This can seem a little daunting for some people who have a big family, as presents for everyone can become rather expensive.
Some people feel guilty if they buy a gift for one person and not the other, resulting in having to purchase gifts for the whole family.
A way of avoiding having to spend a fortune on gifts and still ensure that everyone will receive a gift, is to draw names.
• Establish who’ll be attending the family gathering on Christmas day.
• Get everyone together beforehand.
• Write everyone’s name on a piece of paper.
• Cut out all the names and throw them into a hat, container or other item – and shake it, so that the names shuffle around properly.
• Hold the container out to each person in turn, so that they draw one piece of paper.
• Every person now has the name of the person, they need to buy a Christmas gift for.
That must be kept a secret, so that no one knows who’s buying a gift for who and vice versa.
• Now, establish a price that everyone agrees with: eg – R250, R300 or any other price everyone can afford.
That will be the maximum price of your gift.
• Give everyone a deadline for when to send their Christmas wish list of at least five items, that don’t go over the arranged budget.
The list will be compiled with everyone’s wish list together – and will then be sent out to all the members.
For example, if you’ve agreed on a gift of R500, any individual item on the list can be R500 or under.
If one of the items is say R200, then the buyer must choose that item plus another item, to make up his or her R500 Christmas gift.
Where children or spouses are involved, there are no limits.
If people feel the need to buy extra gifts for children or their spouses, they can freely do so.
This makes it exciting and secretive, something extra to look forward to on Christmas.
If it’s too late to try this way of giving gifts, remember it for next year. It never gets old.
