The white elephant exchange baffles me. It's like agreeing to play practical jokes on each other -- and I hate practical jokes.

I always try to get people to do something else, if an exchange is absolutely required. "Get something nice, $10 limit" seems reasonable. For a book club, make it a paperback, something you think the recipient might like and probably hasn't read. Better yet, require that everyone exchange used books?

Or, you know, just get together and enjoy the company and forget the whole forced gifting nonsense. *eyeroll*