Whether or not you’ve heard of a white elephant gift exchange before, you may have a misconception about what it is, how it actually works, and where the idea came from. Legend has it that the king of Siam would give white elephants to courtiers who upset them. It was a more insidious punishment than simply executing them. The recipient had no choice but to thank the king for such a rich gift, knowing that they could not afford to keep such an animal. This would inevitably lead them to financial loss.
This story is hardly true, but it has led 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 just buy something awful and force someone to take it home with them. Rather, it should be useful or entertaining enough to not be immediately trashed. And the recipient should not just throw it in the trash and forget about it. So here are a few suggestions that will not only bring a few laughs, but also make the recipient feel (a little) burdened.
KFC / Enviro-Log
The best white elephant gifts are the ones that create a little intrigue as soon as they enter the gift pile. And a full-sized, 4.3-kilogram firewood wrapped in holiday paper is impossible no to make a difference. It would dwarf almost every other gift available and lead to endless questions and speculation about what might be inside the strange, surprisingly heavy box.
The fact that the comic-big box holds a KFC fried chicken flavored fireplace makes all jams even more fun. I have a gas fireplace at home, so unfortunately I don’t know what KFC 11 Herbs and Spices fire actually smells like. Many online reviews claim it smells “exactly” like the inside of KFC. Whether or not this appeals to you probably depends on how close you are to the colonel. But I can’t think of a more delicious gift to give someone who wants to see what’s inside a big, heavy box. – Karissa Bell, Senior Correspondent
Engadget
The Banana Phone it’s exactly what you’d expect – a banana, and it’s a phone. It may not have a SIM card or a service plan attached to it, but your gift recipient can pair it with their smartphone via Bluetooth so they can ditch that tired, $1,000+ phone and start taking calls properly with a piece of fruit. In addition to making and receiving calls, they can also use the Banana Phone with Google Assistant and Siri, ask about the weather, or tell it to “Play Cruel Summer by Bananarama.” Yes, the Banana Phone also works as a Bluetooth speaker and has a range of 30 feet, so they can play tunes when they’re not using it for official business. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
Hourly
If the purpose of the White Elephant gift is a mild form of torture, then so be it Clock Alarm Clock on Wheels may be the greatest White Elephant gift of all time. (Well, except for those weirdos who wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day.) It’s an alarm clock that, if your gift recipient tries to hit the snooze button, avoids them by continuing to beep, telling them to get up in no uncertain terms. say it’s time. And every morning they will stumble sleepily out of bed cursing your name. – Terrence O’Brien, former managing editor
Aimee
Who wouldn’t want their living room to look like a galaxy far, far away? Your gift recipient may have to contend with their young children (or others in your gift exchange) for this galaxy projectorilluminates various light effects up to the ceiling with adjustable brightness and speed. They can use it to get in the perfect mood for the next Star Wars party, or to start sleeping each night. In addition to the included remote and companion app, the projector also has a timer so they can turn it off as soon as they fall asleep. The mobile app will allow them to customize every aspect of their personal space area, from fog and glow effects, to rotating colors, to the music they pair with it (yes, there’s a built-in speaker, too). Forget the boring old ones smart bulbs — this galaxy projector is a smart device that will upgrade anyone’s home environment. – VP
ChopSabers
Does a sushi or noodle night really mean anything if you’re not consuming your food with utensils protected by The Force? No. The answer is no. These are lightsabers glow in different colors at the push of a button and come with built-in batteries so your gift recipient can protect their plates from evil forces. They’re sure to be a hit with Star Wars fanatics, but anyone can find joy in a pair of extra-strong chopsticks for quirky “food fights” between bites of sashimi. – VP
MMX
IRL guns are lame – unless the ammo is sugar based. The MMX Marshmallow Crossbow It fires “slightly dry” marshmallows up to 60 feet, so think of it as a tastier version of a Nerf gun. Just imagine: a man with this crossbow and a bag of Jet Puffed can deliver sugar bombs to everyone in the room without getting off the couch. If this isn’t a storybook holiday scenario, I don’t know what is. The launcher itself is a highly prized piece of craftsmanship: it’s made from copper, aluminum, natural rubber and North American hardwood, and each one is hand-finished and assembled. Not less in Canada. – Amy Skorheim, reporter
apple
Maybe your buyer could easily throw it in the trash, but we don’t think they want to. Apple’s stupid, ridiculously priced polishing cloth it might actually be a white elephant gift that people might want to buy. Too much for what? Probably. Now that we all have dozens of screens in our lives, big and small, is this useful for everyone? definitely. Apparently, a lot of people benefited from this thing because they waited weeks to get it back. first released in 2021. Now, thankfully, it’s more accessible—which may be the most important thing if you find yourself shopping at the mall or browsing Amazon to find the perfect white elephant gift. – VP
Frequently asked questions about the white elephant
What is a white elephant?
The white elephant gift exchange is a fun game commonly played during the holidays where people exchange funny, impossible gifts.
How does the white elephant work?
A group of people each brings a wrapped gift to a 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 one will claim a gift. The first person takes the white elephant gift from the stack, opens it, and their turn ends. The following players can either decide to open another gift and claim it as their own, or they can steal a gift from someone who has already taken a turn. Rules can vary from there, including guidelines on how often a single item can be stolen – some twice, max. The game ends when everyone has a gift of a white elephant.
Why is it called a white elephant?
The term “white elephant” is said to come from the legend of a Siamese king who gave white elephants to courtiers who troubled him. While it may seem like a lavish gift on the face of it, inam believes courtiers will be devastated by the cost of keeping the animal.
Check out the rest of us gift ideas here.
