Texas Mom Joins White Elephant Gift Exchange. Then She Learns The Hard Way Not To Gift Things 'With Pulses'

A Texas mom thought she was bringing a funny, unexpected gift to a White Elephant Christmas exchange. Instead, she ended up at the center of a viral debate about animals, responsibility, and whether a joke can go too far.

The viral clip from TikToker Shelby McCune (@shelbykay0625) gets uncomfortable and awkward in a hurry. When two party guests open the box that we presume contained McCune’s gift of a goldfish in a small tank, the mood darkens in a hurry when the recipients disclose, “It’s dead.”

The belly-up close-up confirms that the party officially had a (very small) body count.

“We were fully prepared to keep the fish ourselves,” McCune adds in a comment thread that was loaded with ridicule and people admonishing the misguided gift choice.

What Is White Elephant?

White Elephant exchanges, also known as Yankee swaps, are typically designed around impractical or humorous gifts, with rules that encourage playful stealing and surprise rather than practicality. The tradition is widely associated with gag gifts and low-stakes novelty items, not long-term commitments or living creatures, according to common descriptions of the game.

‘Pets Are Not Gifts’

Hundreds of commenters accused McCune of poor judgment, with many arguing that animals should never be given as surprise presents, especially in a party setting. “Living things aren’t toys,” one popular comment read, echoing a sentiment repeated throughout the thread.

"I would never hang out with people who did this ever again," another top comment reads.

Animal welfare organizations have long cautioned against giving pets as gifts unless the recipient has explicitly agreed and is prepared for the responsibility. Animal care advocates note that pets require long-term care, planning, and financial commitment, and that surprise adoptions often end poorly when expectations don’t match reality. Similar guidance is provided by organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States, which discourages impulsive pet gifting during the holidays.

Several commenters also argued that fish are often treated as disposable pets, despite evidence that they can experience stress and require specific care. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), goldfish can live for many years in properly maintained environments and are sensitive to water quality, temperature, and oxygen levels.

Not everyone agreed the incident warranted outrage.

A smaller but vocal group pushed back, arguing that goldfish are commonly sold as beginner pets and frequently die even under attentive care. Others dismissed the reaction entirely, calling the backlash disproportionate and accusing critics of projecting moral outrage onto a mistake.
Several commenters pointed out that many people eat fish regularly or use them as feeder animals, questioning why this situation drew such emotional responses. That argument, in turn, prompted rebuttals distinguishing between killing animals for food and accidentally killing a pet through negligence or mishandling.

The debate quickly spiraled into broader questions about where people draw ethical lines—and why fish often fall on the losing side of public empathy.

Preparation Vs. Execution

McCune attempted to calm critics by explaining that she and her family were prepared to keep the fish themselves if necessary. That explanation did little to slow the criticism. Many viewers argued that being “prepared” would have meant not placing the fish in a box or subjecting it to the stress of a party exchange in the first place.

Others questioned whether the family had an established, cycled tank ready at home, which is a key requirement for keeping goldfish alive, according to common aquarium care guidelines.

Fish-keeping experts generally recommend housing goldfish in large, filtered tanks with conditioned water, noting that sudden temperature changes, low oxygen levels, and uncycled tanks can be fatal.

While viral outrage is hardly new, the intensity of the response highlights a growing sensitivity online to situations involving animals, children, or perceived carelessness. The comments reflect long-standing cultural contradictions: pets marketed as accessories, fish sold as low-maintenance starter animals, and holiday traditions that reward shock value over thoughtfulness.

Whether viewers saw the incident as animal cruelty, a preventable accident, or a wildly overblown controversy, the video’s message was ultimately reframed by its own creator. “This is your sign not to buy a goldfish,” the on-screen text concludes.

McCune told Patch via email, “My friend and I decided to get fish and we were going to keep them. At the end of the party, ALL gifts were left at her house because of how ridiculous they were (nothing serious just random items) we do the game for fun. We purchased the fish from Petco and they told us what to do with the fish before transferring to a bigger tank. The fish was only in the small bowl for maybe an hour! The wrap around the bowl was so it didn’t break and there were holes all over it although tiktok is telling me that does not matter. lol anyway, this was a complete accident. Not once did we think the fish was going to die! It was all in good fun.”

@shelbykay0625