Archive for July, 2009

White elephants have a long and proud history throughout the world. As a result, there are vast numbers of companies, organizations and places with the words “white elephant” in their titles. Take a look at this list to see who else, other than AlbinoPhant, is using the white elephant name to promote themselves!

And this is just a partial list!

The White Elephant Hotel in Nantucket, an island landmark by the harbor.

The White Elephant Surplus Store, originally selling army surplus items, but soon becoming a favorite discount toy and sporting goods store.

White Elephant Saloon – a music venue with a central location in the heart of historic Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas.

The White Elephant in Virginia’s Hunt County – high quality consignment shopping.

The White Elephant Shop, buying and selling antiques and used items, and located in Essex, MA.

The White Elephant Sale, a massive rummage sale in Northern California, with proceeds going to the Oakland Museum of California. Sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.
The White Elephant Shop, a fundraising shop which relies on donations of merchandise, and gives the proceeds of all sales to the Children’s Memorial.

The White Elephant Bush Camp, rustic accommodation for adventure seekers at the  Pongola Game Reserve in Africa.
White Elephant, a home furnishings and accessories store selling hand-selected, unique, stylish items.
White Elephant Restaurant – a Thai food restaurant in PA.
The White Elephant Shop, a volunteer-run used goods shop, with proceeds going to local schools and charitable service organizations throughout Green Valley, Sahuarita and the Santa Cruz Valley.

White Elephant Media – online store supplying all kinds of media from rare movies to video games and country music CDs.

The White Elephant Burlesque Society, a performance group featuring humor, dancing, and a modern adaptation of the classic burlesque style.
The White Elephant Network, connecting people with things they want to get rid of with people who want or need those items.
White Elephant Play – a series of poetic vignettes inspired by the true story of an unwanted wicker white elephant tossed on to a bonfire.
The White Elephant Warehaus, selling handmade home furnishings and accessories in rustic Texas Hill Country.

Royal White Elephant Hotel in Yangon, the former capital of Burma.
White Elephant Studios – a motion marketing company.
The White Elephant Record Exchange Project of January 2008, a group of people exchanging records and remixing them to make new songs.
– an online wholesale price store.
White Elephant Backpackers Hostel, an elegant hostel for travelers in Motueka, New Zealand.
The White Elephant Foundation, founded in May 2007 by Naomi Lob de Lieuneuve, who later died after fighting a long illness – this foundation is continued in her name.
White Elephant Images, a photo booth specialist company in Arizona, providing photo booths to enhance parties and other events.

OK,  We have started the list. If you know of any other interesting companies or users of the words White Elephant, let us know.  We will do a white elephant list again…

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King Thibaw
The Royal Thibaw, Golden-footed Lord of the White Elephant, Master of a Thousand Gold Umbrellas, Owner of the Royal Peacocks, Lord of the Sea and of the World, Whose face is like the Sun.

How to Buy a Gift for a White Elephant Party

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Gift Exchange parties are engaging social experiences. Most of the fun and conversation is created from the gifts that are opened and shared. We often become anxious and a little stressed over our gift selection. After all, aren’t there lots of choices out there, with tons of possibilities. So, where do you start?

Steps

1. Ask the host if there is a theme for the party. Themes give you a hint as to what gifts might be appropriate. Your gift selection will be quite different at a baby shower or a bridal shower.
2. Ask the host the age range of the guest list. You want to bring age appropriate gifts.
3. If there’s no theme, silly or tacky gifts are ok. In fact, the more creative the gift, the more it will add to the fun of the event.
4. Don’t bring junk. Assume that all the attendees will be thoughtful and creative. You can really hurt feelings or damage your gift exchange reputation with junk.
5. Ask the host if there is a spending limit. If there is stay within the budget. Don’t attempt to impress with your superior spending power.
6. Remember to pick something that you wouldn’t mind taking home yourself. Again, what you are going for is a creative conversation starter gift that will add to the fun.
7. If you know the group that will be attending, pick the gifts will be appropriate. If you don’t know the attendees, err on the side of caution.
8. Be creative! Pick something with a good conversation factor! The objective of the white elephant gift exchange is the fun banter that results from opening and sharing great gifts.

Tips

• Use these same steps to select a gift for an online white elephant gift exchange or a traditional yankee swap party.

