White Elephant

Have you ever been part of a white elephant gift exchange?  I'm sure 1 in 3 people could share an interesting story that they've had with white elephant gifts at one time or another.  I attended one last night at youth group.  My genius idea (I mean my mom's) was to take lint from the dryer and label it as "bellybutton lint".  Wow.  I followed my mother's advice and sure enough, it was a huge hit.  Nobody wanted to steal it from the poor soul that ended up with it, but that's all part of the fun!  When it was my turn to pick a gift, I stole this AWESOME stuffed animal that was about 2 and a half feet tall.  It was a cross between a bull and a dragon, or something like that.  But then, of course, somebody stole my incredible find.  At this gift exchange, a freshman in college from our church, Nathan, was home for the holidays.  He kept telling me to pick a bulky white envelope, labeled "The Envelope of Wonder".  I was suspicious, but I chose it and inside was a few packing peanuts and one of his senior pictures.  Classic Nathan.  I can't believe I was dumb enough to pick his gift!  :) After pleading and begging for someone to take it from me, I was stuck with it.  Some generous high schoolers came to the rescue with a used coloring book and crayons (YES!!!).  Also, Pastor Zach let me pick out one of the gifts that were still on the table.  It was a few plastic hang-gliding little dudes in neon pink, green, yellow, and orange.  Grrr.  Another high school friend traded me the hang-gliders for this awesome fan thingie that sprays water out of the fan.  Sweet!  She told me that she has a loft at her house that she can drop them from, and I told her that I have 3 brothers who I can spray.  It all works out.  :)