White Elephant Gift Ideas for Tacky Gift Exchanges

Has your family or office decided to engage in a White Elephant Gift Exchange this year? Did you buy something you thought was a good idea at the time but now regret? Maybe someone else pawned off a gift they couldn't use on you, but you feel bad throwing it out. Whatever your reason, consider giving a white elephant gift this year; you never know, something you have no use for may be just the thing to brighten someone else's day. Just make sure you follow the cardinal rule of white elephant gifts: be sure it's something someone else may actually want, or at least make sure the recipient is a good sport. Otherwise your gift, though given with the best intentions, may backfire on you.

If you're running low on white elephant ideas, here are a few gifts that you might want to consider:

1. Fruitcake
Yes, it's the gift that keeps on giving-particularly when the recipient turns around the following year and gives it to someone else. This popular white elephant gift can double as a doorstop, or a theft deterrent as you throw it at the offending party. Available in all shapes and sizes, no white elephant gift exchange is complete without one (at least).

2. Wall Clocks
Let your imagination run wild with this one. You can get clocks with all kinds of themes, from tacky to wacky. Or you can buy a regular wall clock and come up with your own ideas to transform it into something strange and wonderful. Every kitchen or living room needs a clock, and your gift may be just what they need to liven up the room.

3. Lava Lamps
These icons of the 1960s are back with a vengeance, decorating everything from teenagers' rooms to office desks. You can choose between original lava lamps, lamps with glitter or plasma inside, or even lamps that are built for the outdoors. Let your recipient know you think they're "groovy" with this kitschy gift.

4. Collectible Beer Mugs
Depending on who's receiving your gift, they may actually view this as a welcome addition to their cup collection. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the typical German beer steins to the outright strange figures (Darth Vader, anyone?) You can help them root for their favorite sports team, or give the gift of art with Thomas Kinkade. With beer mugs, like wall clocks, the only limit seems to be your imagination.

5. Water Globes
At once both a white elephant and a thoughtful gift, water globes can make a person smile while adding to their home décor. You can find water globes to fit just about any taste or occasion, and there's one for every budget. They range from tacky to elegant, and many feature music to tell your gift recipient just how you feel (whether that feeling is light-hearted, romantic, and so on.) If they aren't a water globe collector, though, you may find yourself receiving that same gift back next year.

6. White Elephant
When giving a white elephant gift, why not give an actual white elephant? A tongue-in-cheek gift to be sure, but if you know your recipient will laugh it off it's a wonderful "literal" choice. You can find a large number of "white elephant" gifts in everything from furniture to ash trays; you can even purchase a figurine of a white elephant. A word of caution: in some cultures, an elephant with its trunk down is a symbol of bad fortune. If you go this route, remember to purchase an elephant with its trunk held up.

In the end, you can turn pretty much anything you want into a white elephant gift. Just remember that having a sense of humor is mandatory when giving (or receiving) a white elephant gift, and that in the end, it's the fun-not the gift-that make experience memorable.