Throw a Favorite Things Party
Have you ever been to a favorite things party? Similar to a white elephant party or Secret Santa, a favorite things party is a gift exchange type of party. But instead of bringing a silly gift that will undoubtedly never be used or buying for a specific person, you get to bring one of your favorite things to gift and share with someone else! It’s such a fun event!
Usually every year I host a favorite things party or go to one with girlfriends, a bookclub, church group, bunco, etc. It’s a fun way to get people together for the holidays this time of year! There are a few ways to host a favorite things party, but the main concept is that you bring a gift that is within a pre-decided upon price range to give to someone else. Let me break down the ways to play:
Favorite Things Party
Option 1:
This works best for very small groups. Guests will bring enough of their item for each person in attendance. For example if someone has a favorite lip mask, they would bring one for each of the other guests and have the opportunity to explain why they love it so much. You’d set a limit on how much you can spend on each individual gift. So maybe each individual gift shouldn’t cost more than $15, since you’ll be buying multiple of each gift. Then everyone will walk away with multiple gifts!
Option 2:
This works better for larger groups. Guests bring a set number of their items. Instead of bringing one gift for everyone, guests would buy a specified amount of their gift, say 3. Once guests explain their favorite thing, then this could take on more of a white elephant approach or numbers can be drawn to determine who gets what. Guests will still the favorite things party leave with multiple gifts!
Option 3:
Everyone brings one gift. This works really well if you want to increase the spending limit to allow guests to bring more of an investment piece as their favorite item. Everyone will present their gift to the group and then a white elephant approach is taken. With this style, make sure rules are established about stealing and trading. Guests will leave with one higher ticket item!
Below I’ve listed out some of my favorite items that would be great to bring as your potential favorite items to a favorite things party! Most of the prices total around $20-$30, but some of the sets of items could be broken apart into multiple gifts to meet smaller budget requirements. One of my favorite ways to give gifts is to create themes bundles with a couple of different, but related items. So I’ve also paired items together that I think would make great gift bundles, and those can be broken apart into individual gifts as well!
Favorite Things Gift Ideas
1. Joyspun lounge set. Comes in 7 colors and a range of sizes from S-3x. I wear a small. It even comes with a matching scrunchy. This is a great gift for under $20.
2. Ice roller and cozy house socks. This is a self-care gift that can be bundled together or separated to fit your favorite things budget. Together under $30.
3. Christmas tree drink dispenser with your favorite holiday drink recipe. This is the perfect holiday theme gift for your friends who love to entertain. Attach a recipe card with my Wassail Cider recipe to give them an idea of what to fill it with! It can also double as holiday decor. I like to keep mine on my counter all season long because it’s so cute. It can also double as holiday decor. Under $20.
4. Holiday Geometry towel and Meyers Holiday scent soap. This is a kitchen favorite for all! Voted #1 kitchen towel of 2023, this towel is super absorbent and has so many cute prints to match any decor. And of course we all love Meyers holiday scents, my top 2 favorites are Orange Clove and Iowa Pine. Bundled together at $20.
5. Laneige gift set. Amazon has 4 different gift sets of everyone’s favorite lip product ranging from $20-$32. They are packaged so cute and just the perfect gift for a favorite things party. Break the gift sets apart to create multiple smaller gifts.
6. Amber glass soap dispenser with tray. Fill with your favorite soap and a cute bow for a classy bathroom decor gift. They come with labels so you can decide what you can fill them with whether it be shampoo, conditioner, lotion, or soap. $23.
7. Kitsch heatless curl gift set and Moroccan Oil Frizz Shield Spray. Bundled together this gift is $35, however it can be gifted separately too for under $20 for each item. My girls and I love these and they make mornings so much faster and not to mention much less heat damage!
8. For your treat lovers. A cute ice cream bowl set that can double for any entertaining spread and the best ice cream scoop with heat conducting aluminum for the perfect scoop every time. Bundled together under $30. If you are an ice cream maker you could even include your fav homemade ice cream recipe for a personal touch.
9. Kitsch silk scrunchies and Moroccan Oil Hydrating Oil and Mask gift set. This is the perfect combo to hydrate and protect your hair while sleeping. Gift both items individually, or bundle them together for just under $40. Both are items I love and use often.
10. Coffee or Hot chocolate lovers gift. Anthropologie has the cutest bistro espresso cup and saucer set and mugs. Perfect for sipping your warm holiday drinks from each morning.
11. Christmas Cookie stamp set and flour sack towel. Such a cute holiday themed gift for someone who loves to bake and for only $25. These come in a set of 3 and can be broken up into separate gifts as well – 1 stamp + 1 towel. That way you get 3 gifts for $10 each.
Switch up your annual White Elephant gift exchange party, for a favorite things party! There is so much joy in getting to share some of your favorite things with your favorite people. And if you’re still on the hunt for gifts, check out my 2023 Amazon Gift Guides HERE and HERE.
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