The 36 best white elephant gifts under $50 that your friends will fight over

A playable keychain

Tetris Retro Game Keychain

Take Tetris with you anywhere you go with this retro game keychain. You'll never be bored on your commute again.

A beginners crochet set

The Woobles Beginners Crochet Kit

Set them down the path toward a new hobby with these adorable crocheted creatures. Whether they've picked up a hook before or it's their first time, they'll love completing this craft. The result? A cute plush they'll be so proud of.

A year's worth of trivia, and a mug

Trivia Every Day Interactive QR Mug

Every morning alongside their caffeine fix, they can start their morning with a new trivia question. Simply scan the QR code and they'll get to test their knowledge on topics spanning sports, entertainment, history, art, and more.

A personal ice cream maker

Dash My Mug Ice Cream Maker

The pint-sized Ninja Creami dupe from Dash has been going viral on TikTok lately as an affordable way to customize your own ice cream, gelato, and sorbet creations.

A cute card game for a sushi lover

Gamewright Sushi Go!

The sushi-themed gameplay focuses on strategy and probability, making it a great game to try over and over again with up to five players.

Very practical but trendy hand sanitizer

Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Spray Set

Combine germ season with the trendiest hand sanitizer of the moment, and suddenly this silly white elephant gift may just be the most sought after among the group. The three pack includes three scents: Pure Lavender, Vanilla Blossom, and Rainwater. It's also moisturizing and won't leave hands feeling dry.

A sweet way to get your sun protection

Vacation Classic Whip SPF 30

Surprise folks with this cheeky sunscreen from Vacation. It looks like a classic dessert but is actually a delicious-smelling sunscreen for your future vacations.

A gourmet hot chocolate set

BomBombs Hot Chocolate Mix Gift Set

This is not your ordinary Swiss Miss — BomBomb's Hot Chocolate is velvety and rich with enticing flavors like Rocky Road, Pistachio Macaron, and Cherry Chocolate. Each portion is individually wrapped cups in a mini to-go cup. The 12-pack could easily be split up into multiple gifts, too.

An emotional support desk pet

Emotional Support Desk Pets

Stressful days at the office call for a little distraction, like these whimsical wooden animals ready to watch over you while you work. Choose from cats, chickens, tortoises, or rabbits. Each set comes with a little home base.

A tortilla blanket

CASOFU Tortilla Blankets

Wrapping up in a cozy blanket is always nice, but wrapping yourself like a burrito in a tortilla blanket is a completely different experience — especially for foodies.

An ear tool they never knew they needed

Kolrry Ear Cleaner with Camera

We don't necessarily recommend sticking stuff in your ears, but sometimes curiosity gets the best of us all. We know your friends are morbidly curious about what's in their (and each other's) ears. For under $20 you can help them find out.

A giant tin of (really good) pasta

Rubirosa Pasta Sampler

Move over holiday popcorn bucket; this giant tin contains three pounds of pasta from NYC's famed Rubirosa restaurant.

A bougie surprise

Plaza Flight Infused Caviar Tasting Trio

Expand their horizons with this caviar sampler pack, which includes one ounce tins of Truffle Whitefish Caviar, Tobiko Black Caviar, and Smoked Trout Caviar with a tasting spoon.

A huge box of bricks

Lego Classic Creative Brick Box (790 Pieces)

A giant box of Lego bricks sparks the inner child of even the most miserly of gift recipients. This one is bound to be stolen often — a fun, imagination-sparking gift that they likely wouldn't buy themselves. That, or they'll want to grab it for their kids.

A good gift that looks like a bad gift

Prank-O Roto Wipe Prank Gift Box

Disguise a classic white elephant gift like a bottle of booze or lottery cards in this prank gift box, which is sure to get laughs.

A duck that looks like how we all feel

Muid Benson Lying Flat Duck Night Light

This silly goose duck is cute and functional. Just give it a squeeze and it'll light up.

A reusable tote that looks like an iconic plastic bag

Embroidered Thank You Tote

Quirky, nostalgic, and practical — this tote is one of the sweet spot gifts. Inspired by the 2007 plastic bag ban in San Francisco, it's made from recycled taffeta and is machine-washable and reusable.

A portable pool table

Mini Pool Table

The ultimate gift for your favorite pool shark. With mini cues and balls included, this portable pool table has everything they need to practice their shots wherever they go.

A whimsical banana phone

Bluetooth Banana Phone

Give the comedic friend an extra excuse for another dad joke with this humorous banana phone. This Bluetooth phone eases any tension or awkward silence with the help of their phone's voice assistant, too.

