8 Thoughtful White Elephant & Secret Santa Gifts Under $50 to Surprise Friends, Co-Workers & More
Written by djfrosty on November 30, 2023
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The holiday season involves more than just singing carols and decorating your real and artificial trees with Christmas ornaments — you’ve also got to make sure you grab the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, and don’t even get us started on finding the downtime to wrap everything.
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It’s no surprise that white elephant and secret Santa gifts get left until the last possible minute — like hunting for one-day free shipping last minute. Whether you’re hosting a gift exchange with your pals or family or are participating in your work team’s holiday gift exchange, you don’t have to settle for a quick present that looks like it was bought the day of. There are an endless amount of gender-neutral gifts, coffee lover gifts and gifts for music lovers out there that’ll earn you high praise.
The key to finding that excitement-inducing present is to think of things that most people enjoy (if you’re looking for a special white elephant gift) or, for secret Santa presents, tailor it to that person’s specific likes and hobbies.
Rather than do the research yourself, Billboard Shopping did the heavy lifting for you and found a mix of the best white elephant and secret Santa gifts, including home, tech, beauty and more. Just don’t be surprised when you hear squeals of excitement when your gift is unwrapped.
Keep reading to shop our picks.
Best White Elephant & Secret Santa Gifts
Amazon
Chia Pet: Ice Spice with Seed Pack and Drip Tray
Ice Spice fans and plant lovers will have a hard time hiding their excitement over this exclusive Chia Pet. It’s shaped just like the rapper and comes with a drip tray and seed pack.
Urban Outfitters
Stanley 2.0 Flip Straw 30 oz Tumbler
Upgrade their water bottle with Stanley’s bold tumbler featuring a fun marble print. It can hold 30 ounces of liquid and uses a stainless steel material to keep drinks at a cold or hot temp for long periods of time. The added flip straw is a bonus for those who prefer drinking their water, soda and more from a straw.
Walmart
“From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen” by Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is serving up his own blend of dishes in his very own cookbook. Each page is filled with recipes created and approved by the wrapper that will have fans and cooks itching to get to the kitchen.
Happy Socks
X-Mas Sweater Socks Gift Set (3-Pack)
Instead of an ugly sweater you can surprise them with a three-pack of socks boasting holiday-themed prints. Each one is different and is made from a soft, stretchy material they’ll find every excuse to show off.
Amazon
Facetory Best of Seven Facial Masks Collection
Encourage some self-care by gifting a pack of face masks. Facetory’s seven-piece set comes with different sheet masks that target everything from brightening skin, detoxing, purifying, hydrating and more.
Friends NYC
Balloon Pup Candle
Add a touch of fun decor to their office desk or coffee table with a ballon pup candle. It comes in two colors and is made from unscented wax that they can light or keep unlit. Either way it’s a total conversation piece.
Uncommon Goods
Adulting Merit Badge Mug
Congratulate them for surviving another day of adulting with this funny mug featuring badges of “achievements” including “didn’t order takeout”, “ate a good breakfast” and more. It’s bound to get a chuckle or two from your recipient every time they sip on their coffee.
Slowtide
Dancing Bears Fleece Blanket
They can cozy up on the couch and in bed with this soft fleece blanket inspired by the Grateful Dead. The pattern features the iconic dancing bears in a various colors that’ll add a pop of color to their living room furniture as a throw blanket.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Christmas gifts under $25, best last-minute gifts and best gifts for musicians.