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7 of the Best White Elephant Gifts for Less Than $30
Credit: Dash

The main challenge of White Elephant is to gift something with universal appeal, considering the nature of the game is that you don’t know who the gift recipient will be. And personally, when it comes to these kinds of organized gift exchanges, the spirit of giving rarely compels me to go beyond 20 or 30 smackeroonies. At the same time, I don’t want to come to the table with something lazy or unwanted (although, sometimes, it’s worth getting a little raunchy). So, how do you find a popular gift that is somehow not boring, but also not expensive?

I’ve rounded up the best white elephant gift ideas that are all under $30 (so long as you’re willing to get a little creative with it). Even if the final recipient isn’t thrilled with their bounty, every idea here is decent enough to be re-gifted. And isn’t the ability to re-gift sort of like a gift in itself?

Tech-y, but make it mini

Tech-y, but make it mini
Credit: JBL

Tech gets expensive, so to get gadgets within your white elephant budget, you need to downsize. A modern gift exchange staple is a phone-charging battery brick big enough for multiple charges, like the Anker Portable Charger for around $17 on Amazon. Or for a portable Bluetooth speaker, you could go for the JBL GO2 (pictured above) for around $25 on Amazon.

Classy sipping assortment

Classy sipping assortment
Credit: Natural Life

True, mugs are a dangerously popular gift option. But how about something to fill those mugs with? Even if the gift recipient isn’t a big tea or hot cocoa drinker, it’s a smart thing to have in the home for hosting guests during the holidays.

Go for an assortment of tea flavors for around $3 at Trader Joe’s (my favorites are the ginger turmeric and the harvest blend). Throw in a mug that looks like a gnome home (as pictured above) for $17 on Natural Life. Gifting something that people can sip on is the perfect mix of charm and utility.

Novelty kitchen equipment

Novelty kitchen equipment
Credit: Dash

Speaking of charm and utility: As a rule of thumb, “quirky” is the name of the game in white elephant. Take this mini waffle maker, which comes in various festive shapes like a gingerbread man or snowflake for $13 at Dash. Or you could go for something that serves more people at once, like a double dip bowl (with designated areas for chips versus dips) for $20 at Cotton On. All in all, searching for quirky kitchen equipment will turn up fun and surprisingly useful results.

Practical things we never get for ourselves

Practical things we never get for ourselves
Credit: Roman Zaiets - Shutterstock

White elephant exchanges are also the perfect time to offer up one of those practical items—something that could actually improve someone’s quality of life—that we never seem to buy for ourselves. For me, it’s something like touchscreen gloves. I know how much use I’d get out of them, and yet I’m resigned to waiting until they fall into my lap with a bow. A pair of touchscreen gloves will put you out about $12 on Amazon. Other ideas for low-cost practical gifts: A quality water bottle, a tumbler for hot drinks, or a reusable tote bag.

A conversation starter

A conversation starter
Credit: What on Earth

Okay, perhaps gag gifts will most definitely not be the most coveted item at your White Elephant party. However, the reaction to them will be sure to spice things up. After all, the real appeal of gift-giving is the chance to show off your sense of humor and ingenuity, right?

For conversation-starter gifts, think freaky animal paw socks, a yodeling pickle, or the above-pictured cat butt tissue dispenser. Here are some more ideas for gifts that are just raunchy enough (without going too far, like if this is your company’s white elephant party).

Anything fuzzy, cozy, and warm

Anything fuzzy, cozy, and warm
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If you live somewhere that gets cold, it’s always a safe bet to lean into the holiday theme and gift something fuzzy, cozy, and warm. Gifts like this also fall into the realm of “things that would improve my quality of life but I never buy them for myself.” You can’t go wrong with a cozy reversible throw blanket for $30 on Pottery Barn, or maybe some high-quality wool socks for $25 from Darn Tough.

A curated, themed experience

A curated, themed experience
Credit: Jonathan Weiss - Shutterstock

If you can’t settle on one item, try curating a collection of small items. Here are some of our ideas for themed collections, but you can and should customize depending on your budget:

  • Movie night: Popcorn. Funky popcorn toppings. Candy. Hot chocolate. Fuzzy socks. A little slip of paper with your Netflix login. You can’t go wrong with a cozy movie-night theme. There’s even a pre-packaged movie night box for about $23 at Hallmark.

  • Spa day: Think classic “treat yourself” supplies, like face masks, nail polish, and bath bombs. Throw in a candle to help set the pampering vibe.

  • Fly right: Pick from the array of travel-sized must-haves, including ear plugs and perhaps even a neck pillow (with a note about how to wear it correctly).

In these DIY arrangements, the sum is greater than its parts—it’s all about finding a theme with a lot of freedom.