Foo - Holiday party "white elephant" gift exchanges

I hate them.

I always end up with a bad DVD, picture frames, or something else that I don't like/can't use/don't want.

I've tried to back out of them, but then I'm made to feel guilty because I don't want to participate in the "fun".

I have a party tonight with a gift exchange. I'm dreading it.

Our bike club has a pretty good gift exchange. The limit is $20 but I think people end up spending more than that. For instance, I got a $20 gift card to a local bike shop plus a little plaque that sez "Ride it like you stole it!" There is a booby prize that's been going around a few years though.... it's a salt & pepper shaker set where the base is a nekkid woman and the shakers are her boobies. We also have it so people can steal each other's gifts (ea. gift can be stolen up to twice, then it belongs to the stealer for good). Then the person who lost a gift can either go back to get a fresh gift or steal someone else's.

The door prizes (donated from local businesses) are pretty good too: I got a set of Pearl Izumi sun blocker sleeves.

I hate them.

I always end up with a bad DVD, picture frames, or something else that I don't like/can't use/don't want.

I've tried to back out of them, but then I'm made to feel guilty because I don't want to participate in the "fun".

I have a party tonight with a gift exchange. I'm dreading it.

I am EXACTLY the same way. But at work, everyone else seems to enjoy doing it so I go along just because I have to maintain decent working relations with them. But if it were up to me, I'd stick with just a holiday potluck meal and leave it at that. Some day I'm going to do something crazy though, like give someone an adult novelty toy. Of course, that would probably be the last day I work here but it might be worth it.

I hate those White Elephant gift exchanges. Feelings always get hurt, blouses get reached into as poeple try to uselessly hide their gifts and sad expressions on peoples faces as gifts are jerked out of their hands. I won't partake of them anymore.

Well since you don't have to put your name on it and if you REALLY want to have fun, wrap up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one of those disposable containers and watch the expressions of everyone's faces!!

But then again it might be tell tale since you will be the only one NOT surprised. Are you a good faker? :D

Take a waffle iron, someone will hate getting stuck with that!!! ;)

The English Dept. is having its party at a local bar/restaurant. $20 limit. I'm going to drop a $10 gift certificate to that establishment into the grab bag.

I haven't had a "secret santa" in a while - but the most memorable was a $5 gift - and of course I always make a nice gift that is more - but that year my secret santa gifted me with a dollar store little thingee that was a little sewing repair kit with a needle, 5 ft (if that) sewing thread, needle threader and some other paraphernalia :D

I would have gladly taken a picture frame!

Thank goodness my offices do not do that here.

Take a waffle iron, someone will hate getting stuck with that!!! ;)No kidding! Any decent human being already has at least one nice waffle iron, so a cheap one as a gift sure won't be very helpful!

No kidding! Any decent human being already has at least one nice waffle iron, so a cheap one as a gift sure won't be very helpful!

< pout > I don't have a waffle iron (course - hehe - I'm just one person here), so I would have traded anyone my pocket sized emergency sewing kit for a waffle iron anyday! :D

I hate those events because all I've received is cheap chocolate and once a curling iron (my hair is already curly).

Okay I ended up with an ice cream maker.
















That was used. Because who ever gave it didn't wash it.

One word - REGIFT

Okay I ended up with an ice cream maker.


That was used. Because who ever gave it didn't wash it.

Oh, ewwwww.

The limit for this party is $10 so hopefully no one will be giving used stuff.

At my office the white elephant exchange ran its course and we discontinued it.

I give the admin staff and supervisors small gifts like plants or cookies. Everybody else gets a card.

I hate them.

Me too. And it's the highlight of the social season for all of my coworkers. We had ours last week.

Actually my kids have been great recipients of our white elephant haul. Although what looked like a rubber chicken but was actually a rubber flamingo in stripper lingerie had to get regifted once the kids got old enough to look past the squeaking.

I got a Shake Weight at the last one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI

I ended up with a bottle of wine. :)

Most of the gifts were pretty good. Only a few were real clunkers.

Gift exchanges are good if the majority of the people buy something they would actually give to someone straight up and don't try to do the funniest gift. Funniest gift exchanges get tedious after a while. (One or two funny gifts don't ruin it, though.)

they would be fine if it wasn't for the whole "you can steal a gift from someone else" thing. it sucks to open something you really like only to have it stolen.

Apparently, at our office the white elephant exchange is always alcohol. This is my first year participating in it, so we'll how well my bottle of wine goes over.

Take a waffle iron, someone will hate getting stuck with that!!! ;)

If you turn it off, you won't stick...

yup the wife had to go out shopping after work tonight to get her gift. I'm lucky we don't do that at my current job. Hell, i'm lucky to even have a job!

this is hard to beat for $5

https://buy.louisck.net/