15 Unique White Elephant Gift Ideas
These unique white elephant gift ideas are practical, have universal appeal, and will actually make the recipient smile! When you’re done, make sure you check out our list of gifts ideas for your next housewarming party! This post contains affiliate link and gifted product.
When you think of a white elephant party, you might think of gag gifts that will pretty much go in the trash. But it doesn’t need to be that way!
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite white elephant gift ideas in every budget. Since White Elephant gift parties often pre-set a budget, I decided to sort this post according to that.
But there’s more…
What makes for good white elephant gift ideas
Enough with the Beanboozled White Elephant gifts. There is a huge advantage to White Elephant gifting games, especially in crowds that tend to swap gifts. It reduces the stress of gift giving to multiple people – and the cost. And it’s a super fun party activity.
The key is to keep the gifts focused – even if they’re “gag” gifts, keep them functional and useful.
Here are some tips for how to choose the best white elephant gift ideas:
- Start with your team budget (obviously). If there isn’t one, it might be wise to ask the organizer for a suggested spend or range.
- Look for items with universal appeal – but base it on the party demographic. If there are lots of families with kids playing, games are a fabulous choice. If it’s a girl’s party, go for jewelry and beauty products. If you have independent adults primarily, home items are a win…
- Keep things actually useful. Gag gifts are fun conversation starters – if there’s a functional use to them! Think of things with a funny spin, but with a unique purpose.
- Consider supporting a small business – while this is obviously just a bonus, it’s a great way to find something truly unique. And while you might struggle with balancing cost and value when purchasing for yourself, with white elephant gift ideas, as long as you’re within your budget, you can find a way to buy small!
White elephant gift ideas for every budget
Choose the budget that best suits your needs! I started with the lowest because technically that fits all the budgets!
White Elephant Gift ideas $10 & Under
For white elephant games that are designed to be low key, you may find it more challenging to find something useful. But these white elephant gift ideas are just that! And higher budgets may even want to try these and just bundle them together for a larger gift!
Coloring for Coffee Lovers
Adult coloring isn’t just a trend: it’s therapy! This coffee themed adult coloring book is perfect for your grown-up get together. It’s got moderately complex pages – perfect for the less-crafty colorist – all in coffee themes!
And there are even some bonus coffee date invites at the end!
Yum Cha Tea
Tea is a universal win and loose leaf tea is just so wholesome! Gift unflavored teas to keep it neutral and bundle a few to make a gift set.
Food can be a tricky item to gift for White Elephant parties, but keeping it open-ended with something as useful as tea makes for a fabulous gift that anyone can use. And wholesome loose-leaf teas from a small business is a double win.
M2U NYC Cosmetics
For white elephant parties with your girlfriends, double-duty cosmetics are a win! M2U NYC creates cosmetics that are skincare-infused, nourishing your skin as you pretty-up. Products like their eye crayon and lip gloss are in the ten-and-under range, while others are just over.
Keep your colors neutral for universal appeal – or challenge your friend to be bold the next time she goes out!
White Elephant Gifts Under $25
Most white elephant games probably fit into this category, and there are so many options you can choose! Some of these are even good for family-style crowds with mixed kids and adults!
SYZY Tetra Tote
This is a gag gift that’s about as useful as I can imagine: a tote that’s the size of a key fob!
To be honest, I am floored by the folded-to-open size of SYZY’s Tetra tote bag. It’s made from high grade diamond ripstop nylon, and yes, I’ve used it to tote heavy groceries when I forgot the regular shopping bags.
It comes in a beautiful gift box, is available in multiple colors, and was surprisingly easy to fold back to size!
OOLY Switch-Eroo
Good for artists, students, list-makers, and families, OOLY’s Switch-Eroo markers are sooo satisfying to use! They come in fun vibrant colors, with chisel tips on both ends. One end has colored pigment, and the other changes the color!
You can apply the color-change side first if you’d like to make secret messages, or color on top of the pigmented side to change it. This is such a fun white elephant gift to receive – it’ll definitely be a hit!
Old World Christmas Go Pickle! Ornament & Game
This beautiful, handcrafted pickle ornament isn’t just an ornament – it’s begging to be a family tradition. First of all, the pickle is just insanely cute. It’s got personality and if you’re a pickle lover like me, you’ll want a dozen of these for yourself.
The game plays like Go Fish – but in a pickle theme! It throws in a hide-n-seek element, with a parent hiding the pickle on the tree and the winner of the game finding it! Works best with traditional green trees.
You can also play that the first kid who finds the pickle opens the first gift, or gets a bonus gift.
