White Elephant gift exchanges are certainly a curious slice of Americana.
If you are not familiar with a White Elephant gift exchange, here is the concept: Attendees are invited to bring a gift-wrapped item to share in the exchange. The item you choose to bring can be trash or treasure. Most White Elephant exchanges dictate that when you select the gift you want, you open it there, on the spot. If you like a gift you have already seen, you may 'take' that gift from a person who has selected a gift prior to you. Likewise, you may become the recipient of theft and may find the gift you selected taken away from you. This 'rule' can add an element of 'nasty' to the holiday gift game if some of the participants forget that it is only a game and that the gifts hidden beneath the fancy bows and glitter may simply be someone else's trash.
Occasionally White Elephant exchanges can begin to resemble an activity that would be more accurately described as a Pit Viper exhange, especially if one or more of the participants become so engrossed in the game that they lose sight of the spirit of fun that was intended. On some rare occasions, rather staid and proper 'ladies' will give each other 'the raspberries' when some unsuspecting participant has the nerve to 'steal
a gift.
Yes, White Elephant exchanges bring out the best and the worst in women (mostly) at this time of year. It matters not whether the message of peace and goodwill is foremost in everyone's minds. It only matters about what we think is in the gift that looks as if it was professionally wrapped.
Maybe the bag or box contains a puppy?
Happy Holly Daze
