48 Funny White Elephant Gifts That’ll Leave a Lasting Mark

A great way to give a gift the white elephant treatment is to resize it. That could be an oversized novelty item or, in this case, an undersized classic game, perfect for travel. All the fun of Uno, in a setup they can practically store in their pocket.

Snoop is back, what with his BFF relationship with Martha Stewart and commentating at the Olympics. But really, the OG rapper never left and deserves a spot on your recipient’s stoop. Introducing Snoop on the Stoop, the much-improved adaptation of Elf on the Shelf.

Carhartt is a brand that’s nailed the rustic, work-hard mentality. The brand also makes an adorable Christmas stocking modeled after its popular workwear. The white elephant gang will be trading up for this number.

Go ahead, just try to stare at this floppy lamp without laughing. It’s nearly impossible. From the twisted legs to the confused face, this light-up duck is all kinds of cute. It even involved a little luminous therapy during the winter months.

Go novelty and super-sized with this giant baguette pillow. It looks unbelievably real and allows the user to do what we’ve all wanted: snuggle up with a fresh-out-of-the-oven loaf.

Another great kind of white elephant gift is one that offers a sweet bite of nostalgia. This retro handheld football game is perfect, a throwback to the pixelated games of the 80s and early 90s.

Incense is enjoying a bit of a comeback, and this burner bundle offers a great way to enjoy the smoky fragrances. The snake is decidedly cool and the case emits just the right amount of incense aroma. It looks sharp on the coffee table or on the corner of their desk. Choose from a snake, volcano, skull, bear, or bison.

Have you seen a better pillow cover? Didn’t think so. These celeb sets are reversible and bring an instant smile to the beholder. They may never get to hang with a movie star, but at least they can pretend to on the couch.

Give the gift every party needs with this breezy speaker, set up for pool parties as it’s portable and waterproof. They’ll get that rich JBL sound in a compact format, guaranteed to keep the BBQ or pool party going strong.

This gift brings three layers of Americana to the table. First, you get the iconic Waffle House logo. Next, you get the hilarious fit that only a visor can provide. Lastly, camo. Enough said.

Fresh-baked Christmas cookies in candle form—that truly is the gift that keeps giving. Every burn will remind your recipient of that festive practice and the delicious and sweet smells that come with it. A true people-pleaser, this gift pretty much appeals to all.

Another great white elephant gift angle is the personalized item that can be added onto over time. Enter these cool tokens from The Wander Club, which latch on to a cool clasp and demonstrate all the national parks they’ve visited. Travel memorabilia worth having.

We could all use a little extra juice now and again, as we live in the era of devices. This portable power bank is a great choice, ideal for laptops, phones, and tablets. It works fast and is even made mostly of recycled material.

A stellar social game makes for a great white elephant gift, but not just any game will do. This one is a born winner, a telepathic party starter that’s easy to learn and set up and all kinds of fun to play. Essentially a more bizarre version of Codenames, it’s all about getting on the same wavelength.

Stress relief is a great thing to throw at the white elephant group because it’s bound to stick. We could all use some more, especially in the form of cool-looking and wonderfully interactive options from Speks. This one captivates the senses and is right at home on your coworker’s desktop.

Your white elephant recipient doesn’t have to be a pet owner to appreciate the hilarity of this 1,000-piece puzzle. As advertised, they’ll get a project dealing with 101 pooping pups. Something tells us the creators had white elephant in mind all along.

One of the more iconic things the NYT has done, the 36 Hours series celebrates savvy travel all over the globe. This book collects so many of those great tales in a showy fashion that would look great on the old coffee table. It’s also a great means of inspiring future travel.

Here’s a throwback that still kind of blows the mind. The retro viewfinder depicts slides in 3D, which is still impressive even in the era of VR sets. It’s a hands-on gift circa 1997.

Remember what we said about resizing things? Here’s another great miniature, a small adaptation of cornhole. Your recipient can play atop their table and tuck it away with ease when not competing. It comes with eight bags and scorekeepers to boot.