Pollyanna Gift Exchange Ideas

Hello and welcome to our Pollyanna gift exchange ideas list! Gift exchange games are certainly a popular pastime at many holiday gatherings. 

In a Pollyanna Gift Exchange, participants anonymously purchase a gift for a randomly-selected person in the group. The best gifts are inexpensive, personalized, and, of course, funny! From Grumpy Cat merchandise to eccentric tape dispensers, your perfect Pollyanna gift is sure to be found from this list. 

Read on for a whole list of gift options for your exchange!

History of the Pollyanna Gift Exchange

Games like Dirty Santa, White Elephant, Pollyanna and Secret Santa are fun, easy and affordable. These games are also a great way for large groups of people to participate in holiday or other gift giving traditions. Gift exchange games are great for office parties, club meet ups, and other larger holiday gatherings because participants only have to buy one gift.

The Pollyanna Gift Exchange is a regional variant of the White Elephant Gift Exchange that correspondingly follows largely the same idea. Popular in Southeastern Pennsylvania and South New Jersey, Pollyanna is named after the ever-cheerful children’s book character Pollyanna from the early 20th century. In common parlance, this name has since become synonymous with people who are incredibly optimistic. As you might expect, a Pollyanna Gift Exchange focuses on amusing gifts designed to make people cheerful and merry. This kind of vibe also makes it the perfect option for a holiday gift exchange game.

How to Play

The rules to this Secret Santa style gift exchange game are altogether quite simple. Some time before the event, every participant randomly chooses a name out of the pool of participants. No one shares what name they have drawn, instead keeping it hidden. Each person then purchases a fun and amusing gift for the person to whom they’ve been assigned. There is generally a dollar amount assigned before the event so everybody is on the same page as to how much they will be spending on their gift.

In general, you can put a minimum or maximum amount to keep things simple. The presents are then brought to the event and unwrapped by the recipients. Since the gift giver is kept anonymous, you can have a lot of fun choosing hilarious and unique gifts for the person you’ve been assigned. Finally, it doesn’t matter if you know your recipient well or not, because we’ll give you some tips on how to choose a good gift for anybody.

Choosing Gifts

Undeniably, gift selection can be a stressful experience, whether you know the person well and set high expectations or if you don’t know them well and are uncertain. But it needn’t be so difficult! Choosing the gift you’re going to give can be one of the most fun parts of a Pollyanna Gift Exchange. Think carefully about the person you’ve been assigned to buy a present for. Consider especially his or her sense of humor as well as what he or she likes and dislikes. Perhaps they are a part of an ongoing inside joke, which could indeed prove to be a good source of gift idea. Or maybe they have a zany sense of humor. By taking these personality traits into consideration, you’re sure to find a gift that the person will find humorous, as well as enjoy.

If you happen to be assigned someone you don’t know very well, ask those who know that person. You could also do a little research on social media to figure out what they like and how they express themselves. A thoughtful, fun gift is in reach for everyone, obviously or not, even if you have to do a little bit of research to find the perfect one.

If you’re stumped for Pollyanna gift ideas, here are some affordable gift ideas that are sure to get some laughs and to delight just about any personality type!

GRUMPY CAT PILLOW CASE

anfGreenqb Cute Grumpy Cat-Custom Pillowcase 20"x30" Two Sides Pillow Case
  • Size: 20 X 30 inches , Color: Multi-color,Made from quality Cotton linen fabric.
  • Natural eco-friendly materials,this is your most suitable choice.
  • This cushion cover could surely provide a warm,welcoming feeling to your daily life.

A hilarious choice for cat lovers or haters alike!

A Grumpy Cat pillow case is a great choice for the lover of all things memes and cats. This adorable (and grumpy) cat can, furthermore, literally greet your gift recipient day and night. The great thing about pillow cases as gifts is the recipient can obviously use them for their bed, but they can also use them for a throw pillow. A funny pillow case like the Grumpy Cat might be instead used to keep on the couch as a goofy and decorative pillow.

Either way, this is an especially inclusive and safe bet for a Pollyanna Gift Exchange present. Because even if your recipient turns out to not be a cat lover, who doesn’t like a grumpy cat?

GO AWAY 13 OZ . GLASS COFFEE MUG

Don't Speak! Funny Coffee Mug for Women Men - Fun Cool Novelty Birthday Gifts for Men, Women, Husband or Wife - Funny Mugs Christmas Gifts Ideas Mom or Dad from Son or Daughter - 12 oz Glass Mug
  • Fun Novelty Coffee Mugs - Funny coffee mugs for women and men at home or funny coffee mug for coworker....
  • Funny Mugs Gifts for Any Occasion - Surprise your Best Friends, Mom, Dad, Him, or Her with the best...
  • Great For Any Drink - Sarcasm is the best way to tell joke and have fun. Funny coffee mug for men or...

A no-nonsense and perfectly practical gift exchange idea

This hilarious glass coffee mug is the perfect gift for that person who just can’t seem to get with the program until she’s had just the right amount of coffee. By all means, surely a lot of us can relate to this. This mug certainly lets the world know exactly when it’s safe to talk to your gift recipient. For an extra thoughtful touch, pair it with a bag of coffee or a gift card to her favorite coffee shop.

TIPSY TUBES 3-PACK HIDDEN ALCOHOL FLASKS

Hidden Flasks for Liquor For Women and Men - Discreet Hidden Sunscreen Alcohol Flask for Cruise, Events and Concerts | Secret Flasks for Liquor and Booze with Pour Spout | 24oz | Tipsy Tubes
  • Sneak Right Past - Hide your booze in plain sight and smuggle it anywhere undetected with the Tipsy Tubes...
  • Leakproof Containers - Not a single drop will be wasted with our hidden flask for women and men. Each...
  • Enough For Everyone - Each sunscreen flask for alcohol holds up to 8 fl oz of your favourite liquor (24...

