Kitchen gadgets – White elephant gift treat

You can never go wrong purchasing kitchen products to share in a white elephant gift exchange. This is particularly true if your guest list has a number of people who enjoy time in the kitchen.

Some savvy white elephant party hosts even create a cooking theme for their gift exchange event. We like to call these culinary focused gift parties “Cooking a White Elephant” exchange. In these parties the white elephant gifts all have a cooking theme and the party includes swapping homemade treats and sharing favorite recipes.

Most use the white elephant gift party as a way to share low-cost gifts, but there are some that use the event to share significant gifts.  A Cooking the White Elephant exchange can be one of these gatherings.

A distributor of granite countertops shares some unique kitchen gadgets that would make very interesting white elephant gifts for a higher priced gift giving event. These items are also very practical and would create a bunch of “stealing” opportunities during the white elephant game.

When you are in the kitchen, you should expect to have a lot of work. Cooking is no joke and you need to realize that with every move that you do, there should always be something to help you out. With this thought in mind, let us look at some of our options in terms of using the best gadgets to have in your kitchen.

1. T-Fal Actifry Low-Fat Multi-Cooker

It is very impossible for people to eat a lot and not get fat. This has been the problem that humans have but what if we can change all that? With this device in your kitchen, you shall never have to count calories or fat ever again because this requires little or no oil with every food that you eat. It helps eliminate the fat in food and also it makes everything taste better without the added calories.

2. LG LCSP1110ST 1.1 Cu Ft Counter Top Combo Microwave and Baking Oven

The discovery of the microwave was truly an accident but the invention of the microwave oven was truly genius. Everybody agrees that this is a must have in the kitchen but to make everything a little bit more awesome, this type of microwave can actually make you bake. With this, you can create the best pizzas and the best types of bread around with the convenience of one little box.

3. iRobot Scooba

Cooking is not much of a problem for most people because this task can be enjoyable. However, it is the cleaning part that makes everything unbearable. Every kitchen should have this device because it enables you to clean the whole area out. You won’t have to worry about those hard to reach areas anymore because this little robot can do the cleaning for you.

4. Yonanas Frozen Treat Maker

To go along with the avoidance of fat, people also are conscious about their sugar intake. Ice cream and other similar treats are definitely irresistible but with this device in your kitchen, you would most likely say good bye to ice cream since you can make frozen delights out of different fruits. You can use bananas, berries, and even thin slices of mangoes to make your very own frozen fruit treat. Worrying about sugar does not apply with this because you do not need to add even a single teaspoon just to make it taste good.

5. Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker

Bread is always a necessity in every kitchen but constantly buying it can be a pain sometimes. The great thing is that you can always have fun and make them through this device. Any type of bread that you want will be made with this as long as you have the basic ingredients as well as the recipe. There are different types of cooking methods that you can always activate with a push of a button.

The kitchen may not be the most interesting area in the house but it definitely is one of the most important ones. If you have all of these gadgets at home, it would not be a shocker to know that you will be spending most of your time in the kitchen because these things are truly remarkable.

To truly make your kitchen come to life you might want to consider replacing your worktops; granite is now far more affordable than it has been in the past and can provide you a durable work surface that will last for decades to come.

Kitchen Gadget Marketplace  → White Elephant Gift Suggestions

Thanks to Lindsay at Pin and Paint for the cool image of the elephant in a pot!

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

Some Very Useless White Elephant Gifts

Sometimes it just makes perfect sense to do something truly wacky. And what could be more fun than to gather your family or friends together for a white elephant gift exchange with totally useless stuff?

Some people believe that white elephant gifts are supposed to be gag gifts or other less practical items, others use the event to share valuable items.  White elephant gifts can be useless or practical, it is completely up to you.

Of course, we always promote giving gifts that will get the conversation going within the game.  Most of the time it is the banter that makes the party more engaging, so wacky white elephant gifts can make perfect sense.

The following is a list of unique gifts that should help build conversation in your next white elephant party.

