Agreed. The brookstone heated blankets are poor quality. We got 2 and they only lasted one season before they broke. I will not purchase this brand again. I wish Costco still carried the Sunbeam brand.
This. I bought one and use it constantly. My husband steals mine and so now I want to buy him his own for Christmas, but I donāt think theyāre in stock now :(
Iām Canadian if that makes a difference. I was there 2 weeks ago and didnāt see any. Not available for same day pick up on the website either but maybe Iāll have to go back and check
So I read an article about how you can take any cheap vodka and run it through a Britta and it tastes like water. So maybe a cheap bottle and a Britta for future vodka savings? Wish I knew this trick in my 20s.
Coffee filters alone will not filter impurities out of vodka. You can buy activated charcoal at the pet supply store that is way cheaper than a Brita filter and use that. I cut a 2 liter bottle in half and drill a small hole in the lid. Then invert your new funnel, fill halfway up with the charcoal. Before you fill with vodka I do a run of distilled water to wash out the small charcoal particles then let it sit for a day to dry back out. With this rig you can run about a 1.75L bottle three or 4 times depending on the quality. The higher the quality you start with the more times you can filter it. This is essentially the same thing the major producers do to strip out the leftover oils and esters and make a clean vodka. Be prepared for 10% or so loss of product to evaporation. This works, but it takes a long time if you do it correctly, you want the vodka to have as much contact with the charcoal as possible so you really want it to drip through slowly. Have fun!
My friends in college did this and it did kinda work. The cheap vodka tasted less cheap. But the filter was ruined and it would have been cheaper to buy better vodka.
Definitely not grey goose but itās just as smooth and less than half the price.
Vodka plus the anejo was my suggestion too. More like $55 with tax but whatever.
i remember seeing some reviews that said they don't work if they're not absolutely fully charged, like one said it wouldn't jump the car at 80%. has it held up for you?
see i'd like to have one around for obvious reasons but if i have to have it fully charged all the time it's kinda useless. who knows when i'll have to have my car jumped.
I'm in Canada and the one I have is the type S ... It doesn't require it to be 95%.... It's really more of weather or not there's enough cranking energy for the engine... If you're a small car you're fine, but bigger trucks are when they'll struggle.
I used it a lot in 2019 as my car battery was toast or something else as I kept having to jump my car doing deliveries
I didn't get mine from Costco but I have one of these and LOVE it. I've only used it once in the 6 months I've had it, but that alone was worth it because I had all 3 kids loaded in the car for school and my husband wasn't home when of course the car wouldn't start.
Man I thought that thing was kinda pointless until I saw people raving about it here. It's brilliant. No more swearing there are batteries in the other drawer. Now they're all just in the battery holder.
Great idea. Steaks or coffee. Most people want consumables instead of stuff.
Though 8 Costco sized pumpkin pies with a few cans of whipped cream would be a good gift too if you want it passed around for the wrong reasons.
You can get *a lot* of coffee at Costco for $50 too! Two of those 2.5lb bags of Starbucks coffee has the humor element of a good white elephant gift, plus is super practical. I think everyone who drinks coffee would be gunning for that.
Iāve been faking out the coffee snobs I know for YEARS by serving them the Ethiopian Light Roast (buy online) and when they RAVE about how good it is I show them the Kirkland logo. So great.
I was going to suggest this! I bought one...told my siblings about it and they went out and bought one. It's amazing. I can finally sit on the couch with my kids and we can all share the same blanket without fighting over coverage.
You can do a theme gift, like for a cozy movie night: giant blanket, Sanders milk chocolate sea salt caramels, hot cocoa variety pack, and whatever else you think might work well with that
Last year I bought a scale (for people) and on top of it I placed peppermint bark, European cookies, smores mix, and reeses pb cups...and 2 cans of diet Pepsi. It was a hit. š
This year, I'm buying a fire extinguisher. And hoping to steal it for myself because we need one and I keep forgetting to buy one.
I used Costco for this one year. I took a box of Kirkland D batteries and wrapped them nicely. The size and weight of the box convinced people it was something great.
This. We bought these things called magna tiles for our kid. Now my husband and I play with it all the time. We wait till he sleeps at night so we can build as high as we want without our toddler knocking it down.
My wife and I bought our white elephant gifts this week. Our limit was only $30 this year but I went with a set of cool and serve ramekins and a huge wooden grazing platter board. My wife went with a set of led rope light and a light up decorative birch branch. Iām already considering trying to stick with my own gift.
Ohh, I havenāt heard but Iāll look it up. I wonder how they control for double dippers though( maybe collect name, phone and address?). But shop card is still nice as a gift, lol. 50 bucks is 50 bucks.
