The Fruitcake

Every family has its holiday traditions, and ours is no exception. For the past decade, our annual White Elephant gift exchange has revolved around one peculiar item: a fruitcake. Not just any fruitcake—the fruitcake. Over ten years old, this dense, dubious dessert has become the ultimate prize that no one wants to win.

We’re not exactly sure how it started. One year, someone—either in a stroke of genius or mischief—wrapped up a fruitcake as a gag gift. Little did they know it would evolve into the infamous centerpiece of our game. From that year on, the goal has been the same: avoid the fruitcake at all costs. If you’re unlucky enough to end up with it, tradition dictates you must eat a slice of it, store it for the year (preferably in the freezer), and re-gift it at next year’s White Elephant.

The rules are straightforward, but the tension is palpable. Every time a gift is unwrapped, there’s a collective intake of breath. Is it the fruitcake? The lucky recipient often lets out a groan (or a theatrical wail) while the rest of us erupt in laughter. The brave soul is then honor-bound to take their punishment—a slice of the aged fruitcake—and we all wait to see if they grimace, gag, or manage to choke it down with a forced smile.

Despite the fruitcake’s notoriety, it has survived its many journeys between freezers and family gatherings. The joke is that it’s preserved not only by its high sugar content but by sheer force of tradition. Amazingly, it still looks as unappetizing as it did ten years ago, though thankfully, I’ve only had to take my turn with it once.

The fruitcake has become more than a gag gift—it’s a badge of honor (or shame) that adds an extra layer of hilarity to our holidays. While most families pass down recipes, ornaments, or cherished heirlooms, we pass down the fruitcake. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Here’s to another year of laughter, suspense, and crossing my fingers that the fruitcake doesn’t land in my hands again!

Click on Images Below to Shop