The $100 gift
December 6, 2011 12:30 PM Subscribe
The most awesome $100 gift you can think of.
My company has a $100 game of white elephant at our annual holiday party. The bringer of the gift that gets stolen the most wins $100.
I'm not too concerned with the prize, but I would like to impress with "my" ingenuity, particularly as I've been at the company for a few years and see the same types of gifts being foisted on the same resigned recipients year after year.
So, what's the most interesting/creative BUT generally appealing gifts for adults costing approximately $100 that you guys can come up with?!
My company has a $100 game of white elephant at our annual holiday party. The bringer of the gift that gets stolen the most wins $100.
I'm not too concerned with the prize, but I would like to impress with "my" ingenuity, particularly as I've been at the company for a few years and see the same types of gifts being foisted on the same resigned recipients year after year.
So, what's the most interesting/creative BUT generally appealing gifts for adults costing approximately $100 that you guys can come up with?!
So, I know I fail spectacularly at white elephant gifts (why would you spend all that money on a gift no one would want? I don't understand.. it like defies my understanding of gift giving) - but I could see people fighting over a netflix or amazon prime membership.
posted by royalsong at 12:36 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by royalsong at 12:36 PM on December 6, 2011
I am confused. A white elephant exchange is usually done with cheap gifts. The prize for best gift is $100, but is the gift you're supposed to buy really also supposed to be $100?
Please forgive my cluelessness but having all employees spend $100 each on gifts seems ... not right.
If that's the real deal though -- every time I've done a Yankee Swap, someone buys powerball tickets for the designated amount, and they're always the most coveted.
posted by headnsouth at 12:42 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
Please forgive my cluelessness but having all employees spend $100 each on gifts seems ... not right.
If that's the real deal though -- every time I've done a Yankee Swap, someone buys powerball tickets for the designated amount, and they're always the most coveted.
posted by headnsouth at 12:42 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
yeah, usually white elephant games are where employs spend less than$15 or $20
posted by gt2 at 12:45 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by gt2 at 12:45 PM on December 6, 2011
Response by poster: Yes, the suggested price of the gift is and has always been $100.
posted by dynamiiiite at 12:48 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by dynamiiiite at 12:48 PM on December 6, 2011
Kindle?
posted by backwards guitar at 12:52 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by backwards guitar at 12:52 PM on December 6, 2011
Easy Peasy. A roku 2 XS (http://shop.roku.com/) I just bought one and its fantastic! In 15 minutes my 2 year old learned how to play her favorite Dora netflix show.
posted by bleucube at 12:58 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by bleucube at 12:58 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
I have to assume that, as this is the type of place where everyone is comfortable blowing $100(!!!) on a white elephant, everyone who wants a kindle or a nook already has one.
What has been popular in previous years?
posted by AmandaA at 1:03 PM on December 6, 2011 [6 favorites]
What has been popular in previous years?
posted by AmandaA at 1:03 PM on December 6, 2011 [6 favorites]
If you've got a lot of sportos in the office, a mlb tv subscription usually costs about $100. And then the winner can watch baseball at their desk while they should be working!
posted by jabes at 1:05 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jabes at 1:05 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Costco sells 24 packs of poprocks for 5 bux each. Wrap a case of 20 24 packs of poprocks. I bet it gets stolen a couple of times :)
posted by reformedjerk at 1:05 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by reformedjerk at 1:05 PM on December 6, 2011
I agree with AmandaA's sentiments, so how's about actually making it a white elephant with something odd like SuitPajamas?
posted by MustardTent at 1:10 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by MustardTent at 1:10 PM on December 6, 2011
Step one: find shoebox.
Step two: go to liquor store
Step three: fill shoebox with as many tiny airplane-sized bottles of liquor as $100 will buy. Alternately, bring larger box and fill with multiple full-sized bottle of cheap booze
Step four: use $100 prize to return to liquor store to purchase celebratory whiskey
posted by saladin at 1:11 PM on December 6, 2011 [9 favorites]
Step two: go to liquor store
Step three: fill shoebox with as many tiny airplane-sized bottles of liquor as $100 will buy. Alternately, bring larger box and fill with multiple full-sized bottle of cheap booze
Step four: use $100 prize to return to liquor store to purchase celebratory whiskey
posted by saladin at 1:11 PM on December 6, 2011 [9 favorites]
That really is quite difficult. $100 on something that everyone kinda wants but not enough to buy one them selves....
- Pasta Machine
- Bread Machine
- a $100 bottle of wine / whisky / say.. a $100 cigar? absurd excess?
posted by mary8nne at 1:22 PM on December 6, 2011
- Pasta Machine
- Bread Machine
- a $100 bottle of wine / whisky / say.. a $100 cigar? absurd excess?
posted by mary8nne at 1:22 PM on December 6, 2011
• Three-course dinner for two at one of 50 Zagat-Rated restaurants.
