White Elephant gifting, also known as Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa, is a fun holiday tradition where participants exchange quirky, often humorous gifts. The goal? To bring laughter, surprise, and a touch of mischief to the festivities.
Now, as for the rules—well, they’re pretty simple. Party guests each bring a wrapped gift, usually under a specified value, let’s say $30. Then, the exchange begins!
Guests take turns selecting and unwrapping gifts, with a twist: they can either choose an unopened present or “steal” an already opened one from another player. And then, everyone opens their gifts at the same time.
The entertainment comes from the mix of excitement and uncertainty. What begins as a charmingly wrapped box could end up as anything from a comically oversized pencil to a funky kitchen gadget or even a quirky NSFW book.
The fun is in the unexpected, and seeing your friends or family’s reactions to both the treasures and the hilarious oddities they unwrap. If you’ve never attended one of these parties, let this list of 20 White Elephant gift ideas inspire you to host your own.
20 White Elephant Gift Ideas
No matter who ends up with these gifts, there’s sure to be a smile and a laugh or two in store. Choose wisely! You might not shop *quite* the same way for an office party as you would for a get-together with your college friends!
A Christmas Story Leg Lamp Nightlight
This festive lamp is odd, adorable, and a bit nostalgic.
Decorative Cheese Scented Candles
Now hear us out—these cheese candles are actually the perfect accompaniment to any charcuterie party. Just be sure no one thinks it’s a butter candle.
White Elephant Mug
What could be more clever than to gift a white elephant at a White Elephant party? Genius.
p*rn for Women
To be clear: there is no nudity involved! Instead, just a lovely picture book of men doing household chores.
Lightsaber Chopsticks
There is not a human on Earth who would not be incredibly thrilled to eat every meal with these badass chopsticks. May the force be with you.
Desktop Vacuum Cleaner
The tidy friend in the bunch will trade just about any gift in favor of this neat little device! Bye bye snack crumbs.
Pizza Socks Box
Might as well buy a set for yourself because this box of pizza socks is way too cool to give away.
Things I Want to Say at Work But I Can’t Coloring Book
This White Elephant gift is going to be the envy of any office party! Stressful day on the job? Color away your feelings.
Yodeling Pickle Ornament
Embrace the spirit of the season! Nothing says Happy Holiday quite like a yodeling pickle on a tree.
From Crook to Cook
A collection of recipes by Snoop Dogg himself. No doubt these are the perfect cure for the munchies, or inspiration for your next dinner party.
Mischievous Gnome Nibbling Cat
Perfect for gardens, lawns, planter boxes, or anywhere you want to be surprised and delighted by this darling oddity.
Bass Sandals
Goodbye Crocs, hello bass sandals! All will be envious of the winner who selected this prize gem.
Waffle House Visor
We’re not saying we’re hip to all the latest trends, but this Waffle House visor is a total vibe.
Swiftie Mug
Statistically speaking, there’s a pretty solid chance that someone who selects this gift is a die-hard Taylor Swift fan…or might become one now.
Build Your Own Conspiracy Theory
Four hundred and fifty-one word tile magnets for your fridge. This is bound to be a super hit for anyone with a sense of humor.
Skull Decanter
We’re definitely not suggesting that WYNK needs to be decanted, but this skull would be a pretty cool way to serve mocktails. A perfect White Elephant gift for anyone who appreciates beverages.
Embroidery Kit
The recipient of this gift is definitely going to embroider you something delightful for your next birthday.
Baby Groot Planter
Who can deny the cuteness of this little Baby Groot? Pro tip: throw an air plant in there to complete the look.
Throw Throw Burrito
This is undoubtedly one of the oddest games anyone can play. The recipient will surely host a gathering soon so you can all throw inflatable burritos dodgeball style.
Mermaid Tail Blanket
They may chuckle..but you know that as soon as they get home, the tail blanket is going on.
The Best White Elephant Gift for 2023
Of course, the best gift you can give this year is WYNK. It’s not comical like the yodeling pickle, nor is it nearly as strange as the bass sandals. But we know it will put a smile on anyone’s face.
Grab a Variety Pack for the party and an extra six-pack of Black Cherry Fizz, Lime Twist, or Juicy Mango as your gift. It will surely be the envy of the party!
