White Elephant Gift

posted 1 year ago in The Lounge
Post # 16
Member
5688 posts
Bee Keeper

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FutureMrsMcGinnis :  Ugh and I also hate pineapple and it hurts my mouth unless it’s cooked. 

Post # 17
Member
1011 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: September 2018

I like getting food or drink. Much better than tat which clutters up the house. Definitely not another mug, we have about 1000! I’ll always have a use for a bottle of wine (if I don’t drink it myself, I’ll take it to the next dinner party I go to).

I always like books too. But obviously it can be hard if you don’t know the person’s taste.

Post # 18
Member
4803 posts
Honey bee
  • Wedding: September 2012

My husband and I gave a “holiday survival kit” a few years ago that was a hit and got stolen multiple times. We filled a tin with a candy bar, a set of earplugs, a travel pack of Advil, a couple airplane bottles of liquor, and a lottery scratch-off ticket.

Post # 19
Member
3084 posts
Sugar bee

Popular items I’ve seen recently at white elephant gift exchanges:

  • a nice reusable straw (had a cute little carrying case, too)
  • a fun box with assorted single-serving packages of junk food (hostess cupcakes, beef jerky, etc)
  • gift voucher for the movie theatre (I think it was enough to buy 2 tickets or 1 ticket + popcorn)
  • gift voucher for a local car wash 
  • whisky stones

 

 

Post # 20
Member
32 posts
Newbee
  • Wedding: September 2017

Cute daily planners such as https://onplanners.com/planners/cool-design
Also I’ve seen some pretty unique gifts though. Last year, my cousin took a thrifted “Guess Who?” game and replaced all the characters with photos of each of us.

Post # 21
Member
376 posts
Helper bee
  • Wedding: September 2019

Blankets, mugs, water bottles, wine glasses, candy/popcorn, spa day items, socks, fin novelty items etc 

Post # 22
Member
10291 posts
Sugar Beekeeper

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MrsBeck :  

But none of these nice things are ‘ white elephants’ . A white elephant gift is one that gives the receiver a problem they must manage  and which  they are obligated to keep or risk offending the giver. Do you mean a  Kriss Kringle or secret Santa or am l missing something.?

Right, l just looked it up and see that the term has been changed ……must be a US thing perhaps? 

Post # 23
Member
7641 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
  • Wedding: June 2013

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elderbee :  Perhaps it is a US thing. Here a white elephant exchange means you randomly choose your present and in some cases the next person can ‘steal’ it or you play a game to see if you keep it. Some people opt for goofy options, like I’ve heard of a theme where you bring something already in your home. My family asked that we bring something ‘50% of the people involved would enjoy.’ I think it technically is supposed to be a ‘less nice’ object but many people tend to buy nicer things at the risk of upsetting the person receiving the gift (pure speculation on my part as that’s how I typically feel).

To me a secret santa is when you have a specific person you are buying for and I have not heard of a Kriss Kringle. My guess from a bit of research is that white elephant exchanges here started out more similar but have kind of morphed depending on what each group agrees on.

 

Thanks everyone! I bought some local chocolate and wine for the first one and am combing through ideas for the second one.

Post # 24
Member
10291 posts
Sugar Beekeeper

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MrsBeck :  

Oh thank you, that clears it up. Kriss Kringle is, l think, the same as Secret Santa. Sometimes you just buy a gift and people pick them out like a lucky dip. I think the first idea is far better, ie a gift for a specific person. ( this may have to do with doing the latter style , having just bought something really nice, carefully thought through to please anyone in the group and getting a packet of a rather arcane herbal tea lol) 

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