Seasonal & Holidays
Holiday 2017: The Best White Elephant Gifts
Wine openers, chia Donald Trumps, pizza blankets and more — we've got the presents that everyone's going to to try to steal!
A White Elephant gift exchange — sometimes called a Yankee Swap — is a fun way for any group to celebrate the holidays. Everyone brings in a wrapped gift that's close to the suggested price point (usually around $20), then each person draws a number. The person with the lowest number picks a wrapped gift from the gift pile and opens it in front of the group. The person who draws the next lowest number can then choose to "steal" No. 1's gift or pick a new present from the pile. This continues until everyone has unwrapped or stolen a present.
Now, obviously, if you're doing a White Elephant gift exchange, you want to end up with a hot-ticket item. But you also want your gift contribution to be the present everyone wants to steal. This can be tricky, though. Since you don't who'll be the recipient of your gift, you need to pick a present with universal appeal.
Fortunately for you, we're what you'd call White Elephant experts. Here are 17 gifts ranging in price from $10 to $30 that everyone will want to steal.
Find more great gift ideas for everyone on your list in Patch's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide.
Awkward Family Photos 2018 Day-to-Day Calendar Calendar – Day to Day Calendar, $10.66
Bad hair, strange poses and bizarre backdrops never get old. Experience them all on a daily basis with this glorious calendar of awkward family photos. The recipient and his or her officemates will thank you.
YETI Rambler Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Colster, $23.99
Keep your drink cold and your hands dry with a YETI Colster that's built to last. It's also great for hot drinks and fits any standard 12-ounce can or bottle.
Advanced Mixology Moscow Mule 2-Ounce Shot Glass, Set Of 2, $11.99
Assuming you're doing White Elephant with a 21-and-up crowd, these 100 percent pure copper shot glasses are sure to be a hot-ticket item. They'll class up any bar cart and even come with a beautiful box and coaster.
What Do You Meme? Adult Party Game, $29.99
If your fellow White Elephant gift swappers are grownups who often find themselves LOL'ing at cats, then this is a great pick for you. It has its inappropriate moments, but overall, playing this game with friends is hilarious.
Gift Pro White Elephant Planter Pots, Set Of 2, $10.99
If you want to take the White Elephant theme literally, you can always show up with two white elephants! These modern ceramic planters are great for displaying live plants, holding paper clips and change or just looking cute wherever the recipient decides to place them.
"Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody In A Cookbook," $14.40
The bound chicken on the cover might make you exclaim, "Oh my!" but trust us: These recipes are 50 shades of delicious. As the cookbook's description boasts, each recipe is "more seductive than the last" and "makes every dinner a turn-on."
glacio Ice Cube Trays Silicone Combo, Set of 2, $14.95
What's cooler than cool? Ice cold spheres and square molds! These reusable, BPA-free molds create six giant ice balls and six large square cubes — perfect for cocktails, iced coffee, popsicles and frozen lemonade.
BigMouth Inc. Gigantic Pizza Beach Blanket, $24.99
Who doesn't need a 5-foot wide pizza blanket?! This little slice of heaven is perfect for the beach or the backyard, and it even comes packaged in a clear zippered pouch with rope handles.
AMIR Universal Professional HD Camera Lens Kit, $16.99
Clip this on to your smart phone to take beautiful, quality photos that look like you took them with a DSLR cam. It comes with a carrying case and cleaning cloth.
Corkcicle 12 oz Triple-Insulated Stemless Glass, $24.95
It's no wonder this stylish stainless steel glass is one of Oprah's Favorite Things this year. It keeps cold drinks cold for up to nine hours and hot ones hot for up to three. It's perfect for wine or coffee, and the nonslip bottom and spill-resistant lid are helpful no matter what you're drinking.
Hamilton Beach Quesadilla Maker, $19.99
This quesadilla maker lets you make delicious, evenly heated quesadillas right at home in just about five minutes. Its nonstick surface easily wipes clean, and its locking lid helps prevent mess.
NECA Leg Lamp Nightlight, $14.94
It's a major award — and it plugs into almost any electric outlet. Any fan of "A Christmas Story" will need this nightlight.
ZOEE Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, $20.88
This small-but-mighty speaker offers crystal clear sound, enhanced bass and offers 3-percent louder volume than other competitors. It connects to your smartphone, laptop or any other Bluetooth-enabled device in just seconds and has a built-in FM radio.
Oster Rechargeable and Cordless Wine Opener with Chiller, $24.95
This electric wine opener removes corks at the touch of a button. It has a soft grip handle, foil cutter and a recharging base station included. It even comes with a stylish stainless steel wine chiller.
Accoutrements Horse Head Mask, $18.35
It wouldn't be a proper White Elephant gift exchange without at least one total gag gift! This horse head mask makes taking photos so much fun and definitely works to spark up a conversation.
Chia Donald Trump Freedom of Choice Pottery Planter, $19.99
We may be a country divided, but we can all agree on one thing: Chia pets are awesome. Watching the greens grow in on this Donald Trump chia planter will be fun regardless of your political affiliation.
Joie Piggy Microwave Bacon Tray with Splatter Lid, $11.49
This one's a little risky, because there's probably at least one vegetarian in your White Elephant gift exchange group. That said, almost everyone else is likely obsessed with bacon, and this microwave tray lets you cook it quickly with minimal cleanup.
Find more great gift ideas in Patch's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide.
All prices and savings listed in this post are as of publication and could change. Patch may earn a commission on some purchased items.