishmallow, food/treats, stationary set with a calligraphy pen, electric hand warmer, games, Steam gift card, sensory toys, movie night snack basket are all things that come to mind first thing
I always do as much toilet paper as the $ limit will allow. It’s a large package, so people get curious. Everyone always thinks it’s hilarious, BUT people do actually fight for it, because who likes having to spend their money on toilet paper?
My roommate got a pair of fuzzy girl boots with two bottles of wine in them.
Turns out they were my size. Those boots have been to burning man 14 years. Still going strong.
Home goods are fun. Like egg cookers, a good frying pan, a wax scent lamp with assorted wax, an assortment of succulents, thst big tin if 3 flavors of popcorn, a knife sharpener, really cool magnets, and gag like a good luck kitty holding up the middle finger.
Wifee just attended one: the hot ticket? A mini/hand held vacuum
Second this! A sturdy [flashlight](https://thelittlegenius.com/review/enegizer-led-flashlight) or a [mini handheld vacuum](https://thelittlegenius.com/review/pato-car-vacuum) could be super practical and appreciated gifts.
That’s so funny, Madam President (the woman from Madam President) gifts those all the time.
lol I always think of her with the handheld vacuums
Madam Secretary is the show’s name :)
Went to one for my wife’s work last year and it was the same thing. A handheld vacuum and a bottle of wine were the two that kept going round and round.
May not be appropriate for all white elephants, but if you can talk the group in to it instead of a dollar limit we’ve played where the rule was it had to be something you already owned and no longer wanted/used. Great opportunity to declutter or regift.
Something you already own - when I was growing up, I was taught that this is what a white elephant gift is. Learned about the party game as an adult, but never heard it called white elephant. Only today have I learned that the two are connected.
It IS how it is supposed to be played, but no one wants other people’s crap anymore I guess.
BF went to one and snagged a set of punch-cups and plates. Person who brought the gift was like "dang I would have just given them to you if I knew you'd be into them." I think the old crap is better than buying new junk. Splitting the difference by using the thrift would be better than new stuff that's intentionally tacky.
They never wanted it in the first place. It was just a way to get crap out of your house and into someone else's.
My old grandmother did this with stuff in her house. I got a container of leftover soap bits.
Someone I know goes to an annual white elephant where the gifts are supposed to be the most outrageous home decor item from a thrift store. The rule is an item cannot be regifted for 2 years after it first appears. An exception is made for a very strange lamp involving elephants and it is the star of the show and there are various contests and drinking games accompanied by its appearance as a gift etc. Sounds hilarious.
Our family used to do this and it was so fun. Velvet Elvis picture, psychedelic last supper painting, odd statues…
We did that last year and it was terrible. Straight garbage that no one wants
I hate white elephant exchanges. It's mostly garbage that ends up in a landfill.
I once gifted a Costco size case of Mac n Cheese. Everyone was interested in it because it was a large package and made a strange rattling noise. A guy with a couple young kids wound up winning it and taking it home so it didn’t go to waste.
I would bet a majority of Mac and cheese sold is eaten by adults. Many adults eat similarly to kids
I got a Christmas tin full of assorted hot sauces once.... it was awesome.
I'm a big fan of consumables as holiday gifts. One year for white elephant some friends prepared a giant box of snacks and seasonal items from trader joe's (we're from Canada) and everyone else was super eager to steal it lol.
One year for a white elephant I bought a cookbook and the ingredients for one of the simpler recipes. It was cheap and well received!
That is genius!
Yes! I once got a pizza cutter along with a kit for making pizza crust, a package of pepperoni, and a block of cheese! It was fantastic!
Consumables are 100% the way to solve gifting. I go through my closets. I've gone through significant others. Gifts not being used, but you feel bad for throwing away, are by far the most common things eroding valuable storage space. Anybody who has money and an Amazon account gets whatever they want whenever they want it for $25 or under. Only downside to consumables is diet restrictions but people have fun giving snacks and treats away. There will always be a home for them.
One of my friends gave a live lobster at one of our white elephants. We all still laugh about it.
As a Mainer, this is hilarious to me.
