A question I spotted today regarding family "exchange" gifts reminded me that I need some clever ideas.
Each year at Christmas time our neighborhood group has a "Chinese" gift exchange of white elephant gifts. (You know, where the gifts are opened and can be stolen) Often the same gifts are recycled but we'd like to bring in some fresh, new and different items. In the past we've had (humorously altered) framed photos of members, terrible paintings, awkward decorative pieces, SPAM gifts, crazy boxer shorts, etc. The group is pretty conservative and not too risqué -- but the fun/funny gifts are always a big hit.
Thanks for any ideas!
Great ideas so far -- thanks! Help! What's in a zombie apocalypse survival kit?
we go to a Knights of columbus christmas party and we do that kind of gift exchange. there are a couple of things that come back each year and are fought over each year. they are #1 a light up christmas toilet seat cover. #2 a santa hat that looks like a chimney that santa pops up out of. #3 someone always bakes cookies. we don't know who brings them but they are the most fought over of all.
I think its time for a speedo
Wrap a roll of wrapping paper in wrapping paper. I love that one! ;)
Also a cute gift I saw was a giant beer mug (like bigger than normal, pretty sure they are at Wal Mart for like $5), fill it with wrapped butterscotch candies and then top it with mini marshmallows and it looks like a glass of beer. Really cute and functional. My husband has a glass similar to this and he uses it often for his iced tea and water.
www.thinkgeek.com has great fun gifts.
Faux tupperware (empty and washed plastic food containers with lids from the grocery store like Cool Whip, ricotta cheese, sour cream, cream cheese).
Go to Goodwill or Salvation army and look through their stuff. I found a Micheal Jackson "Thriller" CD there once and it was a hit. Everyone fought over it and it eventually had to be retired.
Last year I went to TJMaxx and found a coffee mug with a cheesy "dreamy" photo of Jimmy Dean on it. I taped a $10 to the inside of the cup and wrapped it up. It was a hit! (Especially because no one noticed the $10 until after it was stolen, hehe).
My husband once got a jar of pickles with a $5 gift card stuck to the bottom.
The funny things about those are that no one knows what to expect! Have fun. :)
My brother always used to do the gag gift. He would bring in a huge box, all nicely wrapped. I'd open that one, then there would be another smaller box inside, and another smaller box inside that, and so on, until I got to smallest box and there would be money inside.
You could something similar with a fun gift as the last gift, like a gift card.
The other thing did once was bring in a huge box full of shipping peanuts. I had to dig through the entire box to find the actual gift (which was a gift card taped to the very bottom). :)
Zombie themed gifts- like a Zombie apocalypse survival kit
ETA: I'd put the following in it (and will add more when I have time)...
Duct tape (for wrapping forearms to prevent zombies from biting your arms)
Solar or dyno powered flash light
Antibiotic ointment
Gauze and medical tape
Go to the dollar store and make of basket of the craziest stuff they have. Toilet bowl brushes, fly swatters, kitten statues....
How about a toilet paper holder? A plunger?
You could have fun at the dollar store.
I LOVE THE SPEEDO IDEA!!!
My neighbors did an exchange and there were calendars from past years, household cleaning supplies, and the funniest one was the person who took all their Christmas stuff and some other small things they were going to take to Goodwill and wrapped the box!
Alcohol gifts, super soft blankets, gift cards.
My hubby bought a duck dynasty chia pet at Home Depot today. The duck dynasty is such a farce. Don't get me started.
Updated
Alcohol gifts, super soft blankets, gift cards.
My hubby bought a duck dynasty chia pet at Home Depot today. The duck dynasty is such a farce. Don't get me started.
I've gone to local craft fairs and bought the cheesiest things for white elephant gifts-- a toilet paper roll crocheted cozy with a plastic doll head attached so the toilet paper roll is her skirt, a handmade flocked wreath with glued on gumdrops, etc. I look for funny or hideous items. Sometimes I go to the goodwill store and find some trinket or t shirt that will get a laugh.
Our Sunday School class has done this many times... and there is one repeat item that keeps coming back... a really tacky of a fat broad in a bikini, holding a cigarette.....
The person that gives it usually also gives a really nice gift, too...... and we usually forget who has it the next year, or sometimes she doesn't reappear for a couple of years.....
Or... "party in a box" ..... bottle of wine.. CD... things like that. If you want to make it a NICE one go for a nice bottle of wine, and a CD of romantic tunes.... if you want it "cheap and tacky" go with Boone's farm and Hits of the '70's.....
What fun!
We participated in one years ago - I had a shirt made for hubby to give: it was a huge close up photo of his face, underneath was the caption "My Hero". It actually was stolen twice because they thought it was so funny.
I hate the gag gifts. I love white elephant. Us I like it to be something that is useful: a half bottle of perfume, an ashtray from Hawaii, a hello kitty keychain, used DVDs, used CDs, gently used books...
