Gift idea help - $40 - Updated

[7costanza]

I know it’s early but I feel so much pressure to get something good, lol. I’m going to a holiday party in December and my H and I each need to bring a $40 gift for a dirty Santa type exchange. No white elephant, it has to be something people would actually like. It will be men and women in their 40s mostly but doesn’t necessarily need to be gender neutral. Last time I brought some nail polish stuff I love and it was not well received, the person who got it was actually extremely rude about not liking it (she was very drunk.) So far my ideas are:

-Bottle of champagne and a couple flutes
-Sephora or Ulta advent calendar (this is slightly over the price limit though)
-balsamic vinegar and olive oil from a local company
-Laneige lip mask set and $20 Sephora or Ulta gift card

Do any of these seem ok? Please help me and add your ideas!

Update: I went with the lip masks and $25 Sephora gift card and it was a hit! The person who picked it was happy, and someone stole it from her. Most people brought booze or cash, which were also popular. Thank you all for your input!

[archiethedragon]

Stanley water thing

[W.T.Faulkner]

I'd be psyched about a seltzer maker.

[jewel]

I once took a gift box full of lotto scratchers and that was a huge hit.

[zaneyzoo]

I'm doing a battery daddy for a dirty santa thing we have coming up. 
Last year, I put together a kitchen gadget package that had scrub daddies, a package of spurdles, some mircofiber clothes and stuff like that and it was a hit
For gift exchanges like this, I've started going more practical and useful because who needs more junk

[rhian]

I prefer consumable things at something like this rather than generic stuff that people probably don't need. Do you have a nice bakery nearby? What about a box of fancy pastries? Or $20 worth of pastries and a $20 gift card to the bakery?

[followyourarrow]

$40 in lottery tickets
Really nice chocolates from a local place
A gift basket of TJs holiday treats
I got this set of gourmet pb and it was delicious www.uncommongoods.com/product/peanut-butter-sampler?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_content=25.01to50

[NewGirlNic]

I like getting/gifting gift cards or booze for things like this (or the lotto scratch offs like jewel mentioned are always a hit)

Everyone's tastes are so different, it's really hard to get a perfect gift that fits all types of people. I would personally love an Ulta or Sephora advent calendar, but I have friends who wear next to zero makeup and are not into skincare. Others may love a Stanley water bottle, but I have an entire cabinet of water bottles (and travel mugs etc) and have zero desire for more. 

I once went to a holiday party where there was a gift exchange and someone got a little bullet vibrator and it was huge hit (and got a lot of laughs). But it was a bunch of very close friends. Not sure your relationship with the group... it could be awkward. 

[silvercrayon]

Apple AirTag key holder. Or just an Apple AirTag.

www.target.com/p/apple-airtag-leather-loop-saddle-brown/-/A-54566979

[ellipses84]

That was terrible of them!

After getting awful things in our families white elephant, I started bringing things I really like and want, with the goal to steal it or ask to trade after if the person doesn’t seem to like it. Often it’s been a gift card to Target, Starbucks or Ulta. I like the alcohol idea if most of the people drink, or the scratch tix.

For generic stuff, tech gadgets, $$ water bottles or luxurious throw blankets are nice.

Costco usually has soft side coolers that are like Yeti knockoffs that keep stuff cold for a long time. We have a backpack style and messenger style. For that price point I like 1 useful item.

[ZitchDog]

I frequently browse The Strategist for idea: nymag.com/strategist/gift-guides/

[gretchenindisguise]

We do this yearly with friends, I’ve done gift box from penzys, lotto tickets, gift card to a close by restaurant we all go to frequently.

[jinkies]

We brought Tile trackers one year and they were not well received. I had thought it was a good idea but people were openly annoyed to get them.

The only generic gifts I've ever seen adults get excited about are Lottery tickets and alcohol.

[deadwing]

I truly hate this type of gift exchange. Odds are you end up with something you don't really want. People squabble over the rules. It's not fun.

I'd stick with something cash-like (lotto scratchers, gift card) or consumable (food/booze).

[Roc A Bee]

I’m the definition of basic and like all the ideas you have listed.

[momin2013]

Bottle of wine + box of chocolates

[circa1978]

I am normally anti candle gifts but I happen to want a candle warming lamp and they are around that pricepoint.

