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If you’re tasked with finding great Yankee swap gift ideas and wondering, “Uh, how is this different from a white elephant party?,” let us help. During a Yankee swap, everyone in a group (like your office) brings a wrapped gift, draws a number (the higher the better), and the lowest number starts by choosing and opening a present from the pile. Each subsequent person then selects and unwraps a new gift and decides to keep or, unlike at a white elephant party where you just grab a gift from the pile, here you can swap it with an already opened one. Ultimately, you go home with what’s in your hands. To make it even more fun, we suggest going big with your wrapping, either in ways that fully disguise what’s inside or draws attention to it if, say, it’s a funny shape (mini Bop It!, anyone?)
Similar to white elephant and Dirty Santa gift exchanges, Yankee swaps typically have a low price cap. This budget—and not knowing just who will wind up with your contribution—encourages you to get creative with your shopping. Forget gift cards and lottery tickets. Gag gifts and silly games reign supreme here, as well as more practical picks (like a tiny Bluetooth radio or pasta-shaped pot grips) and quirky, unique gifts (like a miniature pickleball set or a DIY s’mores kit). Need a hand hunting down a present that everyone will want to steal—er, swap for? It was our pleasure to round up some of the best Yankee swap gifts, almost all of which are under $20. Enjoy!
The best Yankee swap gift ideas, at a glance
- Best Overall: Build-on Brick Coffee Mug, (
$16) $12 - Best for Coworkers: Exploding Kittens Presents Poetry for Neanderthals, $20
- Best for Friends: Le Sigh Tee, $25
- Best Under $10: Lightsaber Chopsticks, $9
- Best Under $15: Burt’s Bees Essential Kit, $11
- Best Under $25: Yuletide Stemless Wine Glass, $16
- Best Gag Gift: Toilet Golf, $16
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World’s Smallest Bop It!
Believe it or not, but this teeny, tiny Bop-It! game is one of Glamour‘s bestselling gifts on Amazon. It’s delightfully small, nostalgic, and really works.
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Dash Mini Waffle Maker
This $10 gadget pops out hot, fresh, heart-shaped waffles—the perfect start to any morning.
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Build-on Brick Coffee Mug
They can use the packs of Legos included with this coffee mug to build a whole world along the sides of the cup. It’s a great gift for adults and gift for kids, too.
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Burt’s Bees Essential Kit
A bestseller for the value is this cheap gift. The under-$15 stocking stuffer set is packed with all of the skin-care essentials needed for winter (nourishing hand cream, chapstick, body butter, and more).
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Geekey Multi-Tool
This useful multitool fits on any keychain but has a staggering 16 different functions, including screw driver, protractor, ruler, bottle opener, and bike spoke key. It’s the perfect gift for the person who hates being unprepared.
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DIY Edible Butter Candle Kit
TikTok made butter candles go viral, and this DIY kit helps your recipient craft their very own. Once lit, the candle melts into a delicious, whipped appetizer that they can pair with a crusty loaf.
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Yuletide Stemless Wine Glass
This festive wine glass contains a glittering Christmas tree that is revealed as they sip. They’ll look forward to toasting with it all holiday season long.
