Are you having a Dirty Santa party with friends soon? And are you looking for the best white elephant gifts everyone will fight for? Particularly, people who love to travel? Then these 40 awesome white elephant gift ideas are exactly what you need!
I selected a combination of practical, beautiful, random, and funny gifts for travelers. And of course, I also selected gifts for different budgets. Check out the editor’s pick of white elephant gifts everyone will fight for.
- Large budgets: Travel-sized beer pong (12)
- Mid budgets: Scratch-off maps (#28)
- Small budgets: How to swear around the world book (#33)
Table of Contents
What is white elephant gift exchange?
I’m guessing you already know what white elephant gift exchange is since you came to a post called white elephant gifts everyone will fight for. But just in case you don’t, here is a short explanation.
White elephant gift exchange (or Dirty Santa or Yankee Swap) is a party game that’s usually played around Christmas time. Each player brings a gift (the organizer usually decides what kind of gift and how much it should cost) and through a set of rules, the gifts are exchanged.
Check out the official white elephant gift exchange rules here. Though you can also set your own rules of course.
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Large budget white elephant gifts everyone will fight for
#1 USA beer cap map
Do you need white elephant gift ideas for an evening with beer lovers?
Then is the gift you need.
It’s a map of the USA with holes for beer caps!
#2 DIY limoncello kit
If you are organizing a Yankee Swap party with alcohol or Italy lovers, then this DIY limoncello kit will definitely be one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for.
And come on. Who doesn’t love Italy? (Or alcohol?)
The only thing they need to add to this kit is vodka, sugar, and lemon and you will have a delicious self-made limoncello!
#3 Jewelry roll
Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas for female travelers?
Then this Turkish-inspired jewelry roll is a great gift idea. It’s a safe and stylish way for women to take jewelry on a trip.
#4 Travel logbook
This travel logbook is one of the evergreen options if you are looking for white elephant gifts everyone will fight for.
All travelers love travel journals, but this one has taken journaling to a new level. It includes illustrations and prompts that make it so much easier to write about certain experiences. Plus the journal is designed to log your trips to every country in the world, instead of just one trip.
#5 Waterproof portable speaker
The mini portable speakers from JBL are another example of practical white elephant gifts everyone will fight for. And this time, it will not be limited to just travel lovers.
JBL is a great brand when it comes to high-quality sound systems. And this small portable speaker is no exception to that. It’s sand and waterproof, and despite its size, it can easily fill a room with amazing sounds.
#6 Piggy bank for travelers
White elephant gifts everyone will fight for are a combination of practical, fun, and unique items. And this piggy bank for travelers is a great example of that!
#7 Travel challenges deck of cards
I promised you I would include some practical and some random white elephant gift ideas on this list. And this deck of cards definitely falls into that last category.
It’s not a travel essential, but it’s a fun way for travelers to add some variation and spontaneity to their trips. These cards include 50 unique challenges for travelers to create a unique experience during their trips. Examples of challenges are learning a local craft, asking a local for a good spot, or having a phone and tech-free day.
#8 International DIY cheese-making kit
As a huge cheese lover myself, I am convinced that this is one of those white elephant gifts everyone will fight for! Assuming you’re having a Dirty Santa party with cheese lovers of course ;).
It’s a kit to make eight different batches of international cheeses, from Italian ricotta to Scottish crowdie.
For more inspiration check out the cheese lovers gift guide or the DIY international food kits.
#9 World flag color-in tablecloth
In the category of white elephant gift ideas to keep people occupied, this is definitely a best-seller.
A tablecloth in which you can color all the flags of the world. It might be advertised as a gift for children, I honestly believe that adults will enjoy this too.
#10 National flowers scratch-off map
This is probably one of the most unique scratch-off maps you will find. Instead of revealing a colored country as you scratch this map (check out #28 if that’s what you’re looking for), this map will reveal the country’s national flower!
It’s this unique aspect that will make this one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for!
#11 Travel-themed board game
I dedicated an entire post to finding the best travel-themed board games. So if you would like more board game ideas for travelers, definitely check that one out.
But one of my favorite games is Ticket to Ride, which is why I selected it as one of the white elephant gift ideas for travelers.
#12 More games for travelers: mini beer pong
For more game-related white elephant gift ideas, this travel-sized beer pong is a great gift!
#13 International tea samples
If you are having a gift exchange party with tea lovers, this will certainly be one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for. A tea sample of international teas!
From Taiwanese to Japanese teas, there is a flavor for everyone.
Oh and check out the next gift if you are organizing a Yankee Swap party with coffee lovers instead.
#14 Global coffee sampler
Here is one of the white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for if you are surrounded by coffee lovers!
This global sampler includes eight different whole bean coffee samples. And the cool thing is that you will never know which coffee beans you’ll get because it varies depending on the season. One thing you do know is that all samples are sourced from sustainable farms in different areas of the world.
Check out #17 for more white elephant gift ideas for coffee lovers.
#15 Global chocolate sampler
If your white elephant gift exchange part is with chocolate lovers, I guarantee that this will be one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for! Trader Joe’s chocolate passport box.
The box includes eight different chocolate bars, all made from cacao from different parts of the world. For example, Peru, Ghana, Tanzania, and more!
#16 DIY Chinese dumpling kit
This DIY Chinese dumpling kit is a great gift for a white elephant gift exchange party with travelers and non-travelers. Because if they’ve never been to China, who doesn’t love dumplings?
And how cool would be to make those at home?
You can also check out these 25 international DIY food kits for more food kits to make at home.
#17 Travel-sized espresso maker
When you are having a gift exchange party with coffee lovers, this might just be one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for.
