The Glade 4.0

We are having a white elephant gift exchange at work later this week. $20 limit on the gift.

I usually bring something like a Hot Sauce Assortment, or some kind of small electronic device/accessory.

I'm having a hard time coming up with something for this years event. Hoping Teh Glade can give me some ideas?

Unfortunate that you've got so little time, otherwise I'd recommend something off of 13deals.com (which actually has more than 13 deals). It's delightfully eclectic.

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Thanks, I'll take a look, even if it's just for ideas.

I guess I should have mentioned. I'm hoping to go a bit off the wall with this one. Something quirky or eclectic, possibly even collectible.

Here is another site someone gave me.
http://www.mcphee.com/shop/

I had a white elephant thing this past weekend and just bought a $10 flask and shot glass set.

I had to look up what a white elephant gift swap was (turns out its a Yankee swap) and these things are the work of the devil. I hated these things as a kid, and I never want to do one again :\

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We had a lot of fun with it last year. There were a good mix of things people wanted (the hot sauce and a nice bottle of wine were tops) and gag gift sorts of things.

There was a lot of trading activity and we all had a pretty good laugh with it.

Well they're not generally intended for children, so I'm sorry about whatever you probably got bullied into giving up. For the rest of us it's a cheap and fun way to bring gift-giving into a party where you may or may not know anyone else.

I guess I assumed this was a common thing.

For those who don't know, White Elephant gift exchanges are usually done with groups of co-workers, family members, friends, etc...

The rules can vary, but here is how we do it.

First, the organizer sets a price and sets the date for everyone to get together. Everyone brings a wrapped (no tags) gift.

All of the gifts go into a pile and numbers are drawn (or assigned).

The first person gets first choice of the wrapped gifts. Once they open it, the second person has the choice of taking the first persons gift if it's something they want, or they can open a different one. The third person can take one of the first two gifts or open a new one.

This continues on until all of the gifts are open.

The more people participating the better.

I found the perfect gift to contribute to our little shindig. Some lucky person is going to leave work on Thursday with a beautiful Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker!

Yeah, that procedure is NOT a good idea with kids.

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"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."

According to wiki - While the term "white elephant" originally referred to a less-than-serious gift, its association with this particular game has become synonymous in some circles, such that the game itself is commonly called a White Elephant Gift Exchange. This game has also been called Evil Santa, Gift Swap, Yankee Swap, Black Santa, Chinese Gift Exchange, Dirty Santa, Secret Elephant, Greedy Punter, Movie Biz City, Thieves' Christmas, or Machiavellian Christmas.


It's still the work of the devil :<

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We always used the term "White Elephant" gifting to mean a gift swap, with the idea that you give something of dubious value, often something you already owned, (but never used) -- a knicknack, unopened package of bungie cords, package of air fresheners that you hate the scent of, etc.

Not something malicious, but something that might be of value to someone, just not you. (I don't drink alcohol, so have given away bottles of wine I had received previously, etc)

I tend to think our usage is more in line with the original definition of White Elephant gift since the original term implied a gift that was valuable (a holy white elephant) but was unable to be killed, or made to work (because it was sacred) --its upkeep could financially break a less well off owner, who gets no benefit to owning it. The only other thing to do with it would be to give it to someone else.

The term has come to mean any gift swap. My family will sometimes combine the two-- I have a largish family that likes to get together for the holidays and buying gifts for individuals is too time consuming/expensive but we still enjoy the gift opening and social aspect, so we draw lots and give 1-2 gifts of limited value (maybe 2 items of 20$ each or 1 white elephant & 1 real, etc) that get tossed in the pool. We usually make a game out of it.

At work, we add an additional stipulation: a gift can only be "stolen" twice, and is subsequently out of play.

This rule is pretty commonplace here as well, and has been in effect at pretty much every white elephant I've participated in.

well a buddy and I used to give each other bad TV shows... I recommend things like Sanford and Sons or Barney Miller/Brady Bunch

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

Ummm, Barney Miller was a good show.

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Raell Kromwell

Barney Miller was indeed a good show.

Heck, the bass line for the intro music was worth the price of admission!

I usually frame a naked baby picture of myself, and use that.

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Ezekiel 23:19-20 

Well if I were to give it to him... it would be a crappy DVD. I loved that show. I also loved Welcome Back Kotter and those kinds of shows

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

I am now the proud owner of an Uncle Si Chia Pet!

Of course I had no idea who Uncle Si is. I've honestly never heard of Duck Dynasty before today. Most of the people in the room thought it was awesome.. but someone had to 'splain it to me.

Yeah, I got a Duck Dynasty cookbook...eh. Also got a dead guy pen holder and coaster.





I also decided to do a little experiment. I grabbed two knockoff Snuggies (for some reason, probably a Woot.com deal, we have a surfeit of unwrapped knockoff Snuggies). So, crap gift. But I also carefully unwrapped one and hid a $25 Outback gift card in it. So the gift, when unwrapped, became present non grata, and no one wanted it...but after everything was over and the dust settled, I told them to check the inner folds.