The 16 Best White Elephant Gifts of 2021

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Our Top Picks

Lavley Novelty Socks at Amazon

"These novelty socks demand the viewer bring the wearer a variety of things, from bacon to a beer."

Want Wish Buy The Office Prayer Candle at Etsy

"Especially perfect for a workplace White Elephant parties, these prayer candles feature all of your favorite characters."

JBBERTH Cartoon Cat Smartphone Holder at Amazon

"These suctioned cat smartphone holders let you hold or prop up your phone with little effort."

Chia Chewbacca Chia Pet at Amazon

"Star Wars and Chia pets are two things that most people can agree on, so this planter is sure to be a success."

Sourcebooks Unicorns Are Jerks Adult Coloring Book at Amazon

"This amusing book not only pokes fun at the world's unicorn obsession, but at the adult coloring craze itself."

Libby's Design Store Golden Girls "Bea Safe" Face Mask at Etsy

"Fans of Golden Girls (aka almost everyone) won't be able to resist this fun face mask, which features the straight-talking Bea."

Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel at Amazon

"Probably best for an all-girls gift exchange, this cult favorite foot peel does exactly as it says."

Thnapple Sloth Hooded Blanket at Amazon

"The double-layered material and cozy pockets (or sloth claws) will keep the winner toasty all winter long."

Exploding Kittens Throw Throw Burrito Game at Amazon

"Odds are that no one at this gift exchange will have played this burrito dodgeball game, made by the creators of Exploding Kittens."

Poo Pourri Beach Bum Toilet Spray Set at Amazon

"The set includes two bottles of this fan-favorite "before you go" spray."

If you've ever been invited to a White Elephant gift exchange, you know the stress of finding just the right item. It should be outrageous but not offensive, and extravagant but not expensive. You want something with mass appeal, but not so familiar that it seems boring. And of course, you secretly hope to bring the gift that will earn big laughs (or groans) when it's unwrapped—and have everyone hoping they'll take it home after the swap.

Here, the best white elephant gifts available online.

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It's not a true White Elephant party until the novelty socks come out. These have the funny construct "If You Can Read This" and "Bring Me Some…" spread across the two soles, with fun motifs depicting the vice of choice. Depending on your crowd you might choose pizza, donuts, or bacon, or something a bit harder like wine or whiskey.

Buy on Etsy

Is your office culture reminiscent of the hysterical, cringeworthy mockumentary? Especially funny for a workplace White Elephant party, these colorful candles feature Michael, Andy, Pam, Dwight, Kevin, or Jim. They're made in Old Tampa Bay, Florida and the shop owner is a self-described "graphic artist and computer geek."

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What's funnier than a mini, open-mouthed cat attached to a suction cup that sticks to your smartphone? The answer could only be a pack of six of these expressive felines. The winner of this item could either hand them out to friends and family members or keep them all to themself and use them en masse to make a horizontal easel phone stand.

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Star Wars and Chia pets are two things that most people can agree on, so this planter is guaranteed to be a White Elephant win. It's also available as Yoda or the Mandalorian, but we think the cascading leaves that will eventually sprout are especially well-suited to Chewie's furry silhouette. If you give this to a coworker, you'll be able to track the progress (it sprouts in one to two weeks), and the container can be reused by buying new Chia seeds.

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This amusing book not only pokes fun at the world's unicorn obsession but at the adult coloring craze itself. The pages threaten to reveal the "cold, hard, sparkly truth" about these one-horned beasts, and include simple, easy-to-fill line drawings of unicorns doing obnoxious things like texting in movie theaters, eating your leftovers, and judging your music taste.

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You might not think face masks are fun. But this gem from Libby's Designs featuring everyone's favorite straight-talking Golden Girls character might change your mind. The machine-washable mask has a lightweight, breathable outer fabric with soft, stretchy straps, and the inner layer is made from nylon spandex that's designed to wick moisture. It comes in five different colors and due to the printing technique, doesn't have a wire nose bar.

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During the 2020 shutdown, many people, unable to go to their local mani-pedi salons, were quick to sing the praises of this peel on social media. How it works: You plunge your feet into the plastic booties and sit for an hour, then rinse. It does come with a bit of an "ick" factor—users report shedding skin for up to a week, but swear the results are worth it. If you'd rather not think about your coworkers' dead skin cells, maybe save this one for a girls' night White Elephant party.

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This blanket helps celebrate the wearer's inner sloth—we all have one. Although it's one of the pricier items on the list, the "oohs" and giggles when it's opened will be worth it. It's five feet wide by four feet long, and the double-layered material and cozy pockets (or sloth claws) will keep the winner toasty all winter.

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Designed by the makers of the Exploding Kittens card set, this game involves making sets of three and throwing lightweight, squishy burritos at your opponents, who are expected to dodge out of their path. The game ends with a burrito duel, with the players standing back to back, walking three steps, and firing.

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The concept here is simple: Spray the bowl, do your business, and (hopefully) ward off funky smells for the next bathroom visitor. The Poo Pourri products have witty names like "Ship Happens," "Trap-a-Crap," and "Royal Flush." This set comes with two 2-ounce bottles, but unless you have a TMI relationship with your coworkers, you may not want to bring this to an office shindig.

Buy on Uncommon Goods

Almost too tasteful for a White Elephant gathering, these cork coasters, created by two artists in Austin, feature mistaken song lyrics such as "Hit Me With Your Pet Shark" and "Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza." During the party, they may even inspire a few rounds of singing.

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This massive ceramic mug proclaims "The more coffee I drink, the more awesome I am." Any java addict would love it, but if they find it too cumbersome to drink from, they can always use it as a catch-all to store things on their desk. It's made of ceramic and holds 64 ounces.

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Even if there are days when you need to swig wine out of the bottle, the Guzzle Buddy lets you do it with a bit of cheeky flair. This screw-on 16-ounce attachment doesn't just give you straight-from-the-bottle access, it also helps aerate your vino. It's made from durable borosilicate glass and can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher.

Buy on Bed Bath & Beyond

The Sudski solves a problem you didn't know you had: It gives you easy access to a can of beer (or seltzer) while you're taking a shower or bath. Made of dishwasher-safe silicone, it comes in navy blue, black, and gray.

Buy on Etsy

The traditionally grizzled garden gnome has gotten a glam makeover. This nine-inch–tall cast polyresin statue of two sisters snapping a selfie is guaranteed to become a conversation starter at the winner's next backyard gathering. This Etsy shop has several other funny options featuring these iconic creatures, including gnomes riding a unicorn, doing yoga, and kicking back on a pool floatie.

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White Elephant Hand-Poured Scented Soy Candle

Buy on Etsy

It seems as though there's a scented candle at every White Elephant exchange, but this one has an amusingly spot-on label that says, "Smells like this will be the one gift that will be stolen three times and will end up in the hands of the real winner. Every time this candle is lit, the smell will remind you of the scent of victory." In truth, the candle, which is made with essential oils, has what reviewers describe as a "pleasant" and "holiday." It comes with its own gift box and has a burn time of up to 50 hours.