White elephant gift

December 9, 2024 3:44 PM

What's a good $30 or under white elephant gift for an office holiday party? We are a diverse group in terms of age, culture, interests. Let's say no scented candles since that will probably be 50% of the gifts.
posted by latkes to Shopping (40 answers total)

a Philips Hue light bulb
posted by phunniemee at 3:54 PM on December 9 [3 favorites]

I always like to bring something I want so I have a goal of taking home my own gift if nothing else appeals since no stealing is boring.

The most successful gifts at office holiday parties that I've seen are gift cards, alcohol, and anything representing an inside office joke. For example, if the office refrigerator is always a problem because of lunches left to mold then tupperware containers labeled "throw away after one week"; if the coffee k-cups are always all decaf then a pack of desirable k-cups.
posted by RoadScholar at 3:55 PM on December 9 [3 favorites]

Umbrella! Bonus if you wrap it so it looks like a wine bottle.

The gift I’ve seen fought over the most was a cvs heating pad. Athletes fighting our admin for it, it was incredible, but it more the mix of people fighting over it that made it amusing.
posted by larthegreat at 4:16 PM on December 9 [8 favorites]

Potted plant in a nice pot was a big hit for mine last year. Christmas cactus is blooming this time of year.
posted by leastlikelycowgirl at 4:29 PM on December 9 [3 favorites]

I gave a hot toddy kit in my white elephant, and it was extremely popular - if it's cold where you are, worth considering. Small bottle bourbon, fresh lemon, small jar honey, cheap but festive mug, a few tea bags and/or cinnamon sticks (optional) and a basic hot toddy recipe card.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:36 PM on December 9 [5 favorites]

I always used to go to the housewares department in TJMaxx (nowadays, I'd go to Home Goods) and get a breakfast tray with legs that fold down. They weren't usually too pricey, definitely under $30, and the idea of having breakfast in bed made it a luxurious gift.

I've also seen people fight — hard — over a higher-end Chia Pet.

Board games and similar fun items like Twister were always popular.

I used to work in television, and 3/4 of the gifts were alcohol, so I always had a good chance of stealing something fun for myself and the "victim" was usually very happy to get the alcohol.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:41 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

Small pop corn maker
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:51 PM on December 9 [4 favorites]

this is $33 (there is a 20% off coupon right now on it) and is super fun.
posted by koroshiya at 4:52 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

I watched people battle over a velvet painting of a unicorn but we may be a special crowd.
posted by PussKillian at 4:53 PM on December 9 [8 favorites]

Seconding the popcorn popper.
posted by kimberussell at 5:20 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

Fun mugs + cocoa mix + cocoa garnishes are always popular at my office.
posted by esoterrica at 5:21 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

Three pounds of Maldon sea salt
posted by punchtothehead at 5:22 PM on December 9 [7 favorites]

Another vote for popcorn maker (and the hope to banish microwave popcorn from your office)
posted by TDIpod at 5:51 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

There are some quite nice mortars and pestles available for less than $30.

I find this 250 ml stainless steel version for $19.99 particularly (sorry!) appealing.
posted by jamjam at 6:09 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

Fascinating that popcorn makers are all the rage! I personally do not enjoy single function kitchen items but I can see why they’d be fun.

this completely inessential item really tickled my fancy when it’s ad was targeted to me today but YMMV if anyone in your office would like it.

I really like the DIY paint your own pottery places. If someone brought a $20 gift certificate to one with a simple $5-10 ornament / coaster / they had painted from that place, I would be so very smitten with that.
posted by seemoorglass at 6:38 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

Kitchen blowtorch.
posted by beccaj at 6:45 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

This is a cute little self contained kit that I feel people would like in a White Elephant. I would steal it!
posted by silverstatue at 6:45 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

Giant stuffed animal was a surprise hit last time I was in a white elephant. Big package is intriguing, people with kids will fight over it.
posted by momus_window at 6:48 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

Nice silicon spatulas to replace my poison black ones or little liqueur filled chocolate bottles.
posted by umwelt at 7:04 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

1. Those variety boxes of chocolate liqueur bottles. I think Athon Berg is a common brand. People find them adorable and often end up opening them up immediately to share. They're also great as a regift, so there's no real downside (as long as alcohol is okay for your group).
2. A nice handmade mug (no branding or jokey sayings) and a container of good tea or coffee.
3. Fancy Christmas/Holiday crackers, they can save them for their own celebrations or use them at the party.

