Our family used to do the exchange ... and it got into so many rules that it spoiled it!
My "adopted" family has done it for years and it was always a hoot. Gifts varied and always created lots of excitement during the time it took. Yes, sometimes one ended up with something they didn't really want. But for the better part they were all reasonably good things.
When it started to get boring ... or annoying re some of the gifts ... so then a theme was created for all the gifts. One year it was "liquid" ... perhaps a water hose, drinking glasses, bubble bath. I used a "maple syrup theme" with the liquid giving maple syrup, with homemade maple salad dressing and maple BBQ sauce. Another year, the theme was "blue". The host/hostess determined the theme and we knew in the summer what it would be.
Last year they switched it up ... still a price limit, the exchange, numbers drawn etc. but your gift had to be "something I made". What a range!! What surprises of talents that many of us didn't know about the other person. It sure created a lot of discussion for the rest of the day (and year!!). And WOW what a LOT of sought after gifts in the stealing part.
Needless to say, this was a hit ... and it was unanimously decided to do it again.
Yes, no surprise, I did something quilty. And haven't decided yet what this year's offering will be!