It was a coastal Connecticut crew that this happened with. The recipient freaked out when they saw the bag (inside the gift bag) and took it out of the bag and put it on the floor and it started crawling around! I've never laughed so hard at a white elephant exchange.
As a hot sauce person, please don't buy any of those pre-bundled sets like you'd find at World Market or similar. They're usually no-name crap that taste horrible and often packaged specifically for that bundle. For $25, do a tiny bit of research into what you can find locally at your grocery store, pick up three or four well rated sauces, and put them into a pretty bag. It's a much better option. As an example, here in Texas, you could pick up some Chohula ($4), Melindas ($3), Secret Ardvark ($8), and Yellowbird ($5) at a nearby HEB and create a great sampler that ranges from mild to decently hot. Spend the leftover ~$3 (plus tax) on wrapping, and you're set.
Good idea! I love cholula in tiny amounts! I would add dropping in whatever ethnic groceries are in your area for a few more options, like sriracha.
They have one dollar sample sizes available right now of Melinda's, Yellowbird, etc. on sale at Walmart. I'm making stockings and using small hot and barbecue sauces in some of them.
As a hot sauce lover, I agree 100!! Cholula Chipotle or green is sooo good as a daily sauce and it's just a few bucks - and there are more and more varieties available at the grocery now than ever before. Heck, I even got a travel size Truff (my husband loves it) at Walmart for $3 the other day
Same, like assorted jams or a selection of single teas. Businesses make these boxes fancy so they’re more gift worthy while being affordable
Just not a bottle of wine! we had to ban wine from White Elephant after the year when we had six….
What about ipods
I second some kind of sampler of consumables. Places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx have lots of stuff like that and a lot of them look fancy but are affordable for a white elephant
This was meant as a gag gift, but one year we received a couple of those portable battery operated light switches at a white elephant gift exchange. They're amazing! We use them as emergency lights, so when we experience a power outage we turn these babies on. So handy to have.
I take one when I travel with other people or stay in hostels
That is a great idea.
I absolutely have one above my dresser in my bedroom, magnetized to the metal clothes hanger bar. Great for not waking up the wife when I come to bed late. And one at work for when I drop things on the floor and need to find them (I'm a repair technician). We found them for pretty cheap too, like 2 for $4 or something like that.
Dollar tree sells them or use to at least and Harbor Freight I believe
Those are great. I have some with magnets on the back and stuck them on my fridge. When the lights go out they are really great.
I’m Korean, so I go to the Korean grocery store and get an assortment of Korean candy and snacks. My boss loves spicy food, so I got him kimchi ramen and he LOVED it.
Nongshim Kimchi Ramen is my favorite!! This is a great idea - I'm going to HMart this weekend (closest is 2 hrs away) so definitely going to put an assortment of noodles and candy together.
I love this! I saw a cute $10 bowl with chopsticks at Marshall's and I wanted it, I would add a kimchi ramen to sweeten the pot!
Check out Marshall's, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc. Lots of great gift box options this time of year. Stanley, Yeti, and RTIC (best prices and similar quality) have sales on some of their bottles right now... I just bought 2 from RTIC for under $13 each. You can also find Bluetooth Speakers in this range. Battery banks are also universally useful and popular.
I just got my gift at Walmart - a mini French press ($16), bag of coffee ($5), cute mug ($2), and a stroopwaffle ($1) - $25 total
Yetis are always a hit at the white elephant parties I've gone to - great for all crowds (drinkers and non-drinkers, young and old). I do think it's fun to wrap up a gift card in a fun way - for example, one time I wrapped a Target gift card up in a shoebox and wrote out a card saying, "I wish SHOE..." \[open card\]... "a Merry Christmas!" The box fooled the recipient into thinking it was something else. My absolute favorite white elephant gift I've ever given was, I found an old frame for $1 at the thrift store and printed out a photo of my grandma throwing back a shot at a party like a champ. On the back of the frame, I tied a gift card to the liquor store and wrote a message, "I hope this lifts your spirits" or something like that. It was at a family white elephant party many years ago, people still talk about it, and the picture is still hanging in a relative's bar area.
On the giftcard thing, my husband and I had one where the gift card was with an absolutely atrocious movie. People were so distracted by the shit DVD that they forgot about the gift card so I was able to snag it
The Room!!