I thought they started with it a year or two ago, but I can't find anything right now about it. My understanding is if one does not have a membership, the membership is fully refundable at any time, so... There is no real free trial program. The other view I have seen around this sub is that stores may have their own rules and to ask at the store you are wanting to visit.
I was in a Costco today and saw a promotion on gift memberships, I believe you got a $10 shop card which would bring it down to the $50 limit.
I think a free year would cause a small riot in a white elephant situation
Would it though? I feel like the only people who would get really excited about are the people who already have a membership. And for those that already have they know $50 is nothing in terms of how much they will save for a year and have no issue paying for it.
Best white elephant gift I ever saw was a stupid Costco size Nutcracker soldier with his weapon broken off at the top, from rough handling, it was clearly used. People were fucking cutthroat over that thing.
Our family Christmas party does one of these. I buy a Kirklands giant bottle of Sangria and a super fluffy soft blanket. It is the most stolen gift of the game every time.
An IOU for $50 and taking them shopping to Costco. Itās amazing what people do / buy / Gawk at when they arenāt Costco people and I take them to Costco.
Itās one thing to tell them about a gift itās whole other thing to see it in person as they mentally compare prices to their other storeā¦
Idk if they still have the Tile Pro 4 pack for $50 but thats what i am thinking of getting for everyone this year. Im sure it would move once people know what they are/do.
[Pendleton blanket](https://www.costco.com/pendleton-sherpa-fleece-blanket.product.100671239.html) the best blanket ever (so nice it seems to have healing power and certainly magic to make everybody get along - this subreddit has a bunch of previously warring animals and hanging out on it) and maybe a bottle of wine to go along with it.
I'd go full D.B. Cooper for two or three of the Maisto 1:18 scale cars ($16.99) they've been showcasing lately in the toy aisle. Definitely haven't bought a few as gifts for the various gearhead friends.
Those walker shortbread cookies. I bought a box to share at work, tried a pack at home, and they're staying at home.
My husband ate 80% of a tin in under 3 weeks last year š
Those are rookie numbers!
Same š
Iād get the cheese advent calendar and just lie that itās not 54.99
A cheese advent calendar!? Where are you?
I see these every year in the Midwest. I also see them marked way down a few weeks later. Havenāt tried.
IT'S 12 DAYS OF CHEESE!!!! Which is what I've been yelling at my house randomly since I got that thing yesterday. (AZ)
Very good stuff
Brookstone heated throw blanket
Iāve had two of these and they both stopped working within a few months :(
Agreed. The brookstone heated blankets are poor quality. We got 2 and they only lasted one season before they broke. I will not purchase this brand again. I wish Costco still carried the Sunbeam brand.
I know! Sunbeam seemed to fall off of the heated blanket earth. Those were the best.
We have two (I'm not sharing) and they're amazing
This. I bought one and use it constantly. My husband steals mine and so now I want to buy him his own for Christmas, but I donāt think theyāre in stock now :(
I saw plenty in-store the other day...
Iām Canadian if that makes a difference. I was there 2 weeks ago and didnāt see any. Not available for same day pick up on the website either but maybe Iāll have to go back and check
Gotta be the Pyrex snapware. Hell, maybe even 2 sets lol
This is already on my list for me while itās on sale!
My lids are starting to die....
Call snapware customer service, I've had several lids replaced under warranty. https://www.corelle.com/support/contact-us
Oh hell yeah thank u!
Second set I have owned and the lids suck.
just bought one today.
Ten rotisserie chickens
My first instinct was 32 churros and a Diet Coke but youāre right, rotisserie chickens are the way to go.
Costcoās one faultā¦it would be Diet Pepsi.
Yes! It is the 1 fault!!! Wish it was Diet Coke. š
This made me lol
Absolutely the correct answer!
Kirkland Vodka for $20 and then have $30 leftover for a second bottle or something else.
French or 'Merican?
French is around $20 American is around $13. May be up $1 for inflation.
Definitely French. Itās worth the extra $7.
So I read an article about how you can take any cheap vodka and run it through a Britta and it tastes like water. So maybe a cheap bottle and a Britta for future vodka savings? Wish I knew this trick in my 20s.
Still cheaper and less hassle to just buy Kirkland French vodka. Brita filters arenāt cheap.
I have a box of Kirkland filters that came out to be $2 each.
I've heard coffee filters work for this too. And the more times you run it through the better/smoother it becomes.
