Why do they call it a white elephant sale? The term "white elephant" refers to an extravagant but burdensome gift that cannot be easily disposed of, based on the legend of the King of Siam gifting rare albino
Albinism
An inherited disorder that presents with little or no melanin production.
What does a white elephant symbolize in the story?
Elephant Symbolism and Meaning (Totem, Spirit and Omens)
- Elephant Dream Interpretation. Elephants are considered to be lucky animals. ...
- Interpretation of elephant dreams based on their color. The color of the elephant you dream of can also influence its interpretation. ...
- The cultural significance of elephants. The elephants are regarded as an important symbol in various cultures around the world. ...
What is a white elephant sale?
This year, the preview event for the 63rd annual White Elephant Sale sold out within three hours of availability. It’s little wonder the 63rd annual White Elephant Preview Sale presented by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board sold out within three hours of availability.
Why do we say white elephant?
Why do we say white elephant? The term derives from the sacred white elephants kept by Southeast Asian monarchs in Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Because the animals were considered sacred and laws protected them from labor, receiving a gift of a white elephant from a monarch was simultaneously a blessing and a curse.
What are good white elephant ideas?
Gifts under $30
- Bob Ross Chia Pet ($20.99; amazon.com )
- W&P Designs The Old Fashioned Virtual Happy Hour Cocktail Kit ($24; wandpdesign.com )
- Uncommon Goods Nachosaurus Snack and Dip Set ($25; uncommongoods.com )
- Homesick Holiday Stroll Candle ($28.90, originally $34; homesick.com )
- Smoko UO Exclusive Food Light ($22; urbanoutfitters.com )
Why is it called white elephant sale?
The term white elephant refers to an extravagant, impractical gift that cannot be easily disposed of. The phrase is said to come from the historic practice of the King of Siam (now Thailand) giving rare albino elephants to courtiers who had displeased him, so that they might be ruined by the animals' upkeep costs.
What does the slang white elephant mean?
white elephant \WYTE-EL-uh-funt\ noun. 1 : a property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit. 2 : an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others. 3 : something of little or no value.
What is a pink elephant sale?
Pink Elephant Sale. Pink Elephant Sale event will be featuring Priceless Treasures, Designer Clothing, Antiques & Collectibles, Bric-a-Brac, Accessories, Children's Clothing and Toys, Menswear and much more.
When was the term white elephant first used?
The first reference in English to the idiomatic meaning of the term 'white elephant' comes in 1851 G. E. Jewbury's Letters, 1892: "His services are like so many white elephants, of which nobody can make use, and yet that drain one's gratitude, if indeed one does not feel bankrupt."
What does the phrase a real white elephant mean in they sold his house because it was a real white elephant I an expensive one II a big one III a useless one IV a rare thing?
An unwanted possession that is hard to get rid of but too valuable to throw away.
What is pink elephant?
hallucinationsDefinition of pink elephants : hallucinations arising especially from heavy drinking or use of narcotics began to see pink elephants.
What's a white elephant stall?
white elephant stall in British English (waɪt ˈɛlɪfənt stɔːl ) a stall, usually at a fete or fundraising event, where unwanted possessions are sold. There was face-painting, a coconut shy, plus a white elephant stall at which I bought a strange celadon jug. Collins English Dictionary.
Why is it called Yankee Swap?
A more heart-warming origin claim is that Americans – once called “Yankees” by immigrants in New York City – would give each other trivial gifts in marketplaces. It was, quite literally, “Yankees Swapping gifts.” Today, Yankee Swap is practiced across the globe – reaching far beyond the Big Apple.
Where did white elephant gift originate?
Thailand1) The origins of White Elephant giving come from Siam (now known as Thailand). White elephants were considered to be so sacred that any discovered became the immediate ownership of the king. 2) Because these elephants were so valuable, they weren't allowed to be worked.
Is white elephant the same as Secret Santa?
Secret Santa — sometimes known as Kris Kringle — involves the same kind of mystery as a white elephant exchange, but each person in the group is assigned and aware of a designated person they'll be gifting to. However, you're not allowed to reveal whose Secret Santa you are until it's time to open the gifts.
Who owned the white elephant?
Only the extremely wealthy individuals in a kingdom were able to own a white elephant and in most cases, only the monarch owned these animals. While ownership of a white elephant commanded great respect in the kingdom, the owners of these animals had to incur great expenses to maintain the elephants which required huge amounts of forage.
When was the term "white elephant" first used?
The term was first used in Europe in reference to an unsustainable project in the 17th century. However, some historians believe P.T. Barnum was first to coin the phrase in the late 19th century. P.T. Barnum was a 19th-century showman who was infamous for hoaxes in his Barnum and Bailey Circus. One of his exhibitions in the circus was a white elephant named Toung Taloung which he dubbed “the Sacred White Elephant of Burma.” Barnum acquired the elephant from the King of Siam at a huge cost but was disappointed to discover that instead of the elephant being white in color, it was actually grey with pink spots. Other historians credit Ezra Cornell as the person who introduced the phrase into popular lexicon in the early 19th century. The phrase enjoyed much use in the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and is still popularly used in English-speaking countries.
What was the elephant that Barnum bought?
Barnum acquired the elephant from the King of Siam at a huge cost but was disappointed to discover that instead of the elephant being white in color, it was actually grey with pink spots.
What is the most popular white elephant in Detroit?
The most popular white elephant in Detroit is a tram system which encircles the city’s downtown region known as the Detroit People Mover. The idea of establishing a tram system in Detroit was conceived in the 1960s as the city’s administration looked for a fast and reliable form of transport to alternate with the existing road transport. Construction of the tram system was marred with financial cutbacks from the federal government but was finally completed in 1987 and was expected to handle about 65,000 passengers each day. However, the tram system ended up being a white elephant project as daily commuter numbers reached only 6,000 passengers. The project also proved not to be cost-effective, with the cost per passenger mile in the tram system being about $3, a high figure when compared to the $0.82 in Detroit buses.
What is a white elephant gift exchange?
Also known as a Yankee swap, a white elephant gift exchange is similar to a white elephant sale, except that the primary goal of a white elephant gift exchange is entertainment and not financial gain. Benjamin Elisha Sawe October 10 2017 in Economics. Home. Economics.
What is a white elephant project?
A “white elephant project” can be used in reference to a completed project or one whose undertaking is still ongoing. The phrase has its origins in Southeast Asia which is home to Asian elephants known as white elephants due to their unusual pigmentation, which instead of being grey, have a pink pigmentation.
Which kingdoms have white elephants?
Ancient kingdoms in East Asia particularly in present-day Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos regarded white elephants as sacred animals and had (and still have in the case of kingdoms in Thailand and Myanmar) laws protecting the animals. Only the extremely wealthy individuals in a kingdom were able to own a white elephant and in most cases, ...
What is the meaning of the white elephant?
Today, the term ‘white elephant’ denotes any burdensome, expensive and useless possession that is much more trouble than it is worth.
Why were white elephants useless?
As they were deemed to be sacred, they weren’t allowed to be worked and required special, expensive food and housing – making them particularly pricey pachyderms. So the cunning kings of Siam, as the story goes, used to give white elephants away to anyone who displeased them or had fallen out ...
Where did the phrase "white elephant" come from?
The origins of the phrase come from Siam (modern-day Thailand). White or very pale elephants were so highly prized that when one was discovered, it immediately became the possession of the King. Such was the reverence held for the animal in Siam that it appeared on the nation’s flag until 1917.