A seriously handy and insanely useful office wonder

A set of Tipsy Tubes is guaranteed to make that one person who always jokes about drinking in the office laugh. These cleverly designed 8 ounce tubes may look like tubes of sunscreen, bronzer or hair gel, but they are actually flasks to hide your adult beverages. Undoubtedly this is a funny and probably practical gift as well for the casual drinker.

However, since we’re dealing with alcohol, perhaps do some background research and make sure your assigned person doesn’t have a drinking problem. Similarly, anyone with an alcoholic family member can get sensitive to a present centered on sneaky drinking. Therefore, just be mindful and do your research first or ask around beforehand.

NPW SOUND MACHINE

Talkie Toys Products Burp Button - 20 Funny Burp Sounds - Funny Talking Button for Burp Games, Burp Trivia, Burp Pranks - Great Gag Gift and Stocking Stuffer
  • Lights up, flashes and plays 20 funny burp sound effects. Will keep the big laughs coming
  • Realistic Burp sounds. A great party favor or great as a birthday gift or for an office party for...
  • Durable and battery operated. Very cool stocking stuffer for Christmas for friends and family

A big win for the non-stop jokester

Perfect for the perpetual joker and/or prankster, a personal sound effect machine will get tons of laughs. Provide your cubicle mate with his own laugh track, drum roll, applause, boos and more. Featuring 16 funny sound effects, this little machine will provide all sorts of fun in a variety of situations. Indeed, it is also going to drive your office absolutely crazy within a few days, but what novelty gifts don’t?

UNICORN HEAD SQUIRREL FEEDER

Sale
Mcphee Archie, Squirrel Feeder Unicorn Head
  • 100% brand new and authentic merchandise
  • Includes all original tags/packaging straight from the manufacturer/distributor
  • Officially Licensed from Accoutrements

The nature lover’s dream gift

Who doesn’t want to turn into Snow White and consequently attract all the forest animals to your back door? This hilarious squirrel feeder will subsequently make unicorn sightings an everyday occurrence. Hang this unicorn head with nuts, corn or seeds in its snout and wait for squirrels to come and chow down. This amusing gift is a whimsical take on a squirrel feeder and perfect for both nature and fantasy lovers.

MAYBE SWEARING WILL HELP ADULT COLORING BOOK

Maybe Swearing Will Help Adult Coloring Book Set - for Adults Relaxation with Markers in a Case - Motivational Swear Word Anxiety Relief - Color Cuss & Laugh Your Way to Less Stress
  • HILARIOUS GIFT SET: For Tired-Ass people who need a good laugh and some well-deserved sweary self care!...
  • SWEAR WORD ADULT CRAFTS: Take this opportunity to rescue someone or yourself from all the BS in the world...
  • TOP QUALITY ART BOOK SET: This delightfully relaxing coloring book of funny AF coloring pages are...

The potty mouth’s stress reliever

Who says coloring books can’t be for adults too? Actually, a recent study showed that coloring books are now the most commonly purchased type of book. This coloring book will certainly make the perfect gift the notorious foul mouthed office companion. The adult coloring book comes with markers so that your gift recipient can color away all of their stress.

Featuring cute animals, funny puns and trendy designs, this coloring book further proves that coloring isn’t just for little kids anymore. This is a great gift for someone with an adult sense of humor, as well as those who enjoy an outlet for their creative side. Did you know that coloring has also been clinically demonstrated to relieve anxiety and stress? So, not only will this serve as a funny gift, it can also be really useful in getting your gift recipient to chill out a bit at work!

THE BUTT STATION – DESK ACCESSORY

ARAD Funny Tape Dispenser, Desk Accessories-for Home or Office Spaces
  • FUNNY ACCESSORIES FOR WORK OR HOME - This humorous toilet tape dispenser is a fun addition to any...
  • GREAT GIFTS FOR FRIENDS & COWORKERS - No matter the occasion or the recipient, this lighthearted cubicle...
  • VERSATILE USAGE - While many desk accessories can take up valuable work space, these cute office supply...

The handy butt of all jokes

This desk accessory holder is the perfect choice for that guy (or gal) in your office who is known for potty humor and a messy desk. Featuring a colorful person sitting on a toilet, this organizer serves as a tape dispenser, pen holder, memo pad holder and paper clip storage. Notwithstanding the bathroom humor, this desk accessory is also a super useful dispensary for handy office supplies! It comes in blue, green or orange and will surely get lots of laughs. This clever and amusing desk accessory is a fun way for your gift recipient to keep everything all in one place at his desk. As far as Pollyanna Gift Exchange presents go, this is a winner for its combination of practicality and good humor.

More Gift Exchange Ideas

Finding Pollyanna gift ideas surely doesn’t have to be difficult. Whenever and wherever the gift exchange opportunities arise, we hope this gift ideas will come in handy. A little creativity and some research or knowledge of the person you are buying for can go a long way. Some questions and a little background knowledge will surely confirm that you unquestionably will find the perfect present at your Pollyanna Gift Exchange. In the meantime, these are sure to get a good chuckle from the recipient.

Still looking for more funny gift ideas? Try these other present possibilities to keep your gift exchange light and humorous.

Have you given any of these gifts at Pollyanna Gift Exchange? What kind of reaction did your presents garner? Share your comments below. Please let us know if you’d recommend other funny and thoughtful gifts that we can add. Make sure you check out our best gift ideas for kayakers.

Featured Image via Pixabay

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