A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked me for tennis-themed ideas for an upcoming “White Elephant” gift exchange. While I have written many posts on tennis-related gifts in the past, I was somewhat embarrassed to discover that I didn’t have well-formed content for that particular niche. This post corrects that oversight.
A “White Elephant” gift exchange is a popular holiday party game in which participants bring wrapped gifts to be exchanged in a playful and often humorous way. Some people believe a “White Elephant” gift is quirky, funny, or borderline useless. I am from the camp that leans more toward the practical direction.
The way a “White Elephant” gift exchange typically works is that each participant brings an unmarked wrapped gift to the party. Names or numbers are put into a hat and drawn to determine the selection order. The first person picks out a gift from the pile and opens it so everyone can see it. Subsequent participants can either select a new wrapped gift or “steal” one that has already been opened. When a gift is stolen, the person who lost it can either select a new one from the pile or steal another one. Usually, direct “steal backs” are not allowed, and there is a three-steal limit per gift. The game continues until the gift pile is exhausted, at which point all participants will have… something.
Usually, a cost limit is imposed or suggested for “White Elephant” gift exchanges. Consequently, I have broken down my gift ideas into three nominal price points.
As a reminder, all proceeds from the affiliate links appearing on this site are donated with a 100% match through the end of this year. The National Women’s Tennis Organization (NWTO) is the designated beneficiary this year. Fiend At Court participates in the Amazon associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article.
White Elephant Tennis Gifts Under $10
Inappropriate String Dampeners (NSFW)
These string dampeners are full of tennis sentiment and a lot of F-bombs. If these are too spicy for you, you might consider dampeners with the poop emoji, or ones with legitimate inspirational messages.
Love hurts… and sometimes tennis does as well. Every tennis player should carry bandages in their racquet bag. Why not these?
Fidget toys are often used to channel excess energy or nervousness. This tennis-themed popper will be a popular item for the perpetually distracted.
The Wilson Triniti ball inspires strong opinions. This is an icebreaker to find out which side of the debate your people fall on.
Pickle juice shots are a quick fix to on-court cramping issues. It seems like a gag gift (see what I did there?), but it is a genuinely useful item for tennis players.
White Elephant Tennis Gifts Under $20
It’s ridiculously expensive as far as pasta goes, but this could make for a nice pasta salad at your next pot luck luncheon.
Is there a whisky drinker in the house? This is the item for that person.
A tennis training device that works better than most people think. All you need is a flat surface and a little space.
A kitschy wine glass with socks to match.
Maybe fill this pouch with chocolate kisses to sweeten the deal. (Kisses… get it?)
White Elephant Tennis Gifts Under $30
No one really needs a tennis nutcracker, but this one is pretty cute.
This is close to a legitimate gift. This would be the item that I would most likely steal at a White Elephant exchange.
I have no idea why this product exists, but it’s perfect for a tennis White Elephant exchange.
Paired with a bottle of wine, this will probably be a popular item.
Tennis Net Checker and Bottle Opener
All tennis players should have something to measure the net height in their bags. This one doubles as a bottle opener.
As a reminder, all proceeds from the affiliate links appearing on this site are donated with a 100% match through the end of this year. The National Women’s Tennis Organization (NWTO) is the designated beneficiary this year. Fiend At Court participates in the Amazon associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article.