Hitster Game
How does a game that double as a DJ start? Hitster is the game for music buffs. Scan the music, hear the song, and guess at which point in the timeline it goes based on the date it was released. It’s endless nostalgia, loads of music, and possibly even a silly dance or two.
If you’re gifting with the right crowd, you may just find that it provides entertainment – and music for the second part of the party. This is the perfect white elephant gift idea for adult parties.
Philly Fluff Pound Cake
Not all cakes are created equal, and while I’m not MUCH of a cake person, Mike’s Philly Fluff Pound Cake has me converted. It TASTES like all the craftsmanship that went into it, and the texture is soft, almost creamy, and SO good.
The presentation makes it perfectly giftable for your White Elephant exchange.
White Elephant Gift Ideas Under $50
There is just an incredible amount that you can get at this budget, however you’ll want to keep that gag effect to be creative! These ideas are so unique and fun to receive – and will be loved and used.
Outrageously Soft Throw Blanket
I have a relative who always gifts cozy blankets – whether it’s for a baby, a birthday, a holiday. And she’s right. Cozy blankets are always a win.
The Outrageously Soft throw blanket is made of a soft minky on one side and a faux fur on the other that resembles rabbit fur. It is exactly that: outrageously soft. It can work in a living room, as a bed throw, and is one of the most universal gifts you might find.
And since it’ll be a huge wrapped gift, it’ll be a grab for one of the first gifts chosen!
Staub Oval Magnetic Wood Trivet
Here’s another incredibly useful gag gift that is also very high end – but on budget: the Staub magnetic trivet. Yes, you heard right! This trivet travels with your pot, protecting your surfaces even if you move things around.
It’s a classic wood, with the Staub branding front and center, and is so unique – but so useful.
Sabavi Home is a website with loads of fabulous luxury home goods – you’ll definitely find some beautiful white elephant gift ideas to explore!
Kate Spade On The Dot Salt & Pepper Set
Salt and pepper shakers are the king and queen of the kitchen, and this Kate Spade set from Sabavi Home are incredible. They’re full of personality, but without losing their classiness.
Salt and Pepper is something that every home needs and these can fit into modern, glam, mid-century, and many other home styles!
Apres Spray Serum
Skincare is something that can be very personal, but it’s also so pampering and a fabulous score for White Elephants. The trick: look for something that can work for various skin types and has a unique edge.
Apres Active Beauty Spray Serum is a lightweight and gentle serum that can work on many skin types. My skin is quite picky with its product, and Apres spray serum is spot on. It is incredibly refreshing, vegan, and even the packaging is fun!
They have other cool products that you can bundle it with, like their eye masks, or just wrap it on its own.
Manta TrueRed Night Light
The gift of better sleep is always a winner – but how do you bottle it up? Manta’s TrueRed night lights plug into the wall in your bedroom and offer calming red light.
By now we all know that the blue lights emanating from our devices stop our melatonin production. But yes, there is a way to light up the room without disturbing sleep! These night lights sense when it’s dark and light up just then. You can adjust the brightness levels and don’t need to think about it beyond then.
The design is simple, classic – and yes, I’m gonna say it. Universal.
White Elephant Gift Ideas Under $100
As you get into the higher end of the budgets for White Elephant gift ideas, keep in mind that you’ll want to think more about the crowd you’re playing with. Choose carefully, as this game is probably intended to have everyone come home with something really meaningful and nice.
You can also explore the above budgets and put together a nice bundle of those if the white elephant gift ideas below aren’t quite there.
Khamsa Tagine
I am always hosting, and always looking for new dishes to try when I do. The Tagine by Khamsa, a company that ethically employs Tunisian artisans, is the perfect North African inspiration!
A tagine is a slow-cooked stovetop stew, and the dish used to cook it in can also be referred to as a Tagine. It’s all science: the funnel shaped lid aids in the slow cooking and moisture retention.
I tried it with some minute steaks cut into strips and loaded with onions, tomatoes, and fragrant spices, and it came out incredible. And it served beautifully in the tagine itself.
If you’re playing White Elephant with a group that loves to host, this one will be a score.
KC Chic Designs Don’t Get it Twisted Pretzel Necklace
KC Designs has an incredible lineup of the quirkiest, edgiest bling bling bling, and boy are they blingy!
I love this pretzel necklace, because it has that edge of humor, but isn’t so chunky as to lose its universal appeal. It’s a surprising gift that has that “gag” effect without losing its usefulness.
Use code Sparkle at checkout for an additional 30% off your purchase.
Got any favorite white elephant gift ideas to add to the list? Comment below!
