This post has 15 of the Best White Elephant Gifts and more
Holiday party season is here, and if you’ve been invited to a white elephant gift exchange, you’re probably wondering what to bring that’ll steal the show.
We have some of the best $50 white elephant gifts that’ll have people competing for them as well as budget-friendly options under $20 that deliver laughs and smiles.
In this guide, you’ll find inspiration for every price point.
Including creative picks at $20 and under, that keep the budget in check while still adding a personal touch.
If you’re willing to splurge a little more or have a higher budget cap, the guide to $50 and under white elephant gift ideas will have you covered with memorable choices that feel a touch more luxe without breaking the bank.
For the truly time-crunched, we’ve gathered simple yet impressive last-minute ideas that are sure to be crowd-pleasers, from snack bundles to cozy gifts and fun gadgets that everyone can appreciate.
But it doesn’t stop there! We’ll also cover some tips on how to choose the best white elephant gift for any crowd, and even how these ideas can double as Secret Santa gifts to keep things versatile and stress-free. To make things easier, you’ll find budget-friendly shopping tips that can help you score quality gifts without stretching your wallet. So whether you’re shopping for coworkers, friends, or family, these ideas will make sure your gift stands out—and maybe even gets “stolen” a few times.
How to Choose the Best White Elephant Gift
By keeping the group, setting, and themes in mind, you can pick easy white elephant gift ideas on a budget that make a big impact.
Remember, sometimes the simplest ideas are the most popular—people appreciate thoughtfulness over extravagance, especially when it’s clear you’ve taken the group’s preferences into account.
Choosing the best white elephant gift exchange gifts means understanding your group and setting.
Tailoring your selection to the crowd and context not only makes the gift more enjoyable but also increases the chance it’ll be something people want to “fight over” in the exchange.
Here are some tips to help:
Know Your Audience
- Close Friends and Family: For a more personal crowd, lean into gifts that are humorous, trendy, or cater to shared interests or inside jokes. Think funny but useful items like a hilarious coffee mug, quirky puzzles, or even something they can all use during gatherings, like a tabletop game.
- Work Colleagues: In professional settings, neutral gifts are usually best. Practical but fun with universally appealing items (think small tech gadgets, snack sets, or desk accessories) keep things light and professional.
Consider the Setting and Vibe
- Casual Gatherings: If it’s a relaxed event with friends, it’s fair game to pick something playful, like a mini desktop basketball game, a silly candle, or an unusual kitchen gadget. These add fun without being overly practical.
- Formal or Mixed Groups: For a formal setting or a group with varying relationships (like colleagues from different departments), opt for practical items—think classy notebooks, stainless steel coffee tumblers, or candle sets. Items like these tend to appeal to a wider range of people without risking humor that might not land.
Themes & Price Limits
Adapting to a Theme: Themed White Elephant exchanges are increasingly popular and can narrow down your options in a helpful way. For instance:
- Kitchen Gadgets: Stick to useful items with a fun twist – like an avocado slicer, mini waffle maker, or even a quirky apron.
- Holiday Decor: Look for items like a small holiday-themed throw blanket, twinkle lights, fancy glass ornaments, or festive dish towels.
- Childhood Fun: Select items from old games from your childhood, fun snacks, or a board game from when you were a kid.
Looking for some great party inspiration, you might enjoy:
15 Unique Party Themes for Adults
Best Dinner Party Ideas- 16 Tips For Your First Dinner Party
19 Engaging Activities for Kids at Your Next Party
Budget Tips for High-Impact Gifts
Staying within the price cap can be a fun challenge! Look for items that feel more expensive than they are, like:
- Quality brands with smaller-sized products—mini sets of popular self-care items or gourmet snacks, for example.
- Multi-use items that work in different settings, like reusable travel cutlery, a book light, or interesting pieces for the home.
- Unique finds like puzzles or card games, can create a memorable experience and are enjoyed by everyone.
Creating a Fun Gift Wrap
How a gift is wrapped can add to the excitement, especially in a White Elephant setting. Use unusual or misleading wrapping (e.g., placing a gift in a cereal box) to keep people guessing.
Reusable wrapping options like fabric bags or fun gift boxes add an extra touch of thoughtfulness without costing too much.
A great gift and wrapping idea is to buy a cookbook and apron and wrap the book in the apron as wrapping.
White Elephant Gifts to Suit Every Budget
Whether you’re going for laughs or something practical, the best white elephant gift ideas can fit any budget while still being memorable. Here are some crowd-pleasers, broken down by price, to help you find the perfect item that’ll be passed around or fought over with enthusiasm at your next gift exchange.
White Elephant Gifts Under $20: Fun Finds That Don’t Break the Bank
White elephant gifts under $20 that are funny but functional are an untapped niche.
We want to eliminate items that will be thrown away later and embrace ridiculous and quirky items that are great and usable.
Here are five easy white elephant gift ideas on a budget. They are affordable but memorable, perfect for exchanges with a low budget cap.
- Drive-Thru Kit – Falls into the quirky or weird category but is surprisingly useful. Everyone has a sneaky mean in their car, this gift makes it a bit easier.
- Toilet Bowl Lights – A fun rechargeable light that makes your toilet glow, toilet humor has never died and it’s a great idea for nighttime bathroom trips.
- Kitchy Magnets – A kitschy and quirky accessory that once again everyone would love but wouldn’t buy for themselves.
