gift giving alternatives

Sounds like you have a great time over the holidays with a fun family. It's so hard for us to get together during the holidays. We have three grown girls and they are busy ladies. We have one who lives out of state and doesn't come in town for Christmas since she and her family go to her in-laws. We have another daughter who is a firefighter/paramedic who is working all year and most often during the holidays also. And we have another daughter who is always on call with her career. We do the best we can and enjoy our time together at Thanksgiving.

That does sound like fun. We usually do a secret santa since money is tight. That way we dont have to spend too much and everyone gets a gift.

I do not have any traditions like that. I do believe that the gift should be something that receiver wants and not something that will be thrown away after he says thank you and when you are not looking. We do give gift cards if we do not know what they want. And we give what we think the person will want. I gave a couple of cookbooks to my now new daughter-in-law because she loved to cook, and I did get them on sale and there was a coupon on it, so that was a bargain. We do open our gifts after coming home from church and before having our meal. Everyone gets one. I do not want anyone to feel rejected, even grown ups feel bad if someone gets something and they do not. No one knows if that adult has lost his job. Also would not the child who did not win feel rejected? I know I would. you have to put yourself in the child's place, not the "I am altruistic" adult scenerio.

Hi cher, I love your tradition although we don't have anything like it in our family. I can see where it would be a lot of fun to play such a game. The idea of buying gifts for children only is also an excellent idea. I'm familiar with Indigo as one my my sons works part time in one of their stores. Blessings.

That sounds like fun. We play a similiar game except everyone brings present wrapped up, present must be worth $25.00 but can be worth more if you like. You want the present to be desirable so people will fight over it. Then everyone picks a number. The first person goes and picks a gift from the middle, they have to open it and show everyone what it is. If there is a gift card or cash hiding somewhere you have to reveal that to everyone. Then the next person goes, person number 2 can take person number 1's present or take a present from the pile. If they take person number 1's present person number one can not take from the pile, and person number 2 opens their gift and shows it to everyone. Person number 3 can take from the pile or take either person number 1 or 2's gifts. If he takes a person's gift that person can choose from the pile or they can take someone else's gift, but you can not take back a gift that was just taken from you, you have to take another one. it goes on from there as each new person plays. There is a timer involved and you only have 45 seconds to make your trades.