Ideas Needed for Christmas Gift Exchange

13 years ago

For the first time, this year we're doing a generic gift exchange for the family. We've always drawn names, and it's getting harder each year, but I'm finding this is just as hard!

There are 6 of us, couples. The limit is $50.

It's generic because someone will choose a gift from the tree. The next person that goes, can either take the already opened gift, because they like that one, or choose a wrapped gift.

The opened gift(s) can only change hands twice.

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Comments (5)

juellie1962
13 years ago
I don't like them, but I'd probably go the easy route and get a gift card to a restuarant. Or maybe a movie night basket....???? Don't know what you mean by "family", are there kids involved?
dotmom
13 years ago
That really sounds like fun. (especially after a couple Tom & Jerrys, LOL)Actually I do like gift cards and one year I got a family a dinner and movie night, gift. Gift cards to Perkins (because they are everywhere) and a movie theater. They really liked it.
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Thanks, Jeanne and Punk! I tried to suggest some kind of a 'white elephant' exchange in the beginning but they nixed it. I've only done what they called a WE-exchange once before and it was at least 15 years ago. It was done at a work xmas party so there were more than 100 people there. We were each supposed to bring something that was previously gifted to us, still new, that we didn't want. I remember bringing a santa-golfer-oven-mitt set. Everyone went nuts for it! it was being stolen all over the place. I remember drawing a "Buns of Steel" video tape and had no idea what the heck it was. I stole once and ended up with a box of candy but was yelled at because I did something wrong on stealing it. LOL!!!! Anyway, I tried to describe that procedure as well as I could remember but they seem to want to play a game. And they definitely want NEW gifts w/ a $25 price. I'll try again to convince them based on my memory and your recommendations as well. Why try to reinvent something that already works?! :) PS: I'm feeling much better and may actually restart my 'half-fast decorating'! that's a pun I just made up and I love it because it describes my decorating perfectly! ;) We're having a snowstorm today and I don't care because yesterday I got another reprieve on my pending surgery. yay! This post was edited by party_music50 on Fri, Dec 13, 13 at 10:02
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You know what's bad, though? Most of the people that say they have no talent won't even TRY! There are many things that I make that really aren't hard but others see them as being. I would love to teach a few of my family and friends to do these things but they claim they can't and don't have the time! Does anyone have TIME anymore for anything fun? Do people even have hobbies anymore?! I keep reminding myself of the lady at Wal-Mart that works in the craft dept recently telling me that she notices a lot of younger women are getting in to crafting. There are more young women in their 20's (like me!) that are making handcrafted items than there have been for years! Hopefully this increases more and more!
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Nice to see this string revived, for whatever reason. I don't care much for gag or tacky gifts, either. It's funny at the time, but in the end it feels to me like a waste of money. But I certainly understand not wanting everyone to have to spend a lot of time and money shopping. I liked it once when we had each adult randomly assigned the name of one other adult for whom to buy a gift, with a LOW maximum spending amount. It was great to see how everyone found something really good even at that level -- (I think it was $5, but that was probably 15 to 20 years ago). I even remember what I gave (a can of wrinkle-remover spray for someone who travels a lot) and what I got (an apron). Today I'd make the amount $10, or, if your crowd likes an additional challenge, make it some random amount like $12.38 and see who can come the closest without going over. That would be game enough for me. Another thing your group might like is to bring items to donate to a shelter or someplace instead of gifts to each other, or low-energy light bulbs to donate to your church, etc. Some people feel like this replaces merriment with earnestness, but others like it a lot; you have to know your group.
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Not knowing her age, country of origin, or tastes, it becomes difficult to suggest things. I'm thinking that something Americana that would not be available in her country, or maybe something to remind her of her visit to this country. An 'el cheapo' would be a wall calendar with American scenes or early day farm equipment. If you have a good photographer in your family, make well done prints of items such as covered bridges, light houses, water mills, and log houses. You could make photos of historical artifacts such as the Wright Brother's airplane. A replica is in the musuem at Kitty Hawk. Also there is the sewing machine used to fabricate the cloth panels. If her country made a contribution to the early formation of this country, photograph items associated with that event. Some of the monuments are not well known and pretty mcuh forgotten by our general public. For example, if your student was German, you might photograph the monument to Baron DeKalb and include a short history of his contribution during the Revolutionary war. Look him up in the World Book Encyclopedia. It will tell you about Baron DeKalb and where his monument is located. Also note that DeKalb, IL is named after this man. If your student was French, photogaph items asociated with Laffette. Laffette spent the winter with George Washington at Valley Forge. There are a number of places in the US that carry a French name. Laffette, IN is one of those; Fort Sackville, now Vincennes, IN, is another, and of course, there is New Orleans. In 1884, the French people presented the Statue of Liberty to the New United States.
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susie53_gw
13 years ago
We have done this for years and we have a blast every time. We do have a larger crowd which makes it easier..We divide into men and women. If there are children each parent brings a gift for their child. Some suggestions would be gift cards, lottery tickets, movie certificates, one person rolled up pennies,a neat house tool box,magazine subscription, a gift card to a nursery, a nice grilling cookbook. Look around when you are out shopping.. I picked up a birdbath and everyone loved it. One year I bought a really good pair of scissors. If it is too large for the tree, take a picture and place it in a card... Hope this helps...
NanaCherie
13 years ago
what we did one year was that EVERYONE brought giftcards...home depot, restaurant cards, visa cards walmart, target, sears, etc etc....it was wonderful because everyone's gift card was the same amount...we played a game called rob your neighbor...like the game you're talking about....it worked out really good and was a lot of fun!!
cynic
13 years ago
I assume that since it's couples there's no kids involved unless you're from the south somewhere! ;) And if you know the Springer 800 number I *don't* want to know about it!

For a generic gift often something like a bottle of wine, a jug of booze, gift cards or the like are good. Basket of good chocolates with some cheese, crackers, sausage type things are usually good. For gift cards I really encourage using the prepaid credit cards rather than a specific place card. That way if they need gas, would like to go out, need groceries, would like to rent movies or even if they want to put it toward a new TV, it'll usually work rather than having to make a point of going to a particular place and spend that amount.

The other thing could be a gift certificate for Amazon, Netflix or something. Gifts are so unique to the person the only real generic ones are going to be cash, food or booze. Hopefully they're not too picky.

Unless you're doing a key exchange! ;)

Ideas Needed for Christmas Gift Exchange

Comments (5)

juellie1962

dotmom

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susie53_gw

NanaCherie

cynic

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