A white elephant gift is a humorous or impractical gift that is given to someone with the intention of it being regifted. The term “white elephant” is derived from the story of the King of Siam, who would give white elephants to courtiers who had displeased him, knowing that the upkeep of the animal would be a financial burden to the recipient.
White elephant gifts are often gag gifts or items that are more likely to be regifted than kept. Some popular white elephant gift ideas include: