White elephant participant ends up with 25 cans of green beans, is upset since he went over-budget for his gift: 'Try not to make someone as sad as I was opening my package last night'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Dec 19, 2025 10:00 PM EST

White elephant is always a risk. It's part of the fun of the game. You never know what you're going to end up taking home. But it's a good rule of thumb to keep your expectations low and not go over budget. I am also always a fan of a gag gift in these types of situations. You never know what someone might actually want, so it's good practice to just try to make them laugh instead. Bonus points if it's biodegradable and won't create any waste or unnecessary junk for the gift recipient. The person in this story didn't quite agree with me, though, and was upset when they opened their gift. 

When you're getting together to exchange gifts with friends, you have to keep your expectations low. You can't go into it thinking you'll come out with the perfect gift, even if you think you provided the perfect gift. You have to let go of your estimation of yourself as a gift-giver and just give yourself over to chaos. But that's not what happened in this story.

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  • A group of people stand around a table with presents, exchanging gifts.
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • After putting in a little more effort than he should have for a friend group's gift exchange, he was pretty disappointed when he opened his gift. The way he saw it, he was miffed and wanted some people to know. The way the rest of the group saw it, it was funny and practical. Read on for the full story and see commenters' reactions. 

  • Got screwed over in a white elephant gift exchange...

    So last night I was at at Christmas party where everyone was asked to bring a wrapped $25 white elephant gift for exchange. White elephant gifts are often meant to be silly, but in this group we usually get cool/practical/random things that are actually useful. Everyone did great picking out cool items and the game was a lot of fun... until it was my turn to pick.
    via u/dental_oddity
  • I chose a big heavy box, excited to find out what was inside. I tear open the wrapping paper and open up this taped up box to find.... 25 cans of green beans! Are you freaking kidding me?! For context other gifts that people brought included a mini igloo cooler (with soda inside), a mini smoothie blender, bottles of alcohol, a candle warmer with a candle, party games, etc. But of course, I was the one who ended up with the gag gift of more green bean cans than I know what to do with.
    via u/dental_oddity
  • The part that feels sh*ttiest is that I went a little over budget on the gift I brought, and ended up with something I couldn't get anyone to take off my hands. Ugh! If you're involved in a white elephant gift exchange this season, try not to make someone as sad as I was opening my package last night.. :(
    via u/dental_oddity
  • Edit: I donated the green beans to a local homeless shelter, they didn't go to waste! Edit #2: I didn't think that I would receive such an overwhelming response to this post. Trying to get through all the comments and funny stories and apparently criticism over not wanting 25 cans of green beans e
    via u/dental_oddity
  • Also for people wondering - it was not an office white elephant exchange. This was a group of friends/family at a small holiday party.
    via u/dental_oddity

  • Commenters weighed in on this story.

    deanbb30 I go into those expecting absolutely nothing, so am never disappointed. I have white elephant exchanges on Thursday and Saturday, wish me luck.
    via u/deanbb30
  • A pile of different canned food goods
    via Jacob McGowin

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • oncohead My work had to stop doing white elephant several years ago because one person threw a pouty sissy fit when someone stole from them. They were supposed to go choose another, unopened gift upon the stealing, but she sat with her arms crossed, saying she didn't wantt
    via u/oncohead
  • anything and she was done playing. Instantly ruined the whole thing. The next year she told everyone how she didn't want what she ended up with, and that it was trash. The next year she pouted when the recipient of the gift she brought didn't like the Christian music CD of her favorite artist. He is Jewish. So we stopped doing it until she got fired. This is the first year we are trying it again. I'm nervous.
    via u/oncohead
  • jumper33 considering it's "white elephant" you have to go into it expecting the worst so you're never disappointed.
    via u/jumper33
  • Persequor you could donate them to a local shelter or food pantry - turn a gag gift that you're disappointed in, into something meaningful for someone else.
    via u/Persequor
  • LeaJadis Imao...... I'm guessing that you chose the biggest heaviest box. That's a chumps game. oldest trick in the book.
    via u/LeaJadis
  • centralnm Leave cans of green beans in random places throughout the office.
    via u/centralnm
  • d_... Am I the only one here who experienced these as going silly as possible? The best part is regifting the worst one the next year. e: Okay I got it yall we are all goofy and mean
    via u/d_marvin
  • Achsin I expect whatever money I spend on such exchanges to be a lost cause and the most likely outcome is that whatever I end up getting in return will be thrown away within a week. 25 cans of green beans actually sounds a lot nicer than most of the white elephant gifts I've ended up with in the past.
    via u/Achsin
  • IceyAml So a couple years ago my daughters scout troop did white elephant and one of the girls thought it was supposed to be a funny things and brought a brick . The girl that got it was young and kinda heart broken. Another girl thought it was funny and traded for it and it became our troop mascot. He got a name, Dwayne the brick Johnson, and got brought to all meetings and events
    via u/IceyAml
  • Dr_Ingheimer They made it heavy on purpose and you fell for the trick. You also spent a little over the budget. You think that's a nice thing to do, but that raised your expectations even if you want to believe otherwise. You fell for the prank after setting yourself up for disappointment. That sucks, but next time don't do that.
    via u/Dr_Ingheimer
  • 1dirtbiker I find it mildly infuriating when people go "a little over budget" on a white elephant or secret Santa gift exchange. The budget is there for a reason. If you haven't watched The Office Christmas party episode, please do. You are Michael Scott.
    via u/1dirtbiker
  • JohnHazard Wand... You seem like you were a little greedy since you went for the heaviest gift. I don't think you understand the concept of gifts giving.
    via u/JohnHazardWandering
  • justeatmorechoco... Reminds me of Michael Scott signing up for secret Santa, choosing to go over budget, and then throwing a fit when the gift he receives isn't of the same "caliber." You signed up for a silly Christmas game that revolves around completely random gifts and "stealing" from each other.
    via u/justeatmorechocolate
  • You went in for the biggest gift, and that got you a bunch of green beans lol now you know the biggest gift isn't always the best, and that there's a budget for this reason. Don't choose to go over the budget and pout later when you don't like the gift YOU picked out.
    via u/justeatmorechocolate
  • I'd personally much rather end up with food I can donate instead of cheap, tiny, kitchen appliances that I'd never use.
    via u/justeatmorechocolate
  • TurpitudeSnuggery That's why you just always choose your own gift
    via u/TurpitudeSnuggery
  • Funkyydingo I received a sweet potato through white elephant the first year I was away from home for holidays... I was with a group of older folks who I had just started working with - everyone laughed. A few hours later it was proposed that I take another gift. It was a potato!
    via u/Funkyydingo
  • The12th_secret_s... I'd much rather have 25 cans of green beans than a shitty mini blender or cooler. You can donate some cans to the less fortunate. • tons of winter recipes use canned green beans easy side dish for dinner They last forever so you don't have to worry about them going bad in 3 mos.
    via u/The12th_secret_spice
  • KeimeiWins The all-time favorite gift I ever gave my office White elephant gift exchange was 25 boxes of jiffy corn muffin mix. Stolen 5+ times. One man's trash is another man's treasure!
    via u/KeimeiWins
  • Ferro_Giconi Can I have the green beans? | like canned green beans. They are a really low calorie convenient snack.
    via u/Ferro_Giconi
  • frenchlavender I would have liked that gift. Food is expensive these days. At least it's useful.
    via u/frenchlavender
  • Perfecshionism The big heavy box was meant to punish someone that chose based on perception of a higher "value" gift. Kind of an old trick.
    via u/Perfecshionism

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white elephant game gift exchange presents christmas gifts gag gift infuriating green beans
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