White Elephant, Continued

It is tradition in our department at work to have our holiday celebration in January.

Less competition for resources. One less thing to do prior to winter break. More stuff on the free table to add to our white elephant gifts. 

So many advantages.

I was a bit worried, because I wanted really good things to be in my white elephant gift, or at least to get rid of items that are hanging about the home, and DEFINITELY to bring home as little as possible.

The problem with all of this is that I had been holding on to some choice items from my mom's apartment and mrguy and I had used them during our white elephant with the 'ohana in December. I did have some items that I had acquired in said white elephant, but they didn't offer merriment. The cupboard was kinda bare.

I *did* find some Heinz ketchup-flavored lip balm on the free table but when I went to wrap my gifts, I couldn't find it. Argh. Where is it?

The week of white elephant I picked up a big obnoxious red bow from the free table. And I had a long box that Wayfair used to ship some flat-pack furniture, so I decided to individually pack the items, put them in the big cardboard box and put the ribbon on it.

Meanwhile, I cut up advertisements from a 1971 issue of Ring Magazine (boxing) and used them as part of the wrapping. There was a science kit with a Charles Atlas ad. I put a set of coasters in a wine bag with an ad for something that will make you "be taller". Not *look* taller or anything wishy washy. BE taller.

The blue rectangle has a Charles Atlas cartoon on it. The item itself is kinda funny. It's what I think of as the world's most beautiful $16 soap, which I have bought several times from a company called A24. I love the soap but find it a bit drying, so I'm divesting. It took me years to realize that A24 is a film company. They made Everything, Everywhere All At Once, the series Beef, Past Lives, and they also make beach towels (I own two). How did I not know? The soap was a hit, inspiring a steal. There was some horsetrading for one other item.

The big ass pumpkin butter-scented candle with a wooden wick (a $30-$50 item), also from the 'ohana, was a hit at its final destination. It went from me to my workmate, and from her to a friend who was holding the final white elephant of the season. There, they ate deviled eggs served up on her deviled egg platter (received in our work exchange) by the the light of the crackling wood wick candle.

So ends the holidays. Officially, since it's past my mom's birthday, as well.