Gift ideas · 7th annual list · updated November 2026
White elephant gifts under $25
At $25 you can get a name brand or a small gadget, and this is where people stop pretending they don't care what they go home with.
Pick a date and I'll hide gifts that won't arrive in time.
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1
A bottle you'd actually drink
Up to $25In stores todaySteal factor ★★★★☆Wine, bourbon or a good six-pack. At adult swaps it's often the gift that changes hands most, occasionally a little lighter each time.
Any liquor or grocery store (21+)
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2
A gift card hidden in a ridiculous package
Up to $25In stores todaySteal factor ★★★★☆Put a $25 gift card inside a tissue box, an empty can of beans, or seven boxes nested inside each other. Everyone wants the card, and by box number six the whole room is counting along.
Gift card wall at any grocery store
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3
Tortilla burrito blanket
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★★☆It looks like a giant tortilla and it's a real, warm throw blanket. It gets a laugh, then it gets stolen, then someone spends the rest of the party wrapped up as a burrito.
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4
Nicolas Cage sequin pillow
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★★☆Brush the sequins one way and it's a plain cushion. Brush them back and Nicolas Cage is staring at you from the couch. Few gifts under $20 get a louder reaction.
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5
Nostalgia hot dog toaster
Up to $25In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆It toasts two hot dogs and two buns at once. It looks ridiculous and it works, and someone will ask to borrow it for their Super Bowl party before you've left.
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6
Electric wine opener
Up to $25In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆A gadget that gets stolen at most adult swaps. Add a $10 bottle if the budget allows, so the winner can test it before they leave.
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7
Hot sauce sampler set
Up to $20In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆Some people will pass on it. The one person who puts hot sauce on their eggs will hold it with both hands until it freezes. Check the seasonal gift aisle in December.
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8
Bluetooth beanie with built-in headphones
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆Sounds gimmicky, but it's handy for walking the dog, and it's one of the few tech gifts at this price. You'll look a little like a radio host. The dog won't mind.
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9
Anker 10,000mAh power bank
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆Nobody has ever been disappointed to get a phone charger, least of all the coworker at 4% battery. A safe pick when you don't know the group.
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10
Codenames
Up to $20In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆A party game that works for families and coworkers alike, and people keep playing it after the holidays, usually with a lot of shouting about one-word clues.
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11
Exploding Kittens
Up to $20In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆Quick to learn and sold everywhere. The box art gets a laugh before anyone opens the rules. Nobody opens the rules.
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12
Waterproof shower speaker
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆It's cheap and it works, and most people sing in the shower anyway. Now the neighbors get the backing track.
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13
Heated eye mask
Up to $201-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆People who stare at screens all day want this one, and most of them will be at the office party.
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14
Emotional support pickle plush
Up to $151-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆A plush pickle whose whole job is emotional support. Grown adults steal it so they can explain it to the room, then keep it on their desk well into spring.
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15
Over-the-trash-can basketball hoop
Up to $151-2 day shippingSteal factor ★★★☆☆Good for office swaps. Someone usually has it hung over a trash can before the party ends, and by Monday there's a leaderboard.
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16
Squishmallow (12-inch)
Up to $15In stores todaySteal factor ★★★☆☆Adults steal these as often as kids do, and with less shame. Look for a holiday character.
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17
Bag of good local coffee + a mug
Up to $20In stores todaySteal factor ★★☆☆☆A safe adult gift. Beans from a local roaster make it look thoughtful, even if you picked them up on the way to the party.
Any coffee shop or grocery store
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18
Smart plug 2-pack
Up to $20In stores todaySteal factor ★★☆☆☆Puts holiday lights on a timer. The tech-minded people in the room will take it quietly and have it set up by New Year's.
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19
LED strip lights (with remote)
Up to $15In stores todaySteal factor ★★☆☆☆Teens and twenty-somethings will steal this. Older crowds mostly leave it alone, so it goes to whoever has a bedroom that needs mood lighting.
Budgets are what the gift typically costs at US stores, not a quote from any retailer, and prices move a lot around Black Friday. Check the price before you buy. Delivery speeds assume you're in the continental US and order before mid-December, when carriers slow to the pace of a group choosing a restaurant. Links go to retailer search results so you can check what's in stock near you.
Running the swap?
My free white elephant game host draws numbers, tracks every gift and steal, and freezes a gift after its third steal. It runs on one phone and you don't need an account.