White Elephants

Today my group at work had their holiday party. The meats were paid for by the department but everything else was of the potluck variety. I kept a list in my office where people could - but weren't obligated to - sign up so they could see what was needed or be sure they got in what they wanted to get in. We had a pretty good spread.

(That's my boss in the background.)

After we ate we played the White Elephant Game. You know the one. If you want to play, you have to bring a gift. All the gifts are placed on a tableand those bringing gifts draw a number. The person with number 1 goes to the table and picks a gift to unwrap.


We had some interesting "wrapping" - that envelope WAS the "wrapping paper".

Anyway, when number 1 is done, number 2 can either "steal" the present from number 1 or take another gift from the table. If the gift is stolen, then the person whose gift was can either steal someone else's gift (if it's further down the line - if only two have gone there wouldn't be another gift to steal, and you can't steal back your gift). Each gift can be stolen twice before it's "frozen" and it stays with an owner.

What we did to make sure we knew when a gift was frozen was they had to put on a hat - or other item available (hats in the picture above). Someone mentioned that people wouldn't want to wear the hats so I stipulated that if they didn't wear the hat, their present became unfrozen again and could be stolen. Yeah, I know I'm bad but it was totally worth it! lol

The first person to have their gift "frozen" was given a boa to wear.


Doesn't he look thrilled? lol I think it's a good look for him.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Christy Craig was having a contest over on her Killer Fiction blog and I said if I won (it was a pooping Santa), I'd put it in a Victoria's Secret bag and put it in the white elephant game at work. And I won. Well, I didn't win-win but she gave me one anyway - I think to see if I would do it and take pictures - and I did. :)

I have to confess that I thought about using something else because I really thought the pooping Santa was cute but I couldn't find the "replacement" gift I was going to use - my step-father's CD with the title song of "I don't look good naked anymore". I mean, really, how funny would that be in a Victoria's Secret bag? But, since I couldn't find it to save my life, I went with Plan A and used the pooping Santa.

Well, it wasn't any time before it got stolen - bag and all.


And a few minutes later, it was forever frozen (and since I was the last number in line, it was before I could steal it :( ).


So, I didn't realize how many "stealers" we'd have in our group and didn't know how many "frozen" hats I'd need. Well, I'd brought three headband hats and the boa. I borrowed six sombreros. I figured that would be enough. Well I was wrong. So, when we ran out of those, I had to get creative. Below are the "alternate" "hats" (yes, I thought the words should be quoted separately ;) ).


(By the way, he was the only one that didn't return his "hat" at the end of the game. No, seriously. lol)


And one last one with all the "hat people".A good time was had by all. :)