Day: December 11, 2003

White Elephant

looky

We had a “white elephant” game at our office holiday party today- we stuffed ourselves with ice cream and cake and avoided work. I ended up with some ancient memory sticks, and I brought in some Japanese washi paper dolls which ended up being some of the more popular items- they were “stolen” several times.

I had rescued them from the trash when my dad moved his office. I think they were originally a present from a Japanese energy utility executive… the bases they were on were pretty cheap wood and originally they were in flimsy acetate cubes that had yellowed with age… although elegant, I’m guessing they were made as a kit by a executive’s wife. I’m not really into dolls, especially fragile paper ones that are constantly in danger of being squished, but I couldn’t quite just throw them away… I’m glad they have a home now, and nicer than the shelf in my garage.

I remember the first time I did this “white elephant” game- I had to be like 8 or something and I was at a friend’s birthday party. We all picked our presents, and I got something that was pretty cool. Everyone was into it. And then it got taken away. I couldn’t believe this was really the point of this game. I suddenly had a newfound interest in the rules- was he allowed to do that? Yep. Fucking assholes.

The moral of this story is-

  • you want something cool… but not too cool. Deprecate your item if you like it.
  • don’t get attached to your gift
  • don’t bring anything people will want very badly
  • don’t play this game if you are not yet in high school
  • in retrospect, maybe I should have just thrown a fit and threatened the rest of the party with insane violence. Hmmm…

Sort of a Zen lesson isn’t it? Impermanence… attachments… desire and suffering. It’s all in there. And all in about 20 minutes. What a deal!

The Rules:

  • Everyone brings in a wrapped gift, a “white elephant”- something which is not junk, but you don’t want it. The “wrapped” part is important.
  • everyone takes a number
  • in order, the players take turns
    1. you can take an unwrapped gift and unwrap it
    2. or you can take someone else’s gift
    3. if your gift is taken then you can pick again- an unwrapped gift or someone else’s
    4. The exception: any one gift cannot be stolen more than 3 times

Tantrums and beatings are optional.