The white elephant gift exchange is one of the most popular holiday season games. It’s always a lot of fun and gets everyone into the Christmas spirit. As a refresher, let’s review how the white elephant gift exchange game works. This classic holiday party game is also known as the Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa, and offers flexibility in its rules—which makes it all the more exciting, especially if there are really great gifts you’d actually want and use. The festivities typically commence with a get-together of your friends, family, or even coworkers. The first target person in the group selects a wrapped gift from the pile kickstarts the game. The next participants can then either choose to unwrap a different gift or read the crowd and snag someone else’s gift. Rinse and repeat.
The unpredictability of which holiday gift you’re going to select at a white elephant gift exchange is one of the most fun parts of the game. These Christmas gifts range from random gag gifts to stocking stuffers to gadgets, and occasionally, you’ll land on presents actually worth fighting for. With our white elephant gift guide, we wanted to provide an edit of a wider range of unique holiday gift ideas (in all different price points and categories) that will make this game a lot more exciting than usual.
Making Faces Brush Set
The makeup enthusiast giftee will be excited to land on this holiday gift. These high-quality makeup brushes by Kevyn Aucoin are all you need for your everyday makeup needs and they come with a sturdy vegan leather pouch, perfect for on-the-go.
Holiday Blend Tea
For tea lovers, this delicious seasonal tea by Oliver Plus is a spiced black tea blend that is perfect for a cozy Christmas night.
Silicone Wine Glass Holder
Gag gifts are always a must at a white elephant gift exchange and 30 Watt has a wide range of funny but useful gift ideas including this silicone wine glass holder that serves as a humorous but functional item for your home.
40 oz Water Filter Slim Pitcher
If the giftee lives in New York and has a small kitchen and refrigerator, they’re in luck if they land on this holiday gift. The Hydros is a slim water filter pitcher that is both chic and space-saving. It filters water quickly and replaces 300 single-use plastic water bottles.
The Original Buddha Board Art Set
This water board painting set is a perfect white elephant gift for the home office, providing a mindful and stress-relieving experience. With a resettable board, water brush, and stand, it allows for easy, ink-free artistic expression, promoting creativity and relaxation.
Sampler Pack Flavored Water Enhancer Pods Starter Bundle
This is not your ordinary stainless steel water bottle. The Vitapod Go water bottle has water enhancer pods that feature 11 delicious and nutritious flavors packed with essential minerals and flavonoids to boost your health, revolutionizing your wellness routine wherever you go.
Winter Warmth Limited Edition Scented Candle
Drake fans will be thrilled to receive this gift—a candle from his line, Better World Fragrance House. The fruity, cozy scent combines fresh mint, apples, and soft musks, with nuanced notes of strawberry and balsam, creating a decadent wintery fragrance perfect for holidays.
Bluetooth Tracker
Nowadays, adding bluetooth trackers has become essential for our daily essentials. Pebblebee's water-resistant, rechargeable, and Bluetooth-enabled trackers, compatible with both Google and Apple products, make for a clever and practical holiday gift.
Greens and Superfoods Variety Stick Pack
Drink your daily greens with these convenient on-the-go stick packs. Fill up your favorite water bottle with this nutritious powder that contains 30+ nutrients, including organic fruits and vegetables, fiber, and probiotics.
Gestalt Holiday Box
Gestalt's "Made You Look" collection features six impeccable bottles of luxurious red wine, exclusively for the holiday season. Paired with a captivating 3D experience, it's a unique and indulgent white elephant gift for wine lovers.
Negroni Set
Via Carota is one of New York’s most iconic restaurants and they also make some incredible classic cocktails. This negroni set includes their classic negroni, white negroni, and two Italian-made lowball glasses for the ultimate at-home cocktail night holiday gift.
Hi-Lo 6 Pack Mood Ring
Cozy socks are a must for white elephant gift exchanges and these sustainable everyday socks are super soft with an ultra-cushioned sole.
Discovery Collection
This discovery skincare gift set has seven essential products in convenient travel sizes, ideal for your upcoming holiday travel plans.
Helight Sleep
Gift someone an enhanced and better deep sleep experience with the help from this rechargeable and portable red light therapy night light.
Lash and Brow Serum Fantasy Set
This ultimate gift set of must-have lash and brow products by Grande Cosmetics is a standout choice for a white elephant gift idea. Including a lengthening mascara and high-performance lash and brow serums, this gift set will elevate the gift exchange fun.
Hot Sauce Variety Pack
TRUFF’s delicious hot sauces make food taste so much better and is a thoughtful gift idea for a white elephant gift exchange. This assortment includes their distinctive hot sauce blends, uniquely infused with truffles.
Travel Belt
This is a unique travel necessity that is a perfect white elephant gift idea. Secure whatever personal item and bag you have with this sturdy travel belt to your carry-on luggage for added protection and convenient travel.
Brushless Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
This super lightweight cordless vacuum cleaner weighs less than six pounds and combines versatility with a powerful motor for efficient cleaning on all floor types. Its easy-reach wand and HEPA filtration make it a practical and lightweight white elephant gift idea, simplifying household cleaning tasks.
Savor Double Wall Insulated Glasses
These microwave and dishwasher-safe insulated coffee mugs feature a sleek design with crystal-clear walls and a double-wall structure, making them a practical and stylish white elephant gift idea.
Apotheke Luxury Scented Oil Reed Diffuser
The These reed diffusers are available in 11 scents that provide long-lasting fragrance with perfume-grade oils and wooden reeds. The clean and cruelty-free formulation makes it a thoughtful white elephant gift idea for a versatile home fragrance experience.
Trent Poster
DESENIO offers a diverse selection of framed art, posters, and photographs, making it a thoughtful gift idea. Choose a piece for the white elephant gift exchange or include a gift card, allowing the recipient to pick their own favorites.
Gift Experience
For foodies, this is a generous and unique gift idea that everyone will want to indulge in. This AAPI-owned bundle of modern Chinese cuisine goodies features delicious soup dumplings, noodle kits, sauces, two dipping bowls with chopsticks, and a bamboo steamer basket—perfect for holiday parties.
Date Sweetened Chocolate Discovery Collection
These beautiful chocolate bars are sweetened with dates and boast unique flavors such as pecans, mixed berries, mango, lavender, and rose petals. An ideal choice for a distinctive and thoughtful gift.
Herradura Mix Necklace
This unisex stainless steel 18k gold-plated horseshoe chain necklace is a versatile option to wear alone or layered with other jewelry.
Destress Chinese Medicine-Inspired Gummies
Kickstart your health goals for the new year with delicious Chinese Medicine-inspired gummies, featuring potent herbs for improved focus and energy, promoting a straightforward approach to holistic well-being.