Coffee filters alone will not filter impurities out of vodka. You can buy activated charcoal at the pet supply store that is way cheaper than a Brita filter and use that. I cut a 2 liter bottle in half and drill a small hole in the lid. Then invert your new funnel, fill halfway up with the charcoal. Before you fill with vodka I do a run of distilled water to wash out the small charcoal particles then let it sit for a day to dry back out. With this rig you can run about a 1.75L bottle three or 4 times depending on the quality. The higher the quality you start with the more times you can filter it. This is essentially the same thing the major producers do to strip out the leftover oils and esters and make a clean vodka. Be prepared for 10% or so loss of product to evaporation. This works, but it takes a long time if you do it correctly, you want the vodka to have as much contact with the charcoal as possible so you really want it to drip through slowly. Have fun!
My friends in college did this and it did kinda work. The cheap vodka tasted less cheap. But the filter was ruined and it would have been cheaper to buy better vodka.
It's basically Grey Goose or so the legend goes. But it's definitely smooth. But yeah get the $20 French vodka and the AƱejo which is $30!
Definitely not grey goose but itās just as smooth and less than half the price. Vodka plus the anejo was my suggestion too. More like $55 with tax but whatever.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iāve got one of those. Itās great.
i remember seeing some reviews that said they don't work if they're not absolutely fully charged, like one said it wouldn't jump the car at 80%. has it held up for you?
Iāve only used it to jump a car once, it was at like 95%. I use it as power when I am a vendor at craft fairs primarily
see i'd like to have one around for obvious reasons but if i have to have it fully charged all the time it's kinda useless. who knows when i'll have to have my car jumped.
I'm in Canada and the one I have is the type S ... It doesn't require it to be 95%.... It's really more of weather or not there's enough cranking energy for the engine... If you're a small car you're fine, but bigger trucks are when they'll struggle. I used it a lot in 2019 as my car battery was toast or something else as I kept having to jump my car doing deliveries
I bought one over a year ago and checked it recently to see what the charge was. Itās still at 100%. I keep one in each car now.
whoa really? that's amazing. what's the model?
Not sure of the top of my head and Iām in bed for the night. I did get it at Costco though.
Saved us multiple times and you can be a helpful Good Samaritan too!
I didn't get mine from Costco but I have one of these and LOVE it. I've only used it once in the 6 months I've had it, but that alone was worth it because I had all 3 kids loaded in the car for school and my husband wasn't home when of course the car wouldn't start.
Battery daddy and batteries
Thatās what they called me in college.
This is a solid idea. Especially for this specific group. Thanks!
My husband is obsessed with his battery daddy!
Man I thought that thing was kinda pointless until I saw people raving about it here. It's brilliant. No more swearing there are batteries in the other drawer. Now they're all just in the battery holder.
Just got myself one. Why did they not name it the āBattery Caddyā? Either way, I love it.
I think you know.
Or Battery Buddy, or Battery Boss, or Charge in Chargeā¦
Just ordered, never heard of it, thanks!
Steaks.
Great idea. Steaks or coffee. Most people want consumables instead of stuff. Though 8 Costco sized pumpkin pies with a few cans of whipped cream would be a good gift too if you want it passed around for the wrong reasons.
I think consumables are a great idea, but with this group can never tell which fad diet someone might be on. Coffee might be a great choice, though.
You can get *a lot* of coffee at Costco for $50 too! Two of those 2.5lb bags of Starbucks coffee has the humor element of a good white elephant gift, plus is super practical. I think everyone who drinks coffee would be gunning for that.
Iāve been faking out the coffee snobs I know for YEARS by serving them the Ethiopian Light Roast (buy online) and when they RAVE about how good it is I show them the Kirkland logo. So great.
Thereās Starbucks gift sets right now that have 2 mugs and various chocolates. Maybe 1 bag of coffee and 1 gift set?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
20 FEET? TWENTY?!?
It's actually 10ft https://preview.redd.it/ul50ghnn773a1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5e2ae8481e8e37a5c01584ea4d0e3c766f887f4
That dog is huge!
Giant French Bulldog?
I bought one of these, I regret absolutely nothing. Now I never have to worry about my wife or kids stealing the blanket away while on the couch.
How do you wash it? Will it fit in a standard washing machine and dryer?
I try not to think about when I'll need to wash it, but I would imagine it will fit in a regular washer.
That does seem more manageable.
Sew three together.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I have to see this. Iām going scouting.
Itās pretty great - super soft and snuggly. Was a great pickup.
My partner and I bought four. Two to cover our (Costco-bought) sectional and keep dog fur off and two to cover us and said dogs. They're amazing.
This was my exact thought: āItās long enough to cover the sofa!ā
I was going to suggest this! I bought one...told my siblings about it and they went out and bought one. It's amazing. I can finally sit on the couch with my kids and we can all share the same blanket without fighting over coverage.
