Friend groups, classrooms, clubs, and sports teams are gearing up for their annual gift exchanges. There are two popular options: Secret Santa or White Elephant. Both traditions have their merits, but if you want to maintain your happiness and friendships, Secret Santa clearly takes the crown.
#1 Happiness. “White Elephant” may seem like a fun way to exchange gifts, but it often leads to disappointment. Michel Castilla, a senior, sums it up well: “White Elephant is really unfair. It breaks friendships because people get the [worst] gifts,” says Castilla. Sammara Mendoza shares a similar sentiment, explaining that “it could be fun and entertaining, but at the end, you could have a very one-sided experience,” Mendoza says. For Chelsea Sanchez, a senior, the frustration is real: “Especially when you get [an awful] gift, and they get some cool gift, then they steal it from you. It still ruins my mood,” Sanchez says. Receiving a thoughtless gift or having it stolen can easily overshadow any fun, leaving participants feeling bummed out.
#2 Friendships. The most significant drawback of White Elephant is its toll on relationships. Mendoza recalls a moment from a class White Elephant event where a senior steals a gift. “One of them got an amazing gift, everybody was fawning over this gift. It was a Lego set,” Mendoza says. It was stolen in the process. “To this day, this person holds a grudge against them after all these years,” Mendoza adds. White Elephant breaks friendships and creates life-long resentment between people playing the game. Its competitive nature fosters bitterness, making it less about joy and more about rivalry.
Some argue that Secret Santa has its own pitfalls. Isabella Salgado, a senior, points out that Secret Santa “can be easily ruined,” Salgado says. If someone forgets their gift or spoils the surprise, the fun can be lost. Raul Hernandez, a senior, adds that he prefers Secret Santa “with friends but not with people I don’t really talk with,” Hernandez says. He simply knows them better, making it easier to choose thoughtful gifts. While these are valid concerns, they don’t outweigh the benefits. As Mendoza and Sanchez note, the competitiveness and frustration of White Elephant can’t compare to the personal touch of Secret Santa. Castilla hits the nail on the head when she says, “Within a friend group, Secret Santa is a lot better because people put effort into it,” Castilla says. The focus is on thoughtful gifting, not competition.
This holiday season, avoid the stress and potential fallout of White Elephant. Choose happiness – choose Secret Santa.
