White Elephant Gift Ideas
A common feature of holiday gatherings and parties is the exchanging of white elephant gifts.
Whether it’s during a holiday dinner with friends or extended family or a festive luncheon with coworkers, a white elephant exchange is a fun way for everyone to give and receive a small gift without breaking the bank.
A white elephant gift exchange, also known as Dirty Santa, requires each group member to bring one wrapped item.
The ideal item to find is something amusing or unusual that is nonetheless functional.
Think about what would be popular with most people when choosing a white elephant gift.
You’re not buying it for someone in particular, after all—anyone may end up having it!
What is a white elephant gift exchange?
Played at parties, a white elephant gift exchange—also called a Yankee swap or Dirty Santa—involves exchanging silly and useless presents.
The purpose of a white elephant gift exchange is not to obtain a truly valuable or highly sought-after item but to amuse party guests.
The phrase “white elephant” describes a costly, useless gift that is difficult to return.
The expression is said to originate from an interpretation of the historical custom of the King of Siam (present-day Thailand) bestowing rare albino elephants upon courtiers who had offended him to ruin them financially through the animals’ maintenance expenses.
White elephants are considered to be extremely valuable and sacred in Thai culture, to the extent that any white elephant that is found must be brought to the King immediately by his legal ownership.
Nevertheless, there is no actual record of the King gifting a white elephant to burden the recipients.
Historians disagree about when this phrase was originally used, although one explanation claims that Ezra Cornell’s numerous social events as early as 1828 helped to popularize the term.
What are the rules of a white elephant gift exchange?
The guidelines for the white elephant exchange are rather straightforward if you’ve never done it before.
Each person contributes one wrapped gift, which is then anonymously piled high.
When everyone is prepared to begin, take turns drawing numbers from a hat (or using the alphabet) to decide who will go first.
After the first person leaves, the second gift recipient has two options: either they can pick a new gift from the pile or they can steal the first person’s present, in which case the first person would take a new one.
This process keeps going until everyone receives a gift, even if it isn’t what they had hoped for.
It states on the official website that “a present can only be stolen once per turn. The webpage also explains how the game ends.
“The first player has the opportunity to exchange the gift they are holding for any other opened gift once each player has had a turn.
If a present is taken, the recipient may steal from another person (as long as they haven’t already been stolen from).
The game ends when a player chooses not to accept a gift.”
What do you give at a white elephant gift exchange?
Before purchasing a present, you should decide on a theme for your white elephant gift exchange.
You may be required to bring something that’s truly necessary, you may have a budget or you may be told to bring only humorous gifts.
Make gifts gender-neutral so that the recipient can appreciate them regardless of gender.
How much should you spend on a white elephant gift?
The norm for white elephant gift exchanges is to establish a predetermined spending limit in advance.
Together with family and friends, establish a budget to make sure that spending is coordinated and gifts are similar.
While certain organizations, like family, would think twice about accepting presents over $50, many other groups will opt to limit their purchases to around $25.