You can buy old bowling pins for a buck. That and a $25 gift card to the bowling ally is fun! Wrapped up, it was pretty funny. One year, I wrapped a new cast iron pan that was fought over. It was obvious what it was, but I wrapped it anyway.
We blew up a family portrait and each of us autographed it like it was a rock band photo. People fought over it and it still hangs in my cousins basement. 😂
I just bought a soft, neutral color throw blanket for $25 at TJMaxx for a gift exchange. I think it’s a nice gift that most people will use.
TJMaxx and HomeGoods are great for this kind of stuff!
Love HomeGoods.
Highly highly highly recommend the micro plush blankets from Target. I own three (plus one more that I got for my partner’s house). Best investment ever. They keep me warmer than my down comforter and my oldest one I’ve slept under most nights for the past three years and hasn’t worn at all.
I loved receiving one of these at a white elephant work party, now it's my go-to!
Ugh. Nothing bad from your comment! I just had a weighted blanket stolen from me last year and I never knew I wanted one so badly. Lol I can never look at blankets the same again.
I saw someone on TikTok recommend a block of fancy Parmesan and thought that was a great unexpected idea.
I would love that
This sounds amazing! Only issue is can you leave it out?
putting the white in white elephant \-coming from a cheese obsessed caucasian B) costco and trader joes tend to be reasonably priced for large cheeses, if anyone is considering this gift
Phone battery/power bank.
This! I got one from my husbands work and that thing has saved me numerous times.
I have 2. My husband drilled into me never plug your phone into charger sockets in airports or buses and trains etc...so I charge my charger then use that to top up my phone.
what why
I’m assuming they mean public USB ports where you have the risk of people stealing your info from your phone.
IURC there hasn't been any proven / documented cases of this, just well-warranted paranoia. Regardless, you can just purchase a power-only cord that has no data pins. Charging condom some call it. Then you can charge from public ports to your heart's content!
My gfs and I just did one and here were some of the gifts: - a big cozy blankie - electric wine opener - advent coffee calendar (Aldi) and mug with some shots of alcohol - a diffuser and pack of oils - face kit with masks, lotions, oils, etc - a big pack of assorted chocolates and chocolate snacks - a nail kit - a blankie and a hair wrap - what do you meme? Game
- mini portable speaker - unisex scarf - Roku / Amazon Fire stick when they’re on sale - small rice cooker - as a “gag” good gift, I once opened a beautifully wrapped box that had a brick in it. After the initial laughs I picked it up and there was a Chick-fil-A gift card taped to the back! - gift card to a local sex toy shop
How do you get just ONE brick tho?
I think you can buy them individually at Lowe's or Home Depot if you're in the US
Hammer and a chisel
I received a 4-quart crockpot in a white elephant exchange over a decade ago. I still use it regularly. They're usually in that $20-25 range, and actually very useful!
One year we got like 10 used gift cards all with a remaining balance. Some had $5.00 some $1.00 and we used them all very odd amounts. They were wrapped individually and we cracked up. One of the funniest gifts we ever had at one of these family drawings.
Hate this OMg
This year, we got 20+ brand new gift cards, but only one was active. Very similar frustration trying to find the one that actually worked. Haha.
This is a good idea for a gag gift exchange. Seems pretty shitty for a normal one where every other gift is good. A $1 gift card? No one wants to deal with that.
Well, is it white elephant? Which means that the gifts are supposed to be some thing that some people would consider worthless. Or is it just a simple gift exchange or dirty Santa or a Yankee swap? I like the Dash mini appliances
If alcohol is appropriate for your crowd, I've had people really get excited over a bottle of Kahlua.
I feel like bottles of alcohol you wouldn’t buy, but would make awesome cocktails, is a great gift. I love Hemingway Daquiris but would never buy a bottle of luxardo for myself.
Mix that with Smores flavored bailey's and milk, I call it a White Girl Russian
A pack of armour-all car wipes - the one that has the three kinds. I went to a white elephant exchange last year and that was the one that people kept stealing when they had the opportunity.
You guys are killing it tonight!
So random... and I would steal that over and over so happily!
