Best White Elephant Gift Ideas, All Less Than $40

When I was younger and had my own income to buy presents, I used to organize all of the great gifts I was getting in a spreadsheet. I would spend hours coming up with the best gift ideas, and it became something I prided myself on. There’s no denying that the holidays are a busy time of year with party invitations popping up. And when it comes to competitive arenas like white elephant parties, I have to be on my game with gift selections. 

I know I am not alone, so I put together this list of my top white elephant gift ideas for the year. The qualifications? They have to be exciting, relatively crowd-pleasing and just a little useful. Also, they can’t exceed $40, and everything below checks off those boxes. Most of them are food or kitchen-related, like this Lodge pan, but you’ll find pieces like this luxe hand lotion below, too. 

Best White Elephant Gifts Under $40  

• Lodge Cast Iron Square Grill Pan, $22 (was $40) at amazon.com
• Anthroplogie Zabra Stoneware Mug, $18 at anthropologie.com
• Y Yhy 6-Piece 30-Ounce Pasta Bowl Set, $32 with coupon (was $50) at amazon.com
• Beautiful 16-Cup Hot Air Electric Popcorn Maker, $20 (was $34) at walmart.com
• Yeti Rambler 10-Ounce Tumbler, $20 at amazon.com
• Earlywood Wooden Cooking Utensil, $19 at amazon.com
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Infused Slide Tin Collection, $38 at jacobsensalt.com
• Ina Garten: Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir, $34 at williams-sonoma.com
• Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm, $33 at aesop.com
• Heraclea Mature Harvest EVOO, $27 at heraclea.co
• Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Round Cocotte, $22 (was $32) at williams-sonoma.com

Lodge Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

I recommended a Lodge skillet last year, which I still stand by. But I think this grill pan makes another excellent buy, if not better. It’s a versatile tool that many may not have in their collection, which makes it the perfect addition to any kitchen. Couple it with Lodge’s recognizable name, and you have a gift worth stealing. 

Anthropologie Zabra Stoneware Mug

I’m hoping my partner’s mom isn’t reading this because I actually bought her this Anthropologie mug as part of her gift this year. I’ve been staring at it, wondering if it’s too late to just keep it for myself and grab her another gift instead. Why? It’s huge and holds 17 ounces of hot tea, hot chocolate, coffee, espresso—you name it. It’s hard to find big, cute mugs like this, especially since it’s microwave- and dishwasher-safe. 

Y Yhy 6-Piece 30-Ounce Pasta Bowl Set

These bowls are so versatile that anyone could use them. I particularly love their 30-ounce size, which can fit heaps of my favorite dishes, from crisp salads to cozy stews. They’re not too big or bulky, and the quality exceeds the price, but it’s not so luxe that I hold my breath when I use them. At $32 for a set of six, it’s a nice gift to throw in the mix. 

Beautiful 16-Cup Hot Air Electric Popcorn Maker

At-home movie nights are a lost art, and I want to encourage folks to have a cozy night in. You don’t need the vintage video store to do it—this popcorn maker is enough for a living room screening. After testing nearly two dozen, it’s one of our favorites. Because it’s electric, everyone can use it (rather than a microwave-only pick). Its chic design only elevates its overall value, and it has so many nifty features, like built-in measurement markings, that make the process seamless. 

Yeti Rambler 10-Ounce Tumbler

When in doubt, buy a Yeti mug. That’s what I always say, at least. This tumbler is one of the most popular picks from the brand for a reason. Its straightforward shape can work for a wide range of drinks, from hot morning coffee to an ice-cold smoothie. This 10-ounce version is just $20 and features the brand’s coveted insulated design with a magslider lid that makes it easy to sip from. The hardest choice here will be deciding on the color. 

Earlywood Wooden Cooking Utensil

While this looks like a simple wooden spatula, it’s more than that. This is my most used kitchen utensil because of how useful and genius it is. The flat shape and sharp bottom make it the perfect tool for sauteing, tossing, flipping and mixing. I also love it for scraping bits off the bottom of the pan. It’s comfortable to hold, too. This pick is great to start out with, but if you have the budget to grab this $40 set, I recommend that, too. 

Jacobsen Salt Co. Infused Slide Tin Collection

I think seasonings and spices are great gifts for a white elephant, and this Jacobsen Salt Co. tin collection is something I have grabbed in the past. It comes with six slide tins, including the brand’s standard Oregon sea salt, garlic salt, rosemary salt, black pepper salt, lemon salt and habanero salt. I’ve been known to carry these on the go for times when food just needs a little extra salty tang, but they’re just as easy to grab for at-home use, too. 

Ina Garten: Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir

I know lots of people who would fight for anything Ina Garten-related, so why not throw Garten’s newly released novel into the gift mix? As you’d expect, the 360-page book details her incredible journey, whether working in the White House or landing gigs on Food Network. It’s one of those picks that if there’s just one Garten fan in the room, it will cause white elephant-trading chaos. How easy is that?

Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm

I feel like I am constantly washing my hands this time of year. Couple that with the cold weather, and you have a recipe for chronically dry hands. This hand balm is a lovely, luxe hand cream and is a wonderful present. I love Aesop so much because its products have a spa-like feel, and its scents are complex and high quality. This hand balm is no exception. You can grab it in a few different scent options, but this Reverence pick has aromatic notes of bergamot, vetiver root and petitgrain that combine to create a woodsy, earthy aroma I could hardly pass up. 

Heraclea Mature Harvest EVOO

Another luxurious option is a nice bottle of extra virgin olive oil. Bonus points if it’s a brand that isn’t necessarily widely available, too, because it makes it a little more special. This Heraclea pick is just that. It’s not a finicky extra virgin oil and can be used for cooking, dipping, finishing and everything in between. It is nice and delicate but still has exciting citrusy, buttery notes to keep you coming back for more. It’s harvested from mature Turkish olives to give that perfectly subtle flavor. 

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Round Cocotte

You can’t go wrong with Le Creuset, and this cute cocotte is the perfect pick for the occasion. It looks like a mini Dutch oven with a round base that has helper handles and a lid to top it off. It’s made from stoneware and oven-, microwave-, and freezer-friendly. It’s perfect for baking gooey dips, serving cold dips or making individual dishes. You can also use it to store holiday candy or as a salt cellar. Wrap it up with either of those picks if you want to go the extra mile.