With the holiday season fast approaching for some and already in full swing for others, many minds have already gone into Santa Claus gift–giving mode. Part of these holiday traditions includes group exchanges like Secret Santa and White Elephant. Here are some White Elephant gift ideas from a combination of large retailers and small businesses to help you support local vendors this holiday season. You can find the list of all gift ideas and their prices below, followed by a more in–depth description of the products and all the links to find them yourself.
Steals Under $15
Crumbly Co’s Cookie Dough Gift Set, $14
Indigo’s Wordle Challenge Book: 500 Puzzles, $13
Sweet & Spice Candles’ Donut and Mixtape Soaps, $6-7
St. Jacobs Markets’ Funky Socks: Mojja, $12-15
Plant House’s Aloe Vera Planter, $10
Sephora’s Wishing You Skincare or Lip Care Set, $12
Nadica’s Naturals’ Lip Duos Gift, $8
Indigo’s Palm Reading and Tarot Card Sets, $8
The Source’s 10m Copper Fairy String Lights, $10
The Classic $15 to $20 Budget
Mindful You’s Holiday Soy Wax Crystal Candles, $15
Saje’s Holiday Restorative Inhaler Duo, $18
Old Navy’s Holiday Printed Flannel Pajama Pants, $15-28
Indigo’s Holiday Mugs and Pair of Socks, $20
Urban Outfitters Female Form Mugs, $16
Just Cozy’s Sherpa Lined Slipper Socks, $15
Let’s Keep it to $30 or Less
Niche Boutique’s Holiday Cocktail Bombs Set, $30
Urban Outfitters’ Insulated Beverage Holder Mini Jackets, $24
Saje’s Sugar Plum Fairy Skin Duo, $22
Playtime Toys’ Holiday Squishmallows Collection, $20-30
Imagine It’s Holiday Gift Baskets, $25-29
Urban Outfitters Designed Disposable Camera, $28
Ardene’s Novelty Giant Slippers, $21
Playtime Toys’ Twister Scrabble, $20
Dash’s Mini Waffle Makers, $30
Urban Outfitters’ Smoko Food and Character Lights, $22-28
Steals Under $15
Crumbly Co’s Cookie Dough Gift Set
Support a local business and check out The Crumbly Cookie Dough Company. They have the Lil Wayne Gift Box ($14) which includes four flavours of your choice of cookie dough. You can also get larger boxes for $20, $24 or $40 for their Jolly Holla–Day Box. Can you really think of someone who doesn’t love cookie dough?
Indigo’s Wordle Challenge Book
This book features 500 puzzles ($13) you can do anywhere, anytime. This is for all the Wordle addicts out there that simply cannot survive on one Wordle per day; test out your skills from easy to expert-level puzzles.
Sweet & Spice Candles’ Donut Soap
Explore this local Waterloo business and their soap ($6) that’s shaped and designed to look like a tasty donut. They offer this soap in Sugar Cookies, Apple Cinnamon and Blueberry Raspberry. They also offer Mixtape Soaps ($7) for a more retro look.
St. Jacobs Markets’ Funky Socks
Visit the market to find a couple of sock vendors. Mojja is well known and has a huge assortment of unique crew socks that would match any outfit on any occasion. They usually range from $12 to $15 and you can check out their options online as well.
Plant House’s Aloe Vera Planter
You can visit this vendor at St. Jacobs Market or online, to find this exotic plant in a chic white planter ($10). It’s gel-filled and can be used for healthy skin and hair or to add some greenery to what is sure to be a very slushy winter. They also have an ivy plant ($15) and many other options to choose from, ranging between $10 and $15!
Sephora’s Wishing You Skincare Set
This skincare set ($12) is bound to sell fast as it has a value of $66 with a skin gel, glow peel pads, two eye masks and a moisturizer. They also offer a Lip Care Kit ($12) if that’s more your speed. Let’s enter 2023, looking and feeling our best.
Nadica’s Naturals’ Lip Duos
Try out a new brand while supporting a local business and a Her Campus Laurier member! For only $8, you can mix and match a lip scrub and lip balm in whichever flavours you prefer. These include Rose Blossom, Mint Matcha, Coffee Lip Scrub and many more.
Indigo’s Palm Reading and Tarot Card Sets
Both of these sets are currently on sale (under $8) and are a unique spin on getting to know your friends better. Both packs are an all-encompassing beginners’ guide with large and colourful cards.
The Source’s Copper Fairy String Lights
I personally have these up in two rooms because they are so cute and still manage to provide strong lighting. This 10-metre string of lights ($10) can be powered by batteries or by being plugged into an outlet. You can then choose your favourite of the eight different light patterns.
The Classic $15 to $20 Budget
Mindful You’s Holiday Crystal Candles
As a vendor at St. Jacobs Market, Mindful You offers 100% natural soy wax candles in three-holiday scents for $15 each. They each come with a crystal tumble matching the scent and have a 20-hour burn time. Check out the Pine, Sugar Cookie and Apple Cinnamon options!
