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White elephant is one of the most informal gifting exchanges. Stateside, it’s also known as a Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa. And in Copenhagen, there’s a similar version called pakkeleg, which translates to “package game” in Danish. It’s the perfect opportunity to bring out your cheeky side during the holidays. Gag gifts and other funny white elephant gifts are great, but the sweet spot is small stocking stuffers that are both amusing and useful.
The setting and who you’ll be playing with matters. For example, a white elephant gift exchange at a country club might see more gifts for golfers, whereas one with a more diverse group of people might require finding generic Amazon gifts for men and Amazon gifts for women.
Something else of note: Good white elephant gifts you bring to your office will probably (hopefully) look very different from the gifts you swap with friends sans HR department.
That’s why, in picking out the best funny white elephant gifts, we’ve mostly stuck to humorous gifts that can work in a range of settings at a reasonable price point. Here are 39 good white elephant gifts that everyone will fight over.
Funny White Elephant Gifts Under $20
Puffin Drinkwear The Puffy
Courtesy Image
A good white elephant gift should be equal parts practical and borderline ridiculous. You probably wouldn’t go out of your way to buy a puffer jacket koozie for your beer, but you’re probably not mad to have one either. Puffin Drinkwear The Puffy has a rubberized base that prevents condensation from wetting surfaces (or your hand), while the insulated jacket keeps your favorite brew frosty.
[$6 (was $20); at backcountry.com]
The Original Wine Condoms
Courtesy of Amazon
Wine stoppers work just fine, but they’re nowhere near as amusing as these wine condoms. Each condom comes individually wrapped and is designed to create a water-tight seal, keeping unfinished wine bottles fresh for longer. Each package says “wine” on it, so you’re unlikely to confuse it for the real thing.
[$15; amazon.com]
Knock Knock Apology Nifty Note
Courtesy of Amazon
Many apologies sound like people are just ticking the boxes of what they think you want to hear. Now you can actually tick those boxes with this pad of apology notes. The “reasons for my behavior” range from sincere explanations to shifty excuses like “I was being selfish” to “someone else made me.” For folks who’ve got the inside jokes, this makes a great gift.
[$7; amazon.com]
Kikkerland Golf in a Tin
Courtesy of Amazon
You’ve heard of golf and mini-golf, but what about mini mini-golf? This Golf in a Tin set from Kikkerland is about the size and shape of a large Altoids tin. There are nine cards, each with one hole, as well as two tiny clubs and two balls. It’s all the fun of golf, minus the pesky walking part.
[$13; walmart.com]
Sugarfina Martini Olive Almonds White Chocolate
Courtesy Image
This is a funny white elephant gift for the simple allure of one food masquerading as another. In this instance, white chocolate-covered almonds are dressed up as green olives. Cheeky and delicious. Whether someone detests olives or orders a whole side with their martini, this is sure to please.
[$10; uncommongoods.com]
Accoutrements Bacon Strips Bandages
Courtesy of Amazon
These bacon strip bandages are the most amusing way to treat your minor cuts and scrapes. With a realistic-looking print, these bandages might also work up an appetite. Each tin includes 15 bandages, plus an extra trinket.
[$8; amazon.com]
Saucemoto Sauce Holder
Courtesy of Amazon
Snacking on fast food at the drive-through is all fun and games until you spill barbecue sauce everywhere. Silly but useful, this sauce holder clips to a car’s air vent and holds standard-size dipping sauce containers. And, since no one uses just one sauce tray, each order includes two clips.
[$10 (was $13); amazon.com]
MunnyGrubbers World’s Smallest Violin
Courtesy of Amazon
The “world’s tiniest violin” plays for people’s pettiest problems, but the violin in question is typically metaphorical. In this case, you can actually play the world’s smallest violin when someone brings up their gripes. This key-chain-sized violin is battery-powered and actually plays a sad tune when you press the button. It’s a funny white elephant gift that’s guaranteed to get a few chuckles.
[$5 (was $6); amazon.com]
Lip Smacker Coca-Cola Flavored Balm
Courtesy of Amazon
A novelty lip balm is a fun and timely stocking stuffer for a white elephant gift under $10. This option includes 8 flavors from Coca-Cola, including Cherry Coke, Fanta, and Sprite—no ice required.
