Gift Guide #13: Secret Santa & White Elephant Gifts

Secret Santa and White Elephant gifts can always be a little bit of a challenge! It’s hard enough picking out a gift for someone specific, let alone when you don’t know who will end up with the gift. And on top of that, you’ve always got a budget constraint! (Not that we normally don’t with other gifts, but these purchase limits tend to be very precise.) Whether you’ve got a gift exchange at work, with your girlfriends, or with your family, here are 15 gifts under $50 that are sure to please!

If you’re looking for a fun family tradition to start this year, here’s what we do with one side of my family… At my family Christmas party on my dad’s side, we always do a White Elephant gift exchange. We call it “grab bag,” but it’s always the highlight of the afternoon because it’s a fun game that everyone gets to be involved in. Since it’s a big gathering with lots of cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, this cuts down drastically on the number of gifts you have to get, too. (Quite a few years ago, we all agreed that we didn’t really *need* anything, and our money would be better spent going to others in need. So it’s just one $50 gift (or maybe it’s $30, I can’t remember at the moment) and provides lots of laughs for at least an hour.) Since there’s a wide array of of ages, there’s always a big range of gifts, too… Children’s toys, power tools, Starbucks and spa gift cards, board games, slippers, you get the idea. The mix of different gifts makes it all the more fun… I was just about to say “I’m not trying to end up with a power tool,” but on second thought, I’m pretty sure I got my power drill from the Sturdy family Christmas years ago. If you didn’t know this about me, Hallie calls me “Bows the Builder” because I somehow have a knack for building furniture… Pretty sure I’ve built everything in *both* of our apartments.

When it comes to gift exchanges with your girlfriends, these are usually pretty easy to shop for! Jewelry and accessories always fit. I love these tassel earrings, this fun beanie, and this cute pouch.

Work can be more of a challenge because you’ve probably got both men and women on your team. A plaid scarf is always a winner because it can be worn by both! Sweet and savory treats, like Sugarfina candy or this popcorn trio are a hit, too.

This holiday candle is my absolute favorite, hands down. It smells like Christmas wrapped into a pretty jar and is sure to please, no matter age or gender!

What are some of your favorite gifts under $50 that appeal to friends and family of all ages?

2017 // Twenty Five Days of Gift Guides

Be sure to check out The Holiday Shop, where you can filter gifts by both recipient and dollar amount! If you need to reference back, you can always find all of my gift guides here!