Gift giving doesn’t have to break the bank, sometimes $25 is all you need
By: Amanda Musto
As the holiday season moves in, it’s time to find gifts you can bring to a white elephant party. Here’s gifting on a budget.
When it comes to a white elephant gift it’s not the cost that counts, but the cool factor that makes it the most wanted gift of the night. Many hosts will have a prize for the guest that brought the gift that was stolen the most that night and being able to find that gift for $25 or less is a plus. You just have to decide if that gift should make people laugh or say ‘aww’.
“I love bringing a gag gift to white elephant parties,” said Samantha Grande. “It’s always so great seeing people crack up when they open a funny gift.”
If you want to be creative while staying on budget, Dollar Tree and Target are great stops to make a baking gift set. Grab a large mixing bowl, fill it with brownie mix, a dish towel, a rubber spatula, and a whisk, then wrap it up in cellophane with a bow and you have a beautiful gift set. This gift can be gender neutral if you don’t want a gift focused just for men or women.
“Gender neutral gifts are my favorite to bring whenever I go to a white elephant party,” said Nathaniel Harrison. “I wouldn’t want someone to get upset that the gift they go home with has zero use for them if it is more gender specific.”
If the party is a girl’s night vibe, a scented candle, throw blanket, and a face mask would be a great option that may be sought after the whole night. After finals are done, a night of comfort may be just what the recipient needs. Maybe you’re the student who needs a comforting night and you bring the gift just so you can take it home.
“Usually when I go to white elephant parties, I try to bring a gift that I would want to go home with,” said Samantha Burnett. “Even though I will be happy with any gift I get, bringing one I want so I can pick it or steal it is even better.”
Sometimes you might want to bring a funny gag gift instead because you think it’s more fun that way but aren’t sure what could be a great option. One way to give a gag gift that also has a practicality aspect to it is to give the toilet user gift set. You can get a plunger, baby wipes, Poo-Pourri toilet spray, Febreze air freshener, and a roll of toilet paper and put them all in a huge gift bag. The gift should hopefully make everyone laugh, but can also be used by the recipient, and since it’s in a huge bag it may be reached for right away.
There are plenty of gifts to choose from to bring to a white elephant party and sometimes they can be as simple as putting a $25 gift card in a small box that you then wrap in bigger boxes and bags making it a game to open.
While getting to attend a white elephant is always fun, hosting them is also a blast. Just try to remember that the price limit doesn’t need to be high to have fun, especially if it’s full of college students.
“As much as I love going to white elephant parties, hosting them is even better,” said Samantha Burnett. “I always make sure to keep it at a $25 limit so it’s a more affordable since my guests are all college students.”
