Any ideas for an inexpensive White Elephant gift?

[skw444]

We've got a Christmas party to go to and there will be a White Elephant gift exchange. We're on a tight budget and need some ideas. Also, should I get a practical gift or a gag type gift?

 

[minniebeth]

Well, usually White Elephant exchanges are meant for fun, entertainment purposes, but in today's economy, I'd go with something practical. You can still make it fun with a little creativity. Maybe some paper products, like paper towels, with toilet paper stacked on top and some other paper products with a little crown on top wrapped up to say "For the King/Queen of the Mountain"....
Just an idea, but practical, why waste your money?

 

[FoundMyPrince]

At parties where we've given "White Elephant gifts", it's always something that we already have, but don't want/use; we don't spend any money. We usually look around the house/garage and find something fun to give.

 

[An_Island_Girl]

I'm not sure how much you are looking to spend, but we do this each year with family and it is one of our favorite party games!

Last year a set of 5 nice cookbooks and an oven mitt got passed around (we got them at Marshalls in the clearance section!), and depending on the crowd we have done a variety cocktail mixes (the non-alcoholic bottles of pina colada mix, strawberry daquiri, etc)... these too always seem to get traded frequently.

Candles, picture frames, travel mugs, popcorn tubs with gift cards, movies, etc. all seem to be popular "practical" gifts thgat are multi-generational.

 

[Sabrina90744]

I hosted one last year, I set a limit of at least $20 no more than $40. It was just for fun anyways. Many of the guests had no idea what to get I told them all to get something they would want for themselves. I ended doing a gag gift and bought a Chia Pet and put $20 bill inside the box. It was actually the funniest part of the exchange

 

[Muushka]

Ouch, $20 for a white elephant?

The ones that I have always gone to, had had no finances tied to the gift. It could be what ever you don't use any more that someone else might want. One year I did buy a pound of Dunkin Donuts coffee. You should have seen the cat fight!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Yep nothing says Christmas like butt wipe! How about practical but also a nice gift? Perhaps something that you could use or something that a person would not normally buy for themselves. A half hour massage, a manicure, an oil change for the vehicle. Ok the oil change is not Christmas but they cost.

This is the year for practical and useful gifts.

 

[Muushka]

It's funny. People are talking about this year is the year to try to save money.
Bringing something that you no longer need is a great way to save money!

Unless I don't understand what a White Elephant gift exchange is. I might be all wet!

 

[pearlieq]

Hmm, I always thought a white elephant was a useless, tacky piece of junk given out as a gag gift. Definitely not something valuable or useful.

I would clarify with the host. You don't want to show up with TP when everyone else is giving fancy coffee, neither do you want to be the un-fun person giving a serious gift when other people are trading funny junk from their basement.

I throw a combination cookie exchange/white elephant swap every year. Here are some of the best ones over the years:

--someone's entire collection of single earrings
--a giant applique Christmas sweater vest with tassles
--a chocolate fondue set that was 3 years past the expiration date that had been regifted at least 4 times.
--a snowman door ornament that was shipped from the factory missing one eye that sang the wrong words to "Frosty the Snowman"
--a "holiday meal box" with Spam, a fruitcake, and spray cheese
--a dancing santa in a gold lame suit who would start dancing and then get stuck in one position until you hit him to start him back up again

Our exchange is definitley meant to be silly. We laugh until our sides hurt at the junk people come up with!

 

[lovesmurfs]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant

I've NEVER purchased anything for a white elephant gift. Look around your house and see if there's anything you don't want anymore .... any small appliances? Soaps, B&B Works stuff, anything you won't use anymore. Even note paper that you've received. I even gave a smoke detector one year....

 

[Muushka]

Hmm, I always thought a white elephant was a useless, tacky piece of junk given out as a gag gift. Definitely not something valuable or useful.

I would clarify with the host. You don't want to show up with TP when everyone else is giving fancy coffee, neither do you want to be the un-fun person giving a serious gift when other people are trading funny junk from their basement.

I throw a combination cookie exchange/white elephant swap every year. Here are some of the best ones over the years:

--someone's entire collection of single earrings
--a giant applique Christmas sweater vest with tassles
--a chocolate fondue set that was 3 years past the expiration date that had been regifted at least 4 times.
--a snowman door ornament that was shipped from the factory missing one eye that sang the wrong words to "Frosty the Snowman"
--a "holiday meal box" with Spam, a fruitcake, and spray cheese
--a dancing santa in a gold lame suit who would start dancing and then get stuck in one position until you hit him to start him back up again

Our exchange is definitley meant to be silly. We laugh until our sides hurt at the junk people come up with!

That's what I'm talking about!

One year, someone brought a bunch of 8 track tapes, really tacky ones. They came every year from then on! And then there is the beautiful hand decorated miniature Christmas tree. A combination of fun, stupid, useless, beautiful makes the best WE. When we go as a couple, it is one stupid and one nice gift.

 

[8esther8]

Oh, you guys have no idea. I've seen a pair of vintage silver go-go boots, a ready-to-use IV bag complete with necessary tubing, and my pastor husband received a pair of spandex thong underwear one year. The humorous presents are the most fun. You just need some creativity.....

 

[lovesmurfs]

Oh, you guys have no idea. I've seen a pair of vintage silver go-go boots, a ready-to-use IV bag complete with necessary tubing, and my pastor husband received a pair of spandex thong underwear one year. The humorous presents are the most fun. You just need some creativity.....

 

[santa's surpriz]

At parties where we've given "White Elephant gifts", it's always something that we already have, but don't want/use; we don't spend any money. We usually look around the house/garage and find something fun to give.

This is closer to the version of the White Elephant gift exchanges I have done. It is an opportunity to regift that impractical worst gift you ever received.

 

[Savsmommy]

We did a white elephant exchange with my whole family in July during our family reunion. It was so much fun. A white elephant gift is suppose to be something you already have around your house that you don't need/want. Some of the gifts that were given at our's ....... a fly swatter, a used candle, an ash tray, old vcr tapes and a doughnut coffee mug. I brought the doughnut coffee mug. I got it at the dollar store. We had just moved and I had gotten rid of all the junk we had. The doughnut mug was also the hit of the exchange. It got exchanged at least 6 times. LOL. If you don't have anything go to the dollar store.

 

[suprgrlx]

I have only heard of White Elephant gift exchanges as being an opportunity to give the most horrible/funny stuff away. The Maxi Pad slippers were one of my favourites (scroll to the bottom to see the slippers):

http://redhatsinbc.tripod.com/slippers.htm

According to Wiki though it seems that it can also be to trade something that has run out of use to you. That would be a very different gift, so you should try and clarify what is expected.

 

[8esther8]

Yes, I would clarify what type of exchange it is. I've gone to a homeschooling one, where everyone gives "nice", new presents, with a dollar limit (they don't want to offend anyone); all the way to the crazy, funny ones. You don't want to be the only one bringing the IV bag OTOH, it's so much more fun if some of the folks will think outside the box

 

[Muushka]

When people bring strange things, that is when the fun begins. Otherwise, boring....

 

[hambirg]

I've always given something new that I already had. One year it was a Christmas dish towel and oven mit. I was just glad to see it go, as I had it forever. LOL! For exchanges that are more on the gag side, I've given a collection of promotional key chains. One year somebody gave a shoebox full of the little soaps and shampoos you get from hotels. Others that have been popular, were a teapot. Everybody wanted that! And beer is always well recieved in our crowd.

 

[descovy]

scratch-off lottery ticket!

Works pretty well when you don't know "what kind" of White Elephant ticket