The Ugly Side of White Elephant Gift Exchanges

See this dog?


While cloaked in wrapping paper, he entered our house last weekend during a (nearly) end-of-the-semester Christmas banquet for the college students from our campus fellowship.  Then he found his way into my daughter's possession when she randomly selected him -- out of over 40 potential packages -- from under the tree during a white elephant gift exchange.

She tore open the wrapping paper, gasped in delight, and lifted him high for everyone to see.

At this point, I took little notice of the dog, except that he wagged his tail when his paw was pressed and by the way Brooke carried him in the crook of her arm for the duration of the evening, she already seemed attached.

It was the following morning when I noticed another detail.  A crucial detail.  In addition to wagging his tail, this dog sings when you press his paw.  (Apparently, it takes the volume of 40+ people conversing to fully drown him out.)

Since that evening, Brooke has listened to his barking, howling version of Jingle Bells more times than is humane.  She often starts by 7 in the morning.  Either the dog must go, or we need to invite large groups of people to our house more frequently this holiday season.

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4 comments

  1. We have a Valentine frog with a similar button that has been banished to a very high shelf. It was a gift from a grandmother, who I must have wronged during my childhood. Why else would she subject me to this thing?

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  2. Carrie, undoubtedly. You only give noisy toys to children whose parents you have issues with. ;)

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  3. Oh dear. Are there any batteries that can be strategically removed?

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  4. Sophie has a Santa on a skateboard that is our bane. It sings Holly Jolly Christmas. The worst was the year that we 'got' a NASTY old mink stole. Three moth-ridden minks, full heads and paws (with claws), the mouth biting the butt of the next one. It terrified Sophie (she opened the box). It was in the trash that same night.

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