Need recommendations for $75 gift-exchange gift

[Kay]

I was invited to a Christmas Eve party, and rather than everyone buying multiple little gifts, the party organizers decided to do a gift exchange. Everyone is supposed to bring a wrapped $75 gift, and then they draw names to see in what order all the guests pick gifts. When it is your turn, you can choose a new gift, or take one from someone who has already opened a gift that you like, and then they have to pick again (so it''s good to be the last "picker").

I need recommendations for a gift that will appeal to a wide audience (I don''t want to bring something nobody wants). Wine is my usual fallback, so I could buy one $75 bottle or two $35-40 bottles (Champagne and a red), but I would also love other ideas. Apparently a gift certificate for a gourmet meat company was a hit last year, but non-food suggestions are also welcome. What would you buy in this situation?

 

[starryeyed]

How about a gift certificate to a nice local spa?

Or a round of golf at one of the nearby courses?

Any other recreational facilities around you? Maybe some time on a glider ride? Or a jet ski rental?

Restaurant gift certificate, gift certificate for Phillips Crab Cakes? Yummy!!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Gift certificates always are the most popular at these things, but I always feel badly for the people who bring the gifts that keep getting passed off. (Anyone seen that Christmas episode of "The Office" with the iPod?)

Actually, that reminds me: iPod shuffles are around $75, aren''t they?

 

[luckystar112]

The game you are describing is called YANKEE SWAP!!! Or, "white elephant" in the south!

It is my absolute favorite Christmas game. It''s SOOOOOOOOOOO FUN!

But I gotta admit, I like the way my family plays it better than the "average" way.

Everyone picks a number out of a hat (the lower the better--with number 1 being the best number!)
Then, starting at 1, that person picks a present under the tree and unwraps it. Then (and this is where my family is different) number 2 picks a present under the tree and unwraps it. THEN that person decides if they are going to keep that gift or switch it with number 1. Then so on and so on and so on. So, say, number 8 can either keep their gift or choose from the seven gifts that were opened before.
But the kicker is that once the last person opens their gift, the process goes in reverse back to number 1 (just swapping or keeping, since there aren''t any more gifts to open). That''s why number 1 has the best number, because they get to pick the best gift of the bunch!

I LOVE this game. My family goes crazy with alliances and playing tug of war with cool presents.

What I like about our version is that everyone gets to open a gift, whereas with other versions you have to choose whether to open or steal. At my FI''s work x-mas party, they don''t even go back down the line after the last person chooses a gift. You get to the last person and then that''s it...it''s like "whhhaaaaa?" that''s no fun. I hate playing with them.

The whole point is to argue, scheme and wrestle with people for good gifts. Maybe I''m just weird. lol!

Does anyone else play?

 

[Kay]

Okay, slight monkey wrench. My friend just clarified that gift cards are not allowed. I must bring a tangible wrapped gift. I guess they decided swapping $75 gift cards was not entertaining/challenging enough.

I happen to have a picnic set (insulated shoulder bag w/ separate wine section, melamine plates, glasses and silverware for 2, cutting board, cheese knife, corkscrew, etc.) that DH and I were given last year. It is a really nice set, and I just checked and it sells for $50-60 online. We have never used it because we received a similar set from our wedding registry, so this one is still new in the box. I could put a nice bottle of wine in it, and maybe some snack food, like cheese and crackers. I would feel slightly guilty re-gifting, but the total package would be worth more than $75. Is this a horrible idea?

 

[sumbride]

picnic basket is good, add the wine, skip the cheese! what if they leave it in the box for 6 months (it is winter afterall) and don''t notice the cheese?? yuck!

 

[Kay]

Date: 12/17/2007 10:57:26 PM
Author: sumbride
picnic basket is good, add the wine, skip the cheese! what if they leave it in the box for 6 months (it is winter afterall) and don''t notice the cheese?? yuck!

Good point. I guess I figured part of the appeal of the gift would be what the basket is stuffed with, but perishables are probably a bad idea.

 

[justageek]

I think the idea with the picnic basket is great! Instead of perishables, you could put in:

1) more bottles of wine
3) chocolates
4) homemade trail mix with almonds and chocolate... yum...

and I''m out of ideas for now... maybe a picture frame? Traditional gift to people I don''t know very well...

 

[iheartscience]

I would totally do the picnic basket with a bottle of wine inside. Nothin' wrong with a little regifting if it fits the bill! You could get 2 bottles of wine to put in the basket to help ease any guilt you might be having!

 

[HappyAnniversary]

I think the re-gift of the picnic basket is ok as long as no one knows and the giver won''t ever find out! $75 is a huge price for a Yankee Swap. We would have one every year at our office and the amount was about $10. Every year, without fail, people would get MAD when a gift was "taken away" from them ( and remember it was only 10 bucks) or they brought something they thought was nice and got something they didn''t like. So good luck! Actually you learn a lot about people''s maturity with this game. I was quite happy to take away the wine set from the associate boss I couldn''t stand.

so I guess I didn''t pass the "let''s all play like adults" rule!

I would love to hear how it goes, so please post back. Oh, and the boss''s son got my gift and complained about how lame it was. Well I wasn''t buying for a 12 year old boy! The best gift that year was a poster of the Three Stooges. the previous year it was wine.

 

[mintve]

is it co-ed or just for ladies? if its ladies only you can get a nice pair of pearl stud earrings from you local jeweller