Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., An ugly decorative item or article of clothing received from friends or relatives, which is kept stored away but ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice in anticipation of a return visit. v., To temporarily place an old, and perhaps unattractive gift in a place of honor.
Verboticisms
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Gifthorrors
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: gift hor rors
Sentence: Every Christmas, Chris and Holly looked forward to her Mother's annual Royal Visit with fear. Not because they were afraid of her, she was actually a kind and generaous person. No, they were afraid to drag out the gifthorrors she had bestowed on them for all the past holidays, to prove they liked and used them. The red rhinestone encrusted toilet brush (which looked so lovely in their purple bathroom). There was also the cross-eyed, smiling deer head to be mounted over the mantle. And the bearskin rug for the foyer...the koala bear skin rug. Add to the list, genuine ivory tusks used as coat racks;life-size gold sarcophagus of King Tut which doubled as a closeable shoe rack and their personal favourites,a five foot tall pair of the Dancing Hippos from Fantasia. Yep, next year Hawaii, not a fun old-fashioned Christmas!
Etymology: Gift (present;something acquired without compensation) & Horrors (something that inspires horror; something horrible) & Wordplay on Gift Horse (a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically)
Giftquester
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: gift/kwes/ter
Sentence: We have a box in our closet in the family room where we giftquester all the awful presents our relatives have given us and can be retrived at a moments notice and be placed accordingly some where in sight when they arrive at the front door.
Etymology: GIFTQUESTER - verb - from GIFT (a present) + SEQUESTER (to remove, or withdraw into solitude, or retirement; seclude)
Tackytic
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: tak eee tik
Sentence: They made a tackytical substitution over the fireplace in the living room. The singing fish replaced the Van Gogh for the duration of old uncle chuck's visit to town.
Etymology: tack tactic.
Whitelephantasmagoria
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: whyt EL eh fan TAZ ma GOR ee ah
Sentence: Over the holidays, my house becomes a whitelephantasmagoria of sorts, as I rotate in and out the succession of useless and hideous items given to me over the years by various relatives. I have to keep a calendar of who is coming when, so that the correct one is on display on the correct day. God forbid I put out the horrid quilt made for my grandchildren by their grandmother, my EX-mother-in-law, when my CURRENT mother-in-law visits. She has an uncanny sense for such things.
Etymology: white elephant + phantasmagoria (a constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined; a series or group of strange or bizarre images seen as if in a dream)
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COMMENTS:
Whitelephantasmagoria are kept in a special trunk...good word - Nosila, 2009-12-16: 22:15:00
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Beautifake
Created by: Maxine
Pronunciation: 'byu ti fayk
Sentence: "Uncle Simone is coming over, Samantha. Time to beautifake yourself."..."No way, Dad. That plaid sweater is such an ugly beautifakation."
Etymology: beautify + fake
Gaudygiftredux
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: gaw-dee-GIFT-ri-duhks
Sentence: As he did at every Christmas, Elwood began his gaudygiftredux ceremony, dragging out several tacky and worthless gifts he'd received in the past in an effort to see that no feelings were hurt should those givers visit him again this year.
Etymology: Blend of Gaudy (cheaply showy in a tasteless way) Gift, and Redux (brought back; resurgent)
Kinschy
Created by: bzav1
Pronunciation: kin - shee
Sentence: We had to put out several of the kinschy gifts my family had given to us over the years before they arrived over the holidays.
Etymology: kin + Kitschy
Faceholder
Created by: emdeejay
Pronunciation: Faye Solder
Sentence: Dear old Aunt Faye. She would be best described as having a heart of gold, being generous to a fault, and possessing a taste for the profoundly kitsch. The cupboards of her relatives were stacked to the brim with gifts ranging from the impossibly garish, to the patently absurd. This year, Jayne and John were taking their turn at hosting the family festive gathering. Some show of appreciation for Faye's presence would have to be shown, so after a short deliberation it was down with the Salvador Dali print, and up with "Big Mouth Billy Bass"! Fortunately the luncheon passed without major incident; the family chipper, overfed, and blissfully subdued. Suddenly, an uncomfortable silence fell over the mirthful murmur as Faye inquired: "John whatever became of that delightful water feature I gave you, or that fabulous paisley shirt?" Faceholder to the rescue! John strolled casually over to Billy Bass and just before pressing the button he remarked "Dear Aunt Faye! My shirt has been worn so often, it's at the tailors for a mend. But Billy you see is the pride of the mantle!" And the family, relieved, joined Billy in a rousing rendition of "Take me to the river"
Etymology: Placeholder: Object or entity employed until an adequate replacement can be found. Face (to save): action employed for the purpose of maintaining dignity.
Hideopresent
Created by: jajsr
Pronunciation: Heh-dee-o-preh-zint
Sentence: Knowing that his in-laws were coming to visit for the holidays, Bill's wife made him wear the hideopresent of a sweater that her mom made him for Christmas last year.
Etymology: Combination of "Hideo" from hideous - offensive to the senses and especially to sight; and "Present" - to make a gift to.
Presententious
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: pre-sen-ten-tious
Sentence: The green and blue speckled ash tray that Sam's mother made was presententiously displayed whenever the old bat came to visit, since neither Eileen, her husband, nor anyone else they knew smoked, except for Sam's mother.
Etymology: present:gift + pretentious: receiving or demanding a distinction of merit, especially when not justified; making an outward show
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James