Exactly What is a "White Elephant"?

It's holiday time again. You have been working at this new office for only a few months, and barely know your co-workers. You find an envelope on your desk just before Thanksgiving, telling you that you are invited to an office holiday party. The invitation says, "White Elephant gift exchange, $20 maximum value". You've never attended an office party before, let alone a holiday party. You have no clue what a "white elephant" is, or how to buy one for less than twenty dollars. You've come to the right place!

Your white elephant should be something unique, creative, maybe useful, but surely entertaining. Traditionally, a white elephant is a possession which costs far more to maintain than it's usefulness would warrant. There are hundreds of real estate examples but maybe one of the most humorous is a 13 mile stretch of Interstate in Illinois which cost millions to build and was intended to serve the traffic needs of a specific steel mill which was closed before the highway was completed. Now, Interstate 180 is a white elephant which cost far in excess of its potential usefulness. In the gift realm, a white elephant is an item that you would like to get rid of.

Maybe it's the huge rhinestone broach you received from your Aunt Maude for your birthday or maybe it's the ugly tie with the huge red flowers down its length that Uncle Morrey sent last year. Whatever it is, you should make it something fun because, after all, an office gift exchange is meant to entertain. If you don't have something you would like to get rid of and you have to shop for a gift, you should keep in mind the humor this white elephant exchange is intended to inject into the party. The wrapping and bows can be as much fun as the gift inside. Be creative, be original.

Here are some ideas you can use to spur your imagination:

1. Maybe you can find a statue of a white elephant. If you do, try to tie a flashy bow around it's neck, or give it a name tag.

2. The ugliest gift box you can find, filled with all black jelly beans.

3. A truly gaudy vase full of fake flowers.

4. A huge wall clock shaped like a sun burst.

5. The ugliest tie you can find at the cheapest store in town.

6. A coffee cup with some picture or slogan on it.

7. A large tie-dyed t-shirt. (can be used as a nightshirt!)

8. A Mickey Mouse mouse pad.

9. A bunch of those 50's glass grapes for the coffee table.

10. A hot water bottle with a hole in it.

These are just a few of literally millions of ideas. Remember, what you consider a white elephant may well be something truly special to someone else. You know the old saying, "one man's trash is another man's treasure". Try to consider the ways that any gift you choose might be viewed by others. Avoid things that could be construed as sexist or could be otherwise politically incorrect. White elephant shopping can be a great deal of fun and the party will be great. Above all, when you attend a gift exchange of white elephants, you have to take your sense of humor. Enjoy!