# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 20
**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:** [November 17, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/381 "2006-11-17T21:37:33Z")
Just a few notes… [QUOTE=rocking chair] lovey items from geobabe (who i met in nyc 2002) who took time off from caring for 3 fierce kilted marine men to send it. …a wee green stone horse a wee green stone frog (good feng shui items) …three very interesting boxes ( i do like wee boxes) [/QUOTE] Just a few of the things my mother has brought back from her travels around the world–I’ve got so many knick-knacks I don’t have enough places for them! Thus, I send some out into the wild. > [@](#): > > a post card book with stamps! Sadly, the postage is way out of date, but still, stamps! > [@](#): > > juggling penguins > penguin mug > (it is the year for penguins) That’s only a fraction of the penguin stuff I had, too. 😃 > [@](#): > > magic liquid soap > (the amount of instuctions kinda scare me. ) Dr. Bronner’s! Reading the label is half the fun, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/382 "2006-11-17T22:41:52Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] Ok - according to my list, people who have **NOT** received their package yet (or haven’t posted that they have) and are **NOT** receiving a package interntionally are: The Punkyova If you’re one of these people and you **HAVE** received your package can you please let me know, one way or the other? [/QUOTE] I got mine! I’m so sorry that I haven’t reported back. \ I found the poor thing sitting out on my front porch, shivering from the MN cold. The Punkylet was with me, and very excited to help let him out of his box. Consequently, despite a stern talking to about the fact that this is MY box, MY elephant, MY present from MY friend, I lost control almost immediately. (Note, it may help to know that The Punkylet is originally from China, is a Dragon Baby, and loves the color pink.) The first thing out of the box was a pink “Hello Kitty” purse. That didn’t even hit the table, just slipped right onto The Punkylet’s arm. This was followed by a large amount of really cool soap, which I kept. Then we unearthed a pink feather boa, with real feathers! Super cool, lots of fun, and instantly wrapped around The Punkylet, who began dancing. Around the time we pulled out the pink baseball cap, complete with embossed dragon and the Chinese characters for Dragon, I was ready to believe that **Susie Derkins** had been spying on us! We had a squabble about most of the rest of the stuff, and I’ve moved it into a Safe Location to be added to the Christmas stocking stash. The rest of it has been spread around, and fits right in! Thanks, **Susie**!!! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/383 "2006-11-17T22:58:38Z")
[QUOTE=Draelin] I got my elephant! Woo! Elephant-sized thanks to **The Punkyova**! My haul: [ul]A pair of child’s flip flops (pink). These are seriously only like _two_ sizes too small for me, and that makes me kinda sad. [/quote] You have no idea how excited I was to sneak them out of the house! She wants to wear them everywhere, in Minnesota, in November!! > [@](#): > > A total of five (5) inkjet cartridges for a printer I _used_ to have. 🙂 Wow! That’s amazing! I _used_ to have the exact same printer! 🙂 > [@](#): > > Half empty sleeve of red Solo cups, which will come in handy when Flip Cup season starts at Thanksgiving. 😃 > A Hallmark photo frame with a little angel. Very cute. I don’t know any angels, but I’ll find something to put in it. I have an aunt who loves Precious Moments. Precious Moments hits my glurge meter, so I’m forever shifting stuff along. I’m glad you like it! > [@](#): > > A Catherine Coulter novel. I’ve never read anything by her, but it goes on the To Be Read shelf. I’ve never read anything by her, either! My mom brought that over to stick in my BookCrossing stack, and I tucked it in with the elephant instead. She said it was kind of dumb, but it’s a free book, so enjoy! > [@](#): > > A 2006 Dachshunds calendar, which is hilarious because I’ve recently become obsessed with the idea of getting a dachshund. I was inducted into the Dachshund cult early in life. I’ll spare you my soapbox rantings and gently sugggest that you contact Dachshund Rescue or a reputable breeder in your area. (Clearly, the Dachshund Gods intended you to get this calendar, mention it to me, and be led away from puppy mills and back yard breeders!) Dachshunds Rule!!! > [@](#): > > A plastic file organizer. > An almost-empty notepad. > A “weekly planner” pad. > An English-Mandarin language tape of some kind–my only cassette player is in the car. 🙂 What better place to start learning a foreign language? The tape is geared towards parents adopting from China, so my recollection is that you can learn useful phrases like, “Don’t cry,” “Do you sell disposable diapers in this store?” and “No, you cannot date until you are 25 years old.” > [@](#): > > A Webstar Cable Modem Installation CD. > A baggie of dog biscuits. For your future Dachshunds! > [@](#): > > Two oversized chunky stamps, the moon and the sun. > A bar of soap shaped like a fat woman (Hey, **Punkyova** , did you know I was pagan and send me Goddess soap? 🙂 ) No, but doesn’t everyone need soap shaped like a fat woman? (Maybe you can use the moon and sun stamps to decorate your sacred space? \ > [@](#): > > A stuffed cow wearing a sandwich board that says EAT MOR CHIKIN. > A hand-held cheese grater (or anything else grater, including fingers as I pulled it out of the box :eek: ) and a potato peeler. > A business card stand for in the office, and a business card binder for collecting your own. > A t-shaped metal thing that I vaguely remember might be a towel rack for bathroom hand towels. It is, but fair warning, any time I put a towel on it it flopped over. > [@](#): > > A top. > Some snap-on sunglasses.[/ul] > > I know there’s more, but I really want to eat dinner now. And then play with my top and maybe stamp something. 😃 Thanks again, **Punk!** > [@next post](#): > > vacuum cleaner hose Think of it as the elephant’s trunk 😉 And you’re welcome!! ---
**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:** [November 19, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/384 "2006-11-19T04:10:15Z")
[QUOTE=The Punkyova] Thanks, **Susie**!!! [/QUOTE] You’re welcome! In case you couldn’t tell, my daughter helped me pick out the stuff. 🙂 I’m glad that some of the items were so fitting. ---
**Author:** ![BrattiAtti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@BrattiAtti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrattiAtti)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/385 "2006-11-19T20:07:15Z")
This post is confirmation that I have not yet received an elephant. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Twinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Twinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twinkie)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/386 "2006-11-20T02:26:00Z")
[QUOTE=Snowcarpet] No real complaints, I _got_ my elephant! But who sent it? I dunno. I also sent off a fat 'phant weeks ago - **Twinkie** , did it arrive? If not I’ll just have to scream and pout! [/QUOTE] With my deepest apologies for not saying thank you, yes, it got here, weeks ago. I’m so sorry that I haven’t had a chance to log in – I started a new, Dope-less job, and I’m taking night classes, and and and…I’m a bad girl. But I got a really cool box of stuff. Here’s my three favorite items: 1.) An excellent pen, which I use all the time. It’s just the right width – a little thicker than average, but not too thick, and on the heavy side. Just like I like 'em. 😉 2.) A homemade bookmark - made by a child, and it holds my place in the crossword book I take on my commute. 3.) A tiny white elephant. Really! He’s got _something_ inside of him, but I haven’t opened him up to see what (or, I should say, how much). I have to finish a paper for my Monday night class – hope to make it back again soon! ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/387 "2006-11-20T15:17:42Z")
[QUOTE=BrattiAtti] This post is confirmation that I have not yet received an elephant. ☹ [/QUOTE] **Ms. Atti** - I have spoken directly to your Elephanter and threatened them with my shoe. You’re Elephant is enroute to you now (and in fact was enroute to you a while ago, but the USPS decided to play a trick). Anyhow - you should expect it by Friday. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/388 "2006-11-20T17:30:16Z")
[QUOTE=Anastasaeon] Just when I thought my day was going totally downhill, I come home and find an elephant on my doorstep! Yipee! It is from **melondeca**! And what a spread: A small clutch-type purse with a matching wallet - I think it’s pretty and I will probably actually use this. Inside the wallet were some metal hooky thingies, a serpent-y bracelet, keychain clips, and I think that was all in there. In the purse were some Dr. Suess cards ith envelopes, a big stack of them! _Awesome_! They all have the Cat in the Hat and the goldfish on them, and say “How do you do?” There were other things in there, but since I’ve pulled everything out, I’ll just keep on going. Two small figurines that look like they are from DragonBall Z. I’m putting them on my bookcase so when my brother comes to visit he can tell me how awesome I am. 