You know, the game where a group of friends, family members, or coworkers-it's almost always coworkers-pick names from a hat to see who they have to buy a gift for. Smith, etiquette expert and author at Mannersmith, for expert insight on choosing a white elephant gift.Whether you like it or not, there's a good chance you'll have to do another office secret Santa this year. To write this article, she spent hours researching white elephant gift ideas to make the best possible recommendations. This article was written by Jen Woo, a design, lifestyle, and culture writer and content strategist with over 10 years of experience. After all, a thoughtful gift that’s reflective of your relationship with those at the party will be appreciated by all. “You know the people that are going to be at the party, and you can play to the crowd,” Smith says. If you’re stuck, think about the things you have in common. Not necessarily! In fact, it’s better if you tailor your item to the people who are attending the gift exchange. “You want to be really conscious of different people's budgets when setting that dollar amount.”ĭoes a white elephant gift have to be funny? “You might have an executive director who has lots of available income to be able to spend on a gift for a white elephant exchange versus the support staff who might not have as much disposable income,” Smith says. Be sure to take into consideration everyone’s lifestyles and income range when setting a spending limit for your gift exchange-especially if you’re participating with your office colleagues. There isn’t one set answer to this question as it will depend on the guidelines of your gift exchange and who else is invited. How much money should you spend on a white elephant gift? Since there are so many different ways to play, Smith says that “if your host hasn't thought this stuff through, this is a perfect opportunity for you to give them a call,” so you can find out exactly what to bring. Other ideas are to only bring in homemade items or gifts under $10. Participants will bring in “something that was given to them that's not their taste, but that somebody else might like,” as opposed to a new gift, says Smith. Some people prefer to hold the gift exchange in January, after the holiday season, to help get rid of unwanted presents. Keep in mind that there can be variations to these rules depending on the group you’re playing with. If they steal, it ends when someone else finally declines to steal a gift. If they decide to keep their original gift, the game is over. Once everyone has a gift, the first person gets the opportunity to steal a present from someone else. To keep things moving, only three steals are allowed per gift. During each subsequent person’s turn, they have the option to pick a wrapped gift or “steal” one from someone else. Whoever selected “1” gets to pick a gift first, unwrapping it in front of everyone so all can see what’s inside. At the start of the exchange, each person draws a number out of a hat to determine in what order people will choose their gifts. Everyone gets together and brings in a wrapped gift to place in the gift pool. When you’re asked to participate in a white elephant exchange, here’s what you can typically expect. Questions You Might Ask What are the rules for a white elephant gift exchange? Here, the best white elephant gift ideas to spark some friendly competition at your next gift exchange. “There are certain general things that can make for really fun gifts.” “There some things that you can't go wrong with in general: beeswax candle sticks, pretty stationery, a box of chocolates, lottery tickets, a small bottle of rum if it's the right crowd to give alcohol to,” says Smith. Smith, etiquette expert and author at Mannersmith, for more advice on how to choose the perfect white elephant gift. To give you some ideas, we spent hours researching and compiling a variety of fun and clever gifts. While you might be tempted to go with a gag gift, it’s always better to spend money on something useful. Finding a white elephant gift can be tricky since you have to find an item that appeals to a range of personalities and stays within a typically small budget. White elephant gift exchanges are a fun and exciting way to spread some joy, whether for a special event or during the holidays-especially when your friends, family members, or colleagues are battling it out for one or two standout gifts.
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