It’s a travel-sized espresso maker, so travel lovers can make a good cup of coffee wherever they are.
Mid-budget white elephant gifts everyone will fight for
#18 Travel sleeping kit
If you are looking for practical white elephant gift ideas for travelers, then this travel sleeping kit is by far the best option. It includes everything travelers need to sleep comfortably while traveling.
The kit includes a memory foam pillow, a sleeping mask, earplugs, and a bag to carry this kit everywhere.
#19 International cookbook
Everyone loves street food. Period.
So how cool would it be to recreate those delicious foods at home?!
And what’s even cooler is that this book is not limited to just one country, it includes street food recipes from around the world.
#20 Beer holder sleeping bag
This sleeping bag beer cooler is one of the funniest and most random white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for. Especially beer and camping lovers!
#21 UK gin distilleries scratch map
This is one of the white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for if you are organized a gift exchange with gin lovers! They can keep track of all the distilleries they’ve visited in the UK, and expand their bucket lists with the distilleries they still need to visit.
#22 Margarita travel-sized cocktail kit
This is one of my favorite random white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for. Or at least, everyone who loves cocktails will fight for it.
It’s a travel-sized metal tin with all the ingredients to make a delicious margarita, the only thing that’s missing is alcohol.
#23 Places to see before you die book
If you are playing the Dirty Santa gift exchange game with travelers and you are not sure what kind of accessories or items they’ll like, then this is one of the safest white elephant gift ideas.
It’s an inspirational book with 1,000 awesome places everyone should see before they die, and I know that travelers particularly love browsing through such books!
#24 Travel-sized games
Bananagrams is a fun scrabble-kind of game. Except it’s faster and you don’t need a playing board. And that’s exactly why it is such a great travel game, you only need to bring this small banana bag to play the game.
And I guess this will be one of the white elephant gifts everyone will fight for if you are playing with game lovers. (And since white elephant gift exchange is also a kind of game, I am sure everyone will love Bananagrams).
#25 Pocket-size blanket
This pocket-size sand and waterproof blanket is another great travel-themed white elephant gift that everyone will fight for! Especially people who love camping or chilling at the beach.
#26 Photo album
This vintage-looking photo album is so much more than just a photo album. It’s an adventure book in which travelers can create the perfect memory book for their epic trips. And that is exactly why I think it’s a great white elephant gift that everyone will fight for.
#27 Collapsible travel mug
Are you having a Dirty Santa party with people who love coffee?
Then this collapsible travel mug will certainly be one of the white elephant gifts they will fight for.
It’s perfect for travelers because it’s such a small and lightweight mug.
#28 Scratch-off maps
Now I’m (almost) certain that this will be one of the white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for.
Travelers love maps and they love scratch-off maps even more. They love keeping track of all the places they have seen and all the places that are still to be discovered. And what’s cool about this gift is that it comes with two maps. One of the world and of the USA.
#29 Socks in a pizza box
This is one of the funniest white elephant gifts everyone will fight for. Especially if your friends are Italian pizza lovers!
#30 White elephant gift ideas for women: necklace
Do you need white elephant gift ideas for women who love to travel?
Then this necklace with a globe, a compass, and the text “going places” is perfect.
Small budget white elephant gifts everyone will fight for
#31 Travel laundry bag with world map
If you are looking for white elephant gifts everyone will fight for, especially travelers, then everything with a world map will work. For example this laundry bag.
Travelers really have a thing for world maps.
#32 Waterproof playing cards
Do you need practical and fun travel-themed white elephant gifts everyone will fight for?
Then a deck of cards is always a good idea.
And this deck of cards is even better for travelers because the cards are waterproof and thus perfect to take to the beach or pool!
#33 How to swear around the world book
This is one of the funniest adults-only white elephant gifts everyone will fight for. A book that will teach you how to swear in different languages!
#34 Luggage tags
These six funny luggage tags will surely be one of the white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for (if you are playing with travelers, of course).
#35 Passport cover
For more practical white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for, you should also check out all the beautiful passport covers on Amazon. Or go for this leather one with a compass.
#36 Whiskey soap
Are you surrounded by alcoholics? Then this will be one of the most random, yet popular white elephant gift ideas.
A soap bar that smells like whiskey. It’s the perfect funny small gift for a Yankee Swap party.
#37 White elephant gift ideas for women: make-up bag
This make-up bag is a good combination of funny and practical gifts for a white elephant gift exchange party.
#38 Public toilet survival kit
Are you looking for funny white elephant gift ideas?
Then this public toilet emergency survival kit is perfect.
I am sure that every traveler can remember a time when this survival kit would have come in handy. If I’m speaking for myself, I can think of plenty of times when I really, really did not want to touch anything in a public toilet.
#39 Fast-drying towels
Alright, I’ll admit. These travel towels may not be one of the most popular white elephant gifts that everyone will fight for. But they are a safe option if you are having a Dirty Santa party with travelers. So if you want to play it safe and you want to make sure everyone will at least think your gift is practical, then these fast-drying lightweight travel towels are perfect.
#40 Travel-themed coloring book for adults
The Lonely Planet travel-themed coloring book is one of those unique white elephant gift ideas that travelers will love. It’s a bit random but still fun!
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Final note on white elephant gift ideas
Alright, have fun at your Dirty Santa party! If you need a little more help, here are the editor’s favorite white elephant gift ideas by budget.
- Large budgets: Travel-sized beer pong (12)
- Mid budgets: Scratch-off maps (#28)
- Small budgets: How to swear around the world book (#33)