[7costanza]

These are great ideas, thank you all! It sounds like the most popular are consumable and/or lotto tickets.

[7costanza]

Oct 25, 2023 14:25:28 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

That was terrible of them!

After getting awful things in our families white elephant, I started bringing things I really like and want, with the goal to steal it or ask to trade after if the person doesn’t seem to like it. Often it’s been a gift card to Target, Starbucks or Ulta. I like the alcohol idea if most of the people drink, or the scratch tix.

For generic stuff, tech gadgets, $$ water bottles or luxurious throw blankets are nice.

Costco usually has soft side coolers that are like Yeti knockoffs that keep stuff cold for a long time. We have a backpack style and messenger style. For that price point I like 1 useful item.

She was really nasty, it actually hurt my feelings and we skipped the party the next few years to avoid her. Hopefully she won’t be in attendance this year!

I almost bought a barefoot dreams throw from the Rack the other day but second guessed myself, lol. This group is unpredictable and I didn’t want a repeat of the mean girl behavior.

[bex1973]

OMG the balls it takes to openly complain about a gift! Be a normal person and just be gracious and quiet and then regift!

[minzy]

My first thought at $40 was a Yeti water bottle. I got a Yeti as a gift once and it’s top notch. I’m on the verge of replacing a different stolen stainless steel one and will probably make it a second Yeti. Stanley’s with the straw also seem to be very in with at least the tween crowd right now, too.

[ellipses84]

Another idea…
A colleague of mine decided all her work related gifts last year would “give back”. I got a pretty set of succulents and all proceeds go to a charity. It would be extremely ballsy to complain about a gift like that and even if someone did, you could know you did something good instead of giving a useless gift to someone ungrateful.

The Strategist link PP posted has a list called

The Best Holiday Gifts for Everyone (That Do Good, Too)

Some are high price points but you may be able to find things locally, or support a local small business even if it’s not for charity.

[clairebear]

My go to gifts are a giant box of nice toilet paper (I did this Christmas 2019, man were they grateful later!) Or a banana with cash taped to it, and then wrapped so it's obviously a banana. This was great because no one wanted it and then the last person to pick a was super happy when he unwrapped it.

[eb777888]

I like all of your original ideas.

[jewel]

This is really group specific, but I make cookies for my friend to take her work party, 1 dozen of her supervisor’s face. I think she usually adds a Starbucks gift card too. It’s so ridiculous, but always gets a good reaction.

[heygrey]

Oct 25, 2023 15:20:22 GMT -5 minzy said:

My first thought at $40 was a Yeti water bottle. I got a Yeti as a gift once and it’s top notch. I’m on the verge of replacing a different stolen stainless steel one and will probably make it a second Yeti. Stanley’s with the straw also seem to be very in with at least the tween crowd right now, too.

We have a house full of Yeti bottles/coffee tumblers/can koozies. I would be delighted to receive any of those again in a gift exchange. At the very least it's something I could easily regift later. 


I cannot imagine how upsetting it would be to have someone complain about the gift I brought. It would make me not want to participate too.  

[definitelyO]

I like your ideas and my first thought was also a really nice plush throw.
you could get some holiday themed platters/dishes with cute sayings on them.
one gift that was a big hit with our friend group (we do the same thing) was an insulated cooler back pack with a little cutting board, knife and salami/cheese
another hit was the snoop dogg cookbook - random - but fun pair with a dishtowel or holiday spatula, etc...
tote bags are big with our group - but that's pretty specific.

I personally like the give back ideas - but in these instances I think people will definitely want something tangible for them and they'll give back as they normally do (if that makes sense).

[maudefindlay]

If that lady is there tell her "Nice nails Bitch."

[tacokick]

Portable power banks are always a hit. They have ones where you can sort of attach them to your phone.

People can be so weird about gift swaps! We go two holiday parties with swaps. One is booze only and people complain about getting vodka or something else they didn’t drink. The other one is anything goes and we brought that year’s popular fancy cold cup and the person who got it acted like it was so weird that anyone would want to drink a cold beverage from an insulated cup when you could just use a drinking glass?

[livinitup]

2 years ago, I went to the liquor store and got a variety of mini liquor bottles and put them in a glass container/cookie jar that I bought at the Dollar Store. Big hit.

I would love a gift of nail polishes.