27+ best white elephant gifts under $30 that everyone will want to steal
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Olivia is a Deals Writer at Tom’s Guide. She loves all things lifestyle, shopping and sourcing the best deals from some of the top brands, retailers and websites around. From fashion and beauty to smart home and tech, she has an eye for finding practical, stylish, and reasonably-priced items that help make life simpler (and a little more aesthetically-pleasing). Olivia has over five years of experience writing lifestyle, commerce, and branded content for Patch.com . She's covered major shopping holidays like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In her free time, she enjoys trying out new exercise classes, binge-watching the latest viral TV shows, cooking, spending time with family and taking long walks with her dog, Gus.
1. Novelty Gifts 2. Tech Devices 3. Home Accessories 4. Toys and Games 5. Foodie Gadgets
The holidays are coming, and your social calendar is about to fill up fast. Between office parties, festive get-togethers and seasonal celebrations, there’s one holiday tradition you’ll likely find yourself preparing for: the white elephant gift exchange.
The festive gift-swapping game can be the most exciting part of the soiree — especially when the gifts are too good to not steal. In my opinion, bringing an item that stirs up a little friendly rivalry during the game is even better than the new gift you get to bring home with you. That's why I've put together a list of items that are sure to grab everyone's attention.
Whether you're shopping for co-workers, close friends or extended family members, I've carefully selected gifts that are sure to become crowd-pleasers — and are actually steal-worthy. Since gift swaps usually have a price limit, I made sure all the items gathered below are priced around $30 or less.
The Cocktail Box Co. Margarita Cocktail Kit You can't go wrong by bringing a mini cocktail kit to the white elephant exchange. When wrapped up, it's tiny size might be overlooked, but this is a gift party-goers will want to grab. The kit comes with everything they need to become a mixologist. It turns making their favorite drink into a fun activity. View Deal
White Elephant Succulent Planter If you're looking for a literal approach to the White Elephant gift exchange, this ceramic elephant planter is the perfect pick for you to bring to the party. It's perfect for planting succulents and herbs in one's home or office. View Deal
Custom Face Socks If you're really looking to get a laugh during the White Elephant exchange, getting these custom socks with your own face or another party-goers face will really kick things up a notch. You'll just have to upload a photo at checkout. View Deal
Krifey Wearable Blanket Hoodie This is a silly gift in theory, but I'd be willing to bet the recipient will be wearing it all winter long! Available in a plethora of colors and designs, this wearable blanket hoodie will keep its winner warm and cozy while lounging or relaxing. It's also one-size fits all so it's a great gift for anyone. View Deal
Mini Portable Bluetooth Karaoke Machine This white elephant find doubles as both a gift and a party-starter! The mini karaoke machine is Bluetooth-enabled, comes with two microphones and even features dazzling lights. After the gift exchange, the recipient can break it out and use it as some fun party entertainment. View Deal
Apple AirTag The Apple AirTag is an excellent key finder that is extremely easy to set up and does a great job of locating your valuables. In other words, it's useful for just about anyone — especially someone who's always misplacing their keys or wallet. View Deal
Blink Mini 2K+ Don't let the size fool you. The Blink Mini 2K+ works indoors and out, holds up in any weather, and comes with color night vision and person detection that you wouldn't expect at just $12. View Deal
JBL Vibe Beam With the JBL Vibe Beam, you get access to a huge range of useful features, including adjustable EQ, IP54 dust/water resistance and 8-hour battery life. There's also a transparency mode to help you stay aware of your surroundings while you enjoy your music. View Deal
Govee LED Light Strip This LED light strip is as affordable as you'll find without compromising convenient features such as Bluetooth app control. It comes with preset scenes, music sync modes and versatile configuration choices. If you're going to a work party, whoever receives this gift can use it as some festive decor for their desk. View Deal
EarPods (USB-C): was $19 now $17 Apple EarPods Apple EarPods are back in style! And if you favor a wired connection, the Apple EarPods are the headphones to go for. They feature a built-in remote to control your music, calls and volume. Plus, they have a USB-C port that's compatible with newer iPhones. View Deal
