13 Best White Elephant Gifts (2025): Coffee Pot Mug, Legos, Sushi Magnets, and More

honorable mention

• These days cannabis infused beverages start at $40: Bring a bottle of wine White Elephant Classic; My husband’s work group almost exclusively exchanges bottles of wine as a safe bet for encouragement. I think you could do better, and bring a THC spirit instead. This spirit is light and a little fruity, sitting somewhere between the flavor profile of a floral gin and a sweet sake. My friends and I tried it mixed with a pomegranate cocktail instead of tequila, which was great, and we also liked it with seltzer as a THC twist on the gin and tonic. It’s delicious alone, too. I’d skip it for a work party or any party that might not be green-friendly, though.
• Alcohol in general: It’s always a safe pick! You can bring a bottle Alcoholic wine If you want an option that everyone can have.

What not to bring to the white elephant

Here are some of the white elephant parties I attended last year, or some of the most inappropriate ideas our team heard that led to the least fight:

• A basic, single candle. If someone needs a candle they can pick it up from the store. Unless there’s a fun theme that appeals specifically to the group you’re attending, like the D&D candles above for my fellow friends or book-themed candles for book lovers, skip bringing a candle in exchange for a white elephant. Or make candles part of a gift basket; Our favorite tomato scented candle Goes great with some kitchen or garden accessories.
• puzzle I think it’s hard to give away puzzles randomly—true puzzle fans will want lots of pieces, while newbies will want an easy one. If you choose a puzzle with a very specific theme, the recipient won’t like it as much as a true puzzler or fan of that theme will. Instead, I’m giving away fun paint-by-number kits.
• living animal Look, you shouldn’t give chicks at Easter, and you shouldn’t give anything remotely similar – including a mouse, fish, or anything alive.
• Sex toys and underwear. I’ve actually had one sex toy-Themed gift exchange, and I would recommend it to the right group of friends. But otherwise, unless you’re good friends with the whole group and absolutely sure it won’t be inappropriate (and no kids will be present), it’s safe to buy it for your significant other instead. This is definitely inappropriate for a work gift exchange.
• Real garbage. I didn’t think I needed to write this, but at a gift exchange I went to, someone literally wrapped up a piece of trash as a joke. To the person who opened the trash gift, I beg you: don’t do it.

White elephant rule

If you’re heading into your first white elephant gift exchange, here’s a quick explainer of what to expect.

Everyone will bring a wrapped gift (often under a certain price, such as $25) and place it in a pile or central location. Then, each person draws a number that indicates their place in the gift-selection order. When your number is called, you can either pick and unwrap a gift from the pile, or steal one that someone has already unwrapped. Most exchanges have a limit on how often a gift can be stolen—usually around three times—so if you have the best gift on hand when it’s time to pick one for someone else, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to keep it. If your gift is stolen, you can either open a new gift or steal a different gift (no refunds, sorry).

These rules can vary based on the host and their house rules, so be sure to ask what the rules are at the start of the game. Happy Exchange!