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The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook by Valentina Mussi”,”dek”:[“div”,[“p”,”Add a host of Internet-tested recipes to their life, such as pancake cereal, mug cakes, and spicy cheese puff-crusted chicken tenders—surprising dishes and drinks they’ll love exploring and creating in their own kitchen. If you’re playing with teens, they’ll definitely fight for this one.”]],”functionalTags”:[],”id”:”66e881f4edb644868719e00a”,”isHedClickable”:false,”isPromotion”:null,”name”:”The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook by Valentina Mussi”,”offers”:[{“offerUrl”:”https://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-TikTok-Cookbook-Internet-Breaking-Recipes/dp/1507215851″,”price”:”$18″,”currency”:”USD”,”purchaseUri”:”https://cna.st/p/2jeUyzVq98BcF2nJf9yFUu5zLwd1FccUeLPvxqEsaJwTXKUDjZEiky7YX32XwcnE1FF2zRfVwdqLYpaDWMVc42yjm2Ao6qa5VudDUvmmcneK1n23F46VE1qcxuXq35KyyJSN2nwaM4vQjuRGA2o4LQMEqDLfLA1CwrgpdVkuUcsr5CX4d6YKWjT2cFxvNJFFNKdfn6iD8iWRBswQV49zqX1tPXRLABKcZ17RtsYBXg6eYGMESYQt3wJt13ZCJbo5J5KDYdu7B55qRxM29ZRevdXsVmfFLNomY6aF3D139VKqJxT3k”,”reducedPrice”:”$10″,”sellerName”:”Amazon”,”countryCode”:”US”}],”promotionHed”:null,”promotionText”:null,”socialIconsProps”:{“links”:[{“network”:”Pinterest”,”label”:”Post to Pinterest”,”url”:”https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.glamour.com%2Fgallery%2Fyankee-swap-gift-ideas&media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.glamour.com%2Fphotos%2F66e882294419561359486b90%2Fmaster%2Fw_1200%2Cc_limit%2FThe%2520Unofficial%2520TikTok%2520Cookbook.png&description=The%20Unofficial%20TikTok%20Cookbook%20by%20Valentina%20Mussi”}]},”itemSocialSharesProps”:{“showBookmark”:false,”links”:[]},”showLocalisedOffers”:true,”isUpcEnabled”:true,”index”:7,”showClampedProductDescription”:false,”isMobileView”:false,”hasMultipleImageSupport”:true,”showImageCreditText”:true,”showMultipleImageCount”:4,”hasProsConsFeature”:false,”hasRatingFeature”:false,”pros”:[],”cons”:[],”rating”:””,”isPrimeExclusive”:false,”shouldUseAmazonPrimeDayLiveAPIData”:true,”order”:7,”totalCount”:32,”preHeaderOne”:”8/32″,”showOrderedGallery”:false,”hasAffiliateLinkDisabled”:false,”layout”:”ProductEmbed”,”component”:”unified_product_card”,”hasMultipleImage”:false,”componentType”:true,”showProsConsData”:false,”showBadge”:false}”>
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The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook by Valentina Mussi
Add a host of Internet-tested recipes to their life, such as pancake cereal, mug cakes, and spicy cheese puff-crusted chicken tenders—surprising dishes and drinks they’ll love exploring and creating in their own kitchen. If you’re playing with teens, they’ll definitely fight for this one.
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Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag
This viral $20 Uniqlo bag is a crowdpleaser. It’s trendy, minimal, and so useful. “I see this bag everywhere in New York. I think it’s because despite its trim size, it stretches to store so many things: my Kindle or a book, a water bottle, compact umbrella, phone, makeup, you name it,” says Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs.
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ChopSabers Lightsaber Chopsticks
Stars Wars fans will fight over—or fight with, really—this set of chopsticks that look (and light up like) lightsabers.
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Toilet Golf
The best Yankee swap gifts have little do with practicality and everything to do with absurdity. Case in point: This little green mat that’s designed to double as a mat for your giftee’s toilet, keeping their feet warm and giving them a way to practice their putting skills with the included club, golf balls, and cup with flag. Ridiculous, yes, but worth it for the laugh everyone will share when the gift’s opened.
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Le Sigh Tee
Here’s a cozy, to-the-point T-shirt printed with a sentiment that everyone can relate to. (Tip: Order a larger size so it’s likely to fit whoever picks it.)
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Casofu Burrito Blanket
Glamour shoppers can’t get enough of this tortilla. Blanket, that is. Your giftee can roll right up in it and look like a cute lil’ burrito. Nom, nom.
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Desktop Pickleball Game
If you’re Yankee swapping with coworkers, opt for a game that fits right on their desk. We like this adorable pickleball set that includes tiny paddles, a net, and a ball.
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Farfalloni-Shaped Pot Holders
Who doesn’t like pasta? (If it’s you, we don’t want to hear it.) Though they look like noodles, these farfalles are actually handy silicone grips that will protect their fingers from hot pot handles.
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Zulay Kitchen Handheld Milk Frother
This rechargeable frother whips milk into cappuccino foam, saving them time and money on coffee-shop runs, making it another great, safe choice if you’re playing at work or with family. It’s also handy for making matcha lattes, whisking eggs, and mixing powders.
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Exploding Kittens Presents Poetry for Neanderthals
You can’t go wrong with a party game, especially one that’s good for almost all ages. Our shopping editor plays this one with her friends. “Basically, you have to get your teammates to guess what word is on your card but can only describe it with one-syllable words,” says Griggs, who received it at a holiday party. “If you slip up, you get smacked with an inflated stick. It’s a little bit dumb but easy and fun to play.”
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Etsfmoa Beanie With Light
This beanie has a rechargeable headlamp built in. It’ll keep their ears warm and light their way when they have to take the dog out at night. Neat, huh?
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Army Man Bottle Opener
Shopping with a $10 budget? Try this toy soldier, which pops open their beer using the force of its gun.
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Mini Flask Keychain
Here’s a chic take on a flask. The pearl-studded, bow-emblazoned flask attaches to their via keychain and holds an ounce of liquid—just enough for a baby shot.
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Shargeek USB C Charger
This tiny charger pays homage to retro Mac computers of the late 1990s. It quickly charges phones, laptops, and tablets and its screen cycles through colors that indicate what charging status your giftee’s using (none, regular, fast, super-fast).
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Gaiatop Avocado Rechargeable Handwarmer
Split this “avocado” in half to find two rechargeable hand warmers (one for each pocket). Each side takes three seconds to heat and stays hot for three to four hours—enough time for a long walk or outside tailgate on a bitterly cold day. So handy and so cute!
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World’s Smallest Vac
This palm-size vacuum actually works! Talk about a cool, clever way to keep the crumbs out of your keyboard.
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Ecolution Micro-Pop Microwave Popcorn Popper
The person with a popcorn addiction can measure kernels in the lid of this device, pour them inside, then microwave the whole pitcher for less than three minutes to churn out a fresh snack. It’s a cheaper alternative to bags of popcorn, and your giftee will get lots of use out of it if they regularly host movie nights.
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Squishmallows Squooshems: Food Series 5-Pack
These squishy toys are having a serious moment with teens, and who could blame them? This themed pack includes seriously cute food staples (a burger, boba tea cup, and French fries among them) that they can unpack and squeeze in their hands in moments of stress.
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Kinky Truth or Dare: Pick-A-Stick
Save this game for a Yankee gift exchange or Christmas party with people you know well. It’s a classic set of pick-up sticks, except each stick contains a naughty truth or dare.
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Nostalgia Tabletop Indoor Electric S’mores Maker
Here’s a foodie gift that we’re sure everyone will try to swap for: a set that includes everything needed for an indoor s’mores night.
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Free People Bag Of Luck
Everyone could use a little luck, so why not a bag of it? This present’s filled with fortune-favoring charms and crystals.
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Zayad Record Coasters
Each coaster in this cheeky gift set resembles a vinyl record, but look closely before placing a drink on them and notice the names of the albums (“Rest On Me!” and “No Marks on the Table” among them).
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5 Second Rule Uncensored Card Game
During this card game, each player has just five seconds to spit out answers to categories like “Things You Do in Water” and “Reasons to Call In ‘Sick.’” The time constraint forces players to think on their feet (and say the silliest, most memorable things).
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Modern Innovations Mini Black Cast Iron Skillet Set
Most people probably own a cast-iron skillet, but what about palm-size ones they can prep a single egg or cookie in? Squee.
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Dosmix Retro Bluetooth Speaker
This radio harkens back to the 1950s with its retro design, but don’t be fooled. The pocket-size device is actually a Bluetooth speaker that looks great on a desk or bookshelf and ensures their jams are always playing.
