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White Elephant, Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa — no matter what name you give this beloved holiday tradition, arriving with an unusual gift is essential. The best White Elephant gifts must carefully straddle the line between whimsy, surprise and delight. In other words, finding a good one can be tricky for even the savviest gift giver.
Whether you’re attending an office party, a family gathering, or a festive friend get-together, our curated collection offers a mix of quirky, amusing, and delightful items perfect for any White Elephant gift giving event.
This glass pickleball ornament — depicting an actual pickle with pickleball paddle and ball — is sure to delight anyone that joined the pickleball ranks this year. Crafted in a festive green glass, this ornament comes with a sparkly loop for easy hanging. For the person who already owns all of the best pickleball gear they could ever want, this gift is sure to please.
Sometimes, the most cathartic reaction to a stressful situation is to let out a nice full scream. If that’s not an option, however, this pocket-sized screaming goat figurine should do. With just a gentle press, the Screaming Goat emits a short, “lifelike” goat scream. As a bonus, this set comes with an illustrated guide with fun goat facts and trivia.
Keep egos from getting too big in the kitchen this holiday season with the World’s Okayest Chef Oven Mitt. This humble oven mitt features both form and function, protecting you from the heat of the oven, grill or stove.
Book lovers and cat enthusiasts alike will love these literary themed cat tea towels. Each tea towel showcases beloved classic literature titles playfully replaced with cat-themed puns (such as Romeow and Juliet). Each tea towel is made from 100% organic and fairtrade cotton, and is machine washable.
Bananagrams is a tried and true word game ideal for puzzle enthusiasts and Wordle devotees. Each game comes in a highly portable, banana-shaped case containing all the tiles you need to build crossword grids with friends or family.
Get the gardener in your life Plant Life Support — a self-watering 350-milliliter “IV bag” that keeps plants in small pots watered for up to seven days. With these Plat Life Support bags, users can keep plants alive while out of town (or use as an insurance policy against forgetful plant sitters).
Make a statement with every step with rainbow sushi socks. This salmon cucumber maki set comes with two pairs of socks in high quality cotton. This sushi package also comes with fabric soy sauce bottles, wasabi, and ginger to complete the illusion.
If you’re looking for a White Elephant gift that combines both gardening and glamor, then look no further. With the RuPaul Chia Pet, you can watch RuPaul’s luscious green “hair” flourish into a stylish and vibrant garden in just one to two weeks. Even better? Each RuPaul Chia Pet comes with seeds for up to three plantings and stylings.
Make it a little easier for the coffee enthusiast in your life to down a whole pot of coffee with this coffee pot mug. This novelty mug holds up to 16-ounces of coffee and comes with a sip-style travel lid for those on the go.
With easy-to-learn rules and the ability to accommodate groups larger or small, Monikers is the perfect addition to any game night or social gathering. Players must simply get their friends to guess the (often weird, odd or interesting) name on their card — and get through as many of the 330 cards as possible in 60 seconds.
Sarah is a big picture communicator with a fondness for creative storytelling. She brings a decade of communications and writing experience that spans disciplines, subject matter, and business needs. She loves the Oxford comma and Reese's Cups. More.
