Good evening. Tonight our resident white-elephant expert shares the gifts that have historically dominated her swap. Plus:
There is something you should know about me: I am ruthless when it comes to white-elephant parties. I once made a 3-year-old cry and felt no remorse. (In my defense, the outdoor blanket he was clutching was really nice, and he wasn’t even an official player!) I regularly snatch gifts out of my beloved niece’s hands. This behavior might resonate for anyone who is familiar with rambunctious gift exchanges. For the rest of you, let me explain. Every year, I throw one white-elephant party at my house and attend one on Christmas Day at my BFF’s home. Both of them are multigenerational, rowdy, and ruthless. Played right, a white elephant can be better than spiked punch at upping the humor and excitement at holiday gatherings. But they do require a clear code of conduct. First, for the uninitiated, the basics: Everyone brings a wrapped gift and puts them together in a bounteous pile. Once everyone has drawn a number, controlled chaos ensues as players begin choosing, unwrapping, and stealing gifts. Any player who has a gift stolen can either steal from someone else or unwrap a new gift before the next player goes. That’s the gist of how to play — but just as important are the rules you establish. It’s a law of nature that when a good gift is on the line, things go off the rails quickly. Here’s my advice: First and foremost, settle on a monetary limit before invitations go out. Then to keep things fun, fair, and relatively peaceful, decide how many times each gift can be stolen before it’s off limits. And determine whether the person who drew first gets to steal or unwrap a final gift at the end. (I say yes!) Game aside, the true golden rule is something I stand by in all areas of my life: Bring a good gift. What that means will change depending on the guests, but no junk, please. Even if your particular white-elephant party calls for gag gifts, make them gag gifts that people might actually want. Below, some of the most-stolen gifts from my own white-elephant parties over the years:
In the end, when all the gifts have been opened and stolen, remember, it’s not the particular item you end up with that counts. It’s how you played the game, which should be mercilessly. Every single white elephant gift we recommend→
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I have a beloved family member who is in a much higher income bracket, and who has declared that they don’t want any more stuff (as they truly have everything). Instead of expensive tickets and the like, I have given homemade food gifts in the past that have been very warmly received, like bottles of vanilla, applesauce, hot sauces. Now I’m running out of ideas. Any other suggestions for gifts that show love without breaking the bank? I’m not crafty. — B.C. From gifting expert Hannah Morrill: Hi B.C. My new favorite mail-order food gift are the berry pies from Achatz, a family-run bakery in Michigan. I like to think of it as two gifts in one, because not only are you giving the taste of a sumptuous homemade pie, but when they bake it up, you’re also filling their home with that inimitable scent, too. This pail of French mustard and English sea salt aren’t terribly expensive, and the clever presentations pack a lot of punch. I’m also wild about the creamy heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo — you’ve got to trust me on this one — I’m thinking about giving everyone I love a pack of their Super Lucky 2026 Black Eyed Peas this year.
One last gift (for you): Putting on this Skims pajama set feels like borrowing a perfectly broken-in tee and boxers from your actual boyfriend (or any other unsuspecting mark) — but better. And it’s on sale right now. You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
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