Friday, August 7, 2009

Family Gift Exchanges Suggestions

No matter how much you love them it is not always possible to shop for everyone - especially with all the baby gifts that you also want to purchase for your friends that are having babies this time of the year.

Your family until recently has been fairly small. This made holiday get togethers intimate and relaxing. Preparing your shopping list was a special treat and expense of the gifts vs. rent and grocery needs rarely crossed your mind. Now as time moves you and your siblings into another phase of life your holiday shopping is not only becoming more complex with in-laws, but also nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

Although holiday gatherings are much more boisterous with the pitter-patter of little feet and an infant's occasional protests, you still look forward to spending time with those you love best. Your holiday shopping list on the other hand is a different story. Buying gifts for each individual, no matter how much you love them, is becoming a holiday drain.

It might be time for a change. It is possible you are not the only one feeling the pinch, and all that is needed is to bring concerns out into the open. Shopping for children should be the highlight of your holiday, not the black pit where your paycheck goes to die. To this end setting up a holiday gift exchange, rather than the typical system where everyone purchases a gift for everyone else might be the perfect solution.

There are as many different kinds of gift exchanges as there are kinds of families. One of the simplest exchanges is to simply set a price limit on the gifts given. This is nice, because you can still give a gift to everyone on your list. But you don't have to rob a bank to get the money. A price limit also eliminates any feelings that you need to compete with someone else. Everyone knows what will be spent, and that is that.

Setting a price limit will ease expense concerns but does nothing to ease the time drain of shopping for 25+ people. If this is your reality then trimming the list might be helpful as well.

Putting each family member's name in a hat and then letting each person draw out a name is a fun way to create the exchange. This adds an element of secrecy that kids really love. Splitting the family along sibling/grandchildren lines also works well. That would mean two exchanges: one among the adults and the other among the toddlers.

Drawing names from a hat is fun, but it assumes you have the time to meet well before Christmas to actually draw the names. A simple solution to this is to create a gift exchange rotation. It is just a schedule of who gives to whom each year. Don't forget all the new little ones that have been recently born - you will want to get them baby gifts.

One of the most popular exchange ideas is to simply bundle each family group together. Then draw names or create a rotation. Your shopping list just shrank considerably. You now only have one family to purchase for. You can get a gift for each member or a gift for the entire family to enjoy together. If you decide to get individual gifts, there are adorable holiday themed newborn baby gifts.

Exchange ideas are endless. They can bring the joy back into your holiday gift giving. This year might be less stressful, and your attention can dwell on your children as well as your nieces and nephews instead of the shopping you still have to complete.
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