White elephant gift ideas

Under $15

• A mug with a funny saying
• Fancy hot chocolate or coffee
• A deck of party game cards
• Fuzzy socks
• A small houseplant or succulent
• A puzzle cube or fidget toy
• A scented candle
• A phone stand

Under $25

• A portable phone charger (power bank)
• A board game for two
• A cozy throw blanket
• A cookbook or hot sauce sampler
• A travel cable organiser
• A bluetooth shower speaker
• An insulated water bottle
• A 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle

Under $50

• A small bluetooth speaker
• A heated blanket or electric hand warmer
• A good chef's knife
• A smart plug and bulb set
• A weighted eye mask and sleep kit
• A coffee grinder or milk frother
• A desk lamp with a phone charger

Funny ones everyone will steal

• A giant gummy bear
• A toilet golf set
• A "world's okayest employee" trophy
• A banana slicer
• Inflatable unicorn horn for cats
• A pizza-shaped blanket
• A chicken-shaped egg separator

White elephant rules

1. Everyone brings one wrapped gift within the agreed budget, and the gifts go in a pile.
2. Draw numbers to set the order.
3. Player 1 opens a gift from the pile.
4. Each next player either opens a new gift or steals one that has already been opened.
5. Someone whose gift is stolen can open a new one or steal another gift, but not take back the one just taken from them.
6. A gift is "frozen" after it has been stolen three times, and stays with its third new owner.
7. At the end, player 1 gets one last chance to swap with anyone.

House rules vary: agree on the steal limit before you start. Want a quiz between rounds? Try our Christmas trivia.

Looking for the very best version of an everyday thing? Our sister site Finest Only picks a few top items per category.

White elephant: questions

What is a good white elephant gift?

Something most people would be happy to take home, or something so funny that people fight over it. Useful gifts like power banks, cozy blankets and good chocolate get stolen the most.

What is the difference between white elephant and Secret Santa?

In Secret Santa each person buys for one person they drew in secret. In white elephant everyone brings an anonymous gift and players open or steal them in turn. Use our Secret Santa generator for the draw.

How much should you spend on a white elephant gift?

Agree on a budget first. $20 to $30 is common for office parties; $10 to $15 works for big groups and families.