Saje’s Restorative Inhaler Duo
This Clear Head, Clear Mind duo of orange stress release and cinnamon fortifying inhalers are designed to help you through the stressful holiday season while soothing minor cold symptoms. You can get this appropriately timed duo ($18) online or in stores.
Old Navy’s Holiday Printed Flannel Pajama Pants
These cotton pajama pants come in various holiday patterns for both men and women and children. Depending on which style you like, they range from $15 to $28 dollars for a pair. They have got classic flannel, joggers and even themed boxers as well as pajama shorts.
Indigo’s Holiday Mugs and Pair of Socks
You can find matching sets of mugs and cozy socks ($20) as the ultimate winter self-care package or take a look at their more holiday-specific mugs sold separately. These prices vary from around $12 to $20 depending on the size and details.
Urban Outfitters Female Form Mugs
You really can never have enough mugs. These female figure mugs ($16) hold 12 ounces of liquid and are guaranteed to prevent you from making an *ss of yourself this holiday season. They’re also sold in four different shades of ceramic.
Just Cozy’s Sherpa Lined Slipper Socks
These slippers ($15) come in many colours with a knitted shell and are lined with warm Sherpa. They include non-slip bottoms for all those cozy and slightly tipsy holiday festivities.
Let’s Keep it to $30 or Less
Niche Boutique’s Holiday Cocktail Bombs
Check out Niche Boutique at St. Jacobs’ Market or online to find this cute set of six cocktail bombs with a fun holiday theme ($30). This set includes flavours like Holiday Mule Glimmer Bomb, Christmas Coconut Margarita Glitter bomb and Frosted Cranberry Cocktail bomb.
Urban Outfitters’ Insulated Beverage Holder Jackets
These beverage holders ($24) come in five fun designs like a life jacket or classic Canadian flannel jacket. While the designs may be cozy, they will keep your friends’ drinks nice and cool throughout the festivities.
Saje’s Sugar Plum Fairy Skin Duo
This pack is perfectly scented for the holidays with a combination of tangerine, cinnamon and balsam Peru. It includes a soap-filled wash pad and 50 mL of Sugar Plum Fairy body butter ($22) to make the most of self-care time over the winter break.
Playtime Toys’ Holiday Squishmallows Collection
Another way to relieve stress could also be by hugging a cute Squishmallow and this toy store has a whole collection just right for the holiday spirit. Choose from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer characters, gingerbread men and many other food-themed Squishmallows all between $20 and $30.
Imagine It’s Holiday Gift Baskets
Imagine It Gift Baskets is another vendor at St. Jacobs Market, but you can also find their products online. For this budget, they have four options: the McSteven’s Mix of biscotti and fudge ($25), Merry and Bright with caramel popcorn and chocolate treats ($25), Savoury Gift Tower with lots of crisps and nuts ($29) and the Marich Mix with cookies and hot chocolate mix ($30).
Urban Outfitters’ Designed Disposable Camera
This disposable camera ($28) comes in five unique styles and is equipped with a built–in flash. It includes 21 exposures with this 35mm analog film; a fun way to get creative with the trending disposable cameras.
Ardene’s Novelty Giant Slippers
Whether you are drawn to the large striped elf slippers with pompoms or the panda and duck plush slippers, we can all agree that giant slippers make for a good laugh. Ardene has many styles and sizes that are around $21. They also have a large collection of holiday accessories like headbands and earrings.
Playtime Toys’ Twister Scrabble
Check out this double-game mashup of Twister and Scrabble ($20), where words can have you and your friends in knots. There is also a large collection of adult board and card games like Monopoly Deal, if tangled-up games are not your style.
Dash’s Mini Waffle Makers
These mini waffle makers ($30) can be found at Indigo, Walmart and many other sites. You can choose from the original, gingerbread man and Christmas tree styles that are popular right now.
Urban Outfitters’ Smoko Food and Character Lights
These ambient light-up figures come in many sizes and designs including bubble tea, souffle pancakes, a snail, Snoopy, a potato, a dumpling and a frog. These lights range from $22 to $28 and are certainly a different spin on “Christmas lights.”
White Elephant is also commonly referred to as Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa, in which everyone brings a fun gift that would be suitable for anyone in the exchange group. They need to all be wrapped up and then individuals take turns choosing and unwrapping a gift or stealing a gift that someone else has unwrapped. One gift cannot be stolen more than three times and only once per turn. If you have your gift stolen, you cannot steal it right back. The first person who chose a gift decides whether more swapping and stealing will continue after every gift is unwrapped and claimed. You essentially “win” the game by going away with the most sought-after gift, but we all know that the purchaser of said gift is the one who really gets the praise. I hope these gift ideas are helpful and fit well between whatever budget range your exchange group has decided on. Be sure to check out small businesses for gift ideas to support and shop local; the Waterloo region has so many to choose from – including fellow Laurier entrepreneurs. Wishing everyone a merry, relaxing and safe holiday season!