😉 Still in the package: white “thank you” cards - excellent, beyond excellent - since my in-laws are huge card-givers, this saves me a trip to the drugstore to buy the same thing! An “eye tea bag”. Hmm. Should be interesting. A lemongrass and cranberry seed… soap? It smells good. A keychain with Animal (the muppet) on a tin box. Neat! A Tictac Sports Timer A Zippo! A small sports radio that looks like it can go on a keychain A candleholder that holds those tall straight candles, and looks like a cup, and a candleholder that holds tealights, and has one of those glass lampshades over it. Some sequins are missing, but incidentally, I have a handful of the same size/colour sequins on hand - good as new! Lots of papers from West VA. A fridge magnet with a photo of a lady on it, and a Roseanne quote underneath: “I’m not gonna vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on.” A blown glass icicle - that will go on our tree this year. A purple metallic plastic necklace with an ace of spades motif A big red bumper sticker that says “You can’t lick our cocks” - I like this one very much. (My husband says it’s South Carolina?) An hourglass, which has me annoying my husband with my deep voiced rendition of “Like sands in an hourglass, these are the days of our lives.” A pink bag with a watch in it, with two extra interchangable straps. Cool! A milk body bar. Always good - I like that kind of stuff. Two tubes of Avon lipgloss - one clear, one shade of brown that is exactly my colour. _Score_! A neon slinky telephone! This blows my husband’s mind. It was blown twice when he saw that the thoughtful **melondeca** had included the phone cords. 😃 A mini etch-a-sketch! Unbelievable, simply because the store I work at had one in a short while ago, and I wanted so much to buy it, but decided to see if any kids wanted it first, and maybe snatch it up when it expired… alas, two days after I made that decision, it was bought, and I rang it up with a heavy heart, thinking maybe another would come in and I’d snatch it up quicker - HA! Now I don’t have to! A stack of CDs - none of the artists are familiar to me except Jane Siberry, and I’ve wanted to listen to more of her stuff lately, so that’s really cool. The others are all worth a listen: Red Five Tab Two Betty Fuel Sandbox One CD that simply says “huH”, and another called “Music to Floss Your Ears With!” which has Skold on it, so it can’t be _bad_. Two DVDs: Frailty (never heard of, we’ll give it a whirl) & Fear dot com. I haven’t seen either of these. Fear dot com will probably freak my husband out. He’s easily frightened. Hee! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, the most prevalent object in my ele: SMARTIES! No, not the Canadian ones, it’s the ones us Canadians call “Rockets”. They’re everywhere! Woo! Also, there is a clear bag that a lot of stuff came in, trimmed in _squints in the dim light_ lavender, and has a keyring with a pouffy pompom on it - my oldest cat is mad for that. She thinks it’s hers. Grumble. And I _think_ that’s everything, from my vantage point at the computer. Thanks, **melondeca**! I hope everything is going well for you, especially since your elephant brightened my otherwise dreary day! 🆒 [/QUOTE] I am happy everything arrived intact. I meant to include a note explaining some of the items but since I forgot, I will do it now. The serpent-y bracelet is actual silver and turquoise from some a reservation in Colorado. The lemongrass and cranberry seed bar is indeed soap. There is a little boutique near my home that sells that soap. You go in and pick your scent or design and they whack off a hunk. Your husband is indeed correct that the bumper sticker is from SC. The mascot is the gamecock and everywhere you go on campus you see big signs and hats and shirts that say COCKS. The Avon lipgloss has never been used and I am glad it is your color. I had to keep the pom pom away from my cats while I was trying to pack everything. I think it is rabbit fur so that could explain the infatuation. Thanks again for you patience and I am glad your elephant arrived safely if a bit late. ---
**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 20, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/389 "2006-11-20T20:28:51Z")
You’re welcome, **Twinkie!** So glad that you enjoyed the elephanty goodness. My parents’ neighbor’s child made the bookmark. She sells them for 25 cents and donates the money to hurricaine Katrina rebuilding (her parents match her donations.) She makes some great ones, lots of stickers and sparkly girl stuff… what an awesome kid! The White Elephant was given to me as a party favor years ago - I never had the heart to try to remove his “treasure”, I figured someone else should make that decision! ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/390 "2006-11-22T08:04:26Z")
