Christmas Exchange Ideas

At that age a "grab bag" would be difficult. A good thing to do is have a name exchange and have the kids buy something that begins with the person's first name. We always put a price limit on the gift so everyone will receive something of equal value.

My Children and their cousins all shop for Dollar store presents for each other and decorate brown lunch bags for the items. The kids shop for each person off of a list and they are excited to pick the things out themselves. Once we are home it is bag decorating time, friends and family are always thankful for a gift that the kids picked and "wrapped" themselves. Also any friends that