White Elephant Gifts

Question

White Elephant Gifts

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.

Constructed Response Question
What is the author's purpose in "White Elephant Gifts"?

Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer.

Answer 1

The author's purpose in "White Elephant Gifts" is to inform readers about the tradition of White Elephant gift exchanges and to highlight the fun and excitement that surrounds this festive activity. The author provides a detailed description of how the gift exchange is conducted, emphasizing the elements of surprise and strategy involved in the game.

Two details that support this purpose include:

1. The author outlines the process of the gift exchange, explaining how participants draw numbers to determine the order of choosing gifts and how they have the option to steal gifts from others. This description illustrates the playful nature of the exchange, highlighting the excitement and interaction among participants. For example, the author states, "The next participant has two choices: pick a wrapped gift from the pile, or steal the gift from player number '1.'"

2. The author also discusses the cultural significance of the term "White Elephant" and its historical context, explaining how it relates to the extravagant gifts given by kings and the potential burden they imposed on the recipients. This detail adds depth to the narrative and provides readers with background knowledge, enhancing their understanding of why this tradition is named as such. For example, the author mentions, "If a nobleman annoyed the king of Siam, the nobleman might receive a white elephant as a gift," which demonstrates the dual nature of such gifts as both an honor and a burden.

Together, these details illustrate the author's intent to both inform and entertain readers about the unique traditions associated with White Elephant gift exchanges.