Updated for Christmas 2026 · Sep 24, 2026

Funny Coworker Christmas Gifts and White Elephant Ideas

Funny gifts for coworkers for Christmas are the easiest way to win the office gift exchange, as long as it’s funny for everyone and not at someone’s expense. These 16 ideas get a laugh, stay work-appropriate and are mostly under $25. Most of them double as white elephant gifts, and the last few are the useful kind people actually steal.

Quick answer

Funny coworker gifts should poke fun at office life, not at the person: an “emergency meeting” button, a desk punching bag, a “this meeting could have been an email” mug, a service bell, or novelty sticky notes. For a white elephant exchange at work, mix in useful gifts people will steal, like a mug warmer or a hand warmer, and keep everything under $25.

By Andrei Zhizdra, Founder of Santa AI and Santa for Teams · How we make money

White elephant rules for work

Everyone brings one wrapped gift within the agreed limit, often $20–25, and draws a number. Player 1 opens a gift. Each next player either opens a new gift or steals one that’s already open, and whoever loses a gift picks again: open a new one or steal from someone else.

Two house rules keep it friendly: a gift is frozen after its third steal, and you can’t steal straight back the gift that was just taken from you. At the end, player 1 gets one chance to swap.

The gifts people fight over are funny and useful at the same time. Pure gag gifts that nobody wants slow the game down. If your team would rather each person buys for one named coworker, that’s Secret Santa: see how Secret Santa works at the office.

1Most memorableOne to pass to HR

A call from Santa for every employee, or their kids

Not a gift from one coworker to another: suggest it to HR or your manager. Santa calls every employee’s kids, or the employees themselves, by video, phone or personalized video. Nothing to ship.

✓ For kids or grown-ups
✓ Video call, phone call or video
✓ 29 languages, pay by invoice
✓ Order by Dec 15

Watch out: the grown-up version is playful, so preview it before sending to a very formal team.

Team size→$99.90Get an invoice for 10 employees →

Made by us · How we make money

Type a name and hear Santa say it

Funny gifts for coworkers for Christmas

Best overall

An “emergency meeting” button

$10–15📦 Needs shipping

A big red button that plays sound effects. It’s perfect for the colleague who books too many meetings.

Watch out: The novelty wears off fast, and it gets loud in open-plan offices.

See options on Amazon ↗

A desk punching bag

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

A small stress-relief bag on a suction base, for the desk everyone walks past.

Watch out: Suction bases often fall off desks. Pick one whose reviews mention the base staying put.

See options on Amazon ↗

A “this meeting could have been an email” mug

$12–18📦 Needs shipping

It’s the classic office joke, and everyone gets it.

Watch out: If the person runs a lot of meetings, it can read as a dig.

See options on Etsy ↗

A tiny desk bell for “service”

$8–12📦 Needs shipping

For the colleague everyone goes to with questions.

Our pick: Stainless Steel Service Bell, 2-pack

3.3 in wide, chrome-finished steel. One for the desk, one spare.

★ 4.7 from 16 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 1 of 16 reviews is 1★, about delivery, not the bell.

Watch out: It’s funny for a week and then annoying for the neighbors.

$10.99 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

Novelty sticky notes

$8–12📦 Needs shipping

Sticky notes with snarky printed designs, for the colleague who lives on sticky notes.

Watch out: Passive-aggressive notes can backfire if someone takes them personally.

See options on Amazon ↗

A “world’s okayest employee” trophy

$12–20📦 Needs shipping

A tiny trophy that ends up on the desk, not in a drawer.

Watch out: Coming from a manager, it can sting. Keep it between peers.

See options on Etsy ↗

A cat butt tissue holder

$12–18📦 Needs shipping

It’s silly, it’s useful, and it’s a guaranteed laugh.

Watch out: It’s funny to some and gross to others. Know the person’s sense of humor.

See options on Amazon ↗

A mini desk zen garden

$12–25📦 Needs shipping

Calm for the busiest person on the team, with a hint of irony.

Our pick: Keyohome Mini Desktop Zen Garden Kit

Wooden tray with sand, rake and stones, about 2.3 in tall.

★ 4.2 from 28 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 4 of 28 are 1–2★: a small tray with little sand, and one kit that arrived broken and messy.

Watch out: The sand goes everywhere. Some people find it more stressful than calming.

$23.98 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

Socks with their face on them

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

Custom socks printed with the coworker’s own face. It gets the biggest laugh of the gift exchange.

Watch out: It needs a photo the person is happy with, and custom orders take 1–2 weeks.

