If in case you have a white elephant present trade at paintings this yr or with family and friends, there’s a superb opportunity you’re scrambling presently to discover a excellent present — or decipher what even makes a excellent white elephant present. The conceivable origins of the time period “white elephant” supply a method of having a look at it: Consistent with legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had dissatisfied them. It used to be a much more devious punishment than just having them performed. The recipient had no selection however to easily thank the king for such a luxurious present, figuring out that they most likely may now not come up with the money for the maintenance for such an animal. It will inevitably cause them to monetary wreck.
Whether or not or now not that tale is right, it offers us a method of having a look at a white elephant present: one thing simply helpful or fun sufficient that it gained’t in an instant get tossed into the trash, however could also be fairly of a burden. Alternatively, there are many alternative ways of decoding this peculiar but pleasant custom. Some compete to get a present that others will definitely wish to thieve, whilst others scavenge for probably the most area of interest and centered gag items. Virtually they all, although, usually have a worth prohibit that assists in keeping the weight of present giving to a minimal — generally $50 or much less. So with all of that during thoughts, listed below are some white elephant present concepts that may get you a couple of chuckles with out requiring you to spend an excessive amount of (or suppose too laborious about it).
Absolute best white elephant present concepts
KFC / Enviro-Log
The most efficient white elephant items are those that create somewhat of intrigue once they input the present pile. And a full-size, 4.3-pound firelog wrapped in vacation paper is unattainable now not to note. It’ll virtually surely dwarf each and every different present that’s up for grabs, and can urged unending questions and hypothesis about what may well be within the bizarre, strangely heavy field.
The truth that the comically-large field holds a KFC fried chicken-scented firelog makes the entire gag much more fun. I’ve a gasoline hearth at house, so I, unfortunately, do not know what the KFC 11 Herbs and Spices firelog in truth smells like. Many on-line critiques declare it smells “precisely” like the interior of a KFC. Whether or not that’s interesting to you or now not almost definitely depends upon your affinity for the Colonel. However I will not call to mind a extra pleasant present to bestow on any person who simply in point of fact sought after to peer what used to be within the giant, heavy field. — Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter
OCOOPA
A present somebody can admire is the present of heat, and a couple of those magnetic hand heaters is among the cutest (and maximum handy) tactics to provide that. They’re rechargeable little pucks that can be utilized caught in combination or one by one to heat up frozen arms all over the iciness — or in point of fact, any time of the yr. They warmth up tremendous rapid (in point of fact, inside of seconds) and can last as long as 8 hours each and every on a unmarried fee. They’ll also be nice for individuals who insist they by no means get chilly as a result of they’re so small and compact that they are able to use them stealthily of their coat wallet, with no person the wiser. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
ChopSabers
Is there in point of fact any level to sushi or noodle night time in the event you’re now not eating your meals with utensils secure through The Power? No. The solution is not any. Those lightsaber chopsticks glow in numerous colours with simply the click of a button and include incorporated batteries so your giftee can get proper to protective their plates from the forces of evil. Positive, they are going to be successful amongst Celebrity Wars enthusiasts, however somebody can to find pleasure in a couple of extra-powerful chopsticks with which to have impromptu “meals fights” in between bites of sashimi. — V.P.
Local Union
Local Union is a French equipment corporate that made its title greater than a decade in the past with the Pop Telephone. It used to be an outsized, old-school phone handset designed to plug into iPhones again when the sector nonetheless felt a shiver of hope. It helped embrace that temporary length once we had been the use of old-fashioned images filters on our social media photos, mixing the outdated and the brand new. Now, the corporate has re-released the Pop telephone with USB-C, letting you hook it as much as any telephone or instrument you’d care to take calls on. The audio high quality is greater than high quality, and it’s almost definitely extra of an attention-grabbing remark piece in 2025 than it used to be in 2015. — Daniel Cooper, Senior Reporter
Magic Puzzle Corporate
I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of jigsaw puzzles, however the items of artwork the Magic Puzzle Corporate makes so that you can bring together are a pleasure. For starters, each and every has beautiful and unique art work — whilst there are a number of artists who’ve contributed to the corporate’s puzzle lineup, all of them really feel similar, filled with colour, whimsy and a host of secrets and techniques you’ll understand as you construct. The puzzle items themselves are high quality and forged, one thing that is going a ways against creating a puzzle amusing to position in combination.
