Whether or not you've heard of white elephant gift exchanges before, there's a good chance you have the wrong idea about what it is, how it actually works, and where the idea came from. According to legend, the king of Siam gave a white elephant to courtiers who had bothered him. It was a much more torturous punishment than simply executing them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that he probably could not afford to maintain such an animal. This would inevitably lead to financial ruin.
This story is almost certainly false, but it has given rise to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. Choosing the right white elephant gift means walking a fine line: The goal isn't to simply buy something terrible and force someone to take it home. Rather, it should be useful or fun enough not to be immediately thrown into the trash. The recipient also shouldn't be able to just throw it in a junk drawer and forget about it. So here are some suggestions that will not only make you laugh, but will also make the recipient feel (a little) overwhelmed.
KFC/Enviro-Register
The best white elephant gifts are the ones that create a bit of intrigue as soon as they enter the gift pile. And a full-size 4.3-pound log wrapped in Christmas paper is impossible. No to realize. It will almost certainly dwarf any other gift up for grabs and spark endless questions and speculation about what might be in the strange and surprisingly heavy box.
The fact that the comically large box contains a KFC fried chicken-scented log makes the whole prank even funnier. I have a gas fireplace at home, so unfortunately I have no idea what the KFC 11 Herb and Spice Log actually smells like. Many online reviews claim that it smells “exactly” like the inside of a KFC. Whether that's appealing to you or not probably depends on your affinity for the colonel. But I can't think of a lovelier gift for someone who really wanted to see what was inside the big, heavy box. — Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter
$34 on amazon
Engadget
The Banana Phone is exactly what you'd expect it to be: a banana that's also a phone. It may not have a SIM card or service plan attached, but your freebie can pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth so you can ditch that tired $1,000+ phone and start taking calls the right way: with a piece of fruit. In addition to taking and making calls, they can also use the Banana Phone with Google Assistant and Siri, to ask about the weather or say “Play Cruel Summer by Bananarama.” Yes, the Banana Phone also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and has a 30-foot range, so you can play tunes when you're not using it to conduct official business. — Valentina Palladino, Associate Editor
$40 on amazon
Clock
If the goal of a white elephant gift is to be a form of discreet torture, then the Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels might be the best white elephant gift ever. (Well, except for those weirdos who wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day with bright eyes and bushy tails.) It's an alarm clock that, if your donor tries to press the snooze button, runs away and continues beeping. telling them in no uncertain terms that it is time to get up. And every morning, they will get out of bed, sleepy, cursing your name. – Terrence O'Brien, former editor-in-chief
$36 on amazon
Aimeizi
Who doesn't want their living room to look like a galaxy far, far away? Your giftee may have to fight your young children (or others at your gift exchange) for this galaxy projector, which projects different light effects on the ceiling with adjustable brightness and speed. They can use it to set the perfect mood for their next Star Wars binge-watching party, or to calm themselves before going to sleep every night. In addition to an included remote control and companion app, the projector also has a timer so they can set it to turn off right when they fall asleep. The mobile app will let you customize every aspect of your personal space field, from its nebula and twinkle effects, to the swirling colors and music to match it (yes, there's a built-in speaker too). Forget those boring old smart bulbs – this galactic projector is the smart device that will improve anyone's home environment. – vice president
$23 on amazon
ChopSaberes
Is there really any point in a sushi or noodle night if you don't consume your food with Force-protected utensils? No. The answer is no. These lightsaber chopsticks glow different colors with the push of a button and come with batteries included so your giftee can protect your dishes from the forces of evil. Sure, they'll be a hit with Star Wars fans, but anyone can enjoy a pair of extra-powerful chopsticks with which to have impromptu “food fights” between bites of sashimi. – vice president
$13 on amazon
Apple
So maybe your recipient can easily throw this in a junk drawer, but we don't think they'll want to. Apple's silly and ridiculous cleaning cloth might actually be a white elephant gift that people would want to receive. Is it excessive for what it is? Probably. Is it useful for basically anyone, since we all now have dozens of screens, large and small, in our lives? Definitely. Apparently a lot of people saw the usefulness of this, as there were weeks-long waits to get it back when it first came out in 2021. Now, thankfully, it's more widely available, which might be the most important thing for you if you find it. yourself strolling through the mall or scouring amazon trying to find the perfect white elephant gift. – vice president
$19 on amazon
mmx
Real guns are boring, unless the ammunition is made from sugar. He Crossbow MMX Marshmallow It shoots “slightly dry” marshmallows up to 60 feet, so think of it as a much tastier version of a Nerf gun. Imagine: a person with this crossbow and a bag of Jet Puffed can deliver sugar bombs to everyone in the room without having to leave the couch. If that's not a storybook Christmas scenario, I don't know what is. The launcher itself is beautifully crafted: it's made from copper, aluminum, natural rubber, and North American hardwood, and each one is machined and assembled by hand. In Canada, no less. —Amy Skorheim, reporter
$99 in MMX
White Elephant FAQ
What is the white elephant?
A white elephant gift exchange is a party game typically played during the holidays in which people exchange fun and impractical gifts.
How does the white elephant work?
Each group of people brings a wrapped gift to the white elephant gift exchange, and each gift is usually of similar value. All the gifts are then placed together and the group decides the order in which each will claim a gift. The first person chooses a white elephant gift from the pile, unwraps it, and ends their turn. Subsequent players may decide to unwrap another gift and claim it as their own, or steal a gift from someone who has already taken their turn. The rules can vary from there, including guidelines for how often a single item can be stolen; some say twice, at most. The game ends when each person has a white elephant gift.
Why is it called a white elephant?
The term “white elephant” is said to come from the legend of the king of Siam who gave white elephants to courtiers who bothered him. While at first glance it seems like a luxurious gift, it is believed that the costs of maintaining the animal would bankrupt the courtiers.
Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