The World’s Most Useless Gadgets

There are some inventions that have been created to better the lives of people. Gadgets like the fire alarm device for homes, door bells, mobile phones etc. Then there are these utterly useless gadgets:

The AC T-shirt: This T-shirt comes with an Air Conditioner for those trips across the Kalahari Desert.
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The Flying Alarm Clock: As if we don’t spend enough energy trying to find the snooze button on our normal clocks, this clock will buzz around like a fly that you just want to swat. Buying a new one isn’t cheap so swat gently!
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The Electric Paper Airplane Launcher: Just put your paper plane between the two rotating discs and launch at 30mph. Wonder if you can launch other things like rotten tomatoes.
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The TV in the Armpit: Missing out on your latest soap opera or want to know what is going on at the Cricket World Cup, just switch on the TV conveniently located in your armpit. Hmmm… well you might not be able to watch, you will act like that antenna guy, holding up your arms while your friends can watch.
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Nothing: The perfect gift for anyone. The gift is a perfect orb that comes in a great packaging that does absolutely nothing but just look pretty. Won’t your friend be pleased with his ‘Nothing’.
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The Message Toaster: This is a great gift to give your special someone before you plan on dumping or divorcing them. Just write a message on the top of the toaster and switch it on, when the toast comes out it has the message written on it. Perfect way to break up over breakfast.
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The Nordic Bearded Cap: This is just plain silly. When will someone ever want to put on a cap and pretend to be a Viking named Olaf. This cap comes in four amazing colors with two beard lengths.
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The USB Fragrance Burner for Laptops: This probably was created to help people relax while they work. Available for just $8, I hope the boss doesn’t mind when you get so relaxed that you start snoozing at the job.
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USB Toothbrush: Who in the world would want to brush their teeth by the laptop. I mean cleaning up spilled drinks and food crumbs is hassle enough, can you imagine trying to clean up toothpaste.
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The two-sided shoes: These very unpractical shoes have been designed so that when you sit on the bed or sofa, you don’t have to turn the shoes around. Just insert your feet and you’re off.

Have you seen any silly gifts or gadgets that we haven’t featured here on on gizoo.co.uk? Let us know the silliest gadget you’ve seen in the comments below.

FIND MORE  → White Elephant Gift Ideas

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

White elephant and Yankee Swap demonstrate gift giving gamification.

The act of giving a gift to an office mate is not unique, and nether is the office holiday gift party. What is unique is the way game play enters the equation.  The white elephant gift exchange and the Yankee Swap combine gift giving and a game play into an example of gamification in action.

We found the following information from Office Angels to be a good resource for the understanding of game dynamics within the workplace. We trust that you will find this information helpful.


Workplace Fun

Games and work hardly seem like a good combination, but people have become accustomed to playing games for fun and see them as a form of social interaction. According to David Koutsoukis, we need humor and we need fun, without either we only get glum. The author, in his e-book Workplace Fun Ideas, he puts forth several ideas that center around the concept of happy people being productive people. Research shows that a certain amount of fun in the workplace increases productivity and improves performance. A popular human resource concept is happy employees equal happy customers, which in turn will equal a better bottom line.

Co-authors Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo have written a book titled Gamestorming. The book offers a rather different take on the staid, be serious office policy most people are used to. According to the writers, embracing and understanding the game mechanics yields rich benefits in the work environment.

Gamestorming

Gamestorming has been described as a set of collaboration practices that have been evolving since the 1970s. It centers round ad-hoc organizing of teams to design and develop ideas cohesively as a group. These can be considered a form of game play as individuals are thrown together suddenly to develop an idea. In other words, turn the exercise into a game that makes people happy and produces results.
If we were to ask outright what types of games would be acceptable in the workplace, the common answer would be none. To most people, the word game probably brings to mind visions of solitaire on the office computer. Workplace games have a far greater depth of meaning. They put a structure to the chaos and stress surrounding creative work. By putting people in a group, the game rules become a method of information sharing. It is also a way to distribute the power or control equally among all the members in the group. The old system of hierarchy is abolished as the team gears up to work together, engaging in interaction, idea sharing and unified productivity.
Workplace games should not make people feel pressured to play; rather the focus should be on people engaging in combined activities to see positive results. The skills required to play these sophisticated workplace games include the ability to work together, social skills, visualization, creativity, good listening skills, communication skills and improvisation skills.

How To Make It Work

Success in the workplace relies heavily on communication; without it people end up functioning as islands rather than as a team. Making it a practice to play a few communication games to hone communication skills is fast becoming an accepted practice in many workplaces. Team leaders and managers need to choose games that will help people hone their skills, which in turn will benefit the overall performance of the organization.

There are many games that can be used in the workplace to build a variety of skills, build character, shape thought processes and generally produce employees that are well balanced and happy working for the company.

The motto with any type of workplace games program for employee progression should be based on introducing an element of fun to the workplace environment.

This guide to ‘work place’ games was written in association with Office Angels, leading recruiters for personal assistant and secretarial jobs in the UK

Note: A friend of mine, Chris Brogan did a review of the Gamestorming book.