A clip on selfie light that's also a fan

Fangirl by Remi: 2-in-1 Clip on Phone Fan and Selfie Ring Light

Your content-creating friend will get a kick out of this selfie-light that's also a personal mini fan. It clips on to the top of a smartphone for perfectly windblown selfies. Both the fan and the light modes are adjustable.

A Bob Ross Chia Pet

Chia Pet Bob Ross with Seed Pack

Just because they've never asked for a live plant in the shape of an angelic cultural giant doesn't mean they won't love growing one.

A device that makes a whole breakfast sandwich in one go

Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker

This wildly popular breakfast sandwich maker surprisingly works. It speeds up the process and makes a delicious, consistently warm sandwich with meat, cheese, eggs, and bread.

A smiling planter

Original Earthlings Standing Planter

This sweet little ceramic planter features a smiley face and little legs that make it look like it's standing. It's a fun play on the classic plant gift.

A card game built around chaos

The Voting Game Adult Card Game

This card game basically asks you to anonymously answer "Who's the most likely to..." out of your friends — perfect for the next low-key night or pregame. You may also want to check out "Who in the Room" or the card version of "Never Have I Ever."

What's been called the world's strongest coffee

Death Wish Ground Coffee

Death Wish just might be the world's strongest coffee, with about 30% more caffeine than your average cup. The added kick is attributed to a unique blend of Arabica and Robusta beans and a slow roasting process. It's Fair Trade, has no additives, and makes a pretty good cup of coffee!

A crowd-pleasing gag gift mug

BigMouth Inc Toilet Mug

This ceramic gag gift mug has become a bit of a mainstay in the genre, and it holds up to 12 ounces of their favorite drink.

A fidget toy

Morf Fidget Worm Toy

This 3D fidget toy in the shape of a slug flexes, collapses, and twists to keep hands busy and promote a calm mindset. The iridescent color catches nicely in the light, too.

A bucket of the best sea salt from England

Maldon Salt

This isn't just any random bucket of salt. Maldon's is revered by cooks as their preferred sea salt — and it's been harvested along the coastal town of Maldon, England since the mid-1800s.

A weighted stuffed animal

Warmies Microwavable & Weighted Stuffed Animals

The pure heft of the 1.5 pound Warmies is sure to inspire some interest in the group about what could possibly be in the bag. These cute weighted stuffed animals can also be microwaved for maximum coziness and have a light lavender scent.

A tabletop vacuum cleaner

Odistar Desktop Vacuum Cleaner

The perfect addition to any office or gaming desk, this mini tabletop vacuum will keep their space clean and clear of dust.

An adult coloring book full of swear words

"Maybe Swearing Will Help: Adult Coloring Book" by Nyx Spectrum and Sam McAdams

Adult coloring has had a resurgence in recent years as a great de-stressor (Kate Middleton was one notable fan). But before then, humans used swearing as the next best thing. Why not pair the two together for a truly balanced catharsis?

A punny and entirely functional umbrella

Galleria Enterprises Raining Cats and Dogs Umbrella

The perfect accessory for days when it's "raining cats and dogs."

A to-go sriracha sauce keychain

Sriracha Sauce Keychain

Perfect for the friend who asks for hot sauce before even tasting the food.

A plug that lets them control the TV and lights without getting up

Amazon Alexa-Enabled Smart Plug

Give couch potatoes what they want: The ability to control the lights, TV, stereo, and other appliances without needing to get up from the comfortable spot they fell into.

A Tile Mate to find their keys or phone

Tile by Life360 Mate

For the friend who has invested far too much money in key duplicates.

A plush pair of socks

Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Socks

These plush socks, made of the iconic Barefoot Dreams CozyChic material, will probably be one of the most-wanted items at the swap.

FAQs about white elephant gift exchanges:

How do you distribute white elephant gifts?

Everyone puts their wrapped gifts in a pile, draws a number from a hat, and takes turns choosing gifts. As the game progresses, players can swap or steal opened gifts.

Do you wrap white elephant gifts?

Yes. The fun of the game is not knowing which gift you're choosing when it's your turn.

Do you write your name on a white elephant gift?

No. While people often reveal who bought what gift at the end of the game, writing your name can provide hints as to what the gift is.

How much do you spend on a white elephant gift?

Usually, the group decides on a price range, but since these are meant to be chosen at random, they tend to be on the lower-cost side, often capping off at around $25.

Are white elephant gifts supposed to be funny?

They don't have to be, but it doesn't hurt! Since players can steal gifts from other players, what makes the game exciting is picking presents that most people would want, whether that's a goofy gag gift, a genuinely useful kitchen gadget, or an eccentric piece of decor.