We have a White Elephant gift exchange coming up for our office Christmas party, and I need some help with purchasing a gift for this. I’ve never been good at picking out gifts for these types of things, as I have some difficulty finding a decent gift that may appeal to men and women alike. I’d like to get a little more creative than the typical bottle of wine/booze.
So I need some ideas. What was the coolest/most often exchanged gift you’ve seen go at one of these? Just so you know, we have a $30ish cap. The crowd is loose, but I’m not sure if “adult” gag gifts would be in good taste.
I’m not very good at picking out gifts myself, but you could try what I do - google “gifts $30” and see what you get. I’ve found that on-line suggestions do help me get ideas.
The only time I ever did one of these exchanges at work, the limit was $5 or $10. I ended up with a Mickey Mouse ornament.
The coolest/most exchanged gift I saw at a that type of a holiday gift exchange was a basket of toys from the dollar store. Stuff like a bird with a rubber band that you wound up and then it would flap its wings and fly across the room.
But that was an exchange with a five or ten dollar limit.
You could also do something like buy an assortment of exotic flavored coffees, or something. Won’t appeal to everyone, but to those it appeals, it really appeals.
Magnet on a stick. This one we the gift we gave at last year’s family exchange. The one was bought was just a wooden handle about three feet long with a 3" diameter flat magnet on the end. It was very popular. You can find them at your local hardware store for around $20.
ETA: You can be creative in wrapping this one which adds to the value at a gift exchange. Everyone was thinking it might be a toilet plunger, which was part of a previous year’s gift so not too outlandish a thought.
Last year for our $10 family gift exchange I bought $10 worth of 3-for-a-dollar (30) popcorn balls.
It was a real hoot because the package was large and no one knew what it was…so everyone sort of wanted it. The recipient thought it was funny, and she ate a few and then gave the rest away. I thought it was much more “useful” than a $10 blank journal or something.
I thought the whole idea of a White Elephant exchange is that you give really crappy stuff. It’s almost a contest for who can give the worst item. Does it work differently elsewhere?
When we do “White Elephant” that means it should be something you already own. Sometimes I’ll do a few related books, like humor or science fiction. That has gone over well sometimes. Bath & Body Works type packages are usually some of the biggest hits.
The worst gift I ever saw for one of these was a package of ground beef. Why yes, the person who opened it was Hindu and vegetarian … (thankfully, someone did switch with her).
White Elephant round these parts means unusual or crappy gift. Can be new or re-gifted.
The one I picked out a few years ago was the hit of the party. It was a 50 pound concrete Elvis head. The person who is now the proud owner has him on his desk and decorates him seasonally. He is currently wearing a Pilgrim hat.
We had one guy who threw a party for the people that worked in his unit, and the invitation always said there would be a White Elephant gift exchange with a $10 limit.
I think most people have the same understanding of White Elephant as you do, but the people in the unit understood that what this party included was a gift exchange with a $10 limit. If no one thought to clue new people in, the result was really embarrassing for the newbies, who invariably brought really crappy stuff.