See options on Etsy ↗

A “do not disturb” desk sign

$5–15📦 Needs shipping

It’s useful and funny, especially in open-plan offices.

Our pick: Dimarongton Do Not Disturb Office Sign

10 × 5 in aluminum-composite sign, black.

★ 4.3 from 6 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: Only 6 reviews; the one 1★ gives no reason.

Watch out: In some teams it can read as a hint that they talk too much.

$4.99 at Walmart ↗Compare on Etsy ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

An office-themed card game

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

A party game about office life for the holiday party.

Watch out: Some party games include adult humor. Check the deck before bringing it to the office.

See options on Amazon ↗

White elephant gifts under $25 people actually steal

A mug warmer for the desk

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

In a white elephant, useful gifts get stolen. This one keeps coffee warm through three meetings and gets used every morning.

Watch out: Cheap ones only keep coffee warm, not hot. It works best with a flat-bottomed mug.

See options on Amazon ↗

Behome Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers, 2-pack

A rechargeable hand warmer

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

USB-charged and pocket-sized, for the walk to the train and the coldest desk in the office. Expect it to change hands a few times.

Our pick: Behome Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers, 2-pack

Two magnetic halves, 3 heat settings up to 140°F, up to 13 hours per charge.

★ 4.5 from 39 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 5 of 39 are 1–2★; the detailed one says the charging instructions are hard to follow.

Watch out: Battery life varies a lot. Check the listed hours before you buy.

$17.99 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A mini Bluetooth speaker

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

Small enough for a pocket, loud enough for the shower or the kitchen. A gadget almost everyone can use.

Our pick: VILINICE Portable Bluetooth Speaker

IPX7 waterproof, about 12 hours of battery, 15 W, Bluetooth 5.0.

★ 4.3 from 2,719 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 335 of 2,719 are 1–2★: units that stopped charging or shut off on their own, and thin sound with little bass. Expect a shower speaker, not a stereo.

Watch out: Don’t expect big sound at this price. Look for a waterproof rating if it’s headed for the bathroom.

$17.89 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A 1,000-piece puzzle

$12–20📦 Needs shipping

It gets opened, laughed at and then quietly stolen by the one person who loves puzzles.

Watch out: For non-puzzlers it’s a box on a shelf. A funny picture helps it win the room.

See options on Amazon ↗

♡ Your shortlist

Tap the heart on any idea, then send the list to your manager for approval.

Physical vs digital gift

Funny gifts usually work best as physical objects you can open in front of the team. For remote colleagues, a funny digital gift keeps the joke going on a video call.

Criterion	📦 Physical	📧 Digital
No shipping or packing	✗	✓
No home addresses to collect	✗for remote staff	✓
Works for remote and international teams	✗customs, delays	✓
Can still order in mid-December	✗order by mid-Nov	✓
Something to unwrap	✓	✗depends on the gift

Why you should trust us

Who writes this. Andrei Zhizdra builds Santa AI, which made more than 14,000 Santa greetings for families last Christmas. HR teams asked us what to give instead of another mug, and this guide is the answer.

How we choose. We favor gifts people use every day, gifts that reach families, and gifts that don’t create shipping headaches. Prices are typical ranges at major US retailers. Our six tests

What we skip. Logo merchandise, scented products and anything that ends up in a drawer by January. Idea #1 is our own product, and we say so. How we make money

Common questions

What are good white elephant gifts for work?

Gifts that are funny but still useful, so people want to steal them: a mug warmer, a rechargeable hand warmer, a mini Bluetooth speaker, a 1,000-piece puzzle, an “emergency meeting” button or a cat butt tissue holder. Skip anything about looks, age, politics or alcohol.

What’s a good price limit for a white elephant exchange at work?

$20–25 is a common limit at work: enough for a useful gift, low enough that nobody feels pressured. Whatever you pick, everyone should stick to it.

What is a good funny gift for a coworker?

Something that pokes fun at office life rather than at the person: meeting jokes, a desk bell, a stress-relief toy. Keep it under $25.

How do I make sure a funny gift isn’t offensive?

Skip anything about looks, age, weight, politics, religion or alcohol. If you would hesitate to open it in front of your manager, don’t give it.

Are funny gifts good for Secret Santa?

Yes, as long as the group agreed on a funny theme. Otherwise, pair a funny item with something useful.

More gift guides

CoworkersSmall gifts for colleaguesRead the guide →Under $25The sweet spot for most teamsRead the guide →Boss / managerGifting up, done rightRead the guide →Remote employeesDigital gifts, no shippingRead the guide →

Or browse all our christmas gift ideas for employees.