Image from The Office television show

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

Gift exchange research is informative

Our passion is finding ways to share gifts with family and friends in white elephant gift exchanges. Most of our efforts focus on white elephant gift ideas and the party games used to pass out the presents. Our recreation specialists use the science of game-play as a way to engage groups in a social gift giving event.

Today we would like to share some research from major universities to better understand the practice of gift giving. We thank Emma Waight for this information.

The Art of Gift Giving

Gift giving is something of a ritual. Birthdays, Christmas, Valentines Day, anniversaries, house warmings, leaving presents, graduation presents, thank you for looking after the goldfish gifts, the list goes on. There is always an occasion for a gift, even a ‘just because’ gift. Chocolates ‘just because’ I love you. But who gains more from the gift giving ritual? The giver or the receiver?

Extensive research has been carried out on this very subject. Sociologists, anthropologists, marketers and psychologists are all interested in the science of gift giving. All agree that gift giving is a sign of something greater than a simple act. It can be used to manipulate, display love, it is a strategic act. We tend to expect gift giving to be a two way process but if a gift isn’t reciprocated what does that mean for a relationship? Does it make the giver superior to the receiver?

What Make’s a Good Gift?

I was once told that a good present is something that the receiver would not buy for themselves. Of course this is a bit ambiguous; it doesn’t mean choosing something that the other person will hate. Instead, it means buying something that the other person will love but that they haven’t the money or time to buy it themselves. We all know the romantic adage of traveling across the country to track down the first edition of your lover’s favourite book, or pretending to go out for a phone call but actually running back to the shop where your wife cooed over a diamond necklace.

What though, if you really don’t know what the other person likes? Well, new research shows that it is perfectly acceptable to ask. Researchers at Stanford and Harvard have found that the majority of people would just rather you ask them what you want. Romance is dead. They used three studies to come to this conclusion, one of them being to ask respondents to recall a wedding gift they had received. Those that had received a gift that they requested were much more appreciative than for the gifts they hadn’t asked for. I personally am quite uncomfortable with the wedding list concept anyway.

Perhaps offering a gift that the receiver has asked for shows a greater love? A ‘I will give you anything you want’ kind of love? I don’t think it can detract from the perfect surprise gift though. Maybe we just live in a society where there is so much choice and so many different tastes so that knowing what someone wants is unrealistic.

Ulterior motives?

Some say that gift giving benefits the giver more than the receiver. It’s a route to increased social capital, it makes an impression. It also means that the receiver ‘owes’ the giver, an implicit but accepted reality. Gift giving is a key part of building relationships, acting as a symbol of care and thoughtfulness.

With the recent economic crisis, many families might have restricted gift giving over the holiday season. How many people have you heard say ‘we’re not doing gifts this year’? A Harvard psychology professor says that this could be damaging our relationships. People who have shunned gift giving rituals are missing out on nurturing important connections with family and friends. Of course it doesn’t have to be a monetary gift, a homemade present could be just as affective. Gift giving is complex! And you thought it was ‘just’ flowers.

 

Emma Waight is a freelance fashion writer for www.clothes.org.uk. Follow Clothes fashion blog for style advice and fashion news.

 

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

White elephant gifts for the Cinco de Mayo party

Tomorrow is the Cinco de Mayo party day – millions will spend the day in celebration and sharing gifts among themselves. And though there are no white elephants in Mexico, there is a great opportunity to use a white elephant gift exchange to make the party more engaging.

A Cinco de Mayo white elephant gift party would be a perfect way to share the day with a group of friends or family.

Mexican Theme

You can decorate with a Mexican theme, prepare food and refreshments that are fitting for the day, and then have a great gift exchange game. Add in some great Mexican music in the background and have everyone come wearing some type of Mexican dress, like a sombrero or a poncho. You could even have TacoBell cater the event!

Mexican White Elephant Gifts

The white elephant gift exchange is a gift sharing event, so on Cinco de Mayo the gifts should be Mexican centered.  Tell every invitee that they need to bring creative and fun Mexican-styled white elephant gifts.  Because it is the fifth of May there could be a requirement that gifts have a tie to the number five, like $15, $25 or $35 dollar maximum spend. Here are a few gift ideas to get your creative juices flowing….

