35 white elephant gift ideas people will actually want, under $15
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The holiday season is nearly here and it's only a matter of time before you're invited to join a white elephant gift exchange. While you won't know in advance who will be getting your gift, these white elephant gift ideas under $15 are pretty safe bets.
As a refresher, a white gift exchange generally works like this: Each person in a group brings a wrapped gift and puts it in a pile. Players then draw numbers to see which order they'll each choose a gift. The first person chooses a gift, shows the group, and the next person can either steal the gift or open a new one. If the first person's gift is stolen by the second player, the first person can choose a new gift.
This continues with the rest of the players, but following the first round, if someone's gift is stolen, that person can either choose a new one or steal someone else's. The first player has one last chance to swap their gift with someone else's at the very end.
There are variations of the party game, but the overall idea is to bring a gift people will want to steal. The gift you bring to the pot should be funny or useful, something you'd actually want and within the set budget. Plus, of course, you'll want to consider what's appropriate for the group of people that will be exchanging.
Below, shop 35 white elephant gift ideas—some funny, some useful, some thoughtful—that have potential to be the best gift in the pile.