Deals.Woot

Woot monkeys are perfect. I mean sure, to us Woot Freaks they certainly are worthy of being a real gift... but to others it's a goofy, screaming, flying monkey.

Pets go crazy for them too!

Or you can unload all that TRUE crap from your BOCs that you can't use or resell on Amazon.

The one I went to (because I had no idea what I was doing) ended up with the boarding looking wrapped box. It contained vibrating slippers. I just saw in Community Deals the vibrating pen. Not sure if that's crossing the line for gag gift.

It's most fun if you give something people really want so it gets "stolen" a few times. Christmas ornaments are a good idea. Last year I was at a party and one of the ornaments was a little dog that wiggled and barked, super cute!

I had one at my last job, I thought there was a $10 limit so I just got one of those $1 handheld video games, I think it was titled RACING or something. Anyway we're all having dinner and drinks (it's a big company) and it turns out it was a $10 minimum.

I didn't even stick around, but my friend told me that the guy that got it rage faced so bad they let him pick another gift. The morning after everyone kept talking about it in a good way, glad my friend never ratted me out. I felt bad and still do.

That being said I concur, give a bag of crap, I'll be doing it myself this year since I am brokeola.

@mellielou: I've been to this kind of party, and I think it is sometimes called another name than "white elephant" (but I don't remember what it is). My mother used to love to buy things that, when wrapped, looked like something else. Bubble bath (or sparkling apple juice) in the shape of a wine bottle was always fun, and certain cooking oils came in the same shape as a fifth of whiskey (for example).

One of my own favorites was a game where, instead of dice, it was like Yahtzee, only with pigs. Here's a similar game:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pass_the_Pigs

I've also wrapped a small brick in with dish towels, and provided a nice selection of slinkies in another gift box.

Some of my favorite gifts have been from those kinds of parties. There's always room in the day for more laughing. :-D

Here's my favorite Secret Santa gift (that I've received):

http://www.coolstuffexpress.com/store/p/289-Flying-Pig.html

That's an excellent site for fun gifts.

@thumperchick: lol great idea! I have a 6 pack of JR beer (ask your parents) that would be perfect for a white elephant party.

@shrdlu: Are you by chance an Irish-American Marine with 2 sisters? What you described fits with someone I know rather eerily if not.

@psaux: No, not even close to who I am. I can guarantee you that people like @theoneill555 and @lavikinga will laugh at me for your comment, though. In addition, I have no Irish blood, at all. My ancestry is less mixed than some folks, and is English, Scottish, and Welsh. Not very interest, I know.

I've also never been in the military.

@shrdlu: Just a big smile and hearing a Elmer Fudd voice saying, "They don't know you very well, do they"

We played one of the Left/Right stories for our last Christmas party. We all had a blast passing the gifts left and right and trying not to destroy anything in the restaurant.

the $9.99 surplus gas mask that was a sponsored deal a few days ago

An iPod. Trust me. I saw a TV show about this once.

The redneck party starter kit. Take a lamp shade, turn it upside down, add a six pack of whatever, and a bag of pork rinds and you're done.

@sskarstad: Nooooooooo.... no shake weights. Our party was plagued with those things last year and nobody wanted them. But I do agree looking in the As Seen on TV section of the store is a good place to find some quirky items under $20.

There's basically two good avenues, something to make people laugh. or something nice that people will steal. Some folks in our office White Elephant exchange bridge the gap by wrapping something silly with a handful of scratch-offs or a $5 Starbucks or McDonald's gift card. We don't include plain alcohol or sexy stuff as some people bring their kids to the office Christmas party so we keep it family friendly. But one year my friend brought those little chocolate bottles filled with liqueurs (you can get them at Sams for about $20) and they were extremely popular.