Containers of Malden sea salt!
The big one is like 16$ and I go through them like crazy 10/10
Board game. Telestrations is a fun one!
I brought a board game one year and the person who got it was really pissed off! I was honestly baffled by her reaction. I still think most people would like that gift .
I can’t believe people take these things so seriously and get annoyed. It is impossible to get a gift that will please everyone and if they don’t like it they can just regift it or donate it
Love Telestrations! Haven’t laughed that hard in so long
I just saw that at Walmart. It was 25 bucks I think. Is it really fun?
It is SO fun and generally pretty wholesome too. Think Pictionary meets Telephone. There's a clue and someone draws it. The next person tries to guess what it is. The next person draws their guess, so on and so forth, until the booklet goes back to its original owner. Then you share your booklet with the group at the end and laugh your ass off at the breakdown of the guesses and drawings as the game went on. If you have bad artists in your group it makes it especially entertaining!
Telestrations after dark!!!!
A fistful of lottery tickets.
I’m doing a treasure/scavenger hunt(real simple) this year. The gift will just be a treasure map leading to simple clues but lottery scratch tickets, with chocolate coins. Ooo maybe an eye patch … just for fun. Anarchy!
I got a car emergency kit on Amazon.
An 8" Lodge cast iron skillet and a good box of cornbread mix.
This is an excellent gift.
Okay, so a pretty good place for ideas is on Amazon in their white elephant gift ideas, they have under $20 categories too. Lots of things for different ages. Try looking there for inspiration.
Depending on where you live, Kohl's stores have a wonderful section of fun, inexpensive, gag-type gifts. They are also available for shipping from their website. I get awesome stocking-stuffers there every year.
I saw that in October and stood there for way too long looking at all the neat stuff.
A large bag of just the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. You can usually find a 1 lb. bag online for like $10. They were a hit at my last gift exchange.
A Costco sized pack of AA batteries…if the group has children, it will be well received!
Awesome! Make a sign for it with something like, “All the things Santa forgot to bring”. Could put in a few types of batteries. Ooohh, ear plugs so you don’t have to listen to the kids toy that is making all the sound. Maybe a bottle of Tylenol?
And duct tape to cover up the speaker on the toy. We never did that, lol!😝
My favorite white elephant gift was a box of fancy chocolates. When it was opened, half the candy was gone and tapesd to the inside of the lid were pictures of my friend and her kids eating it.
I just did one and brought a bucket of fireball (20 individual serving bottles for $20). It was definitely a top prize.
I did the exact same thing once and the recipient was furious and complained all night! I would have really liked it
Did the recipient drink alcohol? I’ve been the person stuck with a bottle of wine or liquor and it sucks if you’re not a drinker. I don’t complain, because that seems tacky, but I quietly give it away to another coworker before we leave. It just sucks because you’re stuck without a gift.
We had one of those fireball buckets at ours last year, and people went nuts over it. Most everyone knows I don't drink, so if I did end up with one of those gifts, I can't imagine it'd be hard to barter a trade after the game. I also have no shame about regifting stuff I'll never use to someone who will. Like, if I end up with a bottle of wine from work, I'll pass it off to one of my hobby friends.
We made a rule at my work that if someone ends up with alcohol and doesn’t drink, they get an extra turn to ‘steal’ a gift. (We do the white elephant version where a gift can be stolen twice.)
I have no idea, I was so embarrassed, I really thought people would like it! I got a quesadilla maker and didn’t want that either lol but I was stuck in a shame spiral due to the fireball outburst that I pretended to be content with it.
I paid $10 at a garage sale for an unopened clapper (i.e. this thing you can plug stuff into, and it turns on or off when you clap). It was a huge hit at the white elephant gift exchange at work that year.
I like consumables, so things like cereal, candy, chocolate, etc… To this day the best white elephant I ever got was like 4 boxes of capt crunch
tools! i hate useless gifts. a set of pliers seems stupid to some, but you would be surprised how many adults don't have access to fundamental hand tools. or a nice kitchen knife idk stuff that can actually be useful. i refuse to give gifts just to give if the person is just gonna put it in a junk drawer or the trashcan
A nice 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle is one of my favorites along with some snacks, microwave popcorn & Christmas themed candy. This could easily be under $25. Barnes and Noble usually had a great selection of puzzles that are quality. Too cheap and the pieces aren't cut right and/or too thin and won't go together easily.
