It’s the holiday season and people everywhere are enjoying the festivities, stockings are being hung, menoras are being lit and holiday parties are in full swing. But, there’s an elephant in the room, a white elephant that is. One of the most popular activities at holiday parties is the white elephant gift exchange, but no one knows quite where it came from and what it really stands for.

First, let’s get the facts straight; white elephant stands for an expensive yet not practical or useful gift. This phrase originated from the historic practice of the King of Siam giving his enemies or the people that displeased him a rare albino elephant. This was done in the hope of ruining the people he did not like because of the pricey upkeep cost of the rare animal. It is believed that the term was first introduced in 1828 by Ezra Cornell due to his frequent social gatherings. The name white elephant was used for the party because of the abundance of strange and quirky gifts that are given in the gift exchange.

 But what about how to play? Even if you’ve never been to a white elephant before, it’s fairly simple. To participate everyone must bring a gift, which are gathered up and put into a pile. Then, each person takes a turn drawing a number and the number you draw will be the order in which you get to pick a gift. Here’s where it can get tricky: when it’s your turn you have the option to grab a gift from the pile or steal one that has already been chosen. Although, a gift is locked in, meaning it is the persons gift to keep, once it has been taken by a second person. The cycle continues until everyone ends up with a gift.

 Now for the strategy: the most important part. While this game is, for the most part, luck, there are somethings you can do to walk away with the best gift possible. One strategy is to play a team game. First, you need allies, preferably a group of three. Then, as a group you can work together to make deals and inform one another on which gifts are best. Another strategy is to feel out the presents. Now this one isn’t the best, but you can tell a lot from the shape, size, and weight of a present. Just make sure you’re being sneaky. Lastly, my personal strategy is to choose the present you don’t want on your first turn. This present should still be desirable, but make sure it is not your first choice because you can’t steal it back after it gets stolen. This will leave you with the choice of all the other available presents that will hopefully include the one that you want to walk away with in the end.

   Yet, the question remains, what kind of gifts do you get? For your sworn enemies and everyone you hate, the best gift to give is a puppy. Why a puppy? Well, because nothing is worse than the gift of responsibility and a hole in your wallet. But, if you are just trying to be funny the best gift to get is a giant jar of mayo or maybe a box of dryer lint and a half eaten cookie. And if you really truly just want to be nice, a cute mug, some hot cocoa, and a good christmas movie (like Elf) would do the trick.