Related wikiHows

• How to Have an Online White Elephant Gift Exchange

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Buy a Gift for a White Elephant Party. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists

What sort of gift should you bring to a White Elephant gift exchange? Well, obviously a big factor in that decision is going to be whether or not the host has given the party a theme, or a price bracket. Both of these are pretty common in organizing a white elephant or Yankee Swap event. The price limitation saves you from the embarrassment of bringing a really cheap gift only to discover that everyone else has spent a bit more money on theirs, while the theme gives you a bit of guidance about the type of gift you should choose – and can also help to make the game even more fun!

Without a theme, the variety in gifts can be huge. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it adds to the suspense and element of excitement and competition when you know you could end up with anything from a nice outfit to a box of macaroni! As an expert in white elephant party games thanks to my role as the King’s party planner, I have seen it all – and that includes some really weird and wonderful gifts!

Some of the most unusual gifts I’ve seen have included a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Kit, and an actual statue of a white elephant. One prankster wrapped a huge mega-pack of toilet paper in beautiful wrapping, complete with ribbons and bows – the package was enormous, and clearly a lesson in the “bigger is not always better” school of thought! Possibly my favourite story of an unusual white elephant gift is the one I read once about a man who secretly stole and wrapped his neighbor’s hubcaps before the party. As you can imagine, the expression on the victim’s face was priceless when the ‘gift’ was unwrapped, and great entertainment followed, through his frantic efforts to steal back the gift throughout the course of the game…

What are the most unusual white elephant party gifts you’ve ever seen, or brought, or ended up with at the end of the party? Everyone has at least one story to tell, in my experience!

Photo by procsilas

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Princess Phant
Daughter of the King of Burma
Caretaker of the AlbinoPhant Parties

Who plays this party game anyway?

Where was your first white elephant party? Did the organizers call it a gift exchange, or Yankee Swap, or something different? How many people were there? What rules did you use? There are so many different versions of the traditional white elephant game, and the flexibility is all part of the fun. That’s why it’s so popular, right across the US and Canada, with people in all age groups. It’s the one party where you’ll find grandparents, kids, teenagers and business people all grouped together and all having a great time!

Although the tradition of giving white elephants is obviously much more serious and respectful in my home country than it is here, I do confess that I, Princess Phant, find your way to be a lot more fun. Don’t tell my father, King Thibaw! He’s very serious about his white elephants.

From what I can gather, all sorts of groups of people hold and attend gift exchange parties, and they do it in a variety of different ways. Maybe you’ve been to one at church, for example, at the annual Christmas get-together – which would probably be a rather different experience from playing Yankee Swap at the office Christmas party! Alternatively, maybe it’s a long-running family tradition amongst you and your loved ones. A way to ensure that everyone gets together during the holidays or at the reunion to share gifts, laughter, conversation, banter, and a memorable time.

And don’t forget that at AlbinoPhant, you can play all year round, and it doesn’t even matter if you and your guests are not in the same room – or even in the same state! It’s all done online, which means you can still enjoy that fun party atmosphere and the exchange of real gifts, but from the comfort of your own chair and at times that are convenient for you. White elephant parties just got a whole lot better! So whatever your reason, and whoever your guests, check out AlbinoPhant and get that party started…

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Princess Phant
Daughter of the King of Burma
Caretaker of the AlbinoPhant Parties

Here’s another interesting twist to the White Elephant gift exchange idea – I’ve just seen it on this blog, AlewivesGirl. Does the thought of choosing a great gift fill you with anxiety? Are you a creative type, who prefers to design and make rather than shop and buy? Then here’s the Yankee Swap party for you: a craft exhange!

Making your own gift is surprisingly simple, and there are lots of ‘crafty’ people out there who love nothing more than making gifts for their loved ones using their own two hands and a bit of imagination. Go and read this post for inspiration. This group of ladies each bring a hand-crafted gift to their party, and then follow the normal rules of a gift exchange event. They open gifts, swap, and steal just like in a regular White Elephant game, and everyone ends up with a really special, unique gift that was handmade by one of their friends. A special gift to treasure!

Turning your gift exchange party into a craft exchange means that the fun begins long before the party itself does. You get to surf the net or your craft books for inspiration, and then unleash your creative side to come up with a perfect gift. You could set a theme for your party and have all gifts be related to that theme, whether that’s a topic that all gifts must reflect, or simply a method of making them – maybe you’d decide that everyone must make a unique piece of jewelry, or something using needlework.

