White elephant parties present a unique challenge: Can you find a cool or funny white elephant gift within a set budget that a group of people—who are potentially strangers—will battle each other to take home?
The true thrill of the game comes from finding something great in a pile of who-knows-what. Some folks bring joke gifts, some bring booze to be safe, and some gifts will feel like garbage to you but gems to others. Some of my favorite white elephant gifts include a coffee pot-shaped mug ($29), portable cereal and milk ($25), a fun Lego set ($49), and sushi-shaped magnets ($17).
Here's every white elephant gift I recommend bringing, ranging from quirky to cool. There's something in this guide too for every potential price cap.
Looking for more gift ideas? Don't miss our other awesome gift guides, including the Best Gifts for Book Lovers, Best Gifts for Moms, Best Gifts for Men, Best Gifts for Bird Lovers, Best Viral Gifts, and the Best Advent Calendars.
Updated October 2025: We've added new gifts from Galison and Funwares, plus new sections on what not to bring and rules of the exchange.