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White elephant gift you actually want

Hilltopmom

By Hilltopmom,
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Bambam

Bambam

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Large zip drive? (128+ size)

Gift card to Starbucks, ? 

Kendra Scott jewelry is big here, but I don't know if they have any in that price range. 

Portable battery charger for your phone? (I have one that doubles as a hand warmer too, but it cannot do both at the same time)

 Contigo auto-seal tumbler (coffee, tea, or cold liquid) - or other brand, I just like this one!

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Annie G

Annie G

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The Trader Joe’s assortment would probably go over well. What would I like? Toilet paper. Now, hear me out...white elephant gifts are usually things I don’t want, like candles or coffee or mugs filled with stuff. But give me a gag gift that I can use- toilet paper- and I’m happy to be laughed at all evening. 

Went to a party once and the best white elephant there was a basket for someone with a cold. Some cold meds, Emergen-C, cough drops, Kleenex, etc.   That was when our car club did our holiday party in January, when everyone had a cold. It was stolen three times super fast. 

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cjzimmer1

cjzimmer1

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For these things I go with things that are consumable, practical, nonscented and something I would happily take home and use myself.  So no to stinky lotions, perfumes, soaps etc (because I'm sensitive to smells).  No to alcohol (because I don't drink) but yes to costco size package of toilet paper, AA batteries, jug of unpopped popcorn, or just a giant bag of some other consumable (hey I've got 6 kids nothing is too big for my household).  My thought is so many people bring "stuff" and I don't want more stuff and if I "win" stuff it's more than likely going straight into the Goodwill pile so I try to bring something boring that I will use up and then try to "win" my own gift.

 

My son used the giant unpopped popcorn idea (costco sells a 12 1/2 pound jug)to his work and it went over well.  It was stolen the maximum number of times.  Unfortunately he ended up with a bottle of alcohol.  Which not only do we not drink it our family but my son is underaged as well (the next youngest person in the department is 24 but since DS has been there for over 2 years already, they kinda forget how young he is).  Thankfully someone took pity on him and traded after the game was over but his replacement gift was not much better but at least he could legally bring it home.

Edited by cjzimmer1
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Guest

Guest

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I just discovered a store that sells amazing olive oils and vinegars by the mL. You can purchase a refillable jar, taste all the choices you are interested in, and have them fill the jar with your choice. I am doing this for my bunco exchange. Im also going to make a homemade sourdough bread to go with it. 

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happypamama

happypamama

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Consumables like coffee, chocolate, tea, popcorn, other snacks would go over well. If they weren’t my thing, someone else in my house would like them. 

 

Family card or board game

 

Love the idea of toilet paper!  Or paper towels, spices, batteries, tape. . .  As a homeschooler, I would love dry erase markers, printer paper, card stock, glue sticks. . .

 

Oven mitts, kitchen towels, wooden spoons, spatula — maybe not the most exciting, but still can be fun as well as useful, if they have a cute design, especially if you throw in some chocolate or specialty coffee. 

Edited by happypamama
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Tanaqui

Tanaqui

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If it's supposed to be a bit funny, then go with toilet paper - we all need lots of it all the time!

Otherwise, some reusable hand warmers if you live someplace cold, or perhaps a coffee mug.

I would not give food gifts. You never know if somebody is allergic to some ingredient in that bag of cookies, or can't consume alcohol, or hates coffee, or simply is very conscious about only buying sustainable, fair trade goodies. (Hi, I'm the last one. I won't say anything about slave labor at our gift swap, but I won't be very happy to get slavery-infested chocolate either.) I feel so strongly about this that I think it ought to be a formal rule. NO FOOD.

If you want to go the boring route, go with a gift card, preferably some gift card that can be used on a wide variety of items.

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Tanaqui

Tanaqui

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1 hour ago, J-rap said:

I grew up with "white elephant gift" meaning something we already had but didn't want, so are giving it away...(so, 2nd hand, from me).   It sounds like you're doing new things?

 

There's a lot of variation and a lot of names for this activity, and it's really best if whoever is coordinating it makes it clear up front whether they're doing regifting only, or gag gifts only, or real gifts only, or what.

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alisoncooks

alisoncooks

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10 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

There's a lot of variation and a lot of names for this activity, and it's really best if whoever is coordinating it makes it clear up front whether they're doing regifting only, or gag gifts only, or real gifts only, or what.

Yes. One year, my poor child got stuck with a box of old, ratty sheet music. (It was just shoved in, too, all higgledy-piggledy.) The giver that it was hilarious; my kid thought it sucked. 

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Hilltopmom

Hilltopmom

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10 hours ago, J-rap said:

I grew up with "white elephant gift" meaning something we already had but didn't want, so are giving it away...(so, 2nd hand, from me).   It sounds like you're doing new things?

Me too. 

But yeah, they are doing new items

Edited by Hilltopmom
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Junie

Junie

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When my brother was in high school, he was invited to a Christmas party -- various ages, people he worked with (I think) -- and my mom elected me to drive him to it.  I found out on the way to the party that he needed to take a white elephant gift.  New item, less than $5, iirc.  We made a quick stop at Walmart and flew to the toy section (teenage boys, after all).  I grabbed some Play-doh and told my brother "Let's go."  He thought Play-doh was stupid, I told him that we didn't have any time.

The Play-doh was loved and traded often.  And of course I told my brother "I told you so!".

If the cost had been higher, Nerf guns would have also been a hit with this group.

 

 

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Jaybee

Jaybee

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12 hours ago, J-rap said:

I grew up with "white elephant gift" meaning something we already had but didn't want, so are giving it away...(so, 2nd hand, from me).   It sounds like you're doing new things?