However my favourite phase is the truth that whenever you end the principle puzzle, you’re now not completed. Each and every has sections that may slide round after you might be completed, which opens up a brand new center space to be crammed in with an advantage phase of items. This new addition seamlessly suits into the puzzle and expands on its tale. It’s laborious to explain, nevertheless it’s not like anything else I’ve noticed in different puzzles. I’m beautiful agnostic about my puzzle-makers, however I’m itching to get my arms on extra from the Magic Puzzle Corporate and discover their secrets and techniques. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor
Aimeizi
Who doesn’t need their front room to seem like a galaxy a long way, a long way away? Your giftee may must fight their babies (or others for your present trade) for this galaxy projector, which shines other gentle results up onto the ceiling with adjustable brightness and velocity. They are able to use it to reach the very best vibe for his or her subsequent Celebrity Wars binge watch birthday party, or to soothingly usher themselves to sleep on a nightly foundation. Along with an incorporated faraway and a significant other app, the projector has a timer too so they are able to set it to show off simply as they go to sleep. The cellular app will allow them to customise all facets in their non-public area box, from its nebula and twinkling results, to the swirling colours, to the tune that they pair with it (sure, there’s a speaker inbuilt as smartly). Omit the ones dull outdated sensible gentle bulbs — this galaxy projector is the sensible instrument that may level-up somebody’s house surroundings. — V.P.
Etsfmoa
What’s higher than a heat and comfy beanie? A heat and comfy beanie that still is helping you notice higher whilst you’re strolling the canine on a chilly, darkish, iciness morning, going for a night jog or rummaging for a particular instrument for your storage. This unisex beanie has a detachable gentle on its entrance edge that has 4 LEDs inside of and will run for as much as 8 hours on a unmarried fee. And when it wishes extra juice, you’ll merely take the sunshine fixture off, recharge it and dad it again into the hat. — V.P.
WANIDEA
Our desks are cluttered and dull, however this lovable little rechargeable gentle can brighten issues up. The chibi flame within the old-school kerosene lamp determine is product of silicone, so it’s simply as squishy as it’s lovable, and it has two lighting fixtures modes: candlelight and night time gentle. The cushy, heat hue it emits can be nice for surroundings the temper for your area, and its dimmable so you’ll get simply the correct quantity of sunshine on your style. — V.P.
Engadget
The Banana Telephone is strictly what you’d be expecting it to be — a banana that’s additionally a telephone. It will now not have a SIM card or a provider plan hooked up to it, however your giftee can pair it with their smartphone by means of Bluetooth so they are able to ditch that drained, $1,000+ handset and get started taking calls the fitting method — with a work of fruit. Along with taking and making calls, they are able to additionally use the Banana Telephone with the Google Assistant and Siri, to invite in regards to the climate or inform it to “Play Merciless Summer time through Bananarama.” Sure, the Banana Telephone additionally works as a Bluetooth speaker and has a 30-foot vary, so it may play tunes every time they’re now not the use of it to behavior authentic trade. — V.P.
Clocky
If the function of a White Elephant present is to be a type of low-key torture, then the Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels may well be the best White Elephant present of all time. (Neatly, with the exception of for the ones weirdos who get up at 4:30 AM on a daily basis bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.) It’s an alarm clock that, in case your giftee tries to hit the snooze button, runs clear of them proceeding to beep, telling them in no unsure phrases it’s time to rise up. And each and every morning, they’ll stumble away from bed drowsily cursing your title. – Terrence O’Brien, Former Managing Editor
White elephant FAQs
What’s white elephant?
A white elephant present trade is a celebration sport usually performed across the vacations wherein folks trade humorous, impractical items.
How does white elephant paintings?
A bunch of folks each and every carry one wrapped present to the white elephant present trade, and each and every present is usually of a equivalent worth. All items are then positioned in combination and the crowd makes a decision the order wherein they are going to each and every declare a present. The primary particular person choices a white elephant present from the pile, unwraps it and their flip ends. The next gamers can both come to a decision to unwrap any other present and declare it as their very own, or thieve a present from any person who has already taken a flip. The principles can range from there, together with the tips round how regularly a unmarried merchandise may also be stolen — some say two times, max. The sport ends when each and every particular person has a white elephant present.
Why is it referred to as white elephant?
The time period “white elephant” is claimed to return from the legend of the King of Siam gifting white elephants to courtiers who dissatisfied him. Whilst it sort of feels like a lavish present on its face, the conclusion is that the courtiers can be ruined through the animal’s repairs prices.
Take a look at the remainder of our present concepts right here.