Counter to the above, two of the most fought over objects I've seen were a dusty (but large and good quality) wine rack that someone wrapped in a garbage bag and an ancient plumbing part (from the work place) that was lovingly labeled and placed in a handmade shadow box (it's hangs in a place of honor in our bathroom!).
posted by annaramma at 7:04 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

Good food. Cheeses, charcuterie, chocolate, coffee, wine, jam/jelly, fudge. Sandwich kit - peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, bread, plastic knife. A good flashlight or headlamp, car tool - I live where we get snow and ice. Maybe a nice USB key to go on a keyring. Nice hand lotion to keep on a desk. 1st aid kit with tylenol, ibuprofen, naproxen. Fun bandaids. Airtags. I do like honey bears and wind up toys.
posted by theora55 at 7:46 PM on December 9 [3 favorites]

Can personally say I gave an air popcorn popper last year to our office white elephant and it was the most snatched gift in the pile.
Another good one from the year before was holiday-themed dishtowels from Pottery Barn (a re-gift) - seems people like having special holiday kitchen things but don't really want to buy them.
posted by Tim Bucktooth at 7:52 PM on December 9 [4 favorites]

Headlamp.
posted by NotLost at 8:57 PM on December 9 [6 favorites]

Glow in the dark or light up frisbee.
posted by sonofsnark at 9:32 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

Electric tea kettle— can keep in the office, take home, or re-gift.
posted by kapers at 9:38 PM on December 9 [2 favorites]

Anything in a really big package does well, in my experience. I have always wanted to bring as much instant ramen as I can for the spending limit. I think for $30 you could get a huge bale of ramen bricks.

Or, a speaker bulb. Or anything "automated home" ish, like LED lights with a timer, or a weather station.
posted by blnkfrnk at 10:17 PM on December 9 [1 favorite]

The two most fought over items at my recent office party were an AirTag and a set of two convertible Transformers action figure toys.

The fancy mug and other kitchen-related items were not popular. This may be due to the composition of the team, mostly folks with children, who likely already had fully stocked kitchens. There was an absence of food items other than Starbucks coffee, which was not popular. Folks had various food allergies and dietary preferences, so a food item would have been tricky, which is likely why it was avoided as a gift category.

I guess short answer is it really depends on the group.
posted by needled at 4:00 AM on December 10 [2 favorites]

I'll usually do a regift in white elephants and in my last few, have brought books, which, each time, attracted one of the execs at my last company. He was always slightly disappointed and they were never anything worth stealing, which, since I didn't like him much and he was kind of incompetent was a nice bit of predictable schadenfreude each year for me. So, that can be a tactic. :)

I usually took home alcohol, either stealing it or doing a post-game trade where possible. Alcohol was usually the most popular traded for item in our group.
posted by chiefthe at 4:59 AM on December 10 [1 favorite]

In the bigger is better department, one year the supermarket had boxes of facial tissues tastefully branded with the logos of the local NFL team for $1 each, popular and useful. This year I’m debating between a gingerbread house kit and a retro paint by numbers kit.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:37 AM on December 10 [2 favorites]

NOT a S'Mores maker. We just went to a white elephant and there were like 3 of them and no one wanted them. The most popular gifts were:

1. Blanket sweatshirts - we ended up with one of these and it's seriously nice; we fight over it
2. Bottle of wine/Bailey's with a bunch of lottery tickets taped to it; another one on that theme was a nice picture frame with a bunch of lottery tickets framed inside
3. A big round charcuterie board from World Market
4. Gift certificate to a local Italian speciality grocery
posted by Miko at 6:24 AM on December 10 [3 favorites]

Instead of a popcorn maker that takes up counter/cabinet space, this silicone one folds down and makes perfect microwave popcorn every time without oil. You could include a bag of kernels and some very fine salt.
posted by reksb at 8:17 AM on December 10 [4 favorites]

I would vote for finding something oddly specific on Craigslist. Everyone will learn something about the few people who fight over it (provided this is the variety of white elephant that allows stealing a gift). I recently received a Ken and Barbie Star Trek set from the 1990s (original series) and was *shocked* that nobody stole it from me. The gift giver was very pleased.
posted by klausman at 8:29 AM on December 10 [1 favorite]

I brought REINBEER one year and it was very popular. Easy to do and it adds a bit of holiday cheer to a standard WE gift. You could also do fancy root beer if alcohol is a no-no.
posted by Preserver at 8:30 AM on December 10

Silicone basting brush
posted by BibiRose at 9:11 AM on December 10

A screwdriver set. Nobody ever has screwdrivers at their house.
posted by bug138 at 10:38 AM on December 10 [2 favorites]

Snoopy snow-cone maker, always a hit...
posted by Charity Garfein at 10:45 AM on December 10 [1 favorite]

This Sephora Favorites Unisex Perfume Sampler is $30, comes with cute packaging, a ton of samples, and a voucher that never expires and is redeemable for a travel size perfume that is worth even more than $30. It will be a very popular gift for most people!
posted by Champagne Supernova at 3:17 PM on December 10 [1 favorite]

I love bringing slightly unhinged Secret Santa gifts to surprise and delight.
Some highlights for $30 and under:
$30 worth of mangos
A metre-tall teddy bear in a comfortably sized box
$30 worth of very high quality toilet paper (many ply, very useful)
A picnic basket from an op shop, filled with very specific cookbooks also from the op shop (Oprahs favourite recipes).
Personalised mugs and magnets for the specific group, though you may be out of time this year

Volume is funny. Personalisation is funny. Useful is also good!
posted by roshy at 4:57 PM on December 10

I ended up getting a 4 foot tall inflatable light up Grinch for $20 at the closest big box hardware store. I'm so excited to see whether it will be a coveted gift or not at work!
posted by rambling wanderlust at 5:33 AM on December 12

Response by poster: Many great suggestions! I got a silicone popcorn popper and some popcorn!
posted by latkes at 5:38 AM on December 12