Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

13 White elephant gift ideas that are guaranteed to spice up your holiday party

 

Most people treat white elephant gift exchanges as an excuse to regift unopened presents and offload unwanted junk, but they’re a lot more fun if you put in the extra effort to cause trouble. Trust us — Digital Trends’ HR department actually forced us to discontinue our annual white elephant exchange because it got too wild a few years ago. So, to help you make a splash at your holiday party this year, we’ve put together this quick list of the best white elephant gift ideas the world has ever seen. Enjoy!

Recommended Videos

Sugar-free Haribo Gummy Bears

haribo-bears
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you haven’t already read the Amazon reviews for these gummy bears, drop what you’re doing and go check them out immediately. Did you do it? Well if not, here’s the synopsis: These bears are made with a type of artificial sugar that’s been known to give certain people explosive diarrhea. We’re not saying it’s guaranteed to make your friends and/or coworkers crap their pants, but there’s a chance it’ll happen. Also, don’t forget to wear brown pants to the party, just in case you get stuck with your own gift.

Buy on Amazon

Big Mouth Billy Bass

big_mouth_billy_bass_christmas
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This one is a slow burn. At first people will laugh and get all nostalgic about the singing bass that captured America’s heart in the winter of ’99. Then, whoever ends up with the bass will excitedly press the button, cycle through Billy’s songs a couple times, and then inevitably place him on his/her desk. Then, for the next few weeks, everyone in the office will have to hear “Take Me To The River” and “Dont Worry Be Happy” at least 12 times per day — which will most likely cause somebody to snap and go full-on “Office Space printer scene” on Billy, thereby prompting a hilarious conflict resolution meeting with HR.

Buy on Amazon

Freak Masks

Screen Shot 2015-12-08 at 12.35.43 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

These things are brilliant. They’re essentially customizable masks made from an elastic fabric and designed to slip over your head. You can put anybody’s face on them, and then wear that face over your own face. It’s freakishly hilarious, and guaranteed to make all your coworkers pee their pants in laughter — especially if you can manage to make one of your boss’s face.

Buy on Firebox

Kodak Funsaver Disposable Cameras

Kodak Funsaver camera
Image used with permission by copyright holder

I don’t know what it is about disposable film cameras that brings out the debauchery in people, but for some reason they’re a surefire way to get everyone at the party on their worst behavior. There’s just something about having a limited set of shots you can take (as well as an inability to review or delete what you’ve snapped) that seems to encourage people to do outrageous and misguided things for the camera. No matter who ends up with this gift, there’s an almost 100% chance that all 27 shots will be used up on both cameras by the end of the night, and that the resulting photos will be epically bad in all the best ways.

Buy on Amazon

Carolina Reaper beef jerky

Image used with permission by copyright holder

For those of you who aren’t hip with the latest trends in ridiculously spicy foods, the Carolina Reaper is currently the world’s hottest pepper. On average, these nasty little bastards register a whopping 1.64 million on the Scoville heat scale — meaning they’re about 656 times hotter than the average jalapeño. This jerky is infused with them, and I guarantee that as soon as it gets unwrapped, your office’s resident macho man will stand up and offer to be the guinea pig. Thing is, what Bronson McBruiserfist doesn’t realize is that unlike other spicy food items, you can’t really wolf down jerky and swallow it without chewing. You have to let it sit in your mouth for a while to soften up, so this stuff is pretty much guaranteed to wreck whoever eats it.

Pro tip: For extra fun, superglue the lid onto a half gallon of milk and include it in your gift package.

Questionably legal fireworks

fireworks
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The great thing about living in America is that everything is for sale all the time — including fireworks. Even if your state’s laws prohibit online ordering and out-of-state imports, you can usually get your hands on some Roman candles over state lines — and with the right amount of rum-spiked eggnog, your fellow partygoers will hopefully start to think it’s a good idea to light a few of them off in the parking lot.

The Holiday Fun Pack

40 of OE
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredients: One 40-ounce bottle of Olde English, one pack of Marlboro cigarettes, some Magnum condoms, a fistful of bottle rockets, one pack of powdered donuts, a miniature American flag, and a roll of duct tape.

Instructions: Duct tape all ingredients together as haphazardly as you possibly can, and wrap it in a tattered paper sack. Despite the crappy presentation, this gift is always a crowd-pleaser. People will fight over it, and it’ll help you identify the fun people in your office.

Shake Weight

Shakeweight_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite the fact that it’s a few years old, the Shake Weight is still one of the best gag gifts money can buy. Why? Because it makes anyone who uses it look like they’re training for the 2022 Wank Olympics. You’ll want to have your phone ready to record the test run that will inevitably take place after Doug from Accounting has too much peppermint schnapps.

Buy from Walmart

VistaPrint selfie calendar

vistaprint cal
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You know VistaPrint? The company that sells cheap, customizable business cards? As it turns out, they also sell super cheap, totally customizable calendars as well. That means you can make one with nothing but all those drunk selfies you took with your cat last weekend, and then force somebody to keep it on their desk for a year.

Shock Potato

shock ball
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Shock Potato is basically a modern reimagining of the classic children’s game Hot Potato. The only difference is that, instead of using an overheated root vegetable, you toss a small plastic ball that will randomly deliver a powerful electric shock to one unlucky person. Just be sure that good ol’ Pacemaker Jim doesn’t join the fun. That could end badly.

Buy on Amazon

Cards Against Humanity

CAH
Image used with permission by copyright holder

I can pretty much guarantee that nothing will spice up your stuffy holiday party quite like hearing your boss utter the phrase “testicular torsion,” then ask the HR manager what it means. Nothing brings people together like a card game that encourages filthy and offensive humor.

Buy on Amazon

T-shirt with your face on it

Screen Shot 2015-12-08 at 1.16.04 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Thanks to miracles of modern technology, you can have your big, ugly mug screen-printed onto a T-shirt and delivered to your door in less than a week. The poor SOB who gets stuck with it will either wear it like a champ, or give it to the nearest thrift store — after which it will probably be purchased by a hipster and worn ironically for years to come. Either way, you win.

Never-ending birthday card

happy birthday card
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It doesn’t matter that it’s not somebody’s birthday — this card is a perfect way to start a scene at your holiday party. Once opened, the card will play an annoying “Happy Birthday” song at top volume until you either destroy the speaker or the battery runs out — whichever comes first. It’ll run for about three hours before the battery dies, and it’s designed to withstand water damage, so your giftee will have no choice but to smash it or light it on fire.

Buy on Firebox

Drew Prindle
Former Senior Editor, Features
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more