• Habenero sause
• Mexican music CD’s
• Mini cactus
• Margarita Glasses
• Ponchos
• Salsa
• Castanets
• Flag
• Masks
• Belt
• Cookbook

Thanks to Axtell for the image

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

Selecting Players for White Elephant Gift Parties

Throwing a bunch of paper-strips into a hat is so “old-school”…

White elephant gift exchanges are the most engaging party that you can host for your family and friends – so why be old-hat with your name drawing system?

We have nothing against Hats, but through the marvels of technology you could be using a virtual hat to pick the next player in your game. All you need is your computer, tablet or smartphone to really impress your guests with your hosting chops.

There are several online name drawing sites that will help in this process, but we think that you might find the new smartphone apps the most useful for this process.

Android Virtual Hat

We tested the Free Android app “Drawing from a Hat” on a Kindle Fire and found it to be very simple to set-up. Just add the names of those who are in the gift exchange and push a virtual button to select the next player. It also keeps a tally of every name that has already been selected.

The application allows you to create random selections by name or by number and set-up several different random drawings at the same time. Some gift exchange parties put a number on the white elephant gifts, and this app allows you to manage the drawing ether way you play.

One of the cool features is that it automatically displays all of your contacts that are stored in your devise. You don’t need to spend a bunch of time typing in the names, just select them and they are put into the the white elephant gift drawing.

Apple Virtual Name Draw

For Apple users the App Store has a version titled “Names in a Hat” for $.99 cents. I has many of the same simple features as the Android version so ether will save you time and effort.

So you can stay with slips of paper or use the high-tech wizardry of the day. Ether way your white elephant gift exchange will be the most memorable party of the year. Let us know how it goes…

You are going to Love this Party!

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

White elephant gift giving retro style

The tradition of giving a white elephant gift dates back centuries in the Far-east. Vintage white elephant giving was a royal event and is much different than how we view the process today.

The white elephant exchange is the perfect venue for sharing gifts in a social activity and is why it so popular. The smartest hosts know that memorable parties use great themes that give guests something unique to remember.

There is a huge craze for all things vintage at the moment. Vintage shops are popping up left, right and center and vintage items are flooding online sites like eBay. With so much vintage love going on it is not surprising that it has become a popular party theme. Whether it’s a wedding reception, bridal shower, birthday party or anniversary the vintage theme works really well and the décor that you choose should tie everything together.

Bunting All The Way!

No vintage party would be complete without streams of bunting flying from the rafters. There are two main types of bunting; fabric and paper. Fabric bunting is made to last whereas paper bunting is normally only made for one or two applications. Choose bunting that has flags in pastel shades such as pinks, blues and greens for a real vintage feel. You could event go for floral patterned flags if you wanted to too. If you are at all crafty then you could have a go at making your own paper bunting as it is very simple.

Tea Cups Galore!

In the run up to your party scour your local charity and second hand shops for crockery. For a white elephant gift party, find elephant-styled cups. You will find that many of them will have sets of tea services being sold really cheaply. I recently did this to find crockery for an afternoon tea themed wedding and I managed to pick up 6 cups and 6 saucers for 1.50 in one shop.  They were white, had pink flowers with green leaves and a beautiful gold rim. The great thing about a vintage theme is that all of your crockery doesn’t need to match. In fact, it looks cuter if you have many different designs.

The Cherry on Top!

No vintage party would be complete without stacks of classic cakes piled high on beautiful cake stands. Cake stands can be quite expensive to buy but there are some beautiful vintage themed cardboard stands available to buy. You could buy some doilies and pretty cupcake wrappers in colors that match your bunting as a real finishing touch. Choose cakes like Cherry Bakewells, French Fancies and Fairy Cakes.

Asking people to come in their best vintage dresses and suits will make it feel extra special. These are just some ideas for your party invitation there are many other things you could consider such as pick ‘n’ mix jars, chalkboard messages, and homemade pink lemonade and lace table cloths!

Vicky works alongside Maia Gifts who sell vintage, retro and modern gift ware.

Thanks to Fanta for the image of the white elephant gift tea server

 

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

Gift sharing for all ages

The white elephant gift exchange is a social adventure for gift givers of all ages. Even though many of these gift swapping parties are enjoyed with adults, kids have just as much fun sharing white elephant gifts as Mom and Dad do.

For kids, adding a theme makes the party even more exciting and allows them to expand their creativity. The party theme provides a framework upon which to build lasting memories and makes them want to stay engaged in the fun. Even gift purchasing is more engaging and creative when they have a theme to guide them.

We found some advice and ideas on party themes from Gemma Dawson, an event specialist in the UK.  We share her ideas in the hope that it will help you in creating a white elephant style gift game for your kids.