- Bob Ross Chia Pet – Chia pets are cool, reusable decor pieces. Plus, who doesn’t love Bob Ross?
- Tamagotchi – A small piece of nostalgia great for you and old, but there will be someone desperate for this
White Elephant Gift Ideas $50 and Under: Gifts They’ll Remember
Let’s look at some other affordable function white elephant gift ideas that are $50 and under but packed with style and fun.
From unique white elephant gift ideas under $50 to thoughtful picks that feel like a touch of luxury.
All aimed at impressing everyone and maybe even sparking a bit of friendly competition.
Here are 5 White Elephant gift ideas for $50 and under for a bit of cool but affordable luxury.
- Neck And Back Massager – Everyone wants a back massager. honestly, for a white elephant, secret Santa, or Christmas gifts you can never go wrong.
- Bidet – Whether your 6 or 76 bum and toilets are funny, a bidet adds a touch of sophistication to that humor. This will be one of the white elephant gifts people will fight over.
- Bird Feeder With Camera – Bird feeders are fun. A great gift idea that people don’t know they want until they have it (or lose it).
- Baggu – Baggu is a trendy bag brand that has everything from handbags to packing cubes. However they are not the cheapest option, white elephant gives participants a chance to have something they wouldn’t spend extra money on.
- Hydroponic Garden – Last year we bought a hydroponic indoor garden and at least 3 people were fighting over it. It’s cool, it’s useful, and produces food.
Last-Minute White Elephant Gift Ideas for the Procrastinator
For last-minute white elephant gift ideas, think overnight or quick shipping, local stores, or a combination of local bits and pieces and gift cards.
For last-minute white elephant gift ideas for adults look towards alcohol and a quick run to the shops to buy the basics for a cocktail you know most people there will love.
Focus on what is in your area and what you know you can get in time, then narrow down items or themes that at least a couple of people at the gift exchange would love.
Here are 4 last minute white elephant gift ideas to give you a bit of inspiration.
- Lego Sets – No matter how small or large the price limit is there is a Lego set that will match. For a last minute gift exchange, Lego is the perfect option as its available everywhere.
- DIY Snack Packs: Assemble a simple but appealing snack pack with unique treats. Quickly find a cute basket or box and fill it will great movie snacks including a 1-month subscription to a streaming service and you have the perfect white elephant gift that while last minute is also personable.
- Gift Cards: Pair a gift card with something humorous, like a joke book or funny coaster set. Depending on your budget cap simply place a gift card for that amount in a shoe box or cereal box. Adds a bit of fun to watch people dig through paper to find a gift card.
- Games – Games are perfect last-minute white elephant gift ideas for adults and children. From adult-only games to family card games, that adults enjoy as well. Like Spot It– kids search and find a game that gets intense fast when played with older children and adults.
White Elephant Gifts Worth Fighting For: Unique Finds That Steal the Show
Here are white elephant gifts worth fighting for—the unexpected, highly coveted items that everyone wants to snag. These unique finds are guaranteed to steal the spotlight in any holiday exchange and bring a fun twist to the game. Many can even double as Secret Santa gifts, making them versatile picks that stand out in any gift swap.
Popular White Elephant Gifts People Will Fight Over
For white elephant gifts worth fighting over aim for practical items that everyone can use but with a unique twist or touch of luxury.
Some of the best white elephant gift exchange gifts are simple everyday items that are a bit extra. Think glasses from a nice store with a cool design or quirky home gadgets that are great and useful but not items people would buy for themselves.
- Retro Candy Packs: Nostalgia gifts, like 90s candy packs, that people love to “steal.”
- Mini Waffle Maker – A fun but cool gift idea, everyone eats waffles and this is a fun idea. Plus, they are inexpensive so you could buy a heart shepherd one and a Christmas-themed one. Alternatively include a popular waffle mix or supermarket gift card.
- Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker – a classic crowd-pleaser that everyone will fight over.
- Vintage Style Glassware – Not everyone at the white elephant gift exchange will be desperate for it. However, there will be a few who will fall in love. Choose a style that you know people would like.
- Electric blanket – A very popular white elephant give people will fight over, It is one of those gifts that people do not know they are desperate for until they have it, or don’t.
Here are two more gift guides to help you find the best white elephant gift:
Ultimate Gift Guide For Men
A Guide to Quirky Gift Ideas That Steal the Spotlight
Secret Santa Crossover: Gifts that Work for Both Exchanges
White elephant gifts that are cool and functional also work perfectly for Secret Seants.
Both Secret Santa and the white elephant gifts have to be within a price limit and be universally appealing.
Especially if you don’t know the person very well you can quickly turn the last-minute white elephant gift ideas into a Secret Santa surprise.
Here are some of the best white elephant gift ideas that are perfect for Secret Santa as well
- Golf Club Drink Dispenser – a golf club drink dispenser is the perfect gift idea for anyone who enjoys golfing. This would also be one of the best white elephant gifts under $50 for
- Solar Charged Power Bank – Perfect for anyone who has a phone. If you know the person get one in the color and size they would like.
- Desk Decor – Cool and quirky desk decor is one of the best office white elephant or Secret Santa gifts. You can make it as quirky or minimal as you like, or find pieces to fit the person.
- Yeti Cup – Another perfect Secret Santa or white elephant gift that everyone would love and fight over.
- Personal Care Kits – Easily tailored to men or women; a personal care kit can be either put together by you for a personalized present or buy the kit that best matches the person.
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