The Best White Elephant Gift Ideas for 2021

For everyone who's ever been on a Zoom call and had to keep triple checking whether they were on mute, this button will make it much easier to rest assured that no one's hearing your dog barking—or they're catching all of your brilliant ideas. 

Help them avoid winter cracking and dryness on their feet with these festively adorned foot sheet masks that'll look ridiculously funny (yet still moisturize beautifully). 

They say it "smells like a gift you didn't really want"—but the scents of peppermint and vanilla are totally holiday perfect. 

For all those shower singers and bathtime crooners, this microphone-shaped soap on a rope will help them keep it clean and enhance their singing experience. 

These totally cute banana hats have a practical purpose—they help slow the browning of your latest bunch. 

Have cereal on the go without risking making mush with this clever cup, which keeps the cereal and milk separated until you're ready to enjoy.  

Get an entire toolbox in one clever package, with everything from wire cutters to screwdrivers to pliers included in this 10-in-1 multi-tool. 

At $12 each for these cute mugs, you can hedge your bets and get one of each—so you're covered whether the final recipient is a dog or a cat person.

Whether they opt for a catchphrase or a funny shape, they'll have a ball twisting this long and flexible string light into their favorite shape. 

This petite hand-held massager packs a lot of punch in a small package—expect this white elephant gift pick to trade hands many times during the evening. 

Last year may have been all about gifting TRUFF's fancy hot sauces, but this year, we're here for the pasta sauce. This two-pack of spicy Arrabbiata tomato sauce gets a kick from red chili peppers and its great for adding a little zip to chicken parm. You can also opt to gift their classic Pomodoro sauce, or pick the pack with one of each to be sure all your bases are covered.

Thanks to the pandemic, National Park hopping has never been more popular, and this 1,000-piece puzzle is all about celebrating our country's natural wonders. Any puzzle-fan (or nature lover) at your gift exchange will love taking this white elephant gift home. 

Perfect for a windowsill, this one-year-old Bonsai is as easy-to-care for as it is zen. It arrives 10 inches tall from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant, and the houseplant experts at Costa Farms provide growing tips. Since there's no green thumb required, we promise everyone will be fighting over this white elephant gift.

If you have yet to see these clever kits that allow you to customize all sorts of beverages, we have a feeling you will this holiday season. With this set, tea lovers can drop the flavored square of their choice into hot water or milk to instantly create an Instagram-worthy latte. Gifting a cocktail-loving crowd? Consider the Minute Mimosa set that comes with sugar cubes to drop into Champagne for an instant cocktail.

Last holiday season, people fell in love with this clever peanut butter spoon perfect for scooping out everyone's favorite nutty spread. But if there aren't any allergy sufferers among your white elephant exchange group, step things up this year with this peanut butter sampler set. Each unique flavor stars a surprise mix-in ingredient: think chocolate chips, pretzels, toffee, popcorn, white chocolate, and more.

Lavender is famous for being easy to grow, and this self-watering kit that comes complete with soil and seeds makes things even simpler. This white elephant gift will attract not only gardeners, but anyone who loves cooking with lavender, or just smelling the calming scent.

Everyone loves a well-insulated bottle that'll keep liquids cold or hot for hours on end. But the Bindle bottle has the added bonus of being able to also stash small objects in a secret compartment to cut down how much you have to carry around. This genius invention is great for toting to the gym and it'll be a hit with any bike riders in the bunch.

Why not take the elephant theme literally? These small wallets by Malia Designs are handmade in Cambodia and perfect for storing business cards or credit cards. They also support a good cause: the company behind them is focused on supporting organizations that fight human trafficking in Southeast Asia.

Silicone straws win over plastic any day, but these particular reusable straws are a double win. Not only will they speak to your environmentally conscious friends (which is hopefully all of them), but they'll also call to friends who want to spare their teeth from stains. Unlike round straws that only work in iced coffee or tea drinks, the KoffieStraw's unique oval shape fits in most hot to-go coffee cups, too. Genius.

Move over, mindfulness cards. If last year was all about trying to find our inner calm, this year is about having a little fun. This book teaches readers how to read Tarot cards and breaks down the mystical process. Trust us: even skeptics won't be able to resist opening the deck post-party.

Good gloves are a must, and this reviewer-loved pair also has touchscreen-friendly fingertips, so whichever lucky person gets to take them home can hang outside with warm hands without giving up their scrolling habit.

People might be shocked that you brought this to the gift exchange, but they shouldn't be—the Google Nest Mini is available at a super affordable price point and is sure to be the best white elephant gift. Let everyone think of you as the incredibly generous friend who brought a smart home assistant to the exchange—you can ride that reputation all the way to next year's gathering.

Be prepared for laughs from your white elephant group. Both practical and funny, using this shower wine glass holder is an easy way to relax after a long day.

These flexible, putty-like magnets are sure to be a sought-after item at your white elephant gift exchange, especially if there are thumb-fiddlers and fidgeters in the group. They can be an office tchotchke or a tool to keep in the car for spare moments of zen at stoplights; wherever they go, whoever brings them home at the end of the day will love playing with them.

The winner of this powerful, portable speaker can turn anywhere they go into a party. The speaker is splash-proof, with surprisingly powerful volume—a great gift for anyone (and affordable, too).

Add this gift to the pile to get a good laugh out of your fellow white elephant gift exchange attendees. Someone's sure to break out in the bananaphone song—and someone else is sure to be itching to take this funny-but-useful gift home, particularly if they have kids (or they're just a kid at heart).

Most people in your circle are likely stressed, distracted, or sleep-deprived sometimes—or a lot of the time—and will likely leap at the chance to nab a portable essential oil balm formulated to alleviate those issues at the annual gift exchange. This kit includes five pocket-sized balms in a subtle tin, perfect for staying calm, focused, happy, and more anywhere and everywhere.

For the tequila-loving crowd, this set of four shot glasses will be a hit (and an excellent addition to any bar cart). This white elephant gift is also pretty gender-neutral, so any fan of tequila or mezcal will have a gift option they'll truly enjoy bringing home.