It’s that time of year again! The season of giving is here and is in full force, or as I like to say: ’tis the season to be jolly… and broke. Never fear, hosting a secret Santa gift exchange is a fun and affordable way to celebrate the holiday season with your friends.
Here are a few guidelines to make sure your secret Santa exchange is a success:
Keep it organized
Get everyone together and have each person choose a name. Make sure no one gets their own name without figuring out who has who. Decide when and where the exchange should be. Another thing to keep in mind is whether you want to exchange one big gift or several small gifts during a weeklong period. Personally, I like doing a weeklong exchange because it builds the suspense and makes it more fun.
Agree on a price limit
Discuss how much each person will spend and be sure everyone is on the same page with the budget to avoid awkwardness later on. There are plenty of nice gifts out there that won’t break the bank. Some ideas are baked goods, scarves, winter headbands, gift cards, jewelry, I could go on. Even hit up Pinterest if you have to, a few crafts never hurt anyone.
“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. ”
The Golden Rule. We’ve all received that gift that was um, how should I put this nicely, not what you were expecting. Be sure to give things you would actually want to get as well. Don’t go looking through your junk drawer for freebies you got at the White Building freshman year to give as your gift. Put some thought into it and get something that your friend will love. On this same topic, be sure not to forget your gift, nobody likes to be the forgotten one.
Actually keep it a secret
They call it secret Santa for a reason. Don’t tell anyone who you have and don’t ask anyone who they have. It doesn’t matter that you’re all best friends, that should be even more of a reason to remain mysterious. Have fun and give your gift in a creative, secret way. Be a little sketchy if you have to; whatever it takes. You might almost die from the suspense but it will be much more fun in the end if you keep it a secret.
Be gracious
If you can’t say anything nice about the gift you are given, don’t say anything at all. Obviously, one of your friends is giving it to you because they thought you would like it. I have a friend who got a necklace for secret Santa and told our other friend she thought it was ugly. The other friend turned out to be the one who gave it to her… oops. Be thoughtful of what you say even if you do think it is the most hideous thing you’ve ever seen.
Ho-ho-hopefully this holiday season will be the best one yet!