On Saturday morning I received a text from my good friend, Paloma, to ask me if I was planning on going to SAB's Christmas in November that evening at Rockhurst.
The Student Activities Board held the same event last year where they bought gifts and played White Elephant with the attendees. The attendance, however, had been low enough for people to take home several gifts. Some of them had even been game consoles, iPads and electronic readers.
If you have never heard of the game the White Elephant, let me explain the details...
All of the gifts are individually wrapped and placed together for people to choose from.
Everyone gets a raffle ticket and waits for their number to be called so that they can go up and pick a gift from the pool.
The twist is that you have to unwrap your gift and announce it to everyone.
That is because someone may steal your gift from you when their turn comes.
The gift can be stolen up to three times before it cannot be stolen anymore.
Basically, the third person to steal the gift really gets to keep it.
So back to the story, I was so excited for the event. All day I had been daydreaming about taking home a Wii and a Nook. I could see the fireworks going off as I saw myself choosing the most expensive gift. It was going to be amazing!
My evening, however, didn't go exactly as planned.
I took a seat next to Paloma at the event as I anxiously awaited the start of the game. There were a lot more people than expected. "Maybe I'll only get to take home the iPad tonight," I thought to myself.
The time had come. The moderator explained the rules of the game over a microphone as the crowd paid close attention.
I had taken one more bite out of my pizza when she had called the last two number of the first raffle ticket chosen. "Number ....7-1."
I squealed as I looked down at my ticket and saw those numbers staring back at me. This never happens to me!
I hopped on stage and surveyed the gifts trying to figure out which one had the iPad. I picked one up and I immediately knew I had struck gold when the rectangular box felt heavy. I almost didn't want to unwrap it because I knew someone was going to steal it from me.
I peeled back the wrapping paper and my fear had been confirmed. I hesitated, but the words finally came out of my mouth, "It's a Nintendo Wii."
I had tried to be as quiet as possible, but the moderator repeated my words over the microphone.
I took my seat and I could feel my skin get hot with anxiety. I knew someone was going to take it from me, but I didn't know who. I stared at the box hopelessly.
Three girls chose gifts and no one had taken it yet. Then I saw him.
The young man approached the moderator and whispered something to her and then approached the microphone: "I want the Wii."
My heart dropped.
I surrendered my prize and went up on stage to pick another one.
I nearly cried when I unwrapped the box. This is what I had chosen...
Needless to say, I was heartbroken.
I took my seat and looked the box up and down. Deep down I was hoping that there would be a Hello Kitty fanatic in the crowd that would want to steal the gift from me so that I would have another chance.
I went home with the Sleep Over Set that night and I learned a life lesson...never mess with the White Elephant.
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