Party Theme and Planning Advice

Underwater party theme which would involve a blue colored theme with seaweed style decorations and treasure chests. Food ideas would include fish and chips in underwater decorated trays or plates. A popular theme for underwater parties is Octonauts which is hitting the market 2012.

A pirate themed party would be loved my most young boys and its easy to decorate using large cardboard boxes and painting them and making them into pirate ships, the kids can even help decorate. The ideal party game is a treasure hunt where the kids have clues or a treasure map and go and discover treasure planted all over the garden, house or venue. Pirate themed parties could be from Jake and the Neverland pirates, pirates of the Caribbean or just a general pirate themed party.

A princess party is the ideal party for a little girl and there are many ways to make this fun depending on the child’s age so if you have older kids you can turn it into a pamper party where the kids get pampered and then have a sleepover and dress up. If the kids are younger they can play games like dress up and decorating princess crowns and tiaras. Princess themes can include Barbie, Disney Princesses, Snow White, Hello Kitty or a general princess theme.

Army Themed party is a cool idea for the boys and encourages them to get muddy and messy – Depending on the space available you can create an assault course type party where the boys can dress up in army gear or you could have fun in the garden with games involving army style tasks.

Beach themed parties are an excellent idea for all and a net would be useful for a volleyball style game either girls vs boys or something else. For a beach feel you could decorate with sand or nautical features and have a sandcastle themed cake and party bags.

How To Get Organized

Around 6 weeks or a month before the party help your child select a theme, decide on a guest list, select a date and time, order all your party supplies and book a venue and entertainer if required.

Around 3 weeks before the party you should hand out your invitations, keep a list of RSVPS, decide on games and activities for the party, select a choice of menu and order or plan a birthday cake.

Around a week before the party make a schedule for when the activities and games will be done, what time the entertainer is booked and what time you will serve food. Parents also need to remember to buy any food and drink, order helium tanks for the balloons and make sure you have bought party bag fillers for the party bags.

The day before the party should be a day when fresh food is bought, camera batteries are charged up, the cake is collected and the party bags are packed up.

On the day just remember to stay calm, decorate the table and party area, add the candles to the cake, inflate the balloons and make sure all activities and prizes are organized. Ensure all activities are ready to go and prizes arranged and that food and drink is all cooked and ready to go.

Article written by Gemma Dawson, Owner of GD Party Supplies offering a huge choice in kids party supplies such as pingu party supplies .

 

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

We are the white elephant gift headquarters on the internet… so we take online gift shopping very seriously!

Shopping online for white elephant gifts is the easiest way to find unique items to bring to the party. Part of the fun of participating in the white elephant gift exchange is the time spent trying to find a gift that will get everyone talking. Because the price point of white elephant gifts is usually less than $50 dollars and with high fuel prices, it just makes good economic sense to use the computer to do the shopping.

There is no denying that many of us work harder and put in more hours than was often the case in the past. Busy lives leave little time for activities such as shopping, particularly when it comes to clothes.

The rise of the internet and the growth in the number of online retailers means that nowadays busy people can shop online for just about everything under the sun. Whether you are looking for a furniture outlet or an online clothes shop, these days, providing you have a computer you can let your fingers do the walking. Online shopping certainly saves time but there are pros and cons when it comes to buying things this way.

Shopping online is so convenient:

Compared to traipsing round a busy shopping centre looking for a new skirt or that perfect pair of shoes, buying from an online clothes shop can be done from the comfort of your own home.

When you have worked long hours all week, the last thing you want to do is spend your weekends in the concrete jungle searching for a new pair of boots.

Purchasing online couldn’t be easier as most products are displayed with a picture, full product description, price and available sizes. All you need to do is log on to the internet, find your favorite store then identify, order and pay for your goods. Going on a shopping expedition could take a couple of hours or more out of your day, whereas it only takes a matter of minutes to purchase something online. The best thing about online shopping is its convenience; once you’ve put your order in and the site has charged your card or PayPal account, all you have to do is sit back and wait for the goods to be delivered.

The internet gives you access to any number of retail outlets, some of which may not have a branch in your part of the country. There are also some stores that operate solely online. Most online shopping is trouble free and if the things you order are not the right fit or not exactly what you ordered, you’re completely within your rights to return them thanks to the ‘distance selling regulations’.

The hit and miss aspects of shopping online:

One of the good things about physically visiting a store to purchase clothing or footwear is that you get to see the goods as they really are and you can usually try them on before you buy.

