The Best White Elephant Gift Ideas Under $30

Kick off the holiday season with one of these LOL-worthy gifts you can grab for less than $30.

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Updated on November 07, 2023

There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned white elephant gift exchange to kick off the holiday season with a smile. As a refresher, a white elephant gift exchange is a gathering that involves presents that are highly impractical, amusing and generally random. No high-end or pricey presents are allowed, and the more comical the gift, the better. Presents range from tame and cheeky to escort-children-from-the-room finds.

We're playing it safe without sacrificing humor with our PG-13 white elephant shopping guide. From life-changing (but completely random) kitchen tools to shady Santas and luxurious latrine fragrances, we’re sharing our picks for the best white elephant gifts under $30.

Don't let your Monday ruin your Sunday! These giddy socks bring a little laughter to the wake-up call that is the beginning of the workweek. Wear your Monday pair to mimic the dark, gray feelings of ending the weekend and the Friday pair to remain bright and smiley for what's to come.

$27.99

We all know this iconic scene in National Lampoon's Family Vacation, so this gift is guaranteed to get a chuckle from film lovers. You can choose between white or colored Christmas lights to layer and help paint the full picture of kitty's unfortunate holiday fate.

$25.95 $22.95

Sing it with us— it's raining men! Bring some happiness to a rainy day with this silly, yet practical, dome umbrella that will keep you dry and on that special someone's radar.

Drink if you dare! Keep your favorite spirit cold with this ironically adorable monster. Leave it in the freezer for three hours before use and suction the stone to the bottom of your glass to unleash the ultimate chilling critter.

$9.99

The best gag gift for those who like to take their sweet time in the bathroom. No matter if they're scrolling on social media, reading the newspaper or just taking a breather, this roll of toilet paper will make the slow-goer in your life smile.

Will your desperate-to-get-engaged sister be excited when she unwraps this shady ring pop mold? Probably not. Will the rest of your family share a good laugh when she does? No doubt. Pro tip: Throw in a big hug to offset her disappointment.

Every friend, family or coworker group has at least one procrastination-prone Chatty Cathy in their ranks. This honest desk plate pretty much speaks for itself.

$23.99

And here we have the gift your grumpy friend (or grandparent?) never knew they needed. The cozy sweatshirt comes in three stylish hues and features a graphic phrase that pretty much speaks for itself.

$8.99

Not sure what to bring to your white elephant exchange? Just throw a $15 coffee gift card in this prank gift box and call it a day.

$14.99

This mug is a mood. Stuff it with a few airplane bottles to spread a splash of holiday spirit amongst your exchange group. Sambuca is our top suggestion (it is a coffee mug, after all), but bonus points will be awarded for shots with peppermint, cinnamon or butterscotch flavoring.

$14.99 $13.49

Spice up their tree – literally – with a glittery hot sauce ornament. Keep it under $25 with the fiery bauble alone, or include a bottle of their favorite hot sauce to bring the gift full circle.

$14.95

Your white elephant gift exchange is no place to offer flowery sentiments of support and encouragement. Your white elephant exchange is the place to serve snark with a smile, and this jolly Santa mug checks out. Fill the festive mug with a $5 gift card or a single coffee pod for a well-rounded gift.

$16.98 $15.98

Equal parts patronizing and practical: this pint-sized desk vacuum will earn plenty of praise at your white elephant gift exchange. The small but mighty vacuum is the perfect gift for anyone that leaves eraser lint strewn across their desk for weeks at a time. Another prime recipient? Anyone who consistently eats crusty-breaded sandwiches at their desk during lunch hour.

$12.99 $9.99

Dipping sauces have the power to make or break a fast-food order. Give your drive-thru partner in crime a white elephant gift that will change their life, for the better, with the Saucemoto dip clip. Want to take the present to the next level? Save a few free sauce packets from your last lunch date and throw them in the mix to get your friend started on their condiment journey.

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This cheeky design is a winner for the bird-watching enthusiast in your life or anyone who likes to start their day with a hot cup o’ humor. Each mug boasts a flock of illustrated birds labeled with their colorful names. Notable characters include the bearded tit, red-billed oxpecker, the blue-footed booby and the small-but-sprightly American dickcissel.

The color-changing toilet seat light will be the unlikely standout at your gift exchange this year. The curious gift transforms midnight bathroom trips into a color-clad journey with your choice of eight vibrant light hues: red, purple, pink, baby blue, green, yellow, orange and white. Throw in festive toilet paper rolls to round out the gift.

$6.99

Give your work wife a safe space to vent when you’re not available for a quick coffee run or walk around the office. The journal comes with 110 blank pages for them to unleash their frustrations. Bonus: It costs under $7, so you can splurge on a pack of their favorite pens to complete the gift.

$9.30

You know the friend who’s always making stressful business decisions? Dial down the pressure and encourage them to let fate take the wheel on their next big deal — literally. The Office Answer Wheel may not offer sound advice or enhance their strategy, but it adds a punchy retro flair to their otherwise bleak cubicle, so what do they have to lose?

$9.69

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a woman who doesn’t get a kick out of this book. Men to Avoid in Art and Life features a slew of (beautiful!) classical fine art captioned with all-too-familiar examples of mansplaining and sexist remarks.

Oof. If there was ever a year to have emergency wine on hand, it’s this one. Snag this playful survival kit wine bag and fill it with a cheap-but-effective bottle of vino for a failproof gift this holiday season. Alternative suggestion: Skip the wine, fill the bag with coal and call it a day.

Famous, sharp-tongued literary lights point their poison pens at each other in this snarky chart of great writer-versus-writer put-downs. The jabs span the centuries and include Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Noel Coward and many more, arranged by theme.

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$8.84

The key to any healthy relationship is open and honest communication. This interactive notepad makes a wonderful white elephant gift because it fosters that open communication through a series of passive-aggressive checkpoints and fill-in-the-blank sections. Pro tip: Elevate your gift with a pack of mechanical pencils, pens or scented markers.

Gift your grumpiest friend or family member this poignantly named candle for the holiday season. The Angry Elf Candle is handmade and boasts a punchy mix of evergreen, red currant, citrus and rose that will linger for hours after burning.

The grass gauge is a cheeky gift for lawn aficionados and, ahem, unmotivated landscapers. The recycled steel design inserts into the soil and serves as a visual tracker to keep up with how much one’s grass grows over time. It’s considered handy to some and passive-aggressive to others, but that’s really none of your concern, is it?

Ah, the cooking utensil they never knew they needed — a fishing pole-inspired tool to roast two marshmallows and a hot dog in one fell swoop. Round out the gift with a package o’ franks dressed for the occasion with a shimmery holiday ribbon.

$29.99

File this breakfast sandwich maker under random but life-changing. This nifty device cooks the perfect egg, meat and cheese sandwich in four minutes. Buy the genius invention for the white elephant exchange and snag a second for your own kitchen.

$5.99

An adult coloring book complete with an imbibed llama, rooster and a giraffe? We’ll drink to that. The whimsical coloring book costs less than $10 and includes refreshing cocktail recipes on each page.

$19.99

With winter on the horizon, we guarantee everyone will be jealous of this gift. Think of this wearable fleece blanket as a stylish Snuggie. It'll keep your recipient nice and cozy during discovery+ binge fests.

$11.99

And, finally, the gift that everyone can appreciate but never thinks to buy for themselves. Spoil your exchange group with this sandalwood and black currant Poo-Pourri toilet spray.

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