It's that time of year again. Thanks, but no thanks.

#2

My friend got a boxed enema once. During the game, it was stolen three times...

Report

Add photo comments
POST
realsportsgal avatar
Sportsgal
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You learned things about people that you didn't want that day...

View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

An actual white elephant! Sadly not real but a knick-knak. Still on display!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
mrkette avatar
Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Thailand, white elephants automatically belong to the King because of their rarity.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

I got a dancing dinosaur that played "Everyone Walk The Dinosaur." Super annoying but very cute.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
suzannehaigh avatar
Tee Witt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a Kangaroo that does something similar. Everyone hates it but I find it so funny.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

I got an ‘office basketball’ game at a work party, the kind of game that you wear the net on your head and others could try to make baskets in it. I was so excited for it but it immediately got stolen. My next gift was a stuffed knitted penguin container with a clear plastic belly full of mini candy canes. I still fill it full of Christmas themed candy and set it out every year.

Report

#6

A bowling ball. It was a standard at the annual office party - if you received it, you had to come up with a clever way to regift the next year. If you left the company, you had to pass it on to someone still there so they could gift it. It was a treasured and well-displayed item.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
mrkette avatar
Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did it live on a special pedestal on your desk for the year you had it?

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#7

I got the last gift available, which was this little, cheap Bluetooth shower speaker. Kind of shrugged and figured it might end up a regift later. Noooooope, turns out that little speaker is amazing. I use it all the time.

Report

#8

Toilet paper. Everyone thought it was hilarious when I announced I was thrilled to have it because I actually needed it at home.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
gabrielshultz avatar
Orange is aging
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once gifted a thing at a white elephant party where you record a message on it then put it in the toilet paper roll. When someone rolls the toilet paper, your message plays. The person who got it I think used it at a family gathering and said “why hello there beautiful! Don’t tell anyone we had this conversation”

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

William Shatner’s Christmas album from, like, 1970. He sings carols. Badly. It was stolen repeatedly.

Report

#10

I worked at this one school where they had a Christmas party for the teachers.
Yhey had this tradition of gifting a box of condoms every year as a white elephant gift. Like, literally the same box of condoms. It's been passed around for at least 15 years now.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
fredneobob90 avatar
Huddo's sister
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It might be a bit dangerous if someone hadn't got the memo and used them instead. Don't think they would be very 'safe'. :)

View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

my framed colonoscopy photo

Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#12

In the UK we call it secret santa it's basically the same but we put all names in a box, you pick one and you buy a present for that person. Each person spends the same, then you put under the office tree with the person's name on, they don't know who sent it. I have seen some pretty ugly gifts that people have given, they clearly didn't like the person lol. I once got a 1000 piece jigsaw of a train, I still have no idea who hates me

Report

Add photo comments
POST
b_nut137 avatar
Pheebs
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Secret Santa and white elephant are not the same thing. Secret Santa you only troll one person. White elephant you get to troll a whole room.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

I gifted my SIL, who's obsessed with apples a solid marble red apple with a golden leaf on top. Believe it or not it cost less than the requisite $10.

Report

#14

A notebook with matching stickers and an embroidery kit. Loved it as a teen

Report

#15

A book called 'very Valentine' about a girl "with a heart the size of the city of new york. Her mission? To make the perfect pair of shoes"

Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#16

I wasn't entirely sure what they were one year, so I brought some ugly clown dolls. I received some cheap nail polish. Fast forward a few years, and I'm starting high school. There's this really cool girl in one of my classes, and we soon become friends. After a bit of talking we realized she was the one who had received the clowns.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
mrkette avatar
Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How did she feel about the clowns? (Personally, I find clowns pretty creepy!) Did you reveal you were the donor?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

I got some nice headphones that turned out to be worth quite a bit of money, I still have them and lucky I do caz I love to listen to music 24/7!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#18

Snap Snot. Gag gift where you shove a small cork up yer nose and pull on the "snot" then let it go and it snaps you in the face. Our up-tight prudish Executive secretary opened it and I thought her face would fall off. The rest of the office fell into a side splitting laughing fit. It was great!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#19

Not one that I have received, but one that I gave. At my international school, everybody has to take a language, either Russian, French or English. My sibling takes Russian and is very picky about us saying Russian words correctly. I made a flipbook of Russian words, translated into English with a picture of the item. My dad now owns it and will take it out to annoy my sibling whenever he wants.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#20

I got a lanturn. That was rhe only one I received so it was the best and the worst. One time another person I know got a bottle of vegtable V8 with a note that said "eat your veggies"

Report

#21

a six pack of ramen

Report

#22

A 64 pack of crayons (with the built in sharpener), a 50pack of fine-tipped markers, 2 adult coloring books, and a handful of "wedding bubble" bottles.
Coloring is surprisingly relaxing when you're stressed and the bubbles were silly, but my cat and I had hours of fun with them.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#23

a master baiter mug

(not technically mine but it was in the white elephant for a few years now so my grandpa let me steal it)

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#25

I am the MASTER of doing white elephant gifts! I found a 5 foot trophy 🏆 and had a plaque made called The Shaboty (after a Dr my husband works with and the Drs original picture as a MD (taken in the 70's) and put it on the top of the trophy. They pass this around in the hospital and it's been 5 years

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#26

The dog pooping calendar

Report

#27

A mini Waffle maker! It was an exchange for a youth group and I thoroughly enjoy it!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#28

A four-and-a-half-foot tall Nutcracker, all wood with fur trim (hat, beard). Last year we draped Christmas lights all over him and instead of buying a tree, we put all the presents around him!