Avocado Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Upon opening this gift, the recipient may think they've received a fake avocado. However, they'll soon be excited to learn that it's actually a Bluetooth speaker that offers three hours of playing time off a single charge and connects to your phone up to 30 feet away. It also comes in other designs like an octopus, turtle, sloth and more. View Deal
Retro Record Coasters for Drinks Vinyl gifts can be pricey, but vinyl-themed gifts don't have to be. We love these cute record coasters that sit on a miniature record player. This fun set of six is sure to get stolen by a music-lover at the party. View Deal
Host Freeze Beer Glasses Any beer lover is sure to steal these beer glasses that keep your favorite beer cold for longer. All you have to do is stick these in the freezer for two hours and fill it up with your favorite beer. The beer glass's insulated plastic walls are filled with proprietary cooling gel that will finish the job. View Deal
Bedsure Satin Pillowcase This satin pillowcase is an affordable upgrade for a better night's sleep. They're soft on hair and preferred for sensitive skin, but feel luxurious even if those aren't concerns for your recipient. You can actually buy two or three while staying in your budget. View Deal
AmazStove Tabletop Fire Pit Similar to the popular Solo Stove, this table top fire pit has an extensive wood fuel capacity and you can enjoy a burning time of 50 to 60 minutes — without the hefty price tag. It's perfect to bring along on camping trips or roast marshmallows over. View Deal
Penguin Cocktail Shaker What's more fun than receiving a cocktail shaker? Receiving a penguin cocktail shaker! The shaker's fun and functional design will whip up some delicious beverages and also add some character to anyone's kitchen or home bar. View Deal
LEGO Botanicals Happy Plants Who knew a Lego Botanicals set could be this adorable? These Lego dracaena and pilae plants come in pots with faces, arms and legs. They're perfect for adding cuteness and color to your home decor. View Deal
Educational Insights Kanoodle Kanoodle has taken TikTok by storm, and it's no surprise. This addictive brain teaser game is a joy to solve alone or with a group of friends. Any recipient will be excited to try it out. View Deal
Tabletop Mini Bowling Game This tabletop bowling game is a fun gift that one can add to their desk at work or coffee table at home. It's also a great way to take a break from the grind and relieve some stress. View Deal
Who's Most Likely To... Party Game Add a little excitement to your holiday party or gathering with this game that will have you pointing fingers in no time! The point of the game is to decide who in the group is "Most Likely To..." based on the phrase on the card selected. It's the mostly clean version of the game. View Deal
Hasbro Jenga: Super Mario Edition Game The classic Jenga game gets the Super Mario treatment, but in this game, your goal is to make it to the top to defeat Bowser without knocking down the tower when you move your character peg. Mario-lovers will jump all over this gift! View Deal
Ring Toss Game The ring toss game is a fantastic stocking stuffer and a guaranteed hit for family gatherings. I’ve played it countless times with friends and family — it’s fun, easy to set up and brings out everyone’s competitive side. View Deal
The Stay-Hot Camp Mug You might start a war with this one! Stanley cups are super popular and pretty much everyone wants one. From keeping 24 ounces of coffee hot and fresh to chilling your cold beverages, this holiday stainless steel camp mug will definitely be a coveted item. View Deal
Crock-Pot Portable Electric Lunch Box Hoping to bring your dinner leftovers to work or school? Now you don't have to worry about your warm meal getting cold before lunchtime or spilling on the go. This portable electric lunch box features a tight-closing outer lid to help prevent spills and an easy-carry handle. All you need to do is plug it in and you can easily heat up your food from virtually anywhere. View Deal
Electric Wine Bottle Opener I don't know about you, but I love an electric wine opener. I received one as a gift a while back and I would never go back to a traditional corkscrew. Case in point: this electric wine bottle opener is a great white elephant gift. View Deal
Mike's Hot Honey Original & Extra Hot Combo If you ask me, hot honey is the best condiment to put on pretty much anything. Mike's Hot offers the perfect combination of sweet and heat, making this two-pack a delectable holiday gift for anyone. View Deal
Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker A breakfast sandwich is a fan favorite! That's why whoever receives this White Elephant gift is sure to love how easy it will be to cook breakfast. They'll be able to cook all their ingredients in one place and have a delicious sandwich ready in 5 minutes or less. View Deal