The Best White Elephant Gifts for 2024 (That Cost Less Than £25)
Forget Traitors – this is the game that's sweeping the nation
By Every so often a game comes along which changes the way that people hang out. Way back when, it was Cards Against Humanity. Not quite so long ago it was Traitors. Now the White Elephant game is the one.
Allow us to introduce you to the concept of the White Elephant game. It's like secret Santa, but with a little more jeopardy. Everyone brings one gift along to the shindig, then they all go in a pile. Everyone draws a number. Whoever picked up number one chooses the first present and opens it, and then number two goes second, and so on. But! Everyone after the first person to take a present has the option to steal a gift from someone who's already opened theirs, or to go for the limitless potential still thrumming away in the heart of the present pile. It all goes on until everyone's got something to unwrap.
Now, quite where you decide to pitch your own gift is up to you. Cheap and crap is the obvious play, but there's always the worry that you might accidentally turn up to a gunfight with sausages in your holsters. Mid-range and funny is a sweet spot, we think. None of these presents will set you back more than £25 – except one, but it's a really good one – and should land the whole evening on a note of gratitude and relief. Perfect.
Tiny Planetarium kit
This Eighties-inspired doohickey, which arrives with a 48-page illustrated celestial mini book, can project 12 detailed constellations onto the wall.
£12, menkind.co.uk
Personalised postcode jigsaw
An Ordnance Survey map of a postcode, rendered in 400 pieces of jigsaw. Granted, if anyone outside of your household wins this it'll be basically useless, but that's most of the point.
£25, menkind.co.uk
Lost in Veggies book
It might sound like a lot to pay for what is essentially quite a nice extended magazine about the glory of vegetables, but a) someone is definitely going to be into cooking and b) it'll look nice on a coffee table.
£25, farfetch.com
Movies bucket list scratch-off poster
A century of great movies, each with their own little illustration, and each one only revealed once you've sat down and watched it. Hard mode: don't scratch off anything you've already seen and start again.
£13, menkind.co.uk
Build your own camera kit
You bodge together some bits and pieces and come out of it with a working 35mm twin lens reflex camera. Not a bad afternoon's work.
£25, menkind.co.uk
Chocolate PlayStation controller
Just a silly one. Nice to remind everyone of the eternal quandary of exactly the select button was meant to do, given you could never actually select anything with it.
£11.99, selfridges.com
Crocs candle
Crocs sandals? Oh sorry!! Thought you said you wanted Crocs candles!!!! Seriously though everyone will be after this.
From £15.58, etsy.com
David Shrigley frisbee
Looks like an LP, flies like a frisbee, has old Shriggles' handiwork on it. For a certain echelon of self-consciously arty types, this will be a genuine grail item.
thirddrawerdown.co.uk
Midori mini cleaner
Trundle this Transit van-shaped guy across your desk and he'll sweep up any excess nonsense in an extremely satisfying manner. Nice.
£9, selfridges.com
Build your own pub kit
Fold up some tabs, slot it all together, add your regulars, and hey presto: you've got your own pub. American tourists who insist on queuing rather than using the length of the bar and £7 pints not included.
£12, notonthehighstreet.com
The Exorcist VHS light
A nice novelty to put on the wall, if you're not too concerned about inviting evil spirits into your house by putting it on your wall in the first place. If anyone starts spinning their head round 360 degrees and puking, stick it in the shed.
£22.99, iwantoneofthose.com
Taskmaster board game
Another hand grenade to throw into the fray. Literally everyone will want this. It even comes with a little Taskmaster trophy. People will be physically wrestling for this.
£20.99, iwantoneofthose.com
Stacking glass tumblers
Yes, a shade over £25, but look! Four glasses which stack! And they look like a fish! Very silly. But also kind of really nice.
John Lewis
La Credenza parmesan storage pot
A stoneware receptacle to give the finest of Italian hard cheeses a more dignified residence that rattling around at the back of the fridge in an open packet.
£14.99, selfridges.com
Double-sided face print cushion
Perhaps the greatest gift you'll ever give. Perhaps the most upsetting. Only one way to find out. You can stick another face on the other side, by the way.
£25, menkind.com
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