[$9 (was $11); amazon.com]
Magnetic Poetry
Courtesy of Amazon
Magnetic Poetry’s Little Box of Obscenities is a reminder that, while they may be called bad words, they sure feel good to say. These individual fridge magnets make for a perfect white elephant gift idea and include a mix of naughty words, plus your standard conjunctions and pronouns to help string together surly sentences. The fridge magnets come in a compact tin. They look just as good on a file cabinet as they do on a fridge.
[$9; amazon.com]
Design Ideas Toast Coasters
Courtesy of Amazon
As aesthetically pleasing as they are conceptually ridiculous, these toast coasters make for a funny white elephant gift anybody would be lucky to use at home or at their desk. Made from wood, they’re moisture-resistant, non-slip, and eco-smart. They’d be great conversation starters, even if the conversation perpetually began with “Wait, is that bread?”
[$23; amazon.com]
Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Guy
Courtesy of Amazon
We’re guessing that the best perk of working at a car dealership is watching the wacky wavy inflatable tube guy. This miniature version can be powered by an AC cord or battery, and it’s a substantial 17 inches tall, making it a great centerpiece for your next party.
[$9 (was $13); amazon.com]
Kikkerland US006 USB Hubman
Courtesy of Amazon
Kikkerland’s USB Hubman is more charming than he is laugh-out-loud funny, but he’s still a good gift to bring to a white elephant, especially an office exchange. The device has four USB ports, and it’s a lot more fun than the average charging hub.
[$10; amazon.com]
Wahl Micro Groomsman Battery Personal Trimmer
Courtesy of Amazon
Wahl’s Micro Groomsman nose hair trimmer would be a fun gift to bring to a white elephant, in part to see who decides they really want it. As for its functionality, it’s compact, comes with a range of interchangeable heads, and removes nose hair painlessly.
[$10; amazon.com]
“Why Do Men Have Nipples?” by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg, M.D.
Courtesy of Amazon
Amusing but genuinely informative, “Why Do Men Have Nipples?” is the kind of book that’s fun to flip through at a party. Co-written by a doctor and a novelist, the book offers scientific explanations to the kinds of questions you’ve probably privately pondered, but wouldn’t ask your doctor, with humorous asides peppered in.
[$10 (Was $15); amazon.com]
Vinmax Bed Prism Spectacles
Courtesy of Amazon
These reading glasses are both weird and weirdly useful. They’re designed to let you read or use your phone in bed without tilting your head or holding your phone over your face. Most importantly, they look really funny.
[$13; amazon.com]
Overrated vs Underrated Social Game
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
Overrated vs Underrated is a party game that’s equally as much of a fun icebreaker as it is a funny white elephant gift. Each player takes turns judging and offers their rating on a ten-point scale about everything from New Year’s Eve to petting zoos. The other players then guess what the judge rated, and the closest guess is awarded a point. If your friend group is the type to enjoy petty arguments, then this is a great game to get.
[$13 (Was $15); amazon.com]
Fowl Language Mug
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
From the titmouse to the cock-of-the-rock, birds tend to have some inappropriate-sounding names. The Fowl Language mug collects some of the greatest hits like the blue-footed booby and the dickissel, along with cute, safe-for-work illustrations. What better way is there to start your day?
[$15; uncommongoods.com]
Tooletries Shower Drink Holder
Courtesy of Amazon
The appeal of a shower beer is not hard to understand; the ice-cold beer combined with a piping hot shower is a welcome jolt to the system (just probably not in the morning). This drink holder from Tooletries is made from silicone and can attach to tile or glass. It’s secure, but it’s still a good idea to grab an aluminum can, not a glass bottle.
[$16; amazon.com]
What to Watch Streaming Dice
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
With so many options, everyone struggles to decide what to watch on streaming services. This dice set from Uncommon Goods makes it easier. One die tells you what genre to watch, one tells you the format (i.e. TV show, movie, etc.) and the last numbered die picks the row and column. A glass storage tube and stopper are included.
