I have about 30 or more people in my family and we always do something for Christmas but buying gifts for EVERYONE has become sooo hard... Any ideas of new ways to still have a great time and enjoy gifts?
2006-10-30 07:57:43 · 29 answers · asked by Kathryn N 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
I come from a huge family and married into one as well. This works great, put everyones name in a 'hat' set a dollar amount, and everyone picks a name, it takes the heat off of everyone and it's fun to be a 'secret santa' too!
2006-10-30 08:02:26 · answer #1 · answered by JazzyLynn 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As one of 10 grandchildren, our family also has 20some people on any given christmas celebrating and exchanging, we've found a happy medium by doing 2 kinds of gift exchanges.
All of the grandchildren's names are tossed in a hat and then drawn out, so the 'cousins' each exchange one gift with each other. (Our family puts a $50 limit on gifts.) The adults are a different story... :o)
Once a family member is 18 they can be considered an 'adult'. All adults attending the family Christmas bring with them a gift (again, about a $50 value) and our family plays the 'trading game.' All individuals playing the game pick a number from the hat. Starting with number 1 the person selects a gift from all gifts brought. Number 2 has the option of stealing the gift number 1 opened or opening a new gift. If a gift is stolen the person stolen from can open another new gift or steal from someone else. Any given gift can only be stolen 3 times in one round of play (this prevents endless circular stealing). This pattern is followed all the way through the numbers until the last person has stolen. Once everyone has opened a gift, number 1 gets the final word and can keep their gift or exchange it with anyone else they chose. After the final exchange, the game is complete and you go home with the gift in your lap. It's fun, a little competitive, but it always makes the holday interesting and definitely saves money by not having to buy presents for everyone in the family.
Happy 'Holidays'!
2006-10-31 23:06:05 · answer #2 · answered by jme21 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try doing what we used to do for our employee Christmas party: Everyone was asked to bring a gift with a $10 min and $20 max that would be male or female, with children buying for children and adults for adults, and placed on different tables. Once everyone is there, numbers are drawn randomly from a hat. (By the way....the people who drew 1-12 had to sing that number for the 'twelve days of Christmas'....great fun!) Then, you know how it goes....the person who had #1 gets to pick the first present, then #2 gets to steal an open present or pick a new one and so on. Any present can only be stolen 3 times and then that person gets to keep it no matter what.
It was always allot of fun, and even though each person got to walk away with a gift, the true gift was in the laughter and the time together. It will be more precious than any gift that could be bought.
2006-10-30 17:13:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
NAUGHTY SANTA!!!! My husband's family does it every year. Each person buys one gift that can be for man or woman. Draw numbers to establish order. The first person picks a gift, unwraps it,then the second person can either "steal" the gift of #1 or choose a new gift. Note: A gift can only be "stolen" twice. It's sooo much fun to watch family "fight" over gifts!!!! It's also fun if someone gets stuck with a funny gag gift!!! Last year my husband got a leopard print thong and a bottle of tequila!!!
2006-10-31 17:45:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hohoho :)
What about playing White elephant gift exchange.
Let say everybody buys 5 nice gifts for 5 other members of the family. These gift would be then redistributed with a game and everybody will be happy.
30+ Gift ideas at:
http://gift-ideas.christmasgifts.net/Christmas-Gift-Ideas.php
2006-10-31 06:05:02 · answer #5 · answered by David 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Draw names. Everyone who wants to participate can do this. Or sometimes the adults in our family draw names and then everyone buys for the kids. Or you can make a game out of it and have everyone buy a unisex present or whatever they want and give each person who brought a gift a number, then start with 1 and they get to pick a present (wrapped) and they open the present continue on to 2 then number 2 can either take number 1 present or grab a new one. If someone decides to take someones present then that person gets to take a new one off the table in their place.
2006-10-30 16:06:20 · answer #6 · answered by rufi 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Exchange names, adults only or children only or both. Or just agree to not buy gifts outside of immediate family and have a big get-together before xmas with everyone bringing snacks, play music, share stories, enjoy each other's company.
2006-10-30 21:58:09 · answer #7 · answered by ♥Jenn♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everybody buys ONE gift and then when you are all together everyone puts their gift into a big 'Santa' bag. Later, after the big feast, everyone can draw a gift out of the bag. (They have to draw twice if they happened to draw the gift they brought.) Or everyone can donate money to a charity they all agree on.
2006-10-30 16:56:38 · answer #8 · answered by mama T 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How about everyone make 3 coupons to do favors for people and pass them out to everyone like a deck of cards and then everyone could trade like baseball cards. Kids should still get gifts though.
2006-10-30 19:46:27 · answer #9 · answered by DeborahDel 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a big family as well. We decided years ago that we would only buy for immediate family (Your parents, your spouse, your children). Then for the rest we just draw one name and buy for that person. I'm sure if you talk to the other members of your family they probably feel the same way as you do.
2006-10-31 23:05:08 · answer #10 · answered by geminiidream63 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