# White Elephant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 27, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400 "2006-09-27T19:23:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/261 "2006-10-31T05:08:38Z")
I finally got the box all packed up and labeled and everything, so it will be going out in the mail tomorrow. I haven’t gotten mine yet either, so I feel slightly less bad about being such a slack-ass. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/262 "2006-10-31T07:52:41Z")
Yay, **Jess**! Glad to hear the elephant has landed and that everything sounds to be intact. I worried about that bottle of perfume, but hoped I had it padded pretty well amongst the big pink kitty and all that other soft stuff in there. Pez dispensers, pencil toppers, and potato gun all from nearby Archie McPhee’s. Also, I’m glad your mother is putting my old cat pendant to good use; I haven’t worn it in years, and I always thought it was cool but had nowhere to put it, and since I don’t drive, I can’t put it in my rearview mirror. 😉 Lots of stuff comes from the children’s/maternity store I work at (pink kitty, cabbage patch, bean bag frog, brooch, confetti, the smelly soap) and other stuff I’ve been lugging around with me from back home in New Brunswick. I think I wrote it on the inventory sheet, but the whip is unused for any kinky purposes. It was just decoration. Er… maybe a conversation piece? Ah, I’ve had it for years, just to say I had one. Being an old married biddy now, I haven’t much use for it. Hopefully your son and his friends will get a kick out of it. Cool beans, cool beans, glad everything found a good home! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/263 "2006-10-31T12:47:40Z")
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong] Most mysterious item: A piece of wood approximately 1.5" by 10.5" by 1/4" thick. Painted black. Shallow groove about the size of a pencil diameter routed most of the length. One end has a smiling sun painted on it in gold. The other end bends up slightly at the end, and has two small holes drilled through it. Anybody want to guess what it is? (I suspect I know what it is, but I’m holding off to let those who enjoy ‘Guess the Whatzit’ to have a chance.) [/QUOTE] Sounds like an incense burner to me. Do I win anything? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/264 "2006-10-31T12:48:51Z")
I received my White Elephant yesterday from the Wilds of Spain. It was a large box! WHEEEEEEEEE! Most of it has been divvied off to my kids already, but: A bag of jewelry Variety of marble-statues ( now residing in my garden) A picture in a frame. A really cute ceramic boy/girl couple. (my favorite) A ceramic clown Some kind of King Tut’ish like head thingie ( I might bury it in the sandbox for the kidlets.) a little leather wallet ( my son is now very happy with this.) business card holder case. and a whole bunch of other stuff that has assimilated itself to the environs of our house already. You have made my Monday shine like a bright penny with your offering of stuff! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/265 "2006-10-31T13:16:52Z")
To my elephantee: Your designated pachyderm is being rather recalcitrant. I hope to have it wrassled, hog-tied and shipped by Thursday. I will keep you posted on its progress. Yours, Elephant handler in need of professional development training. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/266 "2006-10-31T13:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] I received my White Elephant yesterday from the Wilds of Spain. It was a large box! WHEEEEEEEEE! Thank you! [/QUOTE] Glad you liked it 🙂 It included contributions from Lilbro and Mom. She says it feels strange, looking up and not seeing Fu Manchu on her shelves. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/267 "2006-10-31T13:49:34Z")
To Unkown Sender of my Pahcyderm: I have an IRL name on the box, but no Doper reference (That I could find). It came a couple weeks ago, I’ll list all the goodies in it once I get to sending MY eleeefant out this weekend. I just don’t know who to thank!!! ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/268 "2006-10-31T16:42:23Z")
I got my elephant yesterday. It was CHOCK FULL of cool stuff. I’ll post an inventory and photos tonight! Who sent this? Without posting your real name, all I can really say about you is that you’re from Massachusetts and you sure had a lot of Zoloft swag laying around. 😉 Seriously, though, thanks! All of it is cute and/or interesting, and much of it will actually be fun or useful. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/269 "2006-10-31T17:12:04Z")
[QUOTE=Geobabe] I finally got the box all packed up and labeled and everything, so it will be going out in the mail tomorrow. I haven’t gotten mine yet either, so I feel slightly less bad about being such a slack-ass. [/QUOTE] That’s the fates for ya’ Geobabe. Your elephant should be arriving any day… ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/270 "2006-10-31T18:38:45Z")
Finally sent mine out yesterday. I sent it Priority, though, so hopefully it will get there quickly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/271 "2006-10-31T20:24:20Z")