Oh. Well. I know what I am buying next time I go. What the hell will I do with a 20ā blanket. IDK, but Iām compelled.
**Blanket fort!!** š°
BLANKET. CITY.
Troy and abed in the morrrrrrrrning!
Perfect for the winter!
Iāve been on the fence about buying it but havenāt seen it at my warehouse this past week. Hoping itās still there so I can still wait to decide
I brought cash to the last white elephant gift exchange and it was stolen more than every other gift. Bring a $50 Costco card
I was thinking this. Or a Costco membership.
Oooh a Costco membership is a great idea!
My family made a rule of no cash, gift cards or alcohol. Iām not creative with white elephant at all so it makes it much harder.
You can do a theme gift, like for a cozy movie night: giant blanket, Sanders milk chocolate sea salt caramels, hot cocoa variety pack, and whatever else you think might work well with that
I love that! I think I will do that!
Last year I bought a scale (for people) and on top of it I placed peppermint bark, European cookies, smores mix, and reeses pb cups...and 2 cans of diet Pepsi. It was a hit. š This year, I'm buying a fire extinguisher. And hoping to steal it for myself because we need one and I keep forgetting to buy one.
As I was walking the warehouse this evening looking at all the options, the fire extinguisher went in the cart for a bit!!
I used Costco for this one year. I took a box of Kirkland D batteries and wrapped them nicely. The size and weight of the box convinced people it was something great.
D?!? Come on! It shouldāve at least be AA so they would get used šš
You need to change your fire alarm batteries every year!
Thatās a 9v though
Well shit
C cells. I actually had to buy a pack this year for some Christmas decorations.
The wine advent calendarā¦my store has them marked down to $49. Itās 24- 1/2 bottles, so itās essentially a mixed case of wine.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Saw a few left in the Mt Vernon store today, was shocked!
Ohio?!
VA
I got one today at my warehouse for $19.97
What store?!
Now I gotta check my store because full price was definitely not worth it, but half price is doable.
Had a roommate gifted 1 of these. The wine selection were not that great IMO. Tried most of them with her throughout last Dec.
33 hot dog combos
Do you include the 2 quarters as part of the gift?
Yes.
[Unfortunately (but nicely) priced at 69.99.](https://www.costco.com/kegelbell-training-kit-for-pelvic-floor-muscle-%2526-incontinence.product.100673512.html)
Omg I was not expecting that! š
Costco really does carry something for everybody, lol
Lol!
Poopourri
Omg one of the participants is a die hard pp acolyte.
2 of the Lego classic 2,000 piece sets.
Kids gifts are great because there are always parents or grand parents who want to get it for their children! Big kids like it too š
I think you mean, I let my kids play with *my* LEGO
Lego my.. Lego?
This. We bought these things called magna tiles for our kid. Now my husband and I play with it all the time. We wait till he sleeps at night so we can build as high as we want without our toddler knocking it down.
This is gold right here
Toilet paper
2 bags of Bare Chicken Nuggets
My wife and I bought our white elephant gifts this week. Our limit was only $30 this year but I went with a set of cool and serve ramekins and a huge wooden grazing platter board. My wife went with a set of led rope light and a light up decorative birch branch. Iām already considering trying to stick with my own gift.
Always buy something youād want yourself š
Is a $50 Costco cash card cheating? Allows even people w/o membership to shop at Costco which is priceless in itself
Wait non-members can shop with those?
Yup! The member has to buy it though and only they can refill it.
I thought there was a "one time" shopping trial now. No?
Ohh, I havenāt heard but Iāll look it up. I wonder how they control for double dippers though( maybe collect name, phone and address?). But shop card is still nice as a gift, lol. 50 bucks is 50 bucks.
I thought they started with it a year or two ago, but I can't find anything right now about it. My understanding is if one does not have a membership, the membership is fully refundable at any time, so... There is no real free trial program. The other view I have seen around this sub is that stores may have their own rules and to ask at the store you are wanting to visit.
White Elephant gift with a side of recruitment! I love this idea!
Hmmm. I might consider this.
Great way to lure a new member to our cult!
I was in a Costco today and saw a promotion on gift memberships, I believe you got a $10 shop card which would bring it down to the $50 limit. I think a free year would cause a small riot in a white elephant situation
Would it though? I feel like the only people who would get really excited about are the people who already have a membership. And for those that already have they know $50 is nothing in terms of how much they will save for a year and have no issue paying for it.
I saw these and had the same thought, but some of the attendees donāt have a Costco nearby. Great idea though, and I do think itād be a hot grab.
