WHITE ELEPHANT CHRISTMAS

Earlier this evening, a group of us met at a local pub to visit, share some laughs and hold a white elephant gift exchange. Don’t know what that is? More later.

This group of friends (14 attended…another 4 couldn't make it) has a connection with the hospital where I work. Many of us still work there. All the others worked there at some point in the past. Our paths crossed through the years as we worked together on projects or just down the hall from one another. In some way, we had some commonality over the years. We shared ideas together, moaned and bitched together, failed together and succeeded together.

At our exchange, we caught up on what was going on with ones we haven’t seen in awhile. We shared some drinks and appetizers, made small talk…and laughed like we haven’t laughed in a long time. Then we shared some funny gifts with one another and laughed even more.

A white elephant gift exchange, involves everyone bringing a wrapped, unmarked gift. Each person then draws a number. When it’s your turn, you go to the tree and pick a gift. You open it and pretend it’s the worlds’ greatest gift. After everyone oohs and aahs and laughs, the next person has the option of ‘stealing’ your gift, or choosing a new unopened one from under the tree. This continues until all the gifts are opened.

For the most part, it is some gift that you have received in the past that was the gaudiest…ugliest…stupidest…thing you have ever seen. So much so, you wanted to share it with your friends so you could all laugh together.

Now to be honest, some weren’t too bad. The gumball machine was a great gift…if you needed a gumball machine in your home. There were dishtowels, wall ornaments, snack plates, beer mugs, a ‘pickle to hide’, over-sized green Hulk fists that growled when you pounded the fists together. There were DVD’s that, at one time, were likely in the $5 movie bin at the local discount store…and then they moved into the $1 bin…and then into the ‘buy one/get one’ bin!

My gift that I picked? A troll!

It looked to be carved from a coconut. I’m thinking of contacting Jeft Probst of ‘Survivor’ to see if they want it for next years’ "Immunity Idol". If that doesn’t work, I’ll re-wrap it, and take it back for ‘next years’ white elephant gift exchange.

And we’ll all ooh and aah…and laugh like we haven’t laughed in a year.


Dan