0
In a white elephant gift exchange, what does the "white elephant" refer to?
Nathen Hegmann
By this point, obviously, it describes the silly presents you bring to pass around at the holiday party. But it draws its roots from a monumentally petty (and almost surely false) legend: kings bestowing actual white elephants on their adversaries as intentionally impractical gifts.
Kings of Siam (today, Thailand) were the petty party, so the legend goes. White elephants, a revered animal in parts of East Asia, required constant care and didn’t bring in any money—essentially, the kings hoped to bankrupt the recipients under the veil of generosity.
This legend, though, has no basis in Siamese history and seems to have originated in America; nonetheless, in the States, the term “white elephant†came to mean something impractical but indispensable. Gift swap parties—where guests brought absurd, inexpensive gifts and swapped them—came to popularity in the early 20th century, and the phrase “white elephant party†quickly became attached to it. Thankfully, it’s all in fun—generally, the fewer bankruptcies caused by the gifts, the better.
Kody Nienow
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoA white elephant gift is either a gag gift or a gift that costs the recipient more than the giver.
Historically, the term "white elephant" comes from a practice of emperors giving sacred white elephants to aristocrats they did not like. The aristocrats could not kill, give away, or sell the sacred white elephant which meant that they had to feed and care for it for many, many years. After a rich man had a few white elephants, he was no longer rich, so the emperor was one up on the aristocrat and had effectively put the aristocrat in his place.
These days it might be a gift from or for someone you don't wish to offend, but have no use for. A white elephant gift from or for such a person could be giant furniture for a small apartment; a food processor when you don't cook....things of that nature.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoA white elephant is a gift that is expensive for the person to keep - so they don't really want it but can't give it back due to good manners. I'm not sure why you'd want to give someone something like that, but you'd have to find something that they wouldn't like, so that would depend on their personality.
Jacob Wilkins
hey i wounder if the is a black elephant
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
How does a white elephant gift exchange work?
There is many ways you can perform a white elephant. These are two common ways:Everyone in your group must bring a present.You can either:have everyone pick a number, the number associating the gift is now yours or have everyone just go up and take a presentIf someone doesn't like their gift you can add the option of trading it with somebody else.
What is the name of a gift proving ruinous to the recipient?
White elephant
What are the rules of a white elephant gift exchange?
The goal of this popular holiday party game of six or more people is more to have fun than to gain. Each participant brings a wrapped gift, and all the participants take turns either opening a gift or stealing the gift of another player. If a person's gift is stolen, they can either steal another gift or choose from the remaining pool of gifts.
What did the 'White Elephant stall' originate from?
A White Elephant is an object that has high maintenance costs and no practical use. The phrase comes from East Asian Burmese culture. White Elephants were highly regarded and expensive to keep. If the local King was dissatisfied with one of his subjects he would give him a white elephant. The recipient could not give away a gift from the King and would be financially ruined with the upkeep of the animal.
What is the origin of a Yankee Swap?
A White Elephant Gift exchange party has been called a 'Yankee Swap' in north eastern United States since 1828. It probably got the name because it's the kind of thing the earliest thrifty New England Yankees would have appreciated.
What is an online white elephant gift party?
This is an Internet based mimic of the traditional white elephant gift party that allows family and friends the opportunity to share real gifts and conversation using social media tools.These parties allow participation from any Internet connection and use a common playing page to share gifts, steal gifts between the players and make comments on every action.There is a host, just like traditional white elephant parties, who sets the gift spending amount and sends out the party invitations via the web. All players are notified using email as to each action in the party, so that they can come and go as it is convenient for them. Typically the online white elephant party will last over several days.At the end of the activity, when all the gifts have been sorted out, the appropriate gift is shipped to each players door.
Is there such thing as exchange gift day?
Yes. Every second Friday in the month of may there is Exchange Gift Day, where you exchange gifts with people in your family. :)
What is the purpose of gift exchange?
The purpose of gift exchange is to show someone that you care about them. A small but personal gift is often enough to show someone that they are loved.
If you receive an elephant as a gift where should it go?
Zoo.
Can you make a holiday sentence with the word exchange?
I promise to not exchange your gift.
Is a gift a contract?
No, a gift is not a contract because nothing of value was given in exchange.
Do people give a gift at a bachelorette party?
It is not customary to bring a gift to a bachelorette party but you can do something gift exchange-y. If there is going to be a gift exchange the host will usually tell you.