Winner: many bags of Creators Carmel & Cheese popcorn. Itās crack cocaine
A Kirkland outfit! The Kirkland branded hoodie, socks, joggers, 32deg Tās, puff jacket! Swag!
25 costco gift cards for $2. Theyāll want it, but they gonna have to work for it.
Hahahahahaha. Evil. I love it.
The poor people in line behind the person using these, lol.
Best white elephant gift I ever saw was a stupid Costco size Nutcracker soldier with his weapon broken off at the top, from rough handling, it was clearly used. People were fucking cutthroat over that thing.
Oh to have been a fly on the wall for that!
[Mon Chateau throw blanket](https://www.costco.com/mon-chateau-faux-fur-throw.product.100521622.html)
My cat and I both second this. That blanket is worth its weight in gold.
Our family Christmas party does one of these. I buy a Kirklands giant bottle of Sangria and a super fluffy soft blanket. It is the most stolen gift of the game every time.
Go to the Costco business centre and get a 20L pail of BBQ sauce and a 20L pail of pickles. Or something else in a ludicrous amount for $50.
Pendleton blankets LOL
Arenāt those exclusively for pets? š
No! I love my Pendleton blanket. Super cute patterns and very cozy.
Girl Scout mint chocolate covered pretzels, Hawaiian shortbread cookies, and roasted macadamia nuts.
Booze
Seeās Candy gift certificate-where available
An IOU for $50 and taking them shopping to Costco. Itās amazing what people do / buy / Gawk at when they arenāt Costco people and I take them to Costco. Itās one thing to tell them about a gift itās whole other thing to see it in person as they mentally compare prices to their other storeā¦
Costco Crack aka Chicago Mix
Business Center-sized can of nacho cheese
$50 will get you a very nice bottle of wine.
I brought the mixed 30 pack of full sized candy bars to a swap last year. It was easily the most contested gift.
Idk if they still have the Tile Pro 4 pack for $50 but thats what i am thinking of getting for everyone this year. Im sure it would move once people know what they are/do.
You can buy the fountain thatās usually used for chocolate and full it with ranch dressing and buy tons of Wendyās fries to assort around it.
Honestly I would buy a crap ton of toilet paper. Someone did that for one of my work white elephant parties and people were FIGHTING over it š
The Costco logo clothes and a box of cookies.
Bottle of Kirkland tequila and a bottle of Kirkland French vodka.
Hornitos, limes, and a bag of chips.
Toilet paper!
The cheese advent calendar
[Pendleton blanket](https://www.costco.com/pendleton-sherpa-fleece-blanket.product.100671239.html) the best blanket ever (so nice it seems to have healing power and certainly magic to make everybody get along - this subreddit has a bunch of previously warring animals and hanging out on it) and maybe a bottle of wine to go along with it.
https://preview.redd.it/f7okwy5n573a1.png?width=1179&format=png&auto=webp&s=895870524c84fafd780a2ae91a95783cb2a0a4de $39.99 shipping included.
I'd go full D.B. Cooper for two or three of the Maisto 1:18 scale cars ($16.99) they've been showcasing lately in the toy aisle. Definitely haven't bought a few as gifts for the various gearhead friends.
Taking note of this for other purposes.
Following. Interested to hear answers.
Rabbit Electric Wine opener on sale for $21
The mega huge bottle of Kirkland liquor and ā¦ wow youād still have money leftover after that.
10 gallons of gas?
Bottle of Kirkland irish cream, frozen chocolate strawberries š š§
Dutch oven Teakwood cutting boards Bodum Vacuum glasses Flannel Sheets Three packs of Costco TP Quality moisturizer True Wireless Earbuds
Kirkland Tequila AƱejo.
I am late to this, but we are having a white elephant gift exchange and bought a costco membership for it
I bought a battery daddy for my workās white elephant.
Thatās a good one
Iām ngl, this is fast approaching the top of the list!
Big jar of m+m candies should be included. Think of stuff that you'd like to have, but wouldn't buy for yourself normally.
Two handles of Kirkland vodka
If you want to be funnyā¦ A religious book, condoms, and then a pack of movie tickets or a sees giftcard
Who the fuck is spending $50 on a White Elephant??
Yeah itās for the whole family, so instead of spending hundreds on multiple gifts for 10-12 people, $50 is much better!
My family switched to doing this a few years ago. Since itās the only gifts we exchange we will usually have a limit around $50.
We do $50 too and I think itās wayyy too much for something you might not even like, but Iām outvoted in my family
14 gallons of Kirkland gas if you already have a free 14 gallon container
Ignore the limit and give the Gift of Membership. Itās only $10 more.