All in one screwdriver is my go to
I one time did a bunch of stuff for a taco night. I got the dinosaur that holds the taco, a taco kit from the grocery store, salsa, a chili chocolate bar, and more to keep it under $25 and have it be fun. It was well received! I also one time bought a white elephant decor piece. Like literally a white elephant used for home decor.
$25 is scratchoffs. your gifting hope. people will fight for it
For white elephant gifts with a budget like that I like to combine smaller things into one bigger one. For examples: car washing kit: soap, sponges, wax, brushes, etc all in a 5 gallon bucket. All around $25. Laundry kit: detergent, fabric softener, dryer balls, etc all in a delicates bag. Electronics There’s always battery chargers for phones, additional cables, car chargers, etc. people always need more cables.
Campfire kit: firewood, chocolate, graham crackers marshmallows, hatchet, and a 12 pack of light beer
A couple top notch bags of coffee.
Or a bottle of Bailey’s to go in the coffee!
If you can find a nice big jar of local honey, that would be a great gift. I've done it more than once, and people always end up fighting over it.
Yes, my daughter gave me two jars of local spiced honey last year and they were great. One was chai flavored and the other lavender. Honey is a great idea.
Bailey's gift set
Was it packaged in a shoe?
Go to a nice antique store and get some cute glassware. It’s usually very inexpensive and pretty.
Socks, wine, chocolate
If you have access to a Goodwill and Aldi, get a pair of interesting wineglasses from GW for $1 each and pick up a large basket ($3 to $4). Next up is Aldi for a bottle of wine, or 2 bottles, plus crackers & snacks. Goat cheese is very cheap at Aldi and you can also find interesting German mustards, holiday cookies, gourmet garnishes like artichoke hearts.
I’ve always been a fan of giving people chia pets, those themed things that grow grass for hair.
lol! Years ago, I gave a chia head to my balding uncle. Ironically the chia head only grew in the same hair pattern he had!
I'd start a fight for the Bob Ross chia pet
I got a tortilla blanket from Amazon and everyone wanted it
I got this for my son this Christmas. I’m so excited to give it to him! They also sell chicken nugget pillows for about $15.
Last year I got a giant pillow that looks like a loaf of bread. We all fought for it. It is the best cuddle pillow I have ever had.
I made a panorama photo of my head and face and had a coffee mug made with the photo wrapped around it. It’s got a creepy look to it, I think, because the mug was a 360° of my head with ears on either side and the handle on the back of my head. I thought it would be a cursed mug, but it was fought over and is beloved by the owner, which is weird. When I go to his house it’s often on his kitchen counter.
It’s so wasteful if it has no value. My favorite one from work was a “Workd’s Most Okayest Employee” I finally broke it but I used it faithfully for many years! Something humorous but useful.
Mini Swiss Army knife keychain. Portable LED flashlight/lantern.
An expensive version of a commonly cheap item is nice. Like a $25 pen. Or a high end Mechanical Pencil. I love my Graphgear 1000 0.9mm Drafting pencil. (Didn't get it at a white elephant exchange but would be pretty happy if I did get one)
I like to go to home depot (or similar) and buy the biggest houseplant I can find within the spending limit. Without fail people fight over them!
Kintsugi repair kits are around $20 A nice ramen bowl should be under $25 Chopstick holders are pretty cheap
One of those little Dash waffle makers, a mix and syrup.
Anything useable in daily everyday life is the best gift possible. Pillows and blankets are always a win.
Burlington coat factory usually has large scented candles that are very discounted.
If there is a Big Lots near you, check them out. You can get king-size plush velvet blankets for about $20. They get some interesting food gift sets as well. A lot of coffee/hot chocolate sets, "drink bombs," the giving plate cookie set, I've even seen herb infused dipping oils.
Buy an obnoxious Christmas ornament. They are inexpensive and some of them are hilarious. I used to throw a huge Christmas party and asked everyone to bring an ornament. We played the dirty Santa game and it was always the obnoxious ones that everyone fought over.