White elephant gift ideas are listed below:
White elephant gift ideas are funny
- People of Walmart Adult Coloring Book
- Pizza Socks
- Desktop Punching Bag
- Bread Shape Pillow
- Smiley Poop Toilet Slingshot Toy
- Pizza Weighted Blanket
- Oh Shit Funny White Elephant Gifts for Adults
- Bacon Strips Bandages
- 101 So Bad, They’re Good Dad Jokes
- Kumlenmo Jar of Fucks to Give
- Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray
- Genuine Fred Ramen Notes Note Pad
- Maad Raining Men Bubble Dome Umbrella
- Pechkeks Misfortune Cookies
- Uncommon Goods Storm Cloud
- White Elephant Mug
- LGU Thanos Bottle Opener
Some White elephant gift ideas for adults
- Off-Topic Adult Party Game
- Faber-Castell Paint by Number Museum Series – The Starry Night
- Mark And Graham Small Travel Jewelry Case
- BigMouth Inc. Let’s Get Lit LED Beer Mug
- Honey Badger Coloring Clean Swear Word Coloring Book
- Maeda Seika Kyoto Matcha Waffle Sandwich
- ChopSabers Lightsaber Chopsticks
- W&P Design Cocktail Kit
- SheaMoisture SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner
White elephant gift ideas: $50
- Traeger Large-Cut BBQ Spatula
- BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone
White elephant gift ideas: $25
- YETI Rambler 12 oz. Colster Can Insulator
- Kodak FunSaver 35mm Single-Use Camera
- Harry & David Honey and Syrup Dispenser
- Printworks The Wonders of Nature Puzzle
- Corkcicle Whiskey Wedge Glass
- U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set
- Freeze Beer Glasses
- Uncommon Goods Storm Cloud
- Uncommon Goods Homemade Bagel Making Kit
- Ironwood Acacia Steak Serving Board
- Glasshouse Fragrances Lost In Amalfi Hand Cream
- Corkcicle Whiskey Wedge
- Clever Fox Undated Weekly Planner
- Baby Foot Original Exfoliation Foot Peel
- W&P The Popper
- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes (3 pounds)
- The Cloud Makers Plant Watering Rain Cloud
Some White elephant gift ideas for friends
- 100 Movies Bucket List Poster
- Relpom Slushy Maker Cup
- Color Noise Sound Machine
- LapGear Portable Lap Desk
- Genuine Fred The Daily Mood Desk Flipchart
- Vrurc Portable Charger
- Etsfmoa Unisex Beanie with Light
- Play-anywhere game
- Pop n’ Dulge Gourmet Popcorn Seasoning Kit
- Guajolote Prints Funny Memo Pads
White elephant gift ideas for family
- JEDIST Mini Desk Vacuum Cleaner
- Beautiful One-Touch Electric Kettle
- Xchouxer Sofa Armrest Clip Tray Table
- Gelbira Sandwich And Empanada Sealer
- DASH Mini Donut Maker
- Bnuitland Tortilla Pattern Blanket
- Masterpieces Mom’s Pantry 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
- Sterno S’mores Maker
- 30 Watt Joeski
- Neca ‘A Christmas Story’ Leg Lamp Nightlight
- Cannabolish Odor Eliminator Spray and Air Freshener
- CAROTE Nonstick Egg Pan
- Hario Cold Brew Jug
- LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Some White elephant gift ideas $20
- INSMY IPX7 Waterproof Shower Bluetooth Speaker
- Hasbro Gaming Wordle The Party Game
- Garden Republic Herbal Tea Garden Starter Kit
- FoodVille MF05 USB Rechargeable Milk Frother
- Ann Clark 11-Piece Every Season Cookie Cutter Set
- Cactaki Cactaki 32 oz Water Bottle
10 white elephant gifts worth fighting for
- Memoking Mini Printer
- JBL Clip 4
- Electric salt & pepper grinders
- Earbud holder
- Quesadilla maker
- Elephant Tea Mug
- OVELLIC Karaoke Microphone
- Andrews McMeel Publishing 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings
- Owala FreeSip
- Rosetta Star Projector
Conclusion
Everyone loves a good white elephant gift exchange, whether it’s for the holidays or a special occasion, and it’s more entertaining when your loved ones or coworkers are competing for a few unique items.
Selecting a white elephant gift that fits within a generally tight budget and appeals to a variety of personalities can be difficult.
Spending money on something enjoyable but genuinely useful is always preferable, even though you might be tempted to choose a joke present.
FAQs
What kind of gifts do you give to White Elephant?
In general, some items are always a good idea, such as beeswax candle sticks, elegant stationery, chocolate boxes, lottery tickets, and, if the recipient is the proper kind of person, a tiny bottle of rum.
Some generic items might be quite entertaining to give as presents.
What is the best gift for a coworker White Elephant?
In the event of an office white elephant exchange when the focus is on presents for coworkers—the people who are most infamously difficult to shop for—you can’t go wrong with stress balls, a beauty Advent calendar, or a fun craft gift like an adult coloring book.
