Teacher Gifts and White Elephant Gift Ideas People Actually Want

Teacher gifts and white elephant gifts have one thing in common: they work best when they're useful, a little fun and easy to love. Nobody needs another "World's Best Teacher" mug, and nobody wants to go home from the office party with a scented candle they didn't pick.

This list is split in two. The first half is for teachers, coaches, bus drivers and anyone who looks after your kids all year. The second half is for gift swaps, white elephant and Yankee swap parties, where the goal is a gift people actually steal.

1. Teacher gifts they'll use every day

Teachers often stock their classrooms out of their own pockets, so gifts that replace everyday supplies are always appreciated. Pair any of these with a handwritten note from your child; many teachers say the note is the part they keep.

Paper Mate Flair felt-tip pens

Flair pens are a classroom classic for grading, planners and bulletin boards. The 12-count pack comes in a rainbow of colors and the tips don't bleed through most paper.

O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream

Hand sanitizer, dry erase markers and winter air are rough on hands. This concentrated cream comes in a small jar that fits in a desk drawer, and a little goes a long way.

Contigo West Loop travel mug

A travel mug that seals with the push of a button and doesn't leak in a tote bag is a real upgrade for anyone who carries coffee from the car to the classroom. It keeps drinks hot for hours.

Burt's Bees lip balm 4-pack

Small, useful and easy to split. Give a full pack to one teacher or tie one tube to a card for each of the classroom aides, specials teachers and the front office staff.

Gritin rechargeable book light

Teachers tend to be readers. This clip-on light has adjustable brightness and several light color settings, and it recharges by USB, so there are no batteries to buy.

Make it a set: put the pens, hand cream and lip balm in the travel mug, tie on a bow and add the card.

2. White elephant gifts people actually steal

The best swap gifts are useful or fun right away. Here are picks that tend to get stolen.

Dash mini waffle maker

A 4-inch waffle maker that also makes hash browns, paninis and cookies. It's small, cheerful and comes in lots of colors, so it tends to get stolen quickly.

Exploding Kittens

A fast, funny card game that teaches in two minutes and plays in about fifteen. It works for family gatherings as well as office parties, and the box is small enough to fit in a stocking.

Bananagrams

A word game in a zip pouch that needs no board and no pencil. It's quick, portable and works for ages seven and up, so it's a safe pick when you don't know who'll end up with it.

Stanley IceFlow flip straw tumbler

A big insulated tumbler with a flip straw and a carry handle. It keeps drinks cold for hours and fits most car cup holders.

HotHands hand warmers

A bulk box of hand warmers is the swap gift that seems funny until January, when it becomes the most useful thing anyone took home. Throw in a note that says "for the bleachers, the bus stop and the car."

How a white elephant swap works

If you're hosting, keep the rules simple and say them out loud before you start:

1. Everyone brings one wrapped gift and draws a number.
2. Number one opens a gift from the pile.
3. Each next person either opens a new gift or steals one that's already open. Someone who loses a gift picks again.
4. A gift can only be stolen a set number of times (three is common) before it's "frozen."
5. Number one gets a final chance to swap at the end.

Have slips of paper and a bowl ready, and keep a trash bag handy for wrapping paper.

How to wrap swap gifts so they get noticed

• Disguise the shape. Put small gifts in a bigger box so nobody can guess.
• Use bright paper. Colorful paper and a big bow get picked first.
• Add a hint. A little rhyming clue on the tag adds to the fun.

Teacher and swap gift checklist

• Count every teacher, aide, coach and bus driver before you shop
• Buy multipacks that split easily (pens, lip balm, hand warmers)
• Write the notes early, while kids are still excited about it
• Check the swap rules before you buy
• Keep gift receipts in an envelope just in case

Need more ideas? See our outdoor stocking stuffers, gifts for homebodies and DIY Christmas gift baskets.