What is a "white elephant" gift?

Answer by  bubbyboy (9929)

Many ideas exist on the origin of this gift. In Asia white elephants were held as sacred and the kings who owned them expected his people to provide gifts to the animal, thus the term. Today a white elephant gift is usually given at Christmas to winners of games at parties. These gifts are usually little cheap doo-dads.

Answer by  SashaDarkCloud (5764)

It started in Asia, where a white elephant is considered holy and really expensive to maintain. If you didn't like someone, you would give a white elephant to burden them.