White Elephant Gift Exchange!
Have you ever played the White Elephant Gift Game? If not, this is the year to get initiated – because it can be SO MUCH FUN! Plan now to get your holiday party started by having guests bring wrapped gifts that range from funny, tongue-in-cheek and sincere to silly and stupid-on-purpose. The cost should be no more than $20, in fact cheap is the best way to go!
The basic premise is this: everyone draws a number, selects a gift from the pile and opens their selected present, in order – one at a time. (If you’re the host, you might want to have a couple of extra white elephant gifts on hand for people who forget theirs – happens every time!) After the number “1” is picked and revealed, the guests who select subsequent gifts can either choose the unwrapped gift or pick from the pile of still-wrapped ones. From that point on, it’s a madcap steal, unwrap and swap-a-palooza! Here are a few amusing, sincere, and ridiculous gifts to take or have on hand at your holiday soiree.
Hot Sauce, Cookbooks and Coffee Mugs
Esquire Magazine collected more than 30 gifts to consider for your white elephant exchange. From Black Garlic Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce (made with the hottest pepper known to humankind) and the cookbook From Crook to Cook, by Snoop Dogg, to a Yodeling Pickle and the world’s smallest vacuum (hey, I might want that one!).
Gear Hungry takes a little different approach with its white elephant gifts, from the big mouth toilet coffee mug (which gives a whole new meaning to drinking from the toilet) to a Star Wars R2D2 Talking Cookie Jar or a BS Button that lights up and makes hilarious statements at the push of a button.
If you’re looking for that gift that’ll kick off the mayhem, Gift Lab offers up these suggestions: a hand-lettered decanter of Truth Serum — which would definitely be one to steal if filled — as intended — with hard liquor. But for Game of Thrones fans, grab a Game of Phones – the game you play among friends with cell phones, to create an emoji masterpiece, show off the last photo you took, or find the weirdest Google Image result for your name. Or perhaps the funny and practical mop slippers are the way to go. These do double-duty as footwear and a fine-dust mop for your wood and tile floors.
Serious to JUST PLAIN Silly
And in the category of pure silliness, we bring you Awesome Stuff to Buy. These are fun just to scroll through and consider as gag gifts for your party or as a stocking stuffer for someone you love – or just love to kid around with. From $7 Emoji Masks to a $30 Keychain Breathalyzer. Okay, that’s over the $20 ceiling, but it’s too cool not to mention!
From Wirecutter, you’ll find Bear Paw Oven Mitts, for about $20, a Bob Ross Heat-Changing Mug that instantly creates a scenic painting when you fill it with hot coffee or tea, and the authorized Die Hard Coloring Book.
You might find something YOU want in your own stocking this Christmas from Real Simple’s curated list of fun and funny gifts. We want the Wand Wine Filter that instantly filters out histamines and sulfites, helping to reduce the common side effects of a glass or two of wine, but you might prefer the pet-feeding tracker to make sure someone in the house feeds the dog every day!
Finally, Good Housekeeping wins bragging rights for its gallery of possible presents to bring to a white elephant gift exchange with the Hot Dog Toaster, Slang Flash Cards (“The prime rib is straight off the chain!”), and the Crafting with Cat Hair book of handicrafts!
The Best Gift? Crystal Valley!
We think living in a brand new home in this premiere master-planned community is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving! Crystal Valley feels like it’s away from the hustle and bustle but offers easy access shopping, entertainment, dining and recreation. Tour the stunning model homes from Century Communities, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers, both ranch and two-story designs, set in natural surroundings and priced from the $300s.
