White Elephant Christmas party.

[Willl]

My BIL's family does this and were thinking of starting one up ourselves.

Anybody else do this ?

From the people I have talked to, seems everybody does theirs a little different.

I'm thinking in order for this to play out correctly in my family, were going to need some 'posted' rules.

 

[EddieWalker]

Not sure if it's the same thing, we've never used the term "White Elephant" in ours.

The rules are pretty basic, and from what I understand, very common here in East Texas.

Everyone who wants in brings a gift. We have a ten dollar limit on it's value. We ask that you put down on the wrapping if it's a boy or girl type gift. Then the gifts are counted and we know how many numbers to write down. Everyone who brought a gift draws a number.

Number 1 goes first and picks their gift. Then number two and every else can either pick a gift from under the tree, or "steel" a give that's already been open. It's their choice. We have a limit that a gift can only be taken three times until it's safe. If your gift is taken by another, then you get to go pick another from the tree. After the last person has unwrapped the last gift, the person who drew number 1 gets the opportunity to steel a gift or keep the one they already have.

It's allot of fun and we usually have between 20 to 30 people who play. Kids are not included in it because they get gifts from family members who wont see them at Christmas. Some of the teenagers join in, but not always. It's up to them if they bring something or not.

The last two years, I've ended up with giant ceramic coffee mugs. Last year it was an Orange County Chopper mug, this year it was a Dallas Cowboys mug. Some gifts are home made, while others are gag gifts. The creativity of the gift is usually more fun then the actual gift. Some are given away when it's over anyway. We got a birdhouse this way when everybody left and one of the kids got a rubber chicken that was good for allot of laughs, but better off going home with little Kirsten then her Grandpa.

Another thing that we do is have a give away table. We have things that we don't want or use and instead of bringing them to Good Will, we set out on the table. Kids clothes, our clothes and other items that don't fit or we don't wear. Toys, electronics, appliances, and just about anything and everything goes onto the table. Others also bring stuff from their homes that are still in good order, but not wanted to the give away table.

The table has grown into many tables and areas outside the shop!!!

If you want it,take it. Allot of stuff ends up going to friends and family members who can use it. In two years, nothing is left over for us to through away or take to Good Will. This year, we had so much stuff that I was convinced we'd be stuck with it, but it all went to a home that wanted it.

Eddie

 

[Willl]

Yup, that's exactly what I'm talking about Eddie. I've also heard it called a 'Yankee Swap'.

I like the "give away table" idea.

 

[thatguy]

"Dirty Santa" is what we call it here..

Brian

 

[dooleysm]

Our family (about 15 -20 adults) used to draw names and then you would buy gifts for that one person. This got to be less fun as the family grew and cousin's spouses didn't really know eachother and inevitably ended up drawing eachother's names. We switched to the 'whatever you want to call it' stealing based exchange.

We made the limit $25 and you are supposed to bring a good gift and we engage in lots of good natured one-upsmanship leading up to the exchange. We don't put any names on the gifts and try to guess who brought what and decide on who brought the best gift afterwards. We've been doing it for 3 years now and I think most people enjoy the change. We've seen some great gifts and some terrible gifts.

My BIL's family does a similar thing except everyone brings a $25 gift card for whatever store they want. The main point of their exchange is to wrap the gift card in an unusual manner. They've had cards frozen into blocks of ice, encased in concrete, locked in a box with 100's of dummy keys provided with the actual key, built into elaborate wooden structures, etc. They get the fun of opening the gift and then can steal for whatever gift card is most useful to them.

 

[khamill2000]

My family has been doing that for about 10-15 years. Its the one thing that all of the adults look forward to. Some of the gifts are good and some are gag. This year my mother got a box of condoms. I laughed until my beer came out of my nose. We always host it at my house. Also, so the kids don't feel left out, we buy $50 worth of lottery tickets. Each kid gets a ticket and they play until they win. Last year it took 48 tickets until every kid won at least $1. Then my mother took the last 2 home with her and won $50.

 

[jeffinsgf]

We've been doing the same thing for the past few years, except we do it twice. One round is for gag gifts. That is always a laughfest. The second round is books. The book exchange has proven to be very popular. Everyone sort of has a family member in mind when they buy a particular book, but they usually end up being sought after by someone completely different. Then we have a drawn name exchange for nice presents.

 

[RobJ]

We usually only do this at Christmas parties and stuff for fun. For family, if you set a $25 limit (which should read spend AT LEAST $25 tight wad!)....there are a couple that will spend $5 tops. At parties, its the trading, steeling and opening that is the fun part of the game...NOT what you walk away with. At our Church parties, many will save the gift for next year and see who ends up with it!

Lot of fun!

