How to Organize a Gift Exchange With Friends

You want to participate in a gift exchange with your friends, but your budget is tight. Don't despair: With a bit of careful planning and shopping, you can give inexpensive and useful gifts.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bows
• Gift Catalogs
• Greeting Cards
• Imprinted Shopping Bags
• Newspaper Ads
• Credit Cards And Loans
• Gift Certificates

1. Know the minimum and maximum dollar range everyone will use. You should discuss this honestly with your friends.

2. Decide which hobbies and interests appeal most to each friend and shop accordingly. Within any category, you'll find a tremendous selection of useful, inexpensive gifts.

3. Realize that nearly everyone appreciates, for example, fiction and nonfiction books (even paperbacks), specialty coffee or gourmet foods (think in terms of individual servings), and a favorite cologne (but not just any sale cologne). None of these items is expensive if you shop carefully.

4. Comparison shop online, or at discount or outlet stores. Or catch frequent sales at major department stores. The sales may offer better bargains than discount or outlet stores.

5. Put your gifts into reusable shopping bags imprinted with specialty designs or animal or nature scenes. Your friends will think of you whenever they use the bags.

6. Select a greeting card that expresses your feelings of friendship.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask yourself what you would think if you received the gift you are buying for someone else.
• If you and your friends decide to do a "secret Santa" exchange, you may want to increase the maximum dollar amount, since you'll only be purchasing one gift.

[pngkange]

on 12/11/2006 My name is Paul and I'm from Papua New Guinea. I'm very interested in exchanging gifts with friends throughout the world. Please email me through my address, [e-mail] and let me know. I will be glad to answer you all.

Paul, PNG

on 11/22/2005 Guesslist.com also organizes your gift exchange online, and guarantees not to repeat matches the following year. It was easy for us, because we didn't have to get everyone together to pick out of a hat.

on 11/22/2005 If you are wondering how to organize a secret Santa, a great way is to use Elfster (http://www.elfster.com/). Elfster helps organize your secret Santa online.

Elfster will keep track of who is participating, draw the names and email them to participants, and allow you to keep a wishlist. Plus you can ask your person questions without giving away who you are. Elfster is a great way to organize secret Santa online.

on 11/22/2005 Thrift stores often have inexpensive but nice baskets & boxes that may be used to hold your gift. Use them as-is or give a coat of (sray- or acrylic) paint. Top with a decorative flower pic or spray of balsam for a festive and inexpensive touch of elegance.