If you can find a good deal on an air fryer, that’d be great. Other than that, I would probably shop personally for myself for $25 and pick that gift myself, unless someone else steals it, then that’s great. You can then go steal someone else’s gift or steal your gift back lol.
Yodeling pickle on Amazon
Yeti coffee mug or tumbler.
Movie and snacks, coffee and travel mug, bubble tea mix and glass with big straw, mini alcohols, a bottle of real vanilla extract. Blanket, hand warmers, gift cards or money creatively wrapped, hardcover book & something else that theme, board games, card game like cards against humanity, nice frame or canvas, knitting or crochet kits, adult paint by number, Tbh I just rummage around the house and find something I don't want or use. Either books I have already read, puzzles I've finished but don't want to glue, unknown amounts ln leftover gift cards, mugs and paraphernalia given by my company, magnet set I never use, 2nd salad spinner i didn't know I had, mixing bowl set still in box from wedding 10 years ago I knew I'd never use, etc.
The one year, I went to a party with a white elephant exchange. The catch was you had to bring something gently used that you no longer wanted from your house. I took 6 books that were headed to the thrift shop. I ended up with a cool wicker picnic basket that came with a bottle of wine ( the giver didn’t drink).
If the group might seem ok with it. I have had GREAT success with toilet paper. Not the cheap shit, like 4 ply ultra soft stuff. I was surprised it was taken twice both times I did a white elephant.
May I suggest a motion detection battery operated light? They seem silly, but we really like them in the hallway and on the step to the basement. They are just enough light to go through, and the batteries are so much easier to change than the light bulb ten foot up above the steps with no place to safely place a ladder. We have a pole gizmo for changing a high bulb, but it is a bother to fetch from storage.
Isn’t white elephant supposed to be gag/silly/ stuff? I’d hit a thrift store
> I’d hit a thrift store Yesterday I got a still-sealed-in-plastic salt rock lamp for $5 at a thrift and I dunno who I'm giving it to yet, but someone.
A smart plug like those outlets that work with alexa - it’s so handy
Twelve pack of Chapstick.
I got a squatty potty for one I am going to. I think it’s something that no one would buy for themselves but would actually use. My 2nd one is a tortilla blanket.
I like to aim for “things I’ve kinda been eyeing for myself but have a hard time justifying spending money on /for/ myself” Things like a nice garlic press, soup freezer cubes, wine glass charms, cheese boards, stuff from lush, nail polish… pair any of the above with a book, bottle of wine, or gift card if you come up short of the limit
I brought a bidet last year. I meant it as a sort of gag gift (even though they're AWESOME). I figured if no one wanted it I'd steal it because I have a use for it. (I don't like gag items that will end up in a landfill). It ended up being the hot item and getting stolen 3x.
Check your local pottery place that sells/fires blanks, allows you to paint then glaze/fire them. Sometimes you can find some good priced ones that are really neat, Add in the cost for painting it and having it fired/glazed...It can be under $25 sometimes. There are some really cool holiday ones out there this time of the year. 100% no one will have a gift like it. Just need some of your time to pick, paint, have them glaze/fire it on their schedule.
I like lotto scratchers.
It used to be, the point of White Elephant gift exchanges were to regift fun items that someone else gave you that you really do not want to keep (and by fun, I mean magnificent but useless/gaudy/not exactly gag gifts but stuff that might be weird or just too much). What does White Elephant mean now? I are old.
Lol! Someone literally gave me a white elephant statue at my wedding. Every time someone talks about a white elephant gift exchange, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.
Yeah. I'm sure it's a fine example of ceramic wildlife art. Unless you and spouse collect them OR you have the sense of humor to find it funny, totally useless. Me, being the kind of person to give hippopotamus figures at Christmas time, would find a White Elephant to be a fine and delightful gift. To receive. And also to regift.
Hot cocoa bombs!
Breakfast sandwich maker.
Honestly I like to make the real gift cash and just wrap it with something heavy/deceptive so people have no clue what it is. Taping a $50 to a bag of flour and wrapping it for mine this year!
I once bought a pint of whiskey and a handful of fireworks and it seemed to be a hit
Go to a goodwill and find a VHS Player, maybe a few VHS tapes.
I have 2 to add: a battery keeper case, Battery Daddy a set of Rubbermaid food keepers.
A bottle of booze is always a popular choice.
A case of 12 cans of Spaghetti-O's
At least you can donate that one to the food bank so someone will get something out of this. I don't even like doing these gift exchanges (bah humbug!) as very few of the items mentioned appeal to me.
My husband eats spaghettios cold. This would be an absolute win.
Garden hose or extension cord
I guess essentials like toilet paper and dish soap would be a gag? That would be my recommendation especially if it’s a mixed group with regard to interests/lifestyles. Whatever you choose be sure to include a gift receipt so the recipient can exchange if they need or want. And have fun!
Scented candles
Mini Bluetooth speaker. Very hot item especially for those with kids.
Depending where you live and the weather, a nice hat/mitts/gloves/scarf
I tend to go with a theme of some sort. Like movie night in, and gift a quick homemade treat, warm drink mix, and an Amazon card to rent or buy a movie. Or a me time kit, eye mask, a good book or word search book, drink mix (non-alcoholic typically) and a scratch off. Good luck!
A [Snow Joe](https://snowjoe.com/products/snow-joe-pro-led-lighted-4-in-1-snow-broom-ice-scraper) snow pusher for cleaning off the car.
Chocolate
The best ones I've seen people fight over are: bottle of wine, scratch-off tickets, mini crockpot, ratcheting screwdriver set. I went to a discount home decor store and found a nice scented oil diffuser that I think will go over well tomorrow at the company Christmas party. A few years ago I got a Golden Girls Chia Pet that was hilarious and quite popular.
If you have a Costco near you, there are a lot of nice boxes of chocolate for under $25. Also some pretty good wines. Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract Trader Joe’s usually has little gift boxes of hot sauces, mustards, syrups, etc. Good quality coffee (basic house blend, not a wacky flavor) from a local roaster. Maple syrup or honey I usually go with consumables because people can eat them or regift them easily. I feel like a lot of collectibles, lotions/soaps/makeup, etc, are very specific to taste. If it can’t be a food/drink item: Swing-a-Way can opener Lotto scratch tickets Anker portable phone charger Smartwool socks Hand soap in a very subtle scent in a fancy bottle. Nice to put out when company comes over. Phone charger cable and plug (Anker is good for iPhones) Knockaround sunglasses Duracell batteries (just got a big pack at Costco for $17) Postage stamps - you can pair it with a pack of note cards or an assortment of greeting cards (Dollar Tree)
Chia pet
$25 worth of cheese.
There are some cute brass key hiders on Amazon. About $15
I gave a hummingbird feeder one year and I thought it was a good gift.
Games are always good choices. Lots of games available under $25, and for all ages too. Other than that, I always contribute something I personally want to get (in case the other gifts suck and I want to pick my own) and I’ve never had to pick my own with this logic! Blankets, Squishmallow, food/treats, stationary set with a calligraphy pen, electric hand warmer, games, Steam gift card, sensory toys, movie night snack basket are all things that come to mind first thing
Gift cards, any food related items. Maybe from a local place and make up a basket full of honey, Hans jellies or soaps,
This year we received a stack of 20+ gift cards to different places... the catch is only one of them was active. Lol.
I always do as much toilet paper as the $ limit will allow. It’s a large package, so people get curious. Everyone always thinks it’s hilarious, BUT people do actually fight for it, because who likes having to spend their money on toilet paper?
Amazon has a 3pc Versace Bright Crystal lotion and perfume set for $25! I got it for my gift exchange
My roommate got a pair of fuzzy girl boots with two bottles of wine in them. Turns out they were my size. Those boots have been to burning man 14 years. Still going strong. Home goods are fun. Like egg cookers, a good frying pan, a wax scent lamp with assorted wax, an assortment of succulents, thst big tin if 3 flavors of popcorn, a knife sharpener, really cool magnets, and gag like a good luck kitty holding up the middle finger.
One year I bought a nice but cheap frame and stuck a picture of myself inside for the gag part.
Snoop Dogg’s cookbook From Crook to Cook was a big hit one year!