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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Winthrop chapter.

With the holidays coming up, your wallet might be hurting from all the gifts you have to buy. While white elephant gifts are probably the least of your worries, you don’t want to be like everyone else giving out fuzzy socks and mugs (not that those aren’t great gifts, but we are here to entertain).

A succulent

Who doesn’t love a cute and easy to take care of plant! Find one in a cute pot and you’ve got the perfect gift!

Hawaiian rolls

Everyone loves Hawaiian rolls! If the person who receives it doesn’t for whatever reason, it won’t be hard to trade.

A Lava lamp

The full-size ones can be pricey, but there are mini ones that make such a cute addition to any room!

A perfume/skincare/hair sampler set

Rather than risking getting someone a bottle of lotion they might hate the scent of, look into samples! These can be quite cheap if you’re not going for high-end brands.

A diffuser

Diffusers are surprisingly cheap and a great option for college students who can’t light candles in their dorms.

A Squishmallow or a weighted stuffed animal

Everyone would love to be gifted a new cuddle buddy! Bonus if its Christmas themed!

Like 5 boxes of pasta

Hear me out on this one. Dry pasta is only a dollar and doesn’t go bad for a year or two. It sounds weird but I know I would be grateful for a couple boxes of pasta.

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I hope this guide helped you find the perfect white elephant gift, and that you walk away with a present better than any of these ideas!

Heidi Knaak

Winthrop '26

i'm a elementary education major at winthrop! i love nature, animals and writing :)