White elephant. Yankee swap. Secret Santa. Pollyanna. No matter what you call it, the gift exchange is a long-standing holiday tradition where families unwrap presents and laughs as they trade or steal each other’s trinkets.
White Elephant Rules & How to Play
White elephant rules vary by gathering, but here are some of the most popular ways to play the white elephant game:
Trade & Steal: Each participant puts their wrapped gift under the tree, then takes a number. The person who drew 1 opens a present. The person who drew 2 can steal the first gift or open a new one. If your gift is stolen, you choose another gift. Some folks set a maximum number of times (often 2-3) before a gift is “frozen” and can’t be stolen again. This continues up until the last person, who gets to choose between lots of opened gifts or one mystery box under the tree.
Set a Price Limit: Many groups choose to set a price limit to keep costs down and ensure everyone gets a similarly valued gift. View some ideas by price range below.
Theme It: While it’s great to have seemingly endless gift ideas, some folks narrow the ideas to a theme, such as Something You Can Eat, Items You Can Wear, Something You Make or Something Funny and Fun. The Hershey's Store can supply you with something for all of those categories!
Hershey-Themed White Elephant Gift Ideas
White elephant gifts should be goofy, yet desirable enough that someone would want to steal it. Trust us. It makes it more fun! Think one pound of HERSHEY’S KISSES candies. We usually reserve these for super fans because it takes commitment to consume them. But it’s certainly a gift that keeps on giving.
You can still give a great gift and stay under budget. Grab an inexpensive container like a jar or a stocking and fill it with an assortment of Hershey products. Here are a few ideas and price points:
White Elephant Gifts Under $20
- A literal whole basket of Santas: Fill with HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Santas and REESE’S Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Santas
- A cereal container filled with HERSHEY’S Miniatures Assortment
- A movie night bundle with chocolate, sweets, SKINNYPOP Popcorn and soda
- Extra Long TWIZZLERS Twists for long-time candy fans
- One pound of REESE’S Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (No, seriously, that’s a thing.)
- Warm and fuzzy animal slippers
- A yodeling pickle. Why? Just because.
- A cozy burrito blanket for cool nights
- Novelty socks with pizzas or doggie paws
- “Boredom Buster” jar - write fun dares, games or silly challenges on slips of paper and pack in a mason jar. Decorate with stickers and a ribbon.
- Electric mug warmer
White Elephant Gifts Under $30
- 6 bags of HERSHEY’S Chocolate baking chips in a variety of flavors
- One pound of HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolate THE ULTIMATE KISS Candy
- HERSHEY’S Pajama Pants or REESE’S Pajama Pants
- Rechargeable hand-warmers - a winter win
- Mini Charcuterie To-Go Kit - wrap a small cutting board with wrapped cheeses, nuts, crackers and a jar of jam
- DIY lottery ticket wreath or bouquet - arrange scratch-offs like flowers or around a foam circle
- Handmade bath salts or sugar scrub in decorative containers
- A custom bobblehead
- Mini fondue set for cheese or chocolate
- Adult coloring books and fancy colored pencils
- A succulent plant in a cute or funny planter
- A selection of fancy or quirkily-named hot sauces
White Elephant Gifts Under $50
- Cornhole or ring toss game for the tabletop or outdoors
- A DIY gift basket of Hershey’s products you can eat or wear
- Bluetooth shower speaker with waterproof phone holder
- Heated neck massager (Shiatsu-style)
- Make your own sushi or ramen kit - everything included but the fresh ingredients
- A DIY deluxe snackle box - fill a tackle box with sweet and salty snacks
- Game night box filled with your favorite card games, dice, popcorn and a scoreboard
- An assortment of artisanal jerky
- Themed box of related items: for example, pickle-flavored anything like lip balm, candy, chips, etc.
- Cocktail mixing kit with recipes
- Emergency gift kits such as “Break in Case of Monday” (coffee, chocolate, bath bombs) or a “Parent Survival Kit” (snacks, earplugs, sunblock)
- Collection of gourmet spices and BBQ rubs
How to Plan a White Elephant Gift Exchange
Whether you’re hosting or taking part of a gift exchange, here’s the scoop on what you’ll need to know:
Hosting a White Elephant Gift Exchange
A white elephant gift swap is a fun way to spice up your holiday gatherings. To make sure it's a blast, take a look at these tips on how to host an exchange:
- Send out your invitations detailing the maximum gift price, theme and and other exchange guidelines.
- Encourage participants to be creative and humorous with their gifts.
- Create a fun atmosphere with holiday music, snacks and drinks.
- Create numbered pieces of paper with numbers one through the total number of guests participating. Fold and place them in a bowl or hat. Have each person draw a number to establish the order of their turn.
- Set the tone for the exchange. It’s all for fun and laughs, but stick to the rules of the play to keep the game flowing.
- Someone forgot their gift? Have a spare or two on hand so they can still play.
Participating in White Elephant Exchange
This fun activity is a lighthearted way to celebrate with friends and family, filled with surprise and laughter. The quirky gifts and “stealing” actions create a playful atmosphere that's hard to resist. Here are some tips for a great experience:
- Beyond the theme, consider the preferences and sense of humor of the other participants when choosing your gift.
- Understand the rules, including the steals allowed and the order of play.
- Be open-minded and willing to laugh at the gifts your receive.
- Most of all, don’t take the gift-giving too seriously—it’s all about having fun!
By following these tips, you’ll be all set to host or join a fun and memorable white elephant gift exchange that everyone will love!