Alternatively, you can leave it wide open, with the only requirement being that the gifts must be handmade. Guests can knit, design plates, paint, sew, make jewelry, draw, build… the possibilities are endless, and if you’ve got a group of people who love crafts, then this is the perfect party idea for them! Why not give it a try for your next White Elephant event? And let me know how you get on – I think it sounds like a wonderfully fun idea!

Photo by Lollygirl

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Princess Phant
Daughter of the King of Burma
Caretaker of the AlbinoPhant Parties

According to Wikipedia; the White elephant gift exchange is a popular party game usually played during the Christmas season in the United States and Canada.

The wiki has also compiled the most popular rules of game play as well.  Get them here.

This post is not about the rules or the definitions, but rather how to do this fun activity online.

Most people in the US and Canada play the game of White Elephant, Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa or Chinese Exchange pretty much the same way.  Most join a host at ether a home or a community center for the gift exchange party. The sponsoring host sends out invitations by phone, mail or email and announces a time and location.  Many hosts express a spending limit such as $25 gift maximum, and some provide a theme for the party.

What we are suggesting is that this party can be moved online and mimic most of the features that benefit attendees of traditional white elephant parties.  In fact, the party communications can actually be enhanced using many of the online tools. Online versions can reach out to people all across the country and save traveling costs.

How is the online version played?  Well, we have heard it played using email where images can be attached and sent. We have seen it played on social sites like Ning, where videos can become part of the fun.  A commercial version is coming to Facebook, with these enhancements and plus many more.

The online variation of this gift exchange has a host or organizer, just like before.  There are invitations, usually delivered by email or on Facebook wall posts. Attendees RSVP to the host, select gifts that they want to share and then make sure that the image of the gift is available for the party.

Just like the traditional white elephant exchange, the online versions build upon friendly banter and the stealing of gifts to create the fun.  In the online space, the conversation shows up on the screen and the images of the gifts replace the pile of gifts in the middle of the actual room.

In the end, every one enjoys the time together as family and friends. But what is exciting about the online style gift exchange is that these events can last 2 or 3 weeks and the memories forever.

So if you are looking for a variation on the old standby, try going on online for your white elephant gift exchange this time.

Have you tried the party online?

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists

Chances are that if you’ve been to a white elephant gift exchange party, you did so in the United States or Canada. Here, they’re a really popular way of getting friends and family together, particularly during the Christmas holidays, and sharing gifts without running up a lot of expense. Maybe your party was called Yankee Swap, or Dirty Santa, or perhaps something different. But whatever the name, the concept is definitely an American one. No one’s really heard of it in Europe, anyway – although garage sales in the UK are sometimes known as “white elephant sales”. But that’s different.

Being the daughter of King Thibaw, of course, I can tell you that you Americans aren’t responsible for the legend of white elephants! No – in Burma and Siam, we’ve respected and cherished these noble creatures for centuries. People come from far and wide to bring them gifts and worship them, and my father, being king, has many. The royal white elephants are kept in only the finest conditions, and they want for nothing. And if the king should make you a gift of one of his white elephants, well, you’d better make sure you treat it with the care to which it is accustomed!

White elephants are almost as culturally significant in the USA and Canada as they are back in my home land, I’ve discovered, but it’s because of this fascinating craze of gift exchange parties that seems to have captured the imagination of so many people. I’ve been doing a lot of studying of the game, and its origins, and where it’s played – and the only down side I can see is that you all have to live reasonably close together if you’re going to enjoy a fun party without having to drive for hours or take a flight.

Thankfully, AlbinoPhant is here to change all that! Not only can you now play this much-loved party game online (which means that your location isn’t an issue, and all your guests can be in different states if you want!), but you still get to exchange real gifts, delivered to your door at the end of the game! And best of all, I’m here to guide you through it and help you get the most fun and enjoyment you can out of AlbinoPhant, while my father (yes, the King himself) watches over events in his aloof, noble way, and offers awards to the best players.

I think it’s going to be a fun party – wherever you are!

Image from thesucculentwife blog.

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Princess Phant
Daughter of the King of Burma
Caretaker of the AlbinoPhant Parties

Because the white elephant style of gift exchange game is played in so many places, there are lots of different versions of it, with variations on the rules. So what is the standard method for playing the game? Well, I’ve done some research for you (in my role as Party Planner at the palace!) and have come up with the most popular rules of play for white elephant gift exchange parties, for anyone who’s not quite sure how it all works.