Report

#29

a 6" tall mechanical bull that walked, pawed the ground, lower his head, played bullfight song

Report

#30

Salmon christmas lights! Christmas lights with plastic salmon over the lights so they glowed! I freaking loved them!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#31

I gifted the borat mankini and a glossy photo of Ron Jeremy

Report

Add photo comments
POST
mrkette avatar
Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That could be something someone would be very excited to get. Probably not most people, but definitely not no one.

#32

One time at nursing home party was given a screwdriver with different 'bits' in it.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#33

A fabulous bougie mirror that fits perfectly in my vanity.
In accordance with the rules, I used my turn to steal it from my coworker. I still feel bad about it but it’s so pretty.
Forgive me Phyllis.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
jaclynsteinmacher avatar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Edit: We just had our office Christmas party. I had the misfortune of choosing the most wanted gift, which was stolen by Phyllis. Unfortunately Karen stole it from Phyllis, who then stole Michelle's gift. Michelle is too nice and just picked something else off the table lol. I have a feeling next year will be especially vicious.

#34

Pair of knitted moccasin style slipper socks. Did same gift a year later, fought over again!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#35

A Homer Simpson soap on a rope! Our group of friends had an annual Christmas Party. We did a white elephant exchange for years and Homer was always regifted. It was always hilarious to see who would end up with him.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
#36

25 year old bottle of Macallan. I don't drink but sold it for enough to buy myself a new mountain bike.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
mjw0sysascend_com avatar
lara
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not a 'white elephant" gift, that is an expensive gift.

#37

Viagra clock with 15 minutes of the face highlighted in blue to denote the time it took to take effect. Had to win it back. Sadly, someone actually stole it from my cubicle a few months later.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#38

i once received someone's car. they accidentally dropped their car keys in the mug they wrapped and the family called it fair game. unfortunately, they used their steal to win them back. i ended up with a teenage mutant ninja turtle statue.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#39

The box with the wrapping paper that said “It’s the Big One” got passed around like mad. It was a party full of ladies. The gift was a Playgirl magazine. So ridiculous and we still talk about it decades later.

Report

#40

My drill set. Cordless. I had owned a home previously, and hated my new corded drill to replace my trusty cordless one. My bestie got a keurig (I was unlucky enough to win one two years in a row, and I don't like them for many reasons), so although year one resulted in a return, year two resulted in a trade. I still have it, and use it quite often. Quite a bit of torque for a little cordless!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#41

Nipple vibrator clamps. Yes, you heard me. Opened and re-taped shut packaging as well.

Report

#42

Toilet seat. It was the most wanted present that evening.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#43

a six pack of ramen

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#44

Working in a podiatrist office, I was able to get my hands on a Digger the Dermatophyte bobble head doll. I wrapped it up for my family’s white elephant gift exchange. All of the guys fought over it. Go figure.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#45

My aunt is/was the worst gifter. She gave my small elderly grandma an enormous breastfeeding night gown, she gave me, a big 8 year old, a pair of socks small enough for my neighbor, a small three year old, and gave my mom gifts that we still laugh about: bubble bath liquid, we never had a tub; window cleaning liquid when my mom turned 50 (she was selling Amway) and, the number one awful gift, an aromatherapy metal ring you were supposed to put around a lightbulb, add oil to it to make your room smell nice. It never stayed in place, it always ended up tilting and dripping oil... My mom wasn't into aromatherapy, we never understood why.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
redrouge avatar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think I understood the assignment. Feel free to delete my addition Bored Panda. Or, keep it, might entertain someone.

See Also on Bored Panda
#46

On placement at a school as a child counsellor. I got a “world’s best teacher” mug and decided to keep it to regift to my dad, an actual teacher. Turns out the mug was a decoy and there was a $50 gift card hidden inside. As a poor uni student it was so appreciated!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#47

A rubber chicken! I loved it - dressed it up for holidays and seasons. It was a big hit at the office.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
abigailshue avatar
memyselfandI
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually asked for a rubber chicken as an actual gift this year, I really really want one.

#48

idk what 'white elephant' means

Report

Add photo comments
POST
luginbm avatar
Marianne Luginbuhl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It means you give a ridiculous, inappropriate, tacky, cheap gift. A white elephant gift is a gag gift, loved for being the funniest one at a party.