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Tame Gifts that You Can Buy On Your Way to a White Elephant Party

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I absolutely love being invited to holiday parties that involve a White Elephant gift exchange.  I’m one of those people who will totally jack your gift in the game, and if you aren’t paying close enough attention, I’ll incorporate some strategy to make sure that it’s mine in the end.  As with anything else, I’m super competitive.

This year, we’ve been invited to 3 parties that have a White Elephant gift exchange, so I’ve been trying to think of some excellent gifts to bring.  When I saw this video from Pop Sugar with a list of affordable and stylish White Elephant gifts, I was really excited to check it out.

I loved all of their ideas – really fun and unique.  But here’s the deal – I don’t plan with enough advanced notice to be able to swing by Anthropologie or order something from Amazon.  In true Lindsay fashion, I’m running out to the store the day of the party to grab my gift.

So, I thought I would put together some gift guides for gifts that you could pick up at your local grocery store or drug store.  These gifts are certainly not as stylish as those from Pop Sugar, but they are definitely better than some of the things I’ve come home with in the past.  Today, we’ll be looking at tame White Elephant gifts for things like work parties.

 

Tame Gifts that You Can Buy On Your Way to a White Elephant Party

 

1.  Wine/Liquor – Let’s be honest.  Most of the time, you just can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine or liquor.  Maybe it speaks volumes about me and my friends, but the alcohol is always one of the first things to be stolen.  Get creative and pick a wine with a really fun label or pick up some liquor that will really get the party started (Fireball, anyone?).  I’ve even been to a White Elephant party that was a liquor/wine only exchange, and the end of that night was pretty memorable.

Mommy's Time Out

Wine via Mommy’s Time Out (also the makers of Dad’s Day Off)

2.  Crazy Socks – Who doesn’t love a pair of crazy socks?  Even if no one ever sees them, I love wearing fun socks underneath my boots in the winter.  I’ve seen some really great socks in places like Target and CVS (in the seasonal aisle).  The crazier the better, y’all.

Target Socks

Martini Santa socks via Target

3.  Lottery Tickets – First, alcohol and now lottery tickets.  Something is wrong with me!  But, something is wrong with everyone else, too, because lottery scratch-off tickets are always a huge hit.  If your gift limit is $20, buy 20 $1 scratch-offs.  The more tickets your can include in your gift, the more people will fight over it.  Just make sure the final recipient knows that you expect half of all their winnings!

Texas Lottery

Happy Holidays $1 scratch-off game via Texas Lottery

4.  Gift Cards – Always the easiest choice, gift cards ensure that your recipient gets exactly what he or she wants.  I love these for mixed gender White Elephant parties.  You can play nice and get something gender neutral, like Amazon or iTunes, or get a little mean and buy one to The Body Shop or Bass Pro Shop.  It’s not a White Elephant if you don’t get to watch your friends panic for a few minutes, is it?  I love that most grocery and drug stores have gift card centers now where you can buy cards to various places – no more running around town!

Bass Pro Shops

Gift card option via Bass Pro Shops

5.  Movie Night Bag – It takes a few more minutes to put together, but grab an already assembled gift bag with tissue at the grocery store and make a movie night gift.  Throw in a package of microwave popcorn, a few sodas, some movie theater sized candy boxes.  Then, hop on Redbox.com and buy a digital gift card to include in the gift.  Now, your recipient has a fun way to spend an evening, and you look like you put a lot of thought into the White Elephant gift!  You can even print off a cute card to include the digital gift card code.

Redbox Gift Card

Printable Redbox cards via Over The Moon

What ideas do you have for quick but tame White Elephant gifts?  Please share in the comments!

White Elephant Holiday Gift Guide

If you need other gift ideas, be sure to check out the gift guides I’ve written and collections I’ve put together:

About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Comments

  1. Andrea says

    Love the ideas. I’m going to a couple of these this year as well. I thought it was funny on how planned out and competitive you are:). I think I’ll be headed to target for sure for those socks. Thanx

    Reply

  13. Trusted Steroids Reviews says

    Love these last-minute White Elephant ideas—especially the movie night bag! 🍿🎁 As a fellow competitive gift-swapper, I fully support your strategic approach (no shame!). The lottery tickets are always a hit at our parties too—nothing like watching everyone scratch furiously for that big win! Thanks for the fun and practical suggestions!

    Reply

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