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Today, I want to tell you about one of my favorite traditions—a favorite things party. These gift exchanges are actually really fun year-round, and we love to incorporate them into our girls’ trips. They are also fun around the holidays. After I tell you what these parties are all about, I will also include my best Favorite Things Party gift ideas for 2026!
What Is a Favorite Things Party?
In a nutshell, it’s a gift exchange where you bring one of your favorite things to share with everyone in the group. You bring the same gift, wrapped up for everyone to open at once. They are so much fun! I have a couple of friend groups where we have these parties, and we always look forward to them.
Why?
Well, I know I’m going home with awesome stuff!
Not that I don’t love the gifts my family gets for me, but these are tried-and-true products beloved by my peers. I have found so many new favorites (hence the name) through these favorite things gift exchanges with my friends.
This post is primarily about favorite things party gift ideas, but before I start with those, I want to share a few tips for hosting a great My Favorite Things party.
4 Tips For Hosting a Favorite Things Party
Are you wondering how to host a favorite things party?
It’s easy!
These parties can be held year-round, not just as holiday parties. And they are fun for adults and kids! I have even seen variations with couples: you bring your favorite liquor or a bottle of wine. Of course, that can get expensive quickly if you have more than four or five couples!
As I mentioned above, a Favorite Things Party works like this:
- set a time/date
- set a budget
- buy the same gift for all
- wrap them up cute
- gather for food and drink
- open them at the same time
- explain why you love it
- go home with new faves
It’s that simple!
Once your friend group gets the hang of things, you won’t need to do much hand-holding, but for the first one, you must make sure everyone understands how it works. It’s different from a traditional Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange, where people are used to only bringing one gift.
#1 Communication Is Key
Make sure everyone understands how this works! Honestly, feel free to send them this blog post. Make sure they know to buy one of everything and wrap it.
For example, if you have a group of 10, they need to bring 9 identical gifts. They don’t have to put names on them unless they are personalized gifts, like this cute Initial Makeup Bag.
Upon arrival, everyone can take out their gifts and arrange them on the counter or table. It’s so fun to see 100 or so gifts!
#2 Set a Budget
The most important thing is to have a set favorite things party gift budget. In most cases, the cost is around $20, but it can vary slightly. Take your group size into account. If it’s a large group, consider limiting the cost to $15. If it’s a more intimate group, you can go up to $50 if you’d like! The good news is that most people can find a favorite item in any dollar amount.
If you are hosting a favorite things party for little kids, set the price limit low. Make it $5 and have them bring their favorite candy or Little Golden Book. It’s always a fun idea!
It is a good idea to be as close to the budget as possible. If your item is below the price limit, grab your favorite hand soap or candy to go with it.
#3 Favorite Things Party Food & Drink
We like to do this in conjunction with a girls’ night out or cocktail party. It’s fun to carry the theme over to the food and drink, and have each guest bring a bottle of their favorite wine or mocktail. Likewise, you can always do the same thing with appetizers, where everyone brings something they love!
I recommend that you eat and drink first, then make sure you have a clear table, counter, or living room space when you start opening gifts. Of course, the cocktails and mocktails can carry over to the gift portion of the party.
#4 Relax & Leave Extra Time
Don’t rush through things like a little kid at Christmas!
Savor the company of your friends and take your time opening gifts. Also, allow time after opening gifts as you try out some of the products and talk more about them.
What usually works best is for one person to get up and grab their gifts. They pass them out to everyone, and then everyone opens up their favorite things gifts from that one person at the same time. As they are opened, the gifter can tell people more about the item. Why is it one of your favorite things? This part is so fun!
Take five or ten minutes before moving on to the next. Savor the gifts and the conversation. It is also always helpful to have a set of bags on hand for people to put their gifts into before moving on to the next. Many of these are small, and we don’t want them accidentally thrown away during the cleanup.
My Favorite Things Party Gift Ideas
Now that you know how to have a Favorite Things Party, here are some of my best favorite things gift ideas!
Click the button below to view my entire Amazon List of Favorite Things Party Gift Ideas. Of course, the whole point of these parties is to share one of your personal favorite things. But chances are that many of my reccomendations will help inspire you!
Next, I will break it down into categories, and you can also click on any of the images below to shop for those specific favorite things ideas!
It’s always cost-effective to buy items in larger packs, such as glass straws or makeup erasers, and then break them down into smaller portions.
Also, if this is part of a bigger trip (such as girls’ trips), consider whether people are flying, and try to make sure the items are light enough and within TSA liquid limits.
What to Buy for a Favorite Things Party
Here are some things that work well as a favorite things party gift idea in 2026!
Soaps, Candles & Lotions
These are the most popular gifts, and I actually like them because they are something everyone can use and use up! They are also great because most of my personal favorites, such as the Capri Blue candles, come in various sizes to accommodate different budgets.
Beauty Must-Haves
What’s your favorite mascara or setting spray? Do you have a tried-and-true sleep mask? I love the Laneige Sleeping Mask.
Think outside the box and look at what you actually use on a daily basis. Likewise, is there a beauty item that you can’t live without? Last year, I received the Pond’s Makeup Remover Cold Cream at a favorite things party, and now it’s one of my go-tos!
Favorite Accessories
I love gifting a mesh beach bag because I always bring one on trips, and it costs only about $10. But at this point, I have already given one to everyone I know! Also, think about jewelry cases, bracelets you love, the best hair ties, and so on.
Home Gift Ideas
Home items are always a fun favorite things party gift idea. Items like these magnetic measuring spoons are sure to go over well. And this Charcuterie Card Deck is my new go-to gift! I also like the idea of cute charcuterie accessories like little forks and spoons.
Snacks & Drinks
Gift your favorite bottle of wine or favorite candy. I once had someone bring lime-flavored tortilla chips to a party, and we’ve been hooked since. Try to find items that people may not have tried before.
Practical Gifts
The heart of a favorite things party is practical items that you use regularly and love. Don’t be afraid to give your favorite surface spray, like the Peppermint Mrs. Meyers Spray or the CocoFloss, that you can’t live without. I think Marvis Toothpaste is the perfect favorite things party gift idea with a $10 budget!
Also, even the Activewear Laundry Detergent is something most people haven’t tried and could really use! It gets that funky smell out of your workout clothes.
Mix Up For Favorite Gifts
Feel free to mix things up, too! If you have a cute clear travel cosmetic bag, fill it with candy you love. Additionally, you can put together a pick-me-up kit with your favorite shower steamers, a Liquid IV, and some Mario Badescu Face Spray. You can be as creative as you want!
As I mentioned above, you can click on any of the images in this post to shop for the exact favorite things gift ideas on Amazon. I hope you have enjoyed these Favorite Things party gift ideas!
More Shopping With Our Little Lifestyle
And if you are looking for more shopping inspiration beyond favorite things parties, you are in the right place for gift guides!
Browse my Ultimate Gift Guide for gifts for the whole family, or use the following links to shop for your specific needs.
- Ultimate Gift Guide
- Today’s Top Deals
- Winter Favorites
- Gifts Under $25
- Gifties For Swifties
- White Elephant Gifts
- Stocking Stuffers
- Gifts For Kids
- Holiday Outfits
PIN: Favorite Things Party Gift Ideas For Later
Great suggestions!
Thanks so much!