[$18; uncommongoods.com]
‘Subpar Parks: America’s Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors’ by Amber Share
Courtesy of Barnes and Noble
Amber Share’s Subpar Parks is based on her Instagram page of the same name, and this book is a good white elephant gift for both nature lovers and avid indoorsmen alike. The book consists of illustrations and real-life one-star reviews of America’s National Parks. One review of Yellowstone’s famous geysers reads “save yourself some money, boil water at home.”
[From $12; amazon.com]
Good White Elephant Gifts Under $25
Chia Pet: Star Wars The Child
Courtesy of Best Buy
A Chia Pet is another great nostalgic gift, and it’ll be hard to look at one without instantly thinking of the “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia” theme song. New Chia Pets are still being produced, including plenty of contemporary characters like Grogu (AKA, Baby Yoda).
[$24; amazon.com]
Tamagotchi V5 Game
Courtesy Image
This is the kind of white elephant gift that only really works if your friend group consists of ‘90s kids. A Tamagotchi is a pocket-sized digital pet, and, like Neopets, pet owners likely have some guilt over having left their digital pet behind when they grew up. Now’s their chance for redemption.
[$20; amazon.com]
Unzipped Glass Zipper Bag
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
Less of a laugh-out-loud funny white elephant gift and more of a charming one, this “plastic” bag is a great gift and a statement-making way to store holiday snacks. It’s made from glass but modeled to look like a Ziplock bag.
[$20; uncommongoods.com]
Van Holten’s Pickle-In-A-Pouch Sampler
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As odd as it is delicious, Van Holten’s Pickle In A Pouch is the perfect weird white elephant gift to give at your next holiday party. Each giant pickle comes individually wrapped in a plastic pouch. This order includes a sampler of eight oversized pickles.
[$22; amazon.com]
Fred Pizza Boss 3000 Circular Saw Stainless Steel Pizza Wheel
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This circular saw might not be able to cut through a 2-by-4, but it can cut through a thin-crust pizza. This novelty pizza cutter comes in a presentable gift box and has a removable shield for easy cleaning. If there are any pizza lovers at your white elephant gift exchange, this is a sure hit.
[$22; amazon.com]
Spontuneous – The Song Game
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Spontuneous is a board game that involves singing, but as the box explicitly states, talent is not required. The premise is that each person writes a set of “trigger words” and picks one each round. Every other player has to try to sing a lyric from a song that has that word before anyone else. It’s a great party game for 4 to 10 players.
[$24; amazon.com]
Best White Elephant Gifts Under $50
Squatty Potty Original Bathroom Toilet Stool
Courtesy of Amazon
A Squatty Potty is a little weird to give someone, but is genuinely useful. The large box size means it’s likely to be one of the first gifts chosen and a white elephant gift everyone will fight over. By changing your position, the Squatty Potty helps with quicker, easier bowel movements. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
[$28; amazon.com]
Snoop on the Stoop Plushie Figure
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
Christmas has Elf on a Shelf and Hanukkah has Mensch on a Bench. Now, 4/20 has Snoop on the Stoop. In a giftable box is an elf hat, chain, sunglasses, and T-shirt, and the posable figure can be hidden around the house.
[$30; walmart.com]
Yoga Joes
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
These green Army men are considerably more peaceful than the ones you grew up with. Nine soldiers are included, all of whom are doing a different yoga pose. They’re a great conversation starter and a fun desk accessory for your next corporate white elephant gift exchange.
[$25; uncommongoods.com]
GFF Grass Flip Flop
Courtesy of Amazon
“Touch grass” is a common rejoinder to those who spend way too much time online. These grass flip-flops are a great gag gift, and the perfect way to touch grass, anywhere you go. Pick up this funny white elephant gift if you work in tech.
[$26; amazon.com]
Charty Party
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
If your friends have already played every possible hand in Cards Against Humanity, Charty Party is a fun alternative with a similar premise. Each player finds the card that best fills in the missing X-axis of the chart card in the center. Some are saucy and some are just silly. Either way, it’s a fun game to play after the white elephant wraps up.
