Participating in a white elephant gift exchange can be more fun than opening presents on Christmas Day, but figuring out a good gift that everyone would want can be the hardest part. Here are just a few universal ideas that everyone will love for $50 or less.
Charcuterie Board
Everyone loves a good charcuterie board. Who doesn’t love wine, cheese and cold meat all wrapped together nicely on a platter? If making a meal look aesthetically pleasing is something that runs in your friend group or family, this is a good one for everyone. Even if you hate wine and cheese or have no personal use for it, this is a great gift you can re-gift to a sister, mother, grandmother or friend. Amazon and select Winners locations have all different shapes and sizes for under $50. Most of them come with little cheese knives and metal sticks, and some even come with a storage drawer or decorative plates. I’d be shocked if someone opening this during a white elephant was not excited about it.
Yeti Tumbler
I know that Stanleys are all the rage right now, but Yetis are cheaper and just as sustainable as a solid gift for a friend or family member. Yetis offers all shapes and kinds of glassware that will last a lifetime. They offer small mugs, large tumblers, small tumblers, tumblers with straws, water bottles and so much more it would be impossible to list everything. Depending on the type you buy, they will mostly be under $50. No one ever has enough reusable or travel-ready glasses to take with them, and a Yeti is a great addition that people sometimes don’t want to buy for themselves. Yetis also have tons of different colours that will make everyone happy.
Tote Bags
I’ve never heard of someone being upset about a tote bag. All kinds of stores have them and they’re all different shapes and sizes. There are one-of-a-kind ones at thrift stores if your friends or family love thrifting, there are some at Indigo that have book sayings, there are plain canvas ones you can hand paint on your own from Michaels and so on. There’s literally no one that can complain about a tote bag as a gift. They’re versatile and stylish no matter what you put in them or wear them with. Also, if you (for some reason) hate tote bags or have no use for one, they are another great re-gift for friends and family that can enjoy them more than you would.
Soy Candles
Candles can spice up a room or add a lovely essence while you relax. Soy candles come in all shapes and sizes and all of them are cute to add to a table top, nightstand, shelf or desk. They have masculine smells. They have girly smells. They have all smells! Everyone likes a good candle.
Wine or Beer Glasses
A set of white glasses, champagne glasses or beer glasses can be hot commodities depending on your crowd. Personally, this is one gift I’d trade for. You can never have enough glasses in your house and a set of shiny new ones is not something I’d pass up on. Plus, glasses always break and having a nice new set that matches is a good addition to your cupboard. Men traditionally like beer glasses more, but if you got crystal ones, they can still be cute enough for a pink drink or a cocktail. These might be better for an older crowd or for avid drinkers, but anyone with an apartment or a cupboard would appreciate glassware in any way they can get it.
Waffle Maker
Yes, waffles at restaurants are good, but no one wants to go out for breakfast every week for a good waffle. It ends up being a lot cheaper in the long run to buy waffle mix and use the waffle maker at home than to go out often and have them made for you. Waffle makers are a great gift for anyone that loves cooking or just loves waffles in general. Plus, they can add their own toppings and make the mix how they want at home. This is another good one I’d likely trade for. If all else fails, alcohol. Obviously, this depends on your age, but most legal individuals I know drink alcohol in some capacity. Vodka is a good bet for anyone to mix something with and most people will at least tolerate it. Sometimes there’s that one person in your friend group or your family that just wants nothing. If they’re a drinker, you’re in luck. If they aren’t and they end up with an alcoholic beverage at the end of the game, well, they can gift it to another friend in the future.