Can a candle be a white elephant gift?
It’s not necessary to be an expert in candles to enjoy a deliciously fragrant candle that may have notes of jasmine, pineapple, or honeysuckle!
The white elephant gift exchange would be complete without your colleagues and coworkers appreciating the aroma of this product.
How much should I spend on a white elephant gift?
You can budget $20 or more for your white elephant present during a family get-together. These exchanges may replace the custom of delivering gifts.
You can afford to spend a little extra on your family as long as they can afford it.
How many gifts are in a white elephant?
Everyone attending the Christmas party is required to bring one wrapped present for the gift exchange known as the “white elephant.”
After everyone has gathered, have a number drawn for each participant. The bearer of the number “one” chooses a gift to open.
Is it OK to give a gift card as a white elephant gift?
This year, forgo the gift card, and don’t make your donation to the white elephant gift exchange—or any other holiday present—an afterthought.
What does the white elephant gift symbolize?
A cumbersome asset, piece of real estate, or investment that is not worth its upkeep is known as a “white elephant.”
The phrase comes from the ancient Thai tradition of giving the current monarch rare, pricey white elephants as gifts.
These days, it’s frequently connected to properties that don’t make money.
Are white elephant gifts secret?
Every attendee purchases a gift, which is restricted in price and frequently has a theme.
They then bring the wrapped, anonymous gift to the gift exchange, where guests alternately select and open gifts, then exchange them for another gift or keep their own.
How do you make a white elephant gift exchange fun?
Ideas for white elephant game variations:
Decide on a theme for the exchanging of gifts: It doesn’t matter if it’s condiments or puppies and trips!
Wait until the very end to open any of the gifts.
When the last player takes a turn, keep all the gifts wrapped to add a sense of mystery to the game.
What do you wear to a White Elephant party?
It could be entertaining to request that everyone wear white if the event is being dubbed a White Elephant party.
You may mention that there will be an ugly sweater competition if you’re urging visitors to bring bizarre and trashy presents.
Please remind visitors to wear their robes and pajamas if the event is a Dirty Santa celebration.
What’s the difference between Dirty Santa and White Elephant?
Because it encourages you to viciously STEAL gifts from each other, it is named Dirty.
This is what? White Elephant is not exclusive to any one area, although Dirty Santa is typically more well-liked in the South.
It is simple to see how the lines have blurred because both gift exchange games are played similarly.
What is an example of a white elephant?
Unwanted or pointless objects, like in The Lakeside property had turned into a true white elephant, too dilapidated to sell yet too expensive to maintain, like Grandma’s elaborate silverware, too priceless to throw away but no one wants it.
Do you write your name on a white elephant gift?
Observing players attempt to hide their “good” gifts or persuade others to accept their “bad” gifts is part of the pleasure.
A beautiful wrapping without a nametag should accompany every present.
Are blankets good white elephant gifts?
As long as the present is good, it’s acceptable to be boring.
For instance: Regardless of the climate where you live, a large, soft blanket is always appreciated.
A soft blanket you bring to a White Elephant party will be stolen as many times as permitted.
Is toilet paper a good white elephant gift?
Almost any phrase can be printed on toilet paper.
Not only are they ideal as gag gifts for birthdays, retirements, and other special occasions, but they are also great for White Elephant Gift Exchanges.
What is the idiom for a white elephant?
Costly but pointless thing
“A white elephant” is a term used to describe an expensive but pointless thing.
Does a white elephant have to be one gift?
To play the game and take part in the White Elephant gift exchange, each participant needs to bring a wrapped gift.
How do you spice up a white elephant?
Make your white elephant celebration light up with these 5 tricks!
- Choose a gift theme: A great approach to liven things up is to ask individuals to bring gifts that go with a certain theme.
- Use distinct game rules.
- Have a contest for ugly sweaters.
- Hire a karaoke device.
- Bring out the holiday video games.