# Gifts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 14, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392 "2004-06-14T23:52:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wiglafman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ad7895/32.png) [@Wiglafman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wiglafman)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392/1 "2004-06-14T23:52:09Z")

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We have been puzzling over the origin of the phrase, “The gift that keeps on giving.” It seems so familiar, we thought it was created for a very popular brand name, like Kodak or De Beers… No web search has come up with a definitive origin. Any help?

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392/2 "2004-06-15T01:45:14Z")

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A little [research](http://www.adslogans.co.uk/samples/45_samples.html) indicates it was a slogan for [Victrola](http://www.victor-victrola.com/ABOUT.htm) record players.

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**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392/3 "2004-06-15T21:51:07Z")

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And not the clap, which was of course my first thought!

Wait, do they still call VD the clap? I’d hate to confuse the kids, like when I reference broken records, pop tops, why we “dial” phones, etc.

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**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392/4 "2004-06-16T00:35:28Z")

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> [@EJsGirl](#):
>
> And not the clap, which was of course my first thought!
> 
> Wait, do they still call VD the clap? I’d hate to confuse the kids, like when I reference broken records, pop tops, why we “dial” phones, etc.

I always thought “The Clap” referred only to gonorrhea, and not VDs in general?

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts/250392/5 "2004-06-16T00:43:30Z")

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Yes, “clap” refers to gonorrhea, and herpes (being incurable) is the STD I remember being described as the gift that keeps on giving.

But some other brand besides Victrola also popularized the phrase; I just can’t recall what it was.