_sniff_ No news from my elephantee - I’m wondering if the elephant I packed off has been lost. _sniff_ No elephant arrived this end either. _sniff_ ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/391 "2006-11-22T10:23:28Z")
[QUOTE=Surok] …_sniff_ No elephant arrived this end either. _sniff_ [/QUOTE] Don’t cry, **Surok**! I can’t speak for your elephantee, but I believe I can reveal myself as the source of your box of …well…can’t say, really; it’s beyond description. It went out a bit later than planned (on the 28th, I just checked the date I posted), but I wanted to send it from a place where I knew they had experience successfully sending to all kinds of international destinations and I kept getting there after hours. You can hear the elephant galloping, right? Really, it’s moving as fast as it can. ::Stares sternly at elephant to make sure it keeps it moving:: GT ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/392 "2006-11-23T16:34:10Z")
Oh, thank you, **gardentraveler**! I’m sure I can hear the sound of distant thudding. Maybe he was held up by the autumn mud. Or the evil customs officials. ::rubbing hands in anticipation of elephanty goodness:: If my elephantee hasn’t checked in by the end of the month, maybe I’ll out myself as his/ her elephanter, and ask point blank if an eccentrically lettered pachyderm has arrived. Because if a month goes by with no delivery, it might be time to call it MIA and try again ☹ ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/393 "2006-11-28T18:23:25Z")
I’m lookin’ for updates here people - has anyone received an elephant over the weekend? Or today? Do let me know so I can start busting heads, if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/394 "2006-11-28T20:18:47Z")
I’m only checking in because I don’t want alice to get confused and bust my head. 😉 I haven’t received mine yet, but from what I hear tell it went out last Monday, before a major holiday in the States, so it’s probably been a little bit delayed. It’s only been a week. I won’t start worrying until next week at least. I hope it gets here soon, though - I’m off after Friday. But I can check in and see if I got it even then. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/395 "2006-11-28T23:14:40Z")
**Papsett** received hers, she emailed me. ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/396 "2006-11-29T10:13:25Z")
**gardentraveler** , thank you! It turns out that the elephant lost its bearings, and went to Tokyo. How do I know this? Its hide is stamped with a message saying ‘Missent to Tokyo Int’, dated 3.XI.06. Where it’s been since then, I don’t know. But you have made my day. And increased the weirdness quotient for our receptionists. I went to pick up my mail from them, and when I saw them rummaging under the desk where the parcels are kept, I started jumping up and down and saying ‘My elephant arrived! My elephant arrived!’. Our receptionists don’t really speak English, but they speak enough English to know that a box is not normally referred to as an elephant. 🙂 I’ll unpack and list later. Oh what fun… ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/397 "2006-11-29T11:36:21Z")
I’m just relieved it got there! Sounds like it had an interesting trip. And pretty good time, considering the side trip. Not sure how any of the label could be mistaken for Japan/Japanese. And hey, the entertainment value for the receptionists sounds like an added bonus. I don’t think there’s anything in there that’s inappropriate for opening in an office setting (in case you’re worried). Hope you like the contents! GT ---
**Author:** ![BrattiAtti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@BrattiAtti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrattiAtti)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400/398 "2006-11-29T23:05:39Z")
I arrived home from work today to find an elephant stuffed in my mailbox. Yay! Off the top of my head: [ul]the Pearl Harbor soundtrack on CD[/ul] [ul]3 cute little heart-shaped wire picture holders/clips[/ul] [ul]a heart-shaped candle/box[/ul] [ul]a glowstick[/ul] [ul]a cable of some sort[/ul] [ul]a deck of cards from a Vegas casino[/ul] [ul]a book by George Carlin[/ul] I may have forgotten something(s). It was a nice elephant. Thanks! :eek: at the shipping, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-elephant/374400.md?page=19)