You may not have heard of a white elephant gift exchange before, but you might have the wrong idea of how it works and where the idea came from. According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. It was a far more devious punishment than simply having them executed. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange.
Picking the right white elephant gift means walking a fine line: the goal isn’t to just buy something terrible and force someone to take it home with them. Rather, it should be just useful or amusing enough that it won’t immediately get tossed into the trash. The recipient also shouldn’t be able to just throw it in a junk drawer and forget about it.
Some suggestions for funny white elephant gifts include:
– Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels: An alarm clock that runs away from the user if they try to hit the snooze button, continuing to beep until they get up.
– KFC Fire Starter Log by Enviro-Log: A firelog that is scented like KFC fried chicken, sparking intrigue as soon as it enters the gift pile.
– LDKCOK USB 2.0 Active Repeater Extension Cable: A 75-foot USB cable, a truly useful and monstrous gift.
– Banana Phone: A Bluetooth-enabled banana that can be paired with a smartphone and used as a speaker, creating a fun and quirky gift.
– Galaxy Projector: A projector that shines different light effects up onto the ceiling, creating a galaxy-like atmosphere in any room.
– Msraynsford Useless Machine 2.0: A little box with a switch that, when flipped on, opens and out comes a little lever that flips the switch back off, scoring high marks for its WTF factor.
– Lightsaber Chopsticks: A pair of chopsticks that glow in different colors with the press of a button, perfect for Star Wars fans and anyone who enjoys fun and quirky utensils.
– MMX Marshmallow Crossbow: A crossbow that fires slightly dry marshmallows up to 60 feet, creating a tasty version of a Nerf gun.
– Friendship Lamp: A long distance friendship lamp that lights up when tapped by a paired lamp, requiring space on a table, desk, or bookshelf and access to an outlet.
Overall, white elephant gifts are meant to be fun and whimsical, adding an element of surprise and entertainment to any gift exchange.
Unforgettable White Elephant Gifts for 2023