• Fencing lessons.
• 3 acres on Mars.
posted by Kabanos at 1:31 PM on December 6, 2011
• Fencing lessons.
• 3 acres on Mars.
posted by Kabanos at 1:31 PM on December 6, 2011
The only thing I'd want out of everything everyone has mentioned is the lottery tickets or the $100 bill. I would be really disappointed to get a baseball subscription.
Pick something that has a good resale/regifting value. The Kindle or Nook would fall into this category.
posted by desjardins at 1:52 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Pick something that has a good resale/regifting value. The Kindle or Nook would fall into this category.
posted by desjardins at 1:52 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
$100 gift certificate to the bar/restaurant everyone will go to after the swap (with the assumption the owner buys the first round of drinks).
posted by bCat at 1:53 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by bCat at 1:53 PM on December 6, 2011
A single, brand new, crisp $100 bill, inside a gigantic gift-wrapped box.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:05 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:05 PM on December 6, 2011
Omaha Steak package (2 Filets, 2 Lobster Tails) and a decent bottle of wine!
posted by floweredfish at 2:17 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by floweredfish at 2:17 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
What about one of those soda machines they sell now where you make your own? Or I saw a remote-controlled helium balloon that looked like a shark that was pretty cool. I think it was $80 plus you could get a small helium tank (or tank rental).
posted by tacodave at 2:29 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by tacodave at 2:29 PM on December 6, 2011
To make it white-elephanty without actually wasting the money, how about a few bottles of wine with funny/whimsical names and labels, such as Mollydooker ?
posted by BibiRose at 2:45 PM on December 6, 2011
posted by BibiRose at 2:45 PM on December 6, 2011
2 of the latest videogames. It'll get stolen by someone who has that console.
Really fancy wine flutes or champagne glasses. Everybody wants them and nobody wants to buy them. They look better in somebody else's hands...you see them holding the box and think, "Hey, I think I kind of want those." And even if nobody steals them, the person who gets stuck with them comes home with fancy glassware and that's happy-making. Some of these wine decanters are dead sexy, too.
2 show tickets or $100 at a top sushi restaurant.
Camping gear or a camping luxury item
Surfing or ski lessons
A massage
Portable speakers or hard drive
Gold nugget
Car detailing
GPS device
CSA food delivery service
posted by iamkimiam at 3:22 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
Really fancy wine flutes or champagne glasses. Everybody wants them and nobody wants to buy them. They look better in somebody else's hands...you see them holding the box and think, "Hey, I think I kind of want those." And even if nobody steals them, the person who gets stuck with them comes home with fancy glassware and that's happy-making. Some of these wine decanters are dead sexy, too.
2 show tickets or $100 at a top sushi restaurant.
Camping gear or a camping luxury item
Surfing or ski lessons
A massage
Portable speakers or hard drive
Gold nugget
Car detailing
GPS device
CSA food delivery service
posted by iamkimiam at 3:22 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
For my family's white elephant a couple years ago that I think had a $100 limit I got a restored 50's radio from a local guy who restores old radios to brand new condition. People went ape shit, and I'm pretty sure some people were upset that they got it stolen from them. I have to say, it was a pretty cool thing even if you never listen to the radio.
posted by cmoj at 4:04 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by cmoj at 4:04 PM on December 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
A monocle?
Ok, all snark aside -- in every Yankee Swap I've done, alcohol has been the big winner. So I would suggest one or two very nice bottles of wine, or some fancy liquor, or one of those wine/beer of the month clubs, if they can be done for $100. You probably know if the people in your office generally veer toward beer or wine or liquor.
posted by imalaowai at 6:29 PM on December 6, 2011
Ok, all snark aside -- in every Yankee Swap I've done, alcohol has been the big winner. So I would suggest one or two very nice bottles of wine, or some fancy liquor, or one of those wine/beer of the month clubs, if they can be done for $100. You probably know if the people in your office generally veer toward beer or wine or liquor.
posted by imalaowai at 6:29 PM on December 6, 2011
WOW. tacodave's idea of flying sharks intrigued me, so I looked them up and they are really cool! Please buy these.
posted by triggerfinger at 6:44 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by triggerfinger at 6:44 PM on December 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
GPS
Beer making kit
$100 of lotto tickets sounds fun
I would probably wander the aisles of Costco until something caught my eye.
posted by whoaali at 5:20 AM on December 7, 2011
Beer making kit
$100 of lotto tickets sounds fun
I would probably wander the aisles of Costco until something caught my eye.
posted by whoaali at 5:20 AM on December 7, 2011
You can buy small bottles of Johnny Walker Blue for under $100.
posted by troywestfield at 6:21 AM on December 7, 2011
posted by troywestfield at 6:21 AM on December 7, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kate blank at 12:33 PM on December 6, 2011 [17 favorites]