Pretty much every year of my adult life I’ve attended at least one holiday gathering where there was a white elephant gift exchange. Though the specific details vary, most of these have involved the exchange of silly, strange, or humorous gifts.
I often scramble around the house a day or two before a white elephant gift exchange in an attempt to find some item I can use for it. This approach has worked well for exchanges that called for bizarre or gag-type gifts because we almost always have some item in the house that is suitable.
This year I made a list of items that might make good white elephant gifts so I can simply refer to it instead of scrambling around the house in future years. Would one of these work for your upcoming white elephant gift exchange?
White elephant gifts from around the house
- Unwanted Christmas decoration (e.g., an odd Christmas ornament, animatronic Christmas doll)
- Old VHS or cassette tape
- A framed family photo
- Ugly sweater
- Silly socks
- Out-of-style home décor item (e.g., macramé plant hanger, lava lamp)
- Flashlight
- A package of printer paper
- Coffee mug
- Outdated map, globe, or reference book
- First aid kit
- Leftover Halloween/fall candy
- Candle
- Bars of soap or another toiletry item
- Cookbook
- Kitchen gadget
- Package of batteries
- A box of cereal
- Board game
- Jigsaw puzzle
- Gift card
If you have a little time available, you can use items you have at home to make a DIY gift.
- Souvenir t-shirt. Use permanent marker or fabric paints to write “I came to so and so’s Christmas party and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” on a plain t-shirt.
- Instant snowman kit. Place a hat, gloves, scarf, and carrot in a bag and place an “Instant Snowman Kit” label on it.
- Extra dough. Prepare a batch of cookie dough and place a note with it that says, “Everyone can use a little extra dough around the holidays.”
- Chill pills. Fill a small jar with small candies (such as jelly beans or candy coated chocolates) and put a “Chill Pill” label on it.
- A towel folded into a white elephant. Fold a white bath towel and a white hand towel into the shape of an elephant (find instructions here).
If you are looking for an on-the-nose gift (or an on-the-trunk gift, in this case) and don’t mind spending a few dollars, then you can always get an actual white elephant. Affordable options include a stuffed elephant, an elephant mug, and an elephant blanket.
Of course, if you’re attending a gathering where the white elephant gift exchange is supposed to involve serious items, then you’ll likely be better off purchasing something! However, items on the list are perfect for exchanges that involve odd or impractical gifts.
Can you think of additional items? What odds and ends around your house would make good white elephant gifts?
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