What is a 'White Elephant' Party?

Answer 1

Each person brings a gift but without a name on it, and gifts are exchanged among the invitees. You don't know ahead of time who is going to get your gift or whose gift you are going to get, that's why it's fun!

Answer 2

A white elephant gift exchange is a lighthearted way to have fun with your friends, family or work colleagues. White elephant gifts are traditionally gifts considered extremely tacky, or that do not fit the tastes of the recipient, and that are given by a friend or close relative (such as a mother-in-law) and therefore cannot be returned or exchanged at the store without potentially offending the giver. The thought behind a white elephant gift exchange is to give everyone a chance to rid themselves of these tacky gifts--and invariably gaining a new one!

Each person is to bring a "White Elephant" gift and will exchange it at the party for another unknown white elephant.

Some ideas for white elephant gifts include:

* Hideous jewelry
* Perfume or lotion with an unpleasant scent
* Cheap, ugly statues or other decorative knick knacks
* Weird art
* An obnoxious T-shirt or tie
* A poorly made, straight to video/DVD movie, preferably with the star being at the center of public ridicule (e.g., Britney Spears)
* An obscure or outdated book

The Origin:

White (albino) elephants were regarded as holy in ancient times in Thailand and other Asian countries. To keep a white elephant was a very expensive task, since you had to provide the elephant with special food, and provide access for people who wanted to come and worship it. If a Thai King became dissatisfied with a subordinate, he would give him a white elephant. The gift would, in most cases, ruin the recipient.

Answer 3

A White Elephant party is a party where you give white elephant gifts. Generally, a white elephant gift is something that you don't like and would not want to receive, either because it's useless or just undesirable. Everybody exchanges them and has fun. I suppose the name of the party came from one of the possible gifts -- a white elephant. What could you do with one of those?

A milder version is where people bring gifts that aren't very expensive.

Answer 4

There are different variations as you've probably read. My favorite version is combining "White Elephant" with "Dirty Santa"...

1) Set value limit... i.e... $15
2) Everyone brings wrapped gift to party
3) a number for each person is placed into a hat
4) then whoever has number 1 starts
5) #1 person picks a gift from the stack and opens it
6) #2 has the choice of stealing #1's gift or picking a gift from the stack
7) #3 can either steal from #1 or #2 or go to the stack
8) this repeats for everyone so basically the last one has the pick of the best gift!
9) if your gift is stolen you can't steal someone else's gift; you have to go to the stack

so you can basically have neutral(male or female) new gifts from a set value..., no set limit, or gifts you don't want... or whatever you found in your house you don't want....

Either way you'll get lots of laughs and have a great time! Highly recommended for large families when the finances can go out the roof! Easy to just have everyone bring one nice gift then having to buy tons of gifts!

For our large family, we've even done secret santa exhange names then used this game with dollar store gifts..... lots of fun!

Merry Holidays!

Answer 5

"White Elephant Gift" is something new or used that you have at home that you no longer want, wrap it up & take it to the party to exchange.

btw/ if it is used, make sure it is something decent like a vase/candle sticks/etc.

Answer 6

Junk Party! Everyone gets together and gives away stuff that they don't want anymore. Like a festive yard sale.