There are a lot of competing ideas as to what a white elephant gift exchange really is. The origins of the term “white elephant” point to one definition: According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. It was a far more devious punishment than simply having them executed. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin.
While that story is almost certainly untrue, it can inform one approach to the white elephant gift exchange: gifting something just useful or amusing enough that it won’t immediately get tossed into the trash, but is also somewhat of a burden. However, every workplace, friend group and family unit has their own approach to white elephant gift exchanges nowadays. Some compete to get a gift that others will surely want to steal, while others scavenge for the most niche and targeted gag gifts. Almost all of them, though, typically have a price limit that keeps the burden of gift giving to a minimum — usually $50 or less. So with all of that in mind, here are some white elephant gift ideas that will get you a few chuckles without requiring you to spend too much (or think too hard about it).
Best white elephant gift ideas
KFC / Enviro-Log
The best white elephant gifts are the ones that create a bit of intrigue as soon as they enter the gift pile. And a full-size, 4.3-pound firelog wrapped in holiday paper is impossible not to notice. It will almost certainly dwarf every other gift that’s up for grabs, and will prompt endless questions and speculation about what could be in the weird, surprisingly heavy box.
The fact that the comically-large box holds a KFC fried chicken-scented firelog makes the whole gag even more amusing. I have a gas fireplace at home, so I, sadly, have no idea what the KFC 11 Herbs and Spices firelog actually smells like. Many online reviews claim it smells “exactly” like the inside of a KFC. Whether that’s appealing to you or not probably depends on your affinity for the Colonel. But I cannot think of a more delightful gift to bestow on someone who just really wanted to see what was inside the big, heavy box. — Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter
$40 at Amazon
OCOOPA
A gift anyone can appreciate is the gift of warmth, and a pair of these magnetic hand warmers is one of the cutest (and most convenient) ways to give that. They’re rechargeable little pucks that can be used stuck together or separately to warm up frozen hands during the winter — or really, any time of the year. They heat up super fast (truly, within seconds) and will last up to eight hours each on a single charge. They’ll even be great for those who insist they never get cold because they’re so small and compact that they can use them stealthily in their coat pockets, with no one the wiser. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
$20 at Amazon
ChopSabers
Is there really any point to sushi or noodle night if you’re not consuming your food with utensils protected by The Force? No. The answer is no. These lightsaber chopsticks glow in different colors with just the press of a button and come with included batteries so your giftee can get right to protecting their plates from the forces of evil. Sure, they will be a hit among Star Wars fanatics, but anyone can find joy in a pair of extra-powerful chopsticks with which to have impromptu “food fights” in between bites of sashimi. — V.P.
$13 at Amazon
Native Union
Native Union is a French accessories company that made its name more than a decade ago with the Pop Phone. It was an oversized, old-school telephone handset designed to plug into iPhones back when the world still felt a shiver of hope. It helped embody that brief period when we were using outdated photography filters on our social media pictures, blending the old and the new. Now, the company has re-released the Pop phone with USB-C, letting you hook it up to any phone or device you’d care to take calls on. The audio quality is more than fine, and it’s probably more of an eye-catching statement piece in 2025 than it was in 2015. — Daniel Cooper, Senior Reporter
$40 at Amazon
Magic Puzzle Company
I’ve never been a huge fan of jigsaw puzzles, but the pieces of art the Magic Puzzle Company makes for you to assemble are a delight. For starters, each has gorgeous and distinctive artwork — while there are a variety of artists who’ve contributed to the company’s puzzle lineup, they all feel related, packed with color, whimsy and a bunch of secrets you’ll notice as you build. The puzzle pieces themselves are high-quality and solid, something that goes a long way towards making a puzzle fun to put together.
