You'll Be the Hit of the Party with These White Elephant Gifts (2024)

FAQs

What is the White Elephant statement? ›

A white elephant is something whose cost of upkeep is not in line with its usefulness or value. From an investment perspective, the term refers to an asset, property, or business that is so expensive to operate and maintain that it is extremely difficult to actually make a profit from it.

A man "steals" a gift in a white elephant gift exchange, while its previous owner is reluctant to relinquish it. The term white elephant refers to an extravagant, impractical gift that cannot be easily disposed of.

Send festive invites detailing the particulars of the party. Bring a wrapped, anonymous gift to the shindig. Draw numbers to determine who gets to unwrap a present when. Sit in a circle and place the gifts in the center, preferably under a festive tree.

If you're running out of time and ideas for your upcoming white elephant gift exchange, you might want to consider bringing a gift card to the festivities. You can pick out cards for dining, gaming, music and so much more.

Whatever budget your office sets, these are white elephant gifts worth stealing. We know one thing for sure. If you bring a co*cktail related item or alcohol itself, you will be the most popular person at the party.

Origins Of The Game

Hence the game of "White Elephant," which evolved to gifting impractical items that are not easily disposed of and are often funny for the audience to witness. While "White Elephant" is a common name for this kind of gift swap, "Dirty Santa" is more specific to the South.

In the corporate world, a white elephant might be an underperforming business unit, an expensive but outdated piece of machinery, or a costly and unproductive real estate investment.

Once everyone is assembled, have each person draw a number. The person with number "one" chooses a present to unwrap. The person with number "two" has a choice: They may choose a new, wrapped present, or they may take the unwrapped present from the first person.

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You can re-gift items that you have never used from around your house or you can have people bring homemade items instead of store-bought gifts. White elephant rules aren't set in stone, just make sure to inform the group of the theme and price target.

Is jewelry a good white elephant gift? ›

In most cases, jewelry might be too expensive for a white elephant gift exchange.

The white elephant exchange is a time-honored tradition where everyone brings a wrapped gift and then draws a number to decide what order they'll choose a present in. The rules can vary, but from there, you generally trade and swap gifts that, most of the time, end up sitting in the back of your closet.

The Milk Bar tin of assorted cookies is a great gift for white Elephant, as it takes the guessing out of figuring out a favorite flavor.