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I work in an office of about 13 people. We all get along for the most part. We have potlucks every so often and this Christmas was no exception. I am the one who usually plans it so I thought a gift exchange would be nice. I was asking for everyone to email me and let me know what they wanted so I could pass that out and we had a $25 limit. A couple people did not email me so I reached out to them privately and they could not afford to do it.
We are like family here and I did not want anyone left out so I sent out an email saying let's forego the gift exchange and just eat, drink, and be merry together. Was the best potluck we ever had!
If you give with a cheerful heart and expect nothing in return there is no disappointment. Maybe my attitude has changed since this is the first Christmas I have not lost someone I love to cancer in 4 years- both in-laws, my brother, and my husband. You get to know what is real and important and what is stupid and petty.
The only sort of gift exchange I truly despise are those ones where people get to steal other people's gifts. I just had to endure one of these things. I liked my gift and was number one, so I spent the rest of the hour scared my gift would get stolen. One girl really loved her gift, and the very next person stole it from her. I think it's a mean game.
Every time I've played that game, its always with wrapped gifts. You don't really know what you have until the very end. So a tiny box that no one wants might end up being a giftcard, while the big, overly decorated box is a tacky coffee mug.
I am on your boat I only participated very long ago. I got a very ugly dwarf what I still have in my house somewhere. Since I moved to EU luckily they don't have it. Phew
Every time I've played that game, its always with wrapped gifts. You don't really know what you have until the very end. So a tiny box that no one wants might end up being a giftcard, while the big, overly decorated box is a tacky coffee mug.
That's a good way to do it! I've only been to ones where you open your gift right as you pick it.
We used to do those white elephant gift games where you could take someone else's or pick an unwrapped. It was fun for a while but I learned to take the small packages as those were usually the best, of course someone else might think the same. This year , they decided just to have dinner and sing carols ( me at the piano) and it was better as there are too many people ( 40 ) that is takes forever to open and swap all the gifts. I used to take stuff that was in my closet that could be given away ( old teacher gifts) and it was a good way to get rid of stuff.
We used to do the 'white elephant' or 'dirty santa' game at my aunts...every year I'd end up with some crappy gift. The last year I played, I picked a bottle of vodka, my cousin's friend stole it (he was the one who brought it), and I ended up with a bingo set. I swore I'd never play again.
They do that or similar games now every year at work. I refuse to participate (will it's mandatory anyway).
They think of others. Alcohol, even when given to a nonalcoholic, isn't a thoughtful gift.
Speak for yourself. I love to receive alcohol as a gift. I consider it being thoughtful as I hate non consumable crap. I also love candles and lotto tickets. Unless someone knows me very well or shopping off a list, I am hard to buy for apparently.
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One girl really loved her gift, and the very next person stole it from her. I think it's a mean game.