[$25; uncommongoods.com]
Heinz Ketchup All-Red Tomato Food Puzzle
Courtesy of Amazon
Puzzles can be hard, but few are as frustrating as this ketchup-inspired all-red puzzle. All 570 pieces are the same color. Whether or not the person who gets it actually completes it, this funny white elephant gift is sure to inspire a few laughs.
[$30; amazon.com]
Kikkerland Cactus Plant Soft Plush Pillow
Courtesy of Amazon
This novelty pillow from Kikkerland is a great travel or throw pillow, and anyone who sees it will think twice about leaning against the (fake) spines. This white elephant gift is perfect for coworkers who can’t stand their old computer chair and need some extra lumbar support.
[$30; amazon.com]
Kettlebell Bottle Opener
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
A novelty bottle opener is always a fun gift to bring to a white elephant, and this kettlebell bottle opener is a great option for your fitness-minded friends. Like a real kettlebell, this one is made from cast iron and weighs one pound.
[$35; uncommongoods.com]
Bluetooth Banana Phone
Courtesy of Uncommon Goods
Pretending to talk on the phone using a banana is the oldest gag in the book, but what if you could actually have a conversation on a banana? This Bluetooth-enabled device connects to your phone, allowing you to take phone calls, and it even works with your phone’s smart assistant. This would have been Michael Scott’s second choice for a white elephant gift after the iPod.
[$40; uncommongoods.com]
Righteous Felon Gluten Free Beef Jerky Bundle (6-Pack)
Courtesy of Righteous Felon
It might not be funny, but a six-pack of beef jerky is bound to be a white elephant gift everyone fights over, which can get very funny very quickly. This multi-pack includes six of Righteous Felon’s gluten-free jerky flavors, including “OG Hickory” and “Tuffle-O Bill,” and whoever ends up with it will be thanking you for months.
[$37 (was $42); righteousfelon.com]
My Arcade Pac-Man 40th Anniversary Micro Player
Courtesy of Amazon
With a tiny 2.8-inch screen and a small (but functional) joystick, this mini Pac-Man game adds an extra level of difficulty to an arcade classic. Funny, but not inappropriate, it’s a great gift for your office white elephant.
[$44; amazon.com]
Little Monster Phone Amplifier
Courtesy Image
This chubby ceramic monster acts as an amplifier, reverberating sound waves from your phone’s speaker off its belly to make music or phone calls louder. It’s silly yet strangely practical—what every good white elephant gift should be.
[$48; uncommongoods.com]
FAQs About White Elephant Gift Exchanges
What is a white elephant gift?
White elephant gifts are typically small, inexpensive gifts. They’re often amusing, such as gag gifts or charming tchotchkes. Because the eventual recipient is unknown, a white elephant gift has to be suitable for anyone in the entire group.
What are white elephant gift rules?
If it’s your first, or it’s been a while since your last, it’s worth taking a refresher on the rules. Here’s the basic gist of how a white elephant works.
Each player brings a wrapped gift—usually under $20, under $25, or under $50, whatever the group has decided—to be placed in the center of the space, according to whiteelephantrules.com. Players take turns in a predetermined order either unwrapping gifts or stealing gifts from someone else. Play continues until everyone has a gift and all the gifts are unwrapped.
Some rule variations exist regarding how many times a gift can be stolen, so it’s a good idea to lay out the ground rules before everyone starts swapping gifts. It’s also worth establishing a spending limit on the gifts ahead of time so people bring gifts of equal value.
Unlike Secret Santa, gifts will change hands multiple times in a white elephant gift exchange, meaning each gift has to be suitable for the entire group. That’s why funny, silly gag gifts are frequently brought to white elephant exchanges.
How much should you spend on a white elephant gift?
Like Secret Santa, white elephant gift exchanges typically have an agreed-upon spending cap to keep things fair, but $20-$25 is common.
Do you wrap white elephant gifts?
White elephant gifts have to be wrapped for the game to work. Otherwise, players would just choose something they like from a pile of random stuff.
What is a good white elephant gift?
Good white elephant gifts are often gag gifts or other useful but amusing accessories. Examples include miniature games, funny books, and simple party games.