Thursday night of this week we had our staff/board/elder Christmas party. This is a time for us to gather at the church with our spouses and just celebrate what God has done in the past year.
There are no words to express how thankful I am for this group of people. They give a tremendous amount of time, energy, and giftedness to Cross Point every year. And not only do the individuals who serve directly on staff/board/elders, but also their spouses.
As tradition we play “Dirty Santa” (aka. white elephant). I love this game. There are always a few gifts which really stand out. My favorites this year were the apron you see a very proud Brian Dishon wearing below as well as the “Jarrod” calendar which Ricky Cook (our new pastor of spiritual transformation) walked away with.
I’m wondering, what is your favorite Dirty Santa gift you’ve ever seen or received?
I was just thinking. I’m not sure what my favorite is I’ve received but I know my favorite given.
Brandi grandmother bought us a Hanukah dish a couple years ago. I can only assume she thought it was a Christmas dish. We gave it at this party mentioned in the post and it seems to resurface every couple of years.
We did White Elephant for a few years with friends and family, and I thought it was a hilarious good time. One year my son and his best friend, who both aspire to be FBI agents, each ended up with a Dollar Store police kit, complete with badges, teeny little holsters and plastic guns, and dark sunglassees. They put all the gear on and struck various poses, using their best “men in black” expressions. As they were seniors in HS at the time, they pretty much brought down the house. That will always be a favorite Christmas memory of mine!
My fave white elephant gift has been a rubber chicken that resurfaces every year.
I’ve never been to one, but my SIL once got a set of 4 used tires.
I love when someone doesn’t understand how to play and they bring a nice gift. One year I walked away with a $20 gift card to Blockbuster. It came in a bucket of popcorn with candy.
It was a couple weeks ago at our CREW Christmas lunch – it was a chihuahua that appeared to be climbing a cat scratching post (full size). It had a funny grin on it and realized that when you pressed the little button, the dog started doing things to the scratching post that we’d all rather not see!!!! It was in my hands on a couple occasions, but luckily, I ended up with the spa mittens!
Beano was the best one I walked away with. The best I’ve given was an ugly giraffe picture frame with a page of wallet sized engagement pic of me and my hubby. It shows up every year.
Not really Dirty Santa, but similar idea…..for my housewarming a “friend” gave me a previously owned toliet seat! Hysterical!
@ Jenn, note to self: great gift for next year!
uh, this NOT how “dirty santa” is played in my house.
oops, forgot the verb: “is”
Electric ear muffs. Took ear muffs and wire with a plug and taped it inside. Kind of ingenious I thought.
This year we had an armadillo stapler, a homemade sock puppet, and my favorite: someone in our office took a picture of himself at his desk making the little gun with you fingers pointing motion and winking at the camera, wrote and inscription on it with his autograph, framed it and wrapped it.
the funniest one was when we were at our small group Christmas party and it was all young married couples. The couple accross from me opens up this huge box only to reveal a smaller box inside. Once unwrapped they to everyones hilarity had opened a box of KY. Incredibly funny. I will never forget that one. That for sure is the most memorable. However I always appreciate the chia pet.
Beloved pastor Pete, brace yourself. The aforementioned Hanukah candy dish went home with us after last year’s Christmas party. I’m so sorry to report it might not appear any time soon – or forever for that matter – as it was accidentally “bestowed” upon the brethren at Good Will. Okay, wait. I cannot tell a lie – especially to my pastor. Said Hanukah dish was forthwith contributed willingly by former elder Ken Moody and his accomplice, yours truly, in a massive attempt at spring cleaning. Please forgive us, but if all possible, please don’t banish us from the church we love. A thousand apologies.
@and – we have a rubber chicken too… last year we had two.
But that’s not my favorite. I was in a show choir in high school and one of our costumes was a sparkly gold dress. For my dad’s 50th birthday (you know, the golden one) I gave it to him. Fast forward 18 years to two years ago-it came to the white elephant party and I ended up with it again.
a box of cheerios…with a sweaty sock as the prize inside. ;-/
this year at our Christmas party someone gave a live pet lobster in a box. He put in the fridge until the game started. Somehow it survived and came complete with a leash around it. we walked it around the room for a bit and then cooked it.
that’s awesome! well… not for the lobster…
My favorite gift I’ve received at a Dirty Santa/White Elephant exchange is the annoying HO HO HO suspenders that I got back in 2001. The best one I’ve given is a bagel with cream cheese.
@drew powell, I love it. However I’m sure PETA would find out about it and then picket outside of our church. Not sure it would be worth it.
i gave away floss and came home with spider-man 1 & 2 on dvd! and i have been secretly collecting hundreds of cds with old messages on them from our ex-senior pastor and new one. still waiting for another party however. it’s been a while since we had one.
the best dirty santa gift at a church christmas party (i was on staff at community christian church in naperville, IL for 7 years)…jr. high and/or high school photos of the senior pastor were always the BIGGEST hit!!!
Pete I just wanted to let you know that I nominated Without Wax for best religion blog at Blogger Choice Awards. You can view info here:
http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/64257
David
My MIL”s family calls it ‘white elephant’ but it comes every year with a $20 price tag! This year, there were lots of lottery tickets..and one uncle won $17 off of those! However, for a family of four…we didn’t play.
It does seem more fun when you can give the funnies…like the 40 sheets of colored paper I gave at our small group party!!! Our fearless leader got the toilet seat!
A Susanne Sommer’s Butt Master – in the original packaging complete with an instruction book. Fabulous!
This year our family did a $20 dirty santa…but you had to give something you wanted to receive…my husband gave a HUGE box filled with $20 worth of toilet paper…I’m guessing the recipient will use that box just as long as you used that enormous box of peppermint candies that once appeared in someone’s dormitory!