White Elephant gift exchanges bring out the best and worst in me. I become quite animated throughout the exchange, scheming as much as possible to get the best gift ever. I love stealing. I love taking the best gift from a poor soul who loved the gift immensely. It’s totally fun to go against my character and play the stealth villain at these gatherings. I usually come away with something pretty fun and exciting because I know how to play these things.
We have two parties coming up this week and I’m ready. I’ve done due diligence to get fun, creative white elephant gifts that people would like, but extremely funny at the same time.
As I was preparing for these parties, I realized I knew nothing about the origins of this fantastic Christmas activity. I looked up where this ‘White Elephant idea’ came from. According to legend, it was a king of Siam (now Thailand) who came up with the brilliant scheme of giving actual white elephants to his most annoying, obnoxious courtiers as revenge. It was the perfect good-news/bad-news gift. Nowadays, the guiding principle in the exchange is that you give an impractical gift, maybe wanted, maybe unwanted, and often humorous. My going-in strategy: Don’t come to a White Elephant exchange looking to gain something valuable but do everything you can to GET something valuable!
As much as I love these White Elephant gatherings, there’s a reality that is true for all gift exchanges. A gift is only as valuable as it is important to the person who receives it. I know I’ve gotten some gifts that I have no interest in and they eventually ended up at Goodwill.
Not true with God and his gift-giving! No one can ever give another person the BEST gift. The PERFECT gift. The most VALUABLE gift. That gift is God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Each of us must decide whether we will unwrap and receive that gift. This gift has more value than we’ll ever imagine!
God knew that mankind could never be good enough or righteous enough on their own to be joined to Himself. So, He sent His Son, as the perfect gift, given to everyone who believes in Him. When you receive this gift, you get it FOREVER. You never earn or pay for it. You never get it stolen. You never have to turn it back in. The gift of God was the most sacrificial thing He could give.
Even though I love, love, love the White Elephant parties, they're not the most important thing to me. I get home and toss my new White Elephant treasure somewhere, soon to be forgotten. Often, I use it as my White Elephant gift for the next party.
The older I get, the more I realize that stuff doesn’t matter. All this stuff will pass away. Life is about knowing God and receiving Jesus, the greatest gift ever. Don’t pass on this gift.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
As much as I love these White Elephant gatherings, there’s a reality that is true for all gift exchanges. A gift is only as valuable as it is important to the person who receives it. I know I’ve gotten some gifts that I have no interest in and they eventually ended up at Goodwill.
Not true with God and his gift-giving! No one can ever give another person the BEST gift. The PERFECT gift. The most VALUABLE gift. That gift is God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Each of us must decide whether we will unwrap and receive that gift. This gift has more value than we’ll ever imagine!
God knew that mankind could never be good enough or righteous enough on their own to be joined to Himself. So, He sent His Son, as the perfect gift, given to everyone who believes in Him. When you receive this gift, you get it FOREVER. You never earn or pay for it. You never get it stolen. You never have to turn it back in. The gift of God was the most sacrificial thing He could give.
Even though I love, love, love the White Elephant parties, they're not the most important thing to me. I get home and toss my new White Elephant treasure somewhere, soon to be forgotten. Often, I use it as my White Elephant gift for the next party.
The older I get, the more I realize that stuff doesn’t matter. All this stuff will pass away. Life is about knowing God and receiving Jesus, the greatest gift ever. Don’t pass on this gift.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
Take a listen to this beautiful song by Shawner Belt Edwards: He is the Gift: https://www.youtube.com/
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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