Shopping for the right Secret Santa or White Elephant gift can prove to be a challenge. It’s hard to know how whether or not your gift will bring a smile or elicit a frown from hard- to-please scrooges. The task may seem impossible, but there are plenty of fun and practical items that will excite even the biggest scrooges in your circle of family or friends.
[Related: 5 Holiday Gifts to Simplify the Life of An Entrepreneur]
Instead of agonizing this year, let’s aim to splurge on something perfect and save when you can. Be creative, but bear in mind that very few people actually like novelty scarves or soap that looks like bacon. Avoid anything you can easily envision at a garage sale and, seriously, don’t buy DVD box sets unless someone has specifically mentioned it’s a must-have on their wish list. To help make your shopping a little more joyful, here are ten time-tested holiday favorite Secret Santa and White Elephant gift ideas. With these crowd-pleasers you almost can’t go wrong.
Dammit Doll
There’s no question that life can be stressful, even for the most tranquil among us. If you’ve been charged with giving to someone who looks like they’re ready to blow off some steam, the Dammit Doll may be just what the doctor ordered. These simple rag dolls come in a variety of outrageous colors and prints, and each doll is embroidered with a patch bearing a passage that can be an alternative to visiting the shrink. These dolls are made to be shaken until rage turns to relief and amused chuckling. And when the anger has subsided, they are adorable work companions perched on your desk or shelf.
Deep-Dish Cherry Pie From Sweet Jane
Who doesn’t love a scrumptious cherry pie? One of Oprah’s favorite things, California bakery Sweet Lady Jane has created a very merry,
NapSack
Don’t be fooled, the NapSack isn’t a real stand-alone product. But it’s a funny parody box that you can put the real gift inside. Its cuteness lies in the ability to turn any gift into a hilarious or surprise gag. The playful sense of mystery –Â what’s really inside? –Â adds a fun touch.
Toilet Bowl Mug
This gift combines two tried-and-true elements of gift swaps: coffee mugs and toilet humor. For true coffee lovers it’s gift they can keep on swilling – when you sweeten the deal with a pound of their favorite gourmet coffee or a mélange of international roasts, if you have a higher price limit.
High Heel Tape Dispenser
When you think of funny or exciting gifts, a tape dispenser probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, this is no ordinary tape dispenser.
Big Head Squirrel Feeder
This squirrel feeder gives the impression that the squirrel has a big head when he’s eating from it. You’ll agree it’s the nuttiest squirrel feeder ever! You just hang it from a tree or any other object in a well-populated squirrel area.
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Pepper Sauce Three-Pack Set
Hot sauce lovers, this is for you! The fresh ingredients add the perfect blend of spicy and tangy for the most seasoned and exacting taste buds for flavor that’s just as intense as the heat. Bring on the catfish and po’ boys.
Gourmet Jam Set
You can’t beat the spectacular taste of all-natural jams from Natchez, Mississippi, where jam making has been elevated to an art form. Perfect in the morning with a biscuit or with an afternoon snack. The flavor will keep you licking the spoon long after the holidays have passed. They have varying amounts of jalapeño, so you get a little heat with this sweet treat.
T-fal Opti Grill
You know how you can’t live without your Smartphone? Well, here’s a smart grill. Even a grilling newbie can get flawless results with this nonstick, dishwasher-safe, easy-to-use device. It has a built-in sensor to adapt cooking time to the thickness of any meat and an indicator light tells you when you’ve reached your desired cooking level for easy-breezy cooking and succulent results.
Polar Obsession (National Geographic/Focal Point)
In his book, Polar Obsession (National Geographic/Focal Point), veteran underwater-photograph specialist Paul Nicklen captures spectacular images of narwhals, seabirds, penguins, and seals, as well as the expected polar bears. Accompanying Nicklen’s gorgeous photos are his accounts of these creatures’ habits and habitats, the ways climate change threatens them, and what it’s like to move among such fierce and fragile animals. Nicklen, who considers himself an “ambassador for polar life,” has exquisitely captured the beauty and complexity of his subjects.