**Anastasaeon** : Just to let you know – I took Max to be bathed and have his toenails trimmed and his anal glands expressed this morning. When I got him home, he was feeling a bit persecuted. So I opened the can of vienna sausages from your WE box. Perked him _right_ up. He snapped all of them down with glee and forgot all about that sad business with his butt. He’s sleeping now and dreaming good thoughts about his Auntie Stacia! ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/272 "2006-10-31T20:33:02Z")
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong] BTW, I’m starting to get worried about the elephant I mailed. It went out to Texas on Oct. 19 – surely it should have arrived by now?? At least I remembered to pay for one of those tracking numbers. Now if I can just find the receipt I can find out where the heck it has wandered off to. I _think_ I stuck receipt into my junk drawer at work… [/QUOTE] It arrived! Thank you so much! I will catalogue and photograph this impressive haul tonight and post to this thread. The only question I have right now is: Zoloft much? 😃 (I’m guessing you must work or have worked in a doctor’s office.) ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/273 "2006-10-31T20:56:40Z")
[QUOTE=Jess] **Anastasaeon** : Just to let you know – I took Max to be bathed and have his toenails trimmed and his anal glands expressed this morning. When I got him home, he was feeling a bit persecuted. So I opened the can of vienna sausages from your WE box. Perked him _right_ up. He snapped all of them down with glee and forgot all about that sad business with his butt. He’s sleeping now and dreaming good thoughts about his Auntie Stacia! [/QUOTE] AWWWW! Give him an extra cuddle from me, willya? Glad I brightened his day, albeit unwittingly! ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/274 "2006-10-31T23:25:03Z")
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong] Most mysterious item: A piece of wood approximately 1.5" by 10.5" by 1/4" thick. Painted black. Shallow groove about the size of a pencil diameter routed most of the length. One end has a smiling sun painted on it in gold. The other end bends up slightly at the end, and has two small holes drilled through it. Anybody want to guess what it is? [/quote] It’s an incense holder. I used it for years until a friend gave me one she’d gotten in India, so I passed it on to you. > [@](#): > > Absolutely Hit the Spot Item: > A handheld blacklight/flashlight combo! Just last week I broke a combination reading light/flashlight gizmo I kept beneath my desk for times I had to do battle with wires to and from my computer, and here I have a replacement! I’m not sure of the black light part. Maybe I’ll dig out one of my posters from college it stick it up in the footwell of my desk… Glad you had a use for it! A neighbor of ours used to work for a lighting company and she gave us a few of these. We only need one. > [@](#): > > Item most likely to be turned into a stocking stuffer: > A stick-on heart-shaped face ornament, little crystals outlining a clear center. Looks like a prize from a gumball machine. (My niece is going to love it.) I think this can be stuck on like a bindi-type-thing, but I never had any occasion to wear it. Hope your niece likes! > [@](#): > > Item I’m most likely to wear soon: > Earrings, tiny red hearts. (I love 'em!) Yay! I couldn’t wear them; too much nickel in the posts. > [@](#): > > Item I will wear later: > Choker make of a zillion strands of tiny, sparkly beads. Perfect for when I’m wearing my little black dress, which is also sparkly. I think this is the coolest piece of costume jewelry, but I never had any appropriate function to which to sport this either. Glad you will! > [@](#): > > Item that will be used first: > (Already sampled in fact.) two packets of “Foot Spa.” Not just foot lotion, but “Sea Botanical” foot lotion, an “Anti-stress foot essential.” Revitalizes and soothes, it says. Relieves perspiration and improves circulation. Reduces swelling (good) and odor (Hummph!). > Don’t know about the circulation part, but my feet smell good enough to eat. 😃 This stuff could make feet edible if anything could. > [@](#): > > Item most appropos for the moment: > A lovely blank notebook. The covers are maps of the subway systems in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with a matching pen. No, I’m not planning a trip to NYC, but I AM going to be doing NaNoWriMo in November, and I’ve been looking around for a notebook to use for on-the-run writing. Bingo! Oh, that makes me so happy. I’ve always thought it deserved something good written inside. I have several blank books and never seem to use them, so I’m glad you will be using this one for NaNoWriMo. > [@](#): > > Item most likely to be donated to charity: > 4 skeins of really nice yarn, 100% virgin wool worsted, two shades of green plus natural and a dark gray. Well, I know how to knit in theory, but I’ve never yet produced anything a human being actually could or would wear. But I’m associated with an organization that knits caps, mittens and scarves that are given to children in homeless shelters in chilly Boston so I will pass it along to one of my more talented co-members. Much better that the yarn helps keep some kids warm than it be mangled into a monstrosity by me. 🙂 I’m allergic to wool. I knit a lot, and my boyfriend’s grandma gave me a bunch of this beautiful wool, but I can’t work with it. I hope someone at your charity can, and someone gets good use out of it! > [@](#): > > Item than made me go “hmmmm”: > A book, “Life After God” by Douglas Coupland. At first I feared for my soul, but it appears to be humorous essays, so that’s good. 