When you purchase something online there are times when the items you receive look a lot less appealing than they did online. What’s more, when you shop on the internet it can take a week or more before you receive your goods – frustrating if you need something quickly.

Whether you shop at your local shopping center or you shop online, sizes do vary and when you need a pair of boots or something similar, you can’t try them on before you buy. If you purchase something online and have to return it, you could wait another week or two before you actually get what you want. Internet shopping is a boon to busy people but you should be aware, that just like any other kind of shopping, it has its virtues and its drawbacks.

 

Crispin Jones wrote this article on behalf of Anna Davies, an online clothes shop who sell boots and other goods.

 

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.

Are these structures White Elephants?

The term “white elephant” is often used to describe things that are expensive with unusually high costs for maintenance. And even though this is completely contrary to the real history of white elephant giving, many still use the term. Actual white elephants are extremely valuable, amazing and very beautiful animals, so it is hard to understand how the term has devolved into such a meaning.

Nowhere is the term white elephant used more than in describing large building projects that some feel are a bad investment or that seem to be aesthetically different. We found a list of structures, created by Amy Fowler, that are considered ugly – or maybe even one of those proverbial “white elephants”.

We will let you decide…

By Amy Fowler

The human race may be unique in its ability to build complex structures and, to an extent, master nature – but architects seem to be getting a little carried away with their power.  Many modern buildings are, from a technical standpoint, amazing structures.  They are complex and intricate – and some of them leave you wondering how they stay upright at all (let alone where the doors are to get in) – but that doesn’t mean that they’re nice to look at. Are these ten structures perhaps the ugliest ones in the world?

1. The Arcelor Mittal Orbit Sculpture

This sculpture stands near the London 2012 Olympic Park.  It was designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond, and will be opening to the public soon.

2. The Aldar Headquarters

Abu Dhabi is home to some beautiful pieces of architecture, but this isn’t one of those pieces.  This huge, eye-catching building is the world’s first coin-shaped skyscraper.

3. The Longaberger Basket Company Building

The Longaberger Basket Company must not think that their name is obvious enough.  To ensure people knew what it was they did, they decided to have their headquarters made in the shape of a basket – including giant handles sticking out of the roof.  The windows are fitted into the “weave” of the basket, as are the doors, so the look remains completely unbroken.

4. Strata, London

The Strata skyscraper in Elephant and Castle, London, dominates the landscape with its unusual shape and the turbine blades at the top.

5. The Mirador Building, Madrid

The Mirador building was designed by a Blanca Lleo, in conjunction with the Dutch architecture studio MVRDV.  The building looks, at first glance, like a random mish-mash of lego bricks.  There’s no symmetry, no clear pattern to the colors or textures on the walls, and no clear pattern to the positioning of the windows and doors either.  If the designer wanted to drive people insane trying to understand the point of the building, they did a great job!

6. Federation Square, Melbourne

Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia has a distinctive look.  In some ways, it looks like one of those origami toys that you might have tried to make as a child – only huge, and made of glass and metal.

7. Peter the Great Statue, Moscow

This Russian statue looks like something that Tim Burton would have designed – only instead of being a mildly scary cartoon character or plush toy, it’s a monstrosity that stands 15 stories high.

8. Torres de Colon, Madrid

These matching towers dominate the Madrid skyline.  They look vaguely like a set of salt-and-pepper shakers, held together by a giant plug.

9. LuckyShoe Monument, Finland

Horse shoes are supposed to be lucky, so people don’t resent this particular monument too much.  This giant horse shoe stands over the shopping center in Tuuri, Finland.  It’s said that people who visit the town itself (let alone the mall), will be blessed with good luck.

10. The Ryogyong Hotel, Pyongyang

This 105 story hotel is located in North Korea. Not only is it considered by many to be an eyesore, it was never completed.  Construction started in 1987, and was expected to take just two years.  Numerous delays plagued the project, and construction has stopped and started several times over the past 25 years.

 

Written by Amy Fowler on behalf of oak door specialists, UK Oak Doors. For more from UK Oak Doors, join their Google Circles.

Photos by Julian Osley, Paolo Rosa, Addicted Eyes, herbrm, druidabruxux, clickrunner, BBM Explorer, oligoquetos, Roquai, and Pricey.

 

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PartyWeDo
We are passionate about white elephant gifts and white elephant gift exchange parties. We will do all that we can to make your experience with AlbinoPhant better than you can imagine.