When Harry Met Chirky
December 14, 2007
The problem with buying gifts for a white elephant gift exchange at work is that I always end up picking out something that I want, and then I spend hours scheming on how to either (a) wrap it so that no one will pick it or (b) steal it the third-time-round so no one can steal it away from me.
And then I wonder: why go to all that trouble? Why not just buy one for myself? It’s only $10, afterall.
The problem with that, you see, is that then I’ll look like a copycat. I can’t buy something for someone else and buy one for myself also, and then give one away because then I’ll either look like I’m copying them or I’ll look like I think my little cubicle decorations are so awesome that everyone needs to have the same type of decorations that I have.
Even though the ONE cubicle decoration I have IS awesome. It’s also the gift that I had originally planned to give away in the white elephant gift exchange, before I sequestered it for myself. I just couldn’t bear to let it go.
Meet Harry. That’s not his given name, of course. He’s an Ugly Doll, and his original name is Target. I can’t call him Target without wanting to take a trip down the street to SuperT, so I renamed him Harry. This is why:
A one-eyed, snaggle-toothed doll with a hairy chest! Am I alone in thinking that is unbearably cute? Perhaps a face (and, er, a chest) that only a mother could love?
I’ll tell you what I’m NOT alone in, though: keeping gifts for myself that I’ve bought for someone else. And I know I’m not alone in this because Roger also has a white elephant gift exchange at work. And Roger loved his gift so much that he decided to keep it for himself, too. (Wow, all this gift-buying and gift-keeping makes us sound incredibly selfish. We’re not actually selfish at all, we just happened to find two things in a store that we were each destined to have, even though we didn’t know it at the time. Well, okay, maybe we DID know it, but wouldn’t keeping it for ourselves just make us responsible members of society, since we could recognize that we wanted it, keep it, and vow to buy another gift? That seems very responsible to me.)
Roger’s gift: a tape dispenser (in red). Get it? Tape? Ha!
Anyway, so now we both need to go shopping for gifts again, and neither of us know what to get. Roger is thinking something along the lines of a gift card, but I can’t tell you where because some of his co-workers read this site. (I’m looking at you, Lulabelle.) I can tell you this, though: it’s a good store. I would totally steal that card.
But what should I get? Internet, I need your help. And since I know how opinionated you are, I figure you’re just the ones to help me. What have been some of YOUR favorite gifts to give (or receive) at a white elephant gift exchange?
Comments
One time, for a gift exchange that was supposed to be around $25, we bought 24 $1 bottles of sparkling cider and took it home ourselves. Mmmm. (We were kind of sick of it by the 24th bottle, though).
Posted by: Janssen | December 14, 2007 01:09 PM
I love Ugly Dolls! Unfortunately, my niece loves them even more, so I can't buy one for myself to keep at home or she would be extremely indignant about it. Maybe I should get one for the office, though...
I wish I could help you on the White Elephant gifts, but I'm always at a loss about them myself.
Posted by: Average Jane | December 14, 2007 01:36 PM
Dear Chirky,
I regret to inform you that your link for "Ugly Dolls" is not serviceable (and no I don't care if that actually isn't a word or if it is spelled incorrectly).
You're welcome,
friend
P.S. Lotto tickets make a good white elephant gift, also they sell fake ones at Spencer's Gifts that are winners but obviously not redeemable. Fun for you at least.
Dear Friend,
The Ugly Dolls link has been fixed. Also, lottery tickets! Yet another good idea!
Thanks,
Jes
Posted by: Katie | December 14, 2007 02:00 PM
Whoa, whoa and whoa. Are you saying Roger is NOT bringing a tape dispenser to the gift exchange?
Posted by: Lulabelle | December 14, 2007 05:17 PM
I have to think of something to bring for my white elephant gift exchange next week too! We are in the same boat. Things that always do well in ours (leading to lots of stealing back and forth) are collections of specialty coffee or tea, or, of course a bottle of some kind of booze or wine. You can get some nice wines for $10.
I remember one year when we had this, someone had bought a set of Santa lights for (like to put on a Christmas tree) which no one wanted, so it was like the booby prize. It led to a lot of fun though!
Posted by: Mauigirl | December 14, 2007 05:25 PM
Sorry for the extra "for" in there. I meant "for a Christmas tree" and then decided to do it differently!
