Honorable Mentions
- Nowadays Cannabis Infused Beverage starting at $40: Bringing a bottle of booze is a white elephant classic; my husband’s work team almost exclusively exchanges bottles of liquor as a safe bet for enthusiasm. I think you can do better, though, and bring a THC spirit instead. This spirit is light and a little fruity, sitting somewhere in between the flavor profile of a floral gin and a sweet sake. My friends and I tried it mixed into a pomegranate cocktail instead of tequila, which was fantastic, and we also loved it with seltzer as a THC twist on a gin and tonic. It’s delicious alone, too. I’d skip this for a work party or any group that might not be green-friendly, though.
- Booze in general: This is always a safe pick! You could also bring a bottle of nonalcoholic wine if you wanted an option that everyone can have.
What Not to Bring to a White Elephant
Here’s what was the least fought over at the white elephant parties I attended last year, or the most inappropriate ideas our team has heard of:
- A basic, single candle. Nobody needs a candle they could pick up at the store. Unless there’s a fun theme that you’re certain appeals to the group attending, like the D&D candles above for my fellow nerdy friends or book-themed candles for book lovers, skip bringing a single candle to a white elephant exchange. Or make the candle part of a gift basket; our favorite tomato-scented candle goes great with some kitchen or garden accessories.
- Puzzles. I think puzzles are hard to randomly gift—true puzzle fanatics will want a lot of pieces, while novices will want an easier one. If you choose a puzzle with too specific a theme, the receiver might not like it as much as a true puzzler or fan of that theme would. Instead, I’m gifting fun paint-by-number kits.
- Live animals. Look, you shouldn’t give baby chicks at Easter, and you shouldn’t give anything even remotely similar—including a mouse, fish, or anything alive.
- Sex toys and lingerie. I’ve actually been to a sex toy-themed gift exchange, and I’d recommend it to the right groups of friends. But otherwise, unless you’re good friends with the entire group and are completely certain it wouldn’t be inappropriate (and no kids will be in attendance), it’s safer to buy these for your significant other instead. It’s certainly inappropriate for a work gift exchange.
- Actual trash. I didn’t think I had to write this one down, but at one gift exchange I went to, someone literally wrapped up a piece of garbage as a joke. As the person who unwrapped the trash gift, I beg of you: Don’t do this.
Rules of a White Elephant
If you’re headed to your first white elephant gift exchange, here’s a quick explainer on what’s about to happen.
Everyone will bring a wrapped gift (often under a certain price, like $25) and place it into a pile or central spot. Then, each person will draw a number that indicates their place in the gift-choosing order. When your number is called, you can either choose and unwrap a gift from the pile, or steal one that has already been unwrapped by someone. Most exchanges will have a limit of how often a gift can be stolen—usually around three times—so if you have the best gift in your hands when it’s time for someone else to choose, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to keep it. If your gift is stolen, you can either unwrap a new one or steal a different gift (no take-backs, sorry).
These rules can vary based on the host and their house rules, so make sure to ask what the rules are at the start of the game. Happy exchanging!