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Homemade Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen -
Make your Own Holiday Gift Baskets
Many of us would love to give hand made holiday gift baskets. Christmas gifts from the kitchen are always welcome and Christmas gift baskets, especially home made food gift baskets, are a real treat.
It's easy to become overwhelmed by the thought...
How to Sell Like Crazy on eBay this Christmas
Serious eBay™ sellers are faced with the same dilemma each
Christmas shopping season. "What should I spend my valuable
resources promoting this year that will give me the greatest
return?"
The obvious answer should be: Sell what people...
In The Mood For Something Different This Christmas Trip?
Where are you thinking of heading this Christmas travel season? The usual place? Well, if its been a tough year or a banner year for you you may want to either get away, away or celebrate with an atypical but exciting venue this year. Is it warm and...
Keeping The Christmas Spirit Alive: Christmas Just Isn’t The Same Without Santa Claus!
Holidays may come and go but some holidays, like Christmas, should never change. Most folks have a favorite holiday and for many it is Christmas. The festivities, shopping, and decorating get the best of all of us but Christmas just...
Why a little bit of marketing does you good, especially at Christmas
My grandpa, who's a Quaker, used to disapprove of the fact that
I ventured into marketing, but he's coming round to my way of
thinking, even at the grand age of 92. He is suspicious of
marketing (in his mind - a term synonymous with extracting...
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Enjoy Christmas by Simplifying
Is there such a thing as an enjoyable Christmas holiday? A holiday when you aren't shopping at the last minute with no real idea of what gifts you want to buy? Of course! Just imagine a holiday with plenty of food, fun occasions with family and friends, and gift giving that doesn't exceed your time and dollar limits. It will all become reality when you learn the tradition that lots of families share each year.
So what's the secret? The tradition (and it's really no secret) is drawing names for Christmas gifts in your family or group. Some people call it Secret Santa. Basically, you put everyone's name in a hat and each person draws a name. Instead of giving a gift to every person in the group, you give just one gift to the person whose name you draw. That's one gift instead of many. Uno.
Giving just one gift has great merits. First, it's easy to be thoughtful when giving one gift. You can't say that when your list has 20 or more people on it! But thinking of one person can be lots of fun. And it doesn't put a strain on the wallet. When you choose a different person every year, you eventually give a gift to almost everyone in your group. Just not all in the same year. Now that's special.
To make drawing names real simple for your group, just follow two guidelines:
-First, draw names early in the season. Give everyone plenty of time to think about their drawn person and decide on a gift before the holiday gets busy.
-Second, define rules and limits for the group to follow.
Plan your gift exchange while you are together with your family or friends on vacation or during Fall holidays. In your office, organize your secret santa in October or early November. Draw names early, and you'll have months to choose just one gift.
Remember, your goal is to keep the gift giving simple and the get-together fun and meaningful. As you draw names, set the gift-giving rules. Here are some examples of rules
that groups set for having fun and keeping it easy:
-Most groups set a dollar limit for their gifts. People usually want to give a gift that's roughly equal in value to the gift that they will receive.
-Many groups keep the draw a secret, and then guess the giver after the gift is opened. This makes the event into a party game that everyone looks forward to each year.
-Some groups decide that the gift must be homemade or pre-owned by the giver. This is a great idea, especially when children are included, to show how it really is the thought that counts. It also ensures that the exchange is affordable for everyone.
-Some groups decide that the gift must fit in a Christmas stocking. Then they fill each other's stockings. Small candies and chocolates can be added for fun.
-Some groups decide on one particular gift each year, like everyone gives a picture frame, a hat, or a calendar. Then they change the chosen gift every year.
-Some groups have a "white elephant" exchange, which is to give silly, crazy, or even bad gifts that no one would ever want! Watch out if you choose this type of exchange, because it can quickly get out of hand.
-The whole idea is to have fun together, so be creative! Some groups change the rules every year.
The reality of having a secret santa is that you limit your shopping time and keep your budget reasonable. The magic of drawing names is that everyone in the group has fun and feels special. It's no wonder that families make a tradition of drawing names.
Plan early, and you'll sail through those once busy months of November and December this year. Try it, and you'll never go back to the old days of endless shopping.
Happy holidays!
About the Author
Janie Schaeffer is the founder of www.DrawNames.com, a free online secret santa service that organizes holiday gift exchanges for families, coworkers, and friends.
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