White Elephants

Just about everybody has been to a white elephant party around Christmas time. You know, where everyone exchanges gag gifts. So where does the "white elephant" come in?

In Southeast Asia, white elephants were, and still are, considered sacred. On the eve of giving birth, Buddha's mother saw a white elephant in a dream. Supposedly the more white elephants a monarch possesses, the more blessed the kingdom will be. However, in the times when elephants were used as beasts of burden, white elephants were strictly prohibited from labor. If a monarch bestowed upon you the gift of a white elephant, it was a priceless present yet costly in upkeep and virtually useless for all practical purposes.