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Hot Holiday Trend: White Elephant Gift Exchange

Tis the season to spread joy and promotional products.

More than 36 million Americans are taking part in gift exchanges called white elephant parties, according to online retailer Zulily. If you haven’t participated at a family gathering or in the office, it’s a game in which people exchange gag gifts that are then unwrapped and potentially swapped or even “stolen” by envious players. It’s a fun, silly tradition that seems to be on the rise in the US, offering an opportunity for promo firms to capitalize.

In a recent regional survey, Zulily found that 26% of Washington state residents hope to receive wine glasses that hold a full bottle. Meanwhile, 24% of Texans would like to receiver taco holders. An equal amount of Californians and Floridians (26%) prefer bubble wrap bodysuits. The possibilities of gag gifts are endless, leaving it up to the imagination and creativity of savvy distributors.

“White elephant is the perfect opportunity to get together, laugh with your friends and really create memories and bond,” Naama Bloom, vice president of brand at Zulily, told Cheddar, Inc. “During the holiday season, we make sure to have sales on our site that are specifically targeted to white elephant, office parties or even stocking stuffers.”

Zulily plans on hosting the biggest white elephant gift exchange in the country this week. On December 5 and 6, consumers in major markets can tweet @zulily with the hashtag #zulilygiftsweepstakes and the elephant emoji from 12:00 p.m. EST to 8:00 p.m. EST.

Then @zulily will respond with an automated link for participants to sign up for the chance to win gag gifts such as a Golden Girls coloring book, Narwhal neck pillow, quirky garden gnomes, unicorn mugs, bubble wrap pants & hoodie and (oh, poor Santa…) “reindeer farts” cotton candy.  

If selected, winners will play a quick round of white elephant gift exchange, faced with a choice to either “steal” a featured, unwrapped gift or take a chance on a mysterious wrapped gift curated from zulily’s top trending white elephant items. After the exchange, the gifts will be delivered within two hours.

Participating cities include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, Seattle, Boston, Miami and Oakland, CA.