The holiday season is full of traditions meant to bring people together — and, ideally, get everyone laughing.
For one woman, a small friends-and-family white elephant gift exchange did deliver a laugh… just not the kind she was hoping for.
In a Reddit post, she explained that everyone at the Christmas party was asked to bring a wrapped $25 white elephant gift for the exchange.
As the game got going, guests revealed the kinds of items you’d expect at a fun, low-stakes swap: a mini Igloo cooler filled with soda, a smoothie blender, bottles of alcohol, party games and other crowd-pleasers.
“Everyone did great picking out cool items and the game was a lot of fun… until it was my turn to pick,” she wrote.
She said she spotted a large, heavy box and felt confident she’d scored something good — until she opened it and found “25 cans of green beans.”
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White elephant exchanges often include a joke or two, but she said the moment stung — especially because she’d spent more than the $25 limit on the gift she brought. Instead of walking away with something fun or useful, she was left holding a box of canned vegetables she couldn’t convince anyone else to take.
In the end, she donated the green beans to a local homeless shelter so they wouldn’t go to waste.
Still, she had a message for anyone planning a swap this season: “If you’re involved in a white elephant gift exchange this season, try not to make someone as sad as I was opening my package last night.”
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In the comments, many people pointed out that white elephant exchanges are always a gamble, advising that the best way to play is to assume you’ll end up with “absolutely nothing” — and you’ll “never [be] disappointed.”
Others focused on her decision to go over budget, arguing that the price limit exists for a reason. One commenter even compared her to a familiar TV character, writing: “The budget is there for a reason. If you haven’t watched The Office Christmas party episode, please do. You are Michael Scott.”
