It's the holiday season and, for some of us, that means random Christmas parties where you exchange White Elephant gifts. What are White Elephant gifts, you may ask?
While they are most often very nice and wonderful, the gifts themselves are quite purposeless, and you often have no desire or need for them.
You typically purchase White Elephant gifts when you don't know the recipient of your gift. For example, at a large family Christmas party, you probably won't know every single family member who's attending, but they want to do a gift exchange at the party, so each person draws names and buys a gift for the person with the name they draw. As a result, the gift becomes less of a gift and more of a burden.
But the real question is, is White Elephant the best or is it the worst?
First, let's discuss why White Elephant gifts have the potential to be the best.
Sometimes, it's incredibly easy to find white elephant gifts for people. You can buy gift cards, candy, soap, lotion, candles and other small, cute items that everyone can use.
Who doesn't love a good-smelling candle? Especially around the holiday season! There are so many peppermint-scented, gingerbread-scented, and all-around wonderful-smelling candles.
See also: 10 Bath & Body Works Candles That'll Help You Get Through Finals Week Without Losing ItAlong with the candles, you could put together some hot cocoa mix with mini marshmallows. Hot cocoa is wonderful for the holidays (or anytime, let's be honest).
On the flip side, white elephant gifts can also be the worst. You might not even know the person, you don't know if they're old or young or anything!
What if you buy them candles and it's a three-year-old child? That poor thing wouldn't even be able to appreciate it!
What do you get a toddler? Do they like planes, barbies, candy? Who knows?! What if they cry when they open your gift?
Then you just feel bad because your gift didn't bring them joy and so you don't feel the joy of giving!
Then there are the in-between White Elephant gifts that are just kind of OK. There's nothing overly fabulous or terrible about them, it's just more stuff.
Maybe you don't love candles. Maybe you don't like hot cocoa. Maybe you are a child and you don't know what to do with a rolling pin and baking-sheet set. Whatever the case, you don't have to have an opinion about it, but you might want to at least show some gratitude. It feels good to be grateful and even better to have someone else show us gratitude.
You will have to decide for yourself, but as long as you know at least a little bit about the recipient of your gift, White Elephant gifts can be quite fun. There are so many cute things you can buy or make, and you can arrange your gift in any fun way you like!
Aside from the possibility that someone might not enjoy the gift, white elephant gift exchanges are opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and shop for cute things. A little effort goes a long way when it comes to spreading the holiday cheer and spirit of giving!