But my favorite part is the fact that once you finish the main puzzle, you’re not done. Each has sections that can slide around after you’re done, which opens up a new middle area to be filled in with a bonus section of pieces. This new addition seamlessly fits into the puzzle and expands on its story. It’s hard to describe, but it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in other puzzles. I’m pretty agnostic about my puzzle-makers, but I am itching to get my hands on more from the Magic Puzzle Company and explore their secrets. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor
$23 at Amazon
Aimeizi
Who doesn’t want their living room to look like a galaxy far, far away? Your giftee might have to battle their young children (or others in your gift exchange) for this galaxy projector, which shines different light effects up onto the ceiling with adjustable brightness and speed. They can use it to achieve the perfect vibe for their next Star Wars binge watch party, or to soothingly usher themselves to sleep on a nightly basis. In addition to an included remote and a companion app, the projector has a timer too so they can set it to turn off just as they fall asleep. The mobile app will let them customize all aspects of their personal space field, from its nebula and twinkling effects, to the swirling colors, to the music that they pair with it (yes, there’s a speaker built in as well). Forget those boring old smart light bulbs — this galaxy projector is the smart device that will level-up anyone’s home environment. — V.P.
$18 at Amazon
Etsfmoa
What’s better than a warm and cozy beanie? A warm and cozy beanie that also helps you see better when you’re walking the dog on a cold, dark, winter morning, going for an evening jog or rummaging for a specific tool in your garage. This unisex beanie has a removable light on its front edge that has four LEDs inside and can run for up to eight hours on a single charge. And when it needs more juice, you can simply take the light fixture off, recharge it and pop it back into the hat. — V.P.
$9 at Amazon
WANIDEA
Our desks are cluttered and boring, but this adorable little rechargeable light can brighten things up. The chibi flame inside the old-school kerosene lamp figure is made of silicone, so it’s just as squishy as it is cute, and it has two lighting modes: candlelight and night light. The soft, warm hue it emits will be great for setting the mood in your space, and its dimmable so you can get just the right amount of light for your taste. — V.P.
$16 at Amazon
Engadget
The Banana Phone is exactly what you’d expect it to be — a banana that’s also a phone. It might not have a SIM card or a service plan attached to it, but your giftee can pair it with their smartphone via Bluetooth so they can ditch that tired, $1,000+ handset and start taking calls the right way — with a piece of fruit. In addition to taking and making calls, they can also use the Banana Phone with the Google Assistant and Siri, to ask about the weather or tell it to “Play Cruel Summer by Bananarama.” Yes, the Banana Phone also works as a Bluetooth speaker and has a 30-foot range, so it can play tunes whenever they’re not using it to conduct official business. — V.P.
$40 at Amazon
Clocky
If the goal of a White Elephant gift is to be a form of low-key torture, then the Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels might be the greatest White Elephant gift of all time. (Well, except for those weirdos who wake up at 4:30 AM every day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.) It’s an alarm clock that, if your giftee tries to hit the snooze button, runs away from them continuing to beep, telling them in no uncertain terms it’s time to get up. And every morning, they’ll stumble out of bed drowsily cursing your name. – Terrence O’Brien, Former Managing Editor
$30 at Amazon
White elephant FAQs
What is white elephant?
A white elephant gift exchange is a party game typically played around the holidays in which people exchange funny, impractical gifts.
How does white elephant work?
A group of people each bring one wrapped gift to the white elephant gift exchange, and each gift is typically of a similar value. All gifts are then placed together and the group decides the order in which they will each claim a gift. The first person picks a white elephant gift from the pile, unwraps it and their turn ends. The following players can either decide to unwrap another gift and claim it as their own, or steal a gift from someone who has already taken a turn. The rules can vary from there, including the guidelines around how often a single item can be stolen — some say twice, max. The game ends when every person has a white elephant gift.
Why is it called white elephant?
The term “white elephant” is said to come from the legend of the King of Siam gifting white elephants to courtiers who upset him. While it seems like a lavish gift on its face, the belief is that the courtiers would be ruined by the animal’s upkeep costs.
Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
