what is a white elephant christmas party

A white elephant Christmas party is a party where guests bring white elephant gifts, which are gag gifts or silly items that are not typically considered desirable. The name "white elephant" comes from the white elephants given as gifts in ancient Thailand, which were considered to be a nuisance due to their cost of upkeep and maintenance. At the party, guests choose gifts from a pile and unwrap them one by one, and there's always the risk of getting stuck with a bad gift. But that's the fun of it!