So, firstly – and fairly obviously – there are gifts. Usually there will be a theme and/or a price limit, and each player brings one gift accordingly. The gift is wrapped, and all gifts are usually placed anonymously on a table.  A system is set in place to determine the order of play. This can be anything from the alphabetical order of names to each player choosing a folded piece of paper which, when opened, will tell them their number – number one plays first, and so on. And now the fun begins! The first player chooses a gift and opens it. Everyone gets to see it and admire it, and then the second player gets to choose a gift. This time, however, the player can choose to either unwrap another gift from the table, or to “steal” the previous player’s gift from right under their nose!

To make things more interesting and tactical, most versions of the game include a rule where gifts are “frozen” or “dead” after they have been “stolen” twice – which means that if you are the third owner of a gift, no one can take it from you. The game ends when the last wrapped gift is opened. Each player leaves with the gift that they now hold! There are lots of other twists and variations and extra rules, of course, but these are the most common rules of play.

What rules do you use for your White Elephant or Yankee Swap party?

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Princess Phant
Daughter of the King of Burma
Caretaker of the AlbinoPhant Parties

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air…

This Independence Day is all about freedom.
The freedom that comes from a REAL payment by REAL people.

A freedom that allows you and me to sit comfortably and read this blog, or to connect on Facebook or to party together online.

These freely-used networks of Web 2.0 are courtesy of a freedom given us by someone else who has paid the real price.

There were no virtual bombs at Fort McHenry in 1812, and likewise there are developers, advertisers and investors who are paying a real price to see that we have so many freedoms of expression and entertainment.  It takes REAL money to give us what we sometimes take for granted on our screens – They don’t build the web with virtual currency.

Virtual things are fine, but they are a by-product of something that is REAL. And REAL has a price.  Freedom to use the web in so many wonderful ways has expanded our horizons and we should be grateful to those who take the real risks to give us these tools.

And just as we celebrate Independence, we should take some time occasionally to tip our hat in thanks to those who provide us the freedom to use the many tools of the Web.

But we should also scratch our heads in confusion when so much of the web is being paid by things that are virtual not real.

Please explain the value of virtual gifts.. ??  They seem silly and useless, when REAL gifts are so easy to give and have proven so helpful to our support. Virtual gifting seems to be a cop-out and an insult to the REAL support needed for family and friends.

Now, I know that many social networks are using virtual gifts sales to pay the bills, and I guess if you don’t have a better business model, then you do what you can to keep the doors open.

I wonder what the soldiers in 1812 would have said to their leaders if they were asked to fight,  bleed and die for a “virtual” freedom for their families. I think they expected the real deal from their sacrifice.

As you surf the net, play a social game or chat this weekend ask what are you doing that is REAL on the web.

Are you willing to pay for some of the web’s freedoms or is it your right?

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists

In the distant past,  a university co-ed weighed her choice of a college degree or marriage.

The choice of marriage was followed by the consecutive births of five children.   She found that time moves rapidly forward when fully engaged as mom and wife.

Now, 34-years following the point of her life-changing decision, the opportunity to go back in time was presented:       On April 27th of this year Sarah Christensen now 55, re-entered the university to complete her last three classes for a BS in Recreation.

She really had nothing to prove – She had completed a successful career as a managing recreationalist. She had used her skills and creativity to make her home an ongoing party and had seen her children off to college, careers and families around the country.

She left her comfortable home in Oregon and drove off to the University, two states away.  Her studies stretched her mind and her will, but yet she persevered and moved past the discouragements of dealing with an aging memory.

She completed her objective on June 16th and left Utah with a report card listing one A and two B+’s.

Sarah comes home with her degree and a higher level of self-confidence, and I could not be more proud of what she has accomplished.

We have been partners for many years and in many things – We have kids and grandkids as a result of our finest partnership.  We are now in the middle of creating an online party system for other families (this blog is a part of that adventure).  We still feel that Sarah’s decision 34 years in the past was the best move of our life and we would not change a thing.

We send a special thanks to our children who supported and encourage mom in her quest for her degree.

Oh yea… Next spring,  Sarah will walk up to receive her BS in Recreation in the same graduation season that will see a son get a Masters in Business, a daughter a Visual Communication degree and a son-in-law will take home a Law degree.     There is going to be one big party in our family!

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PartyWeDo
The AlbinoPhant Creators
Your Party 2.0 Specialists