😃 > > Item that appeals to the kid in me: > An orange and green yoyo! With a smiling cat face on one side, and leopard spots (actually look more like tadpoles having convulsions) on the other. I never managed to master the yoyo as a child, so I guess this is my second chance. Both were used, loved, and needed new homes. > [@](#): > > The most “this is so not me” item(s)" > Seven assorted ring shaped things. Four look to be macrame, two sewn from cloth, one pieced from felt. Diameters from roughly 2" to 4". All but one elasticized. Hmmm. Hair scrunchies? (But who has hair that thick?) Armlets/bracelets, maybe? I put the shiny green cloth one onto my black cat as a necklace: it fit great and looked wonderful, though he didn’t seem to appreciate it. Hair scrunchies, all of 'em. My mom seemed to think that I still wore them well into the '00s. But I think I stopped wearing them in 1992 or so. They could make good kitty accessories, though! > [@](#): > > The most “I wish this _was_ me” item: > A padded, zippered case, with a lot of tiny compartments and velcro attached strips and a draw string pouch inside. A travel jewelry organizer, I’m guessing. Just the thing to keep my rubies and sapphires and diamonds properly sorted out the next time I bop over to Monte Carlo… 😃 Yeah, I think it’s a travel makeup thingy or jewelry thingy. It was a gift that needed regifting. Sounds like you can actually use some of this stuff, yay! I’m sorry it wasn’t as big or extensive as some other elephants - like I said upthread, I moved in May so I didn’t have a whole lot of elephant fodder. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/275 "2006-11-01T05:00:36Z")
Dear Elephantee: The nice lady at the UPS store said that your package would arrive today. This makes me sad, because it didn’t come yet. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/276 "2006-11-01T06:10:45Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Bus Guy] To Unkown Sender of my Pahcyderm: I have an IRL name on the box, but no Doper reference (That I could find). It came a couple weeks ago, I’ll list all the goodies in it once I get to sending MY eleeefant out this weekend. I just don’t know who to thank!!! [/QUOTE] Sorry, I sent it from work and forgot to put my Doper name on. I was starting to worry, UPS just said it was delivered to “Porch” and I kept picturing someone running off with the box, only to open it and go 😕 :dubious: Of course, you may have done the same thing when \*you \* opened it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/277 "2006-11-01T17:11:07Z")
OK, here’s my elephant: [photo link](http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=ben1cs&aid=576460762333027377&pid=&wtok=g6GV7Iv4XCG_ntMtwl58nQ--&ts=1162399693&.src=ph) Going from left to right, more or less, we have: - A **punk rock snowman** (note the carrot mohawk and facial piercings), holding a small **dreamcatcher**. - One of those **pin things that takes impressions of objects**. - One of those **magnetic things with little metal bits to sculpt on top**. Both of these things are now desk candy at my office. - A photomosaic **1000 piece puzzle of Mickey Mouse**. My kids will love this! - A **Paxil promotional calculator**. - A **bag of microwave popcorn** , brought to you by the makers of Risperdal. - The **Zoloft swag collection** , consisting of: one **wall clock** , one **stapler** and one **stress ball**. The stress ball tells me the makers of Zoloft don’t have much faith in their product. 😉 - A **book of logic puzzles** which appear, at a glance, to be sufficiently difficult to make blood shoot out of my nose. - A **ball bearing maze** that opens only when the maze is solved, allowing you to extract the prize within. Reminds me of something from _The Da Vinci Code._ - In the front are about ten assorted **movie promo pins** , the kind that theater employees usually wear. Half of them are from _Starship Troopers_. All are cool. Thanks so much, **StarvingButStrong**! This was a blast to receive. By the way, you did an incredible packing job with this stuff…you aren’t a master at Tetris by any chance, are you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/278 "2006-11-01T19:00:33Z")
(Hooting like an an owl) Who, who, who sent my elephant? To my recipient : Is it there yet??? Twas mailed about 10 days ago, so it should be there soon. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/279 "2006-11-01T23:56:40Z")
[QUOTE=Draelin] Sounds like an incense burner to me. Do I win anything? 🙂 [/QUOTE] The title of “Most brilliant doper on this page of the thread.” 😃 (Unless you’d like some Zoloft swag. Man, I still have a loooot of that stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/280 "2006-11-02T00:05:29Z")
[QUOTE=mlerose] It’s an incense holder. I used it for years until a friend gave me one she’d gotten in India, so I passed it on to you. [/QUOTE] Aha! I was right. 🙂 And, thank you so much for the Elephant! I had a lot of fun unpacking it. > [@](#): > > Yay! I couldn’t wear them; too much nickel in the posts. Have you tried painting the posts with clear nail polish? It works for my sister. (But, no, you can’t have them back.) > [@](#): > > Oh, that makes me so happy. I’ve always thought it deserved something good written inside. I have several blank books and never seem to use them, so I’m glad you will be using this one for NaNoWriMo. Well, it got quite a work out at lunch and coffee breaks today, aka, out with the old subplot, in with a new one. 🆒 > [@](#): > > Hair scrunchies, all of 'em. My mom seemed to think that I still wore them well into the '00s. But I think I stopped wearing them in 1992 or so. They could make good kitty accessories, though! But the cat didn’t seem to agree. Hrmmph, cats. But I’m sure I’ll find them a good home. (The reason I said they ‘weren’t me’ is that my hair only comes down to my jawline.) > [@](#): > > I’m sorry it wasn’t as big or extensive as some other elephants - like I said upthread, I moved in May so I didn’t have a whole lot of elephant fodder. Hey, no apologies needed – a fine collection of useful if unwanted stuff. 😃 I’m also happy because it was a smaller amount of stuff, volume wise, than I sent off, so I’ve gained some drawer space! (I’m a trying -to-recover pack rat, you see.) Thanks again! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400.md?page=15)