 

[rox]

We usually only do this at Christmas parties and stuff for fun. For family, if you set a $25 limit (which should read spend AT LEAST $25 tight wad!)....there are a couple that will spend $5 tops. At parties, its the trading, steeling and opening that is the fun part of the game...NOT what you walk away with. At our Church parties, many will save the gift for next year and see who ends up with it!

Lot of fun!

Rob, I marked in red the part of the post that I thought was hysterical. Really made me laugh and actually i thought of a few of my family members that that bit of advice would apply to

 

[EddieWalker]

... many will save the gift for next year and see who ends up with it!

The first year that we did this, I got a hammock. I have no desire to sit in a hammock and I'm sure not going to use it for a nap. I re-gifted it the following year, and everyone knew it. Called me out on it too.

Eddie

 

[_RaT_]

My BIL's family does this and were thinking of starting one up ourselves.

Anybody else do this ?

From the people I have talked to, seems everybody does theirs a little different.

I'm thinking in order for this to play out correctly in my family, were going to need some 'posted' rules.

We do this each year with neighbors. We bring a white elephant and a halfway decent gift. Its a total crack up. This year our white elephant was a very fancy cylindrical box that you give away a bottle of very nice wine in. We took that, rolled up Jeff Foxworthy's "you might be a Redneck if" slipped in a bottle of bottled water into the center of that, wrapped that in some fancy tissue and put that in a fancy bag. Ours was the first picked. You pick numbers as to who selects first. The girl that got ours was the exact opposite of Jeff Foxworthy and that's what made it so funny. We laughed pretty hard, I'm sure she was trying hard to figure out who he was.

You might be a redneck if; you use a rag as a gas cap.....

 

[dooleysm]

I always take something that I want, that way, worst case, I can steal my own gift back if there's nothing good. I've ended up with my gift twice. Once was a selection of wine/beer/liquor. This year I got back the ratchet straps and bungee cords I brought. Works out really well!

 

[RobJ]

Rob, I marked in red the part of the post that I thought was hysterical. Really made me laugh and actually i thought of a few of my family members that that bit of advice would apply to

Oh Rox I could go on. Christmas can get interesting around here on BOTH sides of my family. Good and the bad, sort of why I've been trying to promote the draw name single gift concept(but say $50 to $100 MINIMUN!!). To me its just easier to shop for 1 than 25. But I've also tried to ban gifting to anyone over 21...college kids need some stuff.

But I won't tell which side this came from but it's 100% true I'm sad to say. And these gifts were not to me...just in general. And there is always one that goes overboard.

One side use to own a small gift store, left over, some damage stuff is still in a small warehouse...MErry christmas with that stuff!
One year a set of fan belts as a gift...case of oil the previous year (not all that bad IMO)
How about a flashlight and battery gift...but batteries removed.
Bath and beauty gift packages...cut down the middle, half to mom and half to daughter.
HONEST...same as above but split 3 ways.
Another simular to above, 3 items removed from package and wrapped separately and given to same person...going for quantity.
giver gives a socket set, nice, receiver says already has one, giver takes it back and says they'll keep it. Receiver is skunked...not even something to return!
A real nice Pro Bass Shops $20 gift card...right next to the givers house, 40 miles from the receiver!
Another flashlight, no batteries, no package either. Just flashlight in tissue.
A wrapped money tree!! This is NOT deep east Texas familys.
Scratch off Lotto games. Ok they had NOT been scratched off.
TomToms for all the men....the overboard person. Nice but I don't need or want a TomTom.
Uhhh NO Gift! Picture 8 people in the room get a gift, number 9 does not...Oops.
One person does do all their Christmas shopping at the dollar store. Here I get 10 pieces of junk instead of 1!! WooHoo!
This year we got.... "A donation has been made in your name" thing(no amount of the donation BTW). Maybe not such a bad thing, but now we are on their mailing list, they have our phone number, and you know $5 buys like 10,000 meals somewhere! Just give me a heads up next year and I'll be glad to do the same. At least tell me how much!!! I can't even get a tax deduction...but the giver does! Of course this person got real gifts from everyone else. Maybe next year I'll tell them I donated in his name to my Church! Ya know a slient donation.

I guess our family is about as dysfunctional as the next. Boy it gets worse if you include my BIL's family.

Yep I'm 49 and all for Christmas without the gifts. Why White Elephants are for fun only!

 

[RobJ]

The first year that we did this, I got a hammock. I have no desire to sit in a hammock and I'm sure not going to use it for a nap. I re-gifted it the following year, and everyone knew it. Called me out on it too.

Eddie

IMO, you know how to play it Eddie! If you are really good you'll only unwrap the end to see what it is, this way you don't have to rewrap the thing!