White Elephant Exchange

[BarefootGardener]

DO any of you enjoy doing a white elephant gift exchange? Would you be interested in being part of one sometime soon? Not in person, of course, but a special PS version.

White Elephant Exchange

Traditionally, a "White Elephant" is something lying around the house that you don't want (some horridly ugly item that someone gave you as a gift or some other item unwanted for some reason). I am of the belief that in most parts of the country, if you tell someone to bring a White Elephant gift it will almost certainly be a gag gift and not something genuinely useful or desirable. In our game we’re going to do it a bit differently.

GIFTS:
1. As we make our way through the game, all efforts should be made to hide who contributed each gift.This party's gift theme is ‘Garden.Surprise.’
2. The gift should have a retail value as close to $10 as is reasonable, not that you have to pay $10 but that IF you did purchase it, it would cost you at least $10.
3. We can and should avoid cash outlay by being creative.
4. The gift should be something someone (but not necessarily everyone) would actually want or use. It should be new or in good condition.
5. Gift certificates are OK only if it is accompanied by some other item as part of the gift. For instance, a $10 Lowe’s gift card, by itself, is not OK, but a $10 Lowe’s gift card tucked into a flower pot you made might be OK.
6. Plants can be kept in the refrigerator several days, sometimes several weeks if it must be held before shipping. However, it would be best not to dig a plant earlier than absolutely necessary.
7. All gifts/contributions should be packaged just like any other shipment, taking care that it arrives at its new owner in the best condition possible and that it can be tracked or have its delivery confirmed.

PHOTOS:
1. Take photos from several different angles, making sure to clearly show good or bad features of the plant.
2. If you don't have a photo of the plant when it is blooming or when it is mature, find a site on the internet where you can direct interested participants to.
3. Your submission of photos imples your agreement to have your photos shown on-line.

DESCRIPTION:
1. Identify the plant by its common name, and by its biological name if possible.
2. Clearly state the plant's hardiness, if applicable, and the zones in which the plant is hardy.
3. Describe the type of soil, the moisture level, etc. that the plant requires, how it can be propogated.
4. Discuss the plants good points AND its bad points.

THE GAME:
1. Each guest who wishes to participate must contribute a gift, and gifts must be selected BEFORE the game officially begins. This is the case since each participant must (a) take photos of the gift he/she is contributing to the game and (b) write a brief description of it, giving details about the age of the gift, its size (height, width, etc.) and, in the case of plants, its common name and, if possible, its botanical name. This information must be (c) sent to me during the week before the game actually begins.
2. I will prepare slips of paper equal to the number of gifts with clearly written numbers and randomly assign the numbers to gifts so I can pick numbers out of a ‘hat’ so as to be fair. Participants (givers) should avoid identifying themselves with a particular gift or a gift’s number. I should be the only other person who knows which gift you are contributing and its gift #.
3. I will prepare a second set of paper slips with clearly written numbers and randomly assign each number to a participant and PM that number to each participant. As we proceed through the game I will select one of the numbers from this set, see who the number belongs to to determine whose ‘turn’ it is.
4. On the first turn, I will send a PM to Participant #1 to select a gift # and send it to me via PM within 48 hours. I will post the identity of Participant #1 along with photos and details about the gift he/she has selected. Note that gifts will not actually be sent to participants until the game is entirely over. This will save $$$ on postage.
5. Once a gift has been made public that gift is in play and can be acquired (stolen) by subsequent participants or kept by the original participant as the case may be.
6. On subsequent turns, I will send a PM to the each participant in turn as selected randomly. Within 48 hours, each participant can choose to "steal" any previously awarded gift or to select the next randomly assigned gift. If the person whose turn it is steals a gift, the person who had the gift stolen will take the ‘thief’s’ turn and select the next randomly selected gift # or steal someone else’s gift (other than the one who just stole his or her gift).
7. We repeat this, round after round, until all gifts have been claimed and every participant has a gift. At that time, every participant will send his/her gift to the new owner using USPS Priority Mail and post the tracking # on the game thread.
8. When everyone has gotten their gifts they will post on the game thread reactions to their gift—what about it was a pleasant surprise; what was a disappointment; what will you do with it; etc.

The game continues based on the following:
1. If a gift is stolen from you, you can steal a gift (within limits, described below) from someone who has already been awarded a gift, or receive the next “fresh” gift.
2. A gift cannot be immediately stolen back from the participant who just stole it.
3. Each turn proceeds until a “fresh” gift is sent out and is received by a participant.
4. The fourth "owner" of a gift keeps it. The gift is "dead" after it has been stolen three times; otherwise the gift is “in play”.
5. When a gift is “dead” notice to that effect must be posted on the White Elephant Exchange thread and all photos and descriptions of that gift will be deleted.
6. Photos of all "live" gifts will be kept posted at all times.
7. The gift exchange ends when the last gift has been received.
Usually, participants are encouraged to perpetuate the gift stealing as long as there are "live" gifts and stealing is done if good spirit, but no one is obligated to steal. And, of course, no “dead” gift may be stolen.

[mickeys_rose]

I would like to know a little bit more about the White Elephant trade it sounds interesting.

[BarefootGardener]

I'm in for the white elephant exchange, are you?

Next?

[GarvicetheCat]

Sounds like fun....count me in!

[FernGirl]

This sounds like fun... So, by "gifts" we are talking plants to enxchange, right? Will seeds and cuttings be included? Are we choosing numbers blindly, or will you post photos? Either way sounds like fun, I just want to make sure I get it!! HA HA! I'm blonde - it takes time for me to get stuff...



I'm in - what the heck!

[FernGirl]

OK, now it has to stop raining so I can get out there to photograph my entry!
Can't wait!

[BarefootGardener]

Some cameras take perfectly good pictures in the rain. Now, it's a matter of whether you want to get wet or not. So, are you in?

[FernGirl]

Sure - I'll post some photos this weekend!

[BarefootGardener]

I like the idea of taking photos of your White Elephant entry while it is at its best. So if it's a plant and it's blooming now get photos, by all means. But hold off about posting the photos for the White Elephant Exchange. I will send instructions a bit later, but you will end up sending your photos, along with a brief description of your entry, to me. I will then post them to all participants when the gift is put into play.

[Diane]

Count me in Shirley......sounds like fun!

[RiverRock]

count me in please!

RR

[zuzu's petals]

Is it going to be a little while yet before you get this one going, Shirley?
I'd like to participate, but my schedule really seems to have me by the tail for the next month or so.

[dpiautb]

Hi Shirley,
If the game takes place some time after the 2nd week of July you can count me in. If it is any time before it I won't be able because we are running crazy with last minute preparations for daughter's wedding in New York.
Steve
p.s. since I am not 100% sure that I understand what to do, You will probably have to explain it to me again!

[BarefootGardener]

It will be at least the middle of July before we can get this thing completely organized, what with the 4th holiday and such. I'll be staying in touch with everyone starting about July 1. In the meantime, good luck with your various projects.

[Penny]

Sounds like a fun game, you all will enjoy it.