Posted by: Mauigirl | December 14, 2007 05:26 PM
I like to buy $10 - $15 bottles of liquor (like jack or something similar). People seem to like alcohol.
Posted by: Giselle | December 14, 2007 09:35 PM
I took the Starbucks hot chocolate set to a holiday party this week. Mostly because I remembered at 6 AM that I needed a gift and I figured Starbucks was better than whatever I could come up with at the gas station. Turns out that gift was stolen three times!
Posted by: Daily Tragedies | December 14, 2007 10:13 PM
I usually buy either coffee or wine. Or rummage through my pile of "re-gift" presents and send one of those (Like the nut bowl and cracker set my Mom gave me last year)
:)
Posted by: Angella | December 15, 2007 02:46 PM
One of my favorites has been one of those huge tins of popcorn that had hidden inside the lid a gift card. I don't remember where the gift card was for, but I do remember this: everyone knew what the round shaped container wrapped up was and no one wanted it. It was the last gift chosen and then the giver told them to look under the lid at the end of the party and everyone wanted it then.
Posted by: Courtney | December 15, 2007 04:02 PM
Wait a second, isn't the point of a White Elephant gift exchange that the gifts are supposed to be mostly undesirable, but then some are just a tad more desirable than others? Both of those potential White Elephant gifts are pretty rad. You need to think: Thrift Store.
Or, if it is supposed to be nicer than the White Elephant gift exchanges I've been privy to, I recommend: Pretty Much Anything From Etsy, Because, Like Ugly Dolls, Handmade, And Awesome. There are some really cool bottle opener/key chains via Kate Black: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=10299
I once received an ice-cube tray at a W.E. gift exchange. The year before? An old Fembot Halloween costume.
Posted by: kerrianne | December 15, 2007 05:02 PM
Where did you get that tape dispenser?!
(Rad.)
Posted by: kerrianne | December 15, 2007 05:04 PM
"A one-eyed, snaggle-toothed doll with a hairy chest! Am I alone in thinking that is unbearably cute?"
Yes, you are alone in your thoughts.
Oh, and I hate Christmas parties that are themed "Ornament exchange" because, let's face it, their style in ornaments isn't my style. And how do I know this? Because I'm anal and "super-particular" when it comes to decorating my tree. And obviously, anyone participating in an "ornament exchange" is not so particular if they are willing to take home someone's random choice of decor. For the record, if I am forced to attend one, I never keep the ornament. It usually finds its way in to the trash. Yeah, yeah, I know some of you are appalled at that idea - but I'm just keeping it real!
Posted by: beyonka | December 15, 2007 05:17 PM
I like the tape dispenser. Harry, not so much.
Never done a white elephant, but I did once keep a gift specifically purchased for someone else.
Posted by: Lia | December 17, 2007 08:27 AM
Love the tape dispenser! I would have had to keep it myself also. I also thought a white elephant gift was supposed to be something you wanted to avoid, hence the "white elephant." How about a disposable camera?
Posted by: Erica | December 17, 2007 12:20 PM
How have I never seen an Ugly doll before?
And why is it that I want one NOW?
Posted by: alyndabear | December 18, 2007 03:10 AM
Why dont you get a tape dispenser and Roger get the doll?
Posted by: Willow | December 18, 2007 12:01 PM
Starbucks... I am sure it has already been mntioned, but I like to get their mugs, coffee, candy, whatever... if it has Starbucks on it, then you are cool.
Posted by: eddo | December 19, 2007 10:28 AM
That tape dispenser is awesome! I'm probably too late to help you with the gift exchange, but I can't wait to hear what you took!
Posted by: my life is brilliant | December 20, 2007 10:13 AM
I love both of the gifts you showed. I love doing the 2-week Secret Santa thing we do at my job... but it gets quite expensive if you keep doing a 1-for-you-1-for-me thing. :-)
Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Jayleigh | December 23, 2007 10:19 PM
What? Still no new post? You got to be kidding me!!! How was your christmas Jes?
Posted by: eddo | December 26, 2007 10:49 AM
Dear Jes,
It has now been 13 days since your last post. Are you sick? Are you lying on your bathroom floor with a bad back? Is your computer broken? I know it's not that you don't have anything to say . . . . so spill!
Posted by: Katie | December 27, 2007 03:23 PM