Yeah, me too. But then we went to an exchange taking a gift of this type (it wasn't used, but was something like a furry picture frame), and the other gifts were pretty nice. I was very embarrassed and felt so cheap.

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Annie G

Annie G

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Why I don’t generally enjoy white elephant exchanges: 

We were new to our car club and at the holiday party we did a white elephant exchange, usually a mix of gag gifts and things that were really nice gifts. We opened an item that turned out to be the club joke- it was a  framed drawing of all different sizes and shapes of bOOks and underneath they had descriptions. In our club it was THE item to display in the garage for the year you had it, and then you signed it and brought it back for the next year. Tradition was that you signed it near the pic that best represented your spouse (or your own) bOOks. And kicker: it was not able to be stolen or traded. WHoever got it had to keep it. I hated that stupid thing and refused to hang it in the garage. Couldn’t wait until the next year when we could force it on someone else. I did give some thought to ‘losing’ or breaking it but I knew we would be shunned. 

The same year, a couple opened a piece of art that was clearly handmade, and everyone laughed and laughed. Except a couple at our table had been the ones to make it and they thought it was well done and were so embarrassed that everyone laughed. 

So yes, please make the rules clear- nobody wants to show up with a used, silly item if everyone else is bring bottles of booze or other ‘real’ gifts. 

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happi duck

happi duck

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2 hours ago, Annie G said:

Why I don’t generally enjoy white elephant exchanges: 

We were new to our car club and at the holiday party we did a white elephant exchange, usually a mix of gag gifts and things that were really nice gifts. We opened an item that turned out to be the club joke- it was a  framed drawing of all different sizes and shapes of bOOks and underneath they had descriptions. In our club it was THE item to display in the garage for the year you had it, and then you signed it and brought it back for the next year. Tradition was that you signed it near the pic that best represented your spouse (or your own) bOOks. And kicker: it was not able to be stolen or traded. WHoever got it had to keep it. I hated that stupid thing and refused to hang it in the garage. Couldn’t wait until the next year when we could force it on someone else. I did give some thought to ‘losing’ or breaking it but I knew we would be shunned. 

The same year, a couple opened a piece of art that was clearly handmade, and everyone laughed and laughed. Except a couple at our table had been the ones to make it and they thought it was well done and were so embarrassed that everyone laughed. 

So yes, please make the rules clear- nobody wants to show up with a used, silly item if everyone else is bring bottles of booze or other ‘real’ gifts. 

Twice we've been new to a group and ended up with the "hysterical" gift that "you have to bring it back next year". 

What you received was particularly icky.  I think I might have refused it.

The art story makes me sad.

One annual exchanged tried way too hard at being hysterical with many trying to one-up each other.  It wasn't fun.

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vonfirmath

vonfirmath

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On 11/17/2018 at 8:40 AM, Hilltopmom said:

Recommendations for a white elephant gift exchange item for something you might actually want ?

$20-25 range

all educators, almost all females

Thanks

 

My two favorite white elephant gift exchange items have been:

a Blanket that folded into a pillow

A pair of Star Wars socks (one C3PO and one R2-D2)

 

I'm taking a calendar this year to one exchange

And a stuffed llama to another (but that is sort of an in joke to the group; and I may just "Steal" it myself if I can keep it because my daughter wants it.)

Starbucks gift cards also always get fought over (though I, personally, am not that interested)

 

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Tap

Tap

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Reusable heat pack.  Pretty fabric one filled with rice or a nice gel hot/cold on from amazon

Seasonal apron (a bit of fun since it is pretty and not just functional)

Seasonal couch pillow

Hydroflask hot or cold (insulated metal water bottle)

Coffee gift card for what ever place is close to the school and has a drive through

Reusable grocery bags. (not the stiff ones you can buy at checkouts) The small thing ones that stuff in a purse, or mesh produce bags, or canvas bags.  Something a bit nicer or unique.

Nice coffee and ceramic mug with a lid (that can be removed and leave a nice sipping lip for those who don't like lids). Easy to buy at Peets/Starbucks etc.

Bees wax candles.

Savory gift basket. crackers, salamis, olives, smoked salmon

Ingredients for a fun drink/snack to be made with or without alcohol.  ie 2 margarita glasses, bottle of margarita mix, lime and chips with salsa. 

Selection of local honeys/jams

A nice baking dish (I usually buy le Crusset) and a brownie mix.  You can usually find a small one for about $20 at TJmaxx, Home Goods etc.

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Tanaqui

Tanaqui

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The same year, a couple opened a piece of art that was clearly handmade, and everyone laughed and laughed. Except a couple at our table had been the ones to make it and they thought it was well done and were so embarrassed that everyone laughed. 

 

When I was a kid, we didn't do swaps like this, but we did grab bags - in school, in dance class, at skating, everywhere. Everybody brought a wrapped present and went home with a different, unmarked wrapped present - there was no stealing, though, it was lucky dip. You get what you get. (Some classes divided it into "girls" and "boys".)

When we were aging out of the ritual, my mother finally confessed to us that she hated those, because there's always one kid whose parents picked out something wildly out of touch with what everybody else got, and everybody always knew who it was. There may have been no names attached to the presents, but they all know who had brought in the baby toy or the boring gift or the weird thing.

With that said, my mother's taste in picking out presents for these things was always surprisingly on point. Who knew that ten year old girls would get so excited over novelty bath sets or funny pens? (Nobody ever knew which gifts were mine.)

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Jaybee

Jaybee

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I don't really like white elephant (also called dirty Santa around here) exchanges. For one, our budget has always been tight, and to spend on something extra like that isn't really something I want to spend on; I'd rather use that money for someone I am close to. It's usually pretty fun, I guess, but I just wish we could have enjoyable get-togethers without having gifts be part of it. We still participate, in order to be good sports, but my preferences lie elsewhere.

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