When my Grandpa Wally passed away, Grandma Nini agreed to move in with my family. I volunteered to help her unbox all of her belongings. Hanging out with Nini is always amusing because she is full of fascinating tales. As we unpacked the final box, I found a mysterious treasure that sparked her most dramatic story yet.
While sitting on the floor surrounded by empty cardboard boxes, I grabbed something wrapped in an old newspaper. As I slowly peeled back the layers, I let out a gasp while simultaneously stifling laughter. How is it possible that I had never seen this ridiculous, impractical teapot before? It was shaped like a pig, standing up on its back legs, wearing a chef’s hat and wearing an apron with the words “AM I YOUR CUP OF TEA?” on it.
“Nini, where did you get this? I’ve never seen it before. It’s quite…bewildering since you don’t even like tea.”
“I was wondering when that little guy was going to show up! He is my most cherished keepsake given to me by a secret admirer,” she said wryly with a twinkle in her eye.
“A secret admirer! Did Grandpa know?” I asked urgently as Nini bent down slowly to grasp the teapot, pulling it close to her.
As she placed it gingerly on the table, she recounted, “I was a junior in college, and my friend Lila implored me to attend her holiday party. She wanted to host a celebration before we all went home for winter break. Little did I know, she was participating in a scheme and subtly lending a hand to my secret admirer. I was wary until she revealed this was a special kind of get together – a White Elephant gift exchange.”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “what is a White Elephant gift exchange?”
Nini answered, “Well, each party guest brings a mysterious gift, something inexpensive and often silly. One person unwraps a gift from the pile of presents, and then the next person can either choose a wrapped gift or steal the first gift. Each person takes a turn. It’s so much fun, as people use strategy to end up with a gift they actually like. And so, I went to a secondhand store and was ecstatic to find this gaudy ceramic paperweight shaped like a frog on a lily pad. I wrapped it in colorful paper and embellished the package with a blue, sparkly bow.”
“I asked Lila to tell me who else was coming to the party, but she wouldn’t divulge the guest list. When I got to the party, Lila ran up to me exuberantly and started to introduce me to other party-goers. Later, I noticed a handsome young man that I knew from my Biology class. He had introduced himself to me at the beginning of the semester, and we had chatted a few times. Lila announced that it was time for the White Elephant gift exchange, and as we all gathered in the living room, he sat down next to me. I was so nervous, but after a few presents were unwrapped and stolen,” Nini giggled, “I relaxed and joined in the festive spirit.” She continued, “After all the boisterous haggling and swapping was over, I was stuck with that hilarious pig teapot. When I wasn’t looking, Lila helped my secret admirer sneak something into the teapot, a note asking me on a date.”
Overcome with curiosity, I grabbed the piggie off the table, lifted his chef’s hat, and put my hand inside. My fingers touched a folded-up paper. Filled with anticipation, I gently pulled out the note and carefully unfolded it. The writing was faded, but I could still read that it was signed – “Hopefully, Walter.”
I stood up to hug my Nini, “Grandpa Wally was your admirer!”
She embraced me, with tears in her eyes, “Yes, for over 55 years, he was my cup of tea
Imagine that you are at a party, surrounded by friends and family. You are sitting in front of a huge stack of beautifully wrapped presents. Someone yells out a number, and you grab the largest gift and unwrap it. You take a strange thing out of the box; it’s a cell phone cover in the shape of a cartoon alien with googly eyes. The room erupts into peals of laughter and giggles until another number is called out. Your uncle slinks over to you like a sly fox and slowly slides your new gift out of your hands, and then the whole room claps and cheers. What is going on? You are at a White Elephant gift exchange.
As the holiday season approaches, families, friends, classmates, and coworkers will celebrate and exchange presents. If you are asked to help plan a holiday party, why not spice up the celebration with a White Elephant gift exchange?
Each guest must bring one wrapped gift, which should be wrapped in such a way to keep its contents a mystery. It adds to the excitement to attempt to trick the other party-goers into thinking the present is something it isn’t. Sometimes the party planners establish a limit and encourage the guests not to spend over a certain amount of money. Many people focus on finding a funny or novel item, often called a “gag” gift, whereas others choose odd items they already own that they would like to get rid of.
The party host should create an orderly process for the White Elephant gift exchange. Commonly, each person who brings a gift is given a number. The person who receives number '1' chooses first from the collection of gifts, and then the real excitement begins! The next participant has two choices: pick a wrapped gift from the pile, or steal the gift from player number '1.' Now, player '1' has to choose a new gift, but it cannot be the gift that was stolen away. The fun continues as each person’s number is called, and that person can either pick a new gift or one that has already been unwrapped. Some people institute a “Tired Elephant” rule ahead of time. This rule states once a gift has been stolen a certain number of times, it cannot be stolen anymore. This increases the need for careful strategy and sneakiness if you see an item you truly desire. Finally, if the host feels like player number '1' should be in a privileged position, one more decree can be made: player number '1' is allowed to decide to either keep the current prize or swap what they have for someone else’s treasure. Why are these interesting or strange items known as White Elephant gifts? Throughout time and across cultures, people have appreciated rare animals and sometimes think of these animals as religiously significant. Kings and other rich rulers might give one of these unique animals as a gift. This award would display the wealth of the king, but it could be a blessing or a curse!
In the ancient kingdom of Siam (modern-day Thailand), owning a white elephant was a sign of strength and prosperity. If a nobleman annoyed the king of Siam, the nobleman might receive a white elephant as a gift. Because the albino elephant was seen as a sacred animal, the elephant could not be used for labor. It could not be let go or given away as this would be an insult to the king. Elephants can weigh six to twelve tons and eat up to 600 pounds of food a day. Therefore, this extravagant present might be seen as an honor from the king or as a financial burden that could lead to ruin. Some historians presume this is merely a legend and believe no Siamese monarch would give anyone a sacred animal as a means of revenge. Regardless, the legend lends its name to a festive and fun party tradition. Both passages give an overview of how a White Elephant gift swap game should be played. In "White Elephant Gifts," the author explains how the gift swap game got its name, though some historians do not believe the legend has merit.
Based on the information found in "My Cup of Tea" and "White Elephant Gifts," explain the ways the modern holiday game does not reflect the historical legend.
Introduce a topic.
Organize ideas, concepts, and information.
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, details, quotations, and other information and examples from BOTH passages.
Use transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information presented. in kid form
1 answer
The modern holiday game known as a White Elephant gift exchange is a fun and exciting activity that brings people together for laughter and enjoyment. However, the way people play this game today is quite different from the historical legend behind its name.
In the historical legend, the White Elephant represented a rare, sacred animal that was gifted by kings in ancient Siam. Receiving such a gift could be both an honor and a curse. On one hand, it showed great wealth and prestige, while on the other, it became a financial burden because the elephant could not be used for labor and required a lot of care. This means that the nobleman who received the elephant was stuck with a hefty responsibility. In contrast, the modern version of the White Elephant gift exchange is meant to be lighthearted and silly, with guests bringing inexpensive and often ridiculous gifts to a party.
For example, in the story of Grandma Nini, she received a peculiar pig-shaped teapot from her secret admirer during a White Elephant gift exchange. This teapot was meant to be humorous and fun, which highlights how today’s gifts are often chosen for their novelty rather than their value or the burden they may cause. Guests typically strive to make others laugh with quirky gifts, like Nini's teapot, rather than deal with the serious implications of a sacred animal.
Additionally, the rules of the modern game focus on strategy and playful competition. Players take turns unwrapping gifts or “stealing” them from each other, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere. Unlike the historical context where the gift of a White Elephant could lead to annoyance or resentment from a king, today’s exchanges are about enjoyment and camaraderie, with an emphasis on playful interactions.
In conclusion, the White Elephant gift exchange we know and love today stems from a historical legend that involved serious consequences and financial burdens. The modern game focuses on fun and laughter, allowing participants to share joy through silly and imaginative gifts. So, while both concepts share the same name, their meanings and intentions have diverged quite significantly over time.
