We all get those invites to the family Christmas party, or the office gift exchanges that require a White Elephant gift.
Maybe you're required to bring stocking stuffers or hilarious gag gifts to give out at your next party and you need a gift that's good for anyone.
Some of the most popular gift exchange parties are white elephant parties.
If you get invited to a white elephant party this holiday season, you could go with a dirty Santa gift, a practical gift, a useful gift, funny gag gifts, unique gifts, cheap gifts, or just a basic gift.
The concept of the white elephant exchange is a fun way to exchange gifts with family members or friends, but it can stink when you end up with a lame gift.
As a child, I ended up with a creepy clown statue during a white elephant gift exchange. I, for some reason, held onto that weird random gift for years.
You can find many of the best white elephant gifts to bring if you are creative and you get into the holiday spirit.
Here are some of the best white elephant gift ideas you could pick from for your next Christmas party.
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What is a White Elephant Gift Exchange?
For those that don’t know, a white elephant gift is a gender-neutral gift within a certain price point to exchange with a group of people.
You can exchange white elephant gifts at white elephant parties, also known as a Yankee swap or secret Santa gift exchanges.
Every person invited must bring a present that follows these parameters, and you should not target one person. You are not given a name ahead of time, so you do not know who will end up with your gift.
Once at the party, you do some sort of white elephant game or activity to end up with a gift. Everyone who participated will go home with a gift someone else brought, which could even end up being the gift you brought.
The best part about white elephant gift exchanges is receiving a great gift and not having any idea of what it could be.
Things Not to Bring:
If you want the perfect white elephant gift, you'll want to steer clear of some of these gifts.
1. Something Gender Specific to a Co-Ed party
Unless you know everyone at the party would love the gift you picked, I would steer clear of anything gender specific. This is not to say women can’t like “male specific” things and men can’t like “female specific” things, but a man may not be interested in a wine glass that says “Mommy’s Sippy Cup” or bath bombs.
2. Food
Now that I have a child with a severe food allergy, I’ve learned that so many people have allergies and must avoid certain foods. You will find a large portion of people cannot eat your homemade peanut butter blossoms because of peanut and gluten allergies. I recommend saving your special treats for those you know can have them.
3. Clothes
Unfortunately, not everyone is the same size or has the same style. Clothes can be extremely difficult because no matter which size you purchase, a lot of people are not going to fit in what you picked out. The only exception to this rule is scarves, which could be a possibility.
4. Baby Gear
You would think this is obvious, but there are people who would think about their own lifestyle and assume most ppl have kids or want them. It’s important to know not everyone has kids or wants them so baby gear is not for everyone.
5. Candles
No offense, but I don’t know many people who want another candle. I have so many candles, I have some that have never been used. A lot of people also prefer flame-less, like a nice wax melting burner or a diffuser.
6. Personalized Gifts
Since you're not sure who will receive the gift you brought, a personalized gift would not be appropriate. Some ways to make the gifts personalized that would not work would be adding names to the gift or favorite movie or characters
White Elephant Gift Ideas:
1. Board Games
How much fun would it be to receive a new game to play with your friends? You could bring an old classic like Monopoly or Risk, a strategy game like checkers or chess, or look into new trivia games for some laughs. Board games are typically around the price most White Elephant Exchanges use and are pretty easy to wrap.
2. Alcohol and/or Cocktail Kit
Even if you’re not much of a drinker, alcohol tends to be a fan favorite around the holidays. You may not be able to get anything high quality, but you may be able to find something fun to bring to a party. You could also go with a mixer or cocktail kit instead of the alcohol. Just make sure everyone participating in the White Elephant Gift Exchange is of legal drinking age.
3. Massager
This may seem like an odd gift, but it may also be the smartest gift. Who doesn’t need a massage after a long day at work or with the kids. I massager could end up being the most popular gift. There are many styles to choose from like a back massager, one to sit in a chair, a foot massager, and more.
4. Streaming Decider Dice
You sit down at home and ask your family what to watch. Everyone responds, “we don’t care,” “Whatever you want.” Gone are the days of turning on the tv and being forced to watch the show that is playing. There are so many streaming services to choose from and so maybe movies and tv shows out there. Gift these awesome streaming decider dice to make the decisions.
5. Jigsaw Puzzles
I was shopping the other day and ran across the puzzle aisle. There were so many puzzles to choose from from 100 count to 2,000 count. The options seemed endless and there was a puzzle for everyone. I love to work on puzzles and many people do, but know who will be at the party so you know if puzzles are something the people going would be interested in.
6. Bluetooth Speaker
An amazing gift to give out at a white elephant exchange is a Bluetooth speaker. They can be useful for all ages from children to college students to adults. They are a cool gift that can be pretty expensive, but you could find them for reasonable prices as well. They can be paired with any device with Bluetooth and can be taken on the go.
7. Adult Coloring Book
This could be among the funny gifts depending on what type of adult coloring book you choose to purchase. There is a wide variety of adult coloring books that can make the perfect gag gift. Adult coloring books can also be a real gift that can help with stress and anxiety. It's one of the best gift ideas for almost every adult in your life.
8. Gift Cards
You cannot go wrong with buying a gift card. Try to choose a place the majority of people shop at like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. You could also purchase a Visa gift card that can be used anywhere. Your White Elephant gift recipient will be thanking you.
At the end of the day, whatever you purchase for the White Elephant Gift Exchange will be appreciated.
I used to worry about finding the perfect gift, but now I just look for something I think most people world like.
There are many gift guides to show you the top pick for secret Santa gifts that would work for a good white elephant gift exchange.
The great white elephant gifts exchange is a time-honored tradition that can help everyone have a great time at their next holiday party.
What types of gifts do you bring to white elephant gift parties?
Are there any other gifts you would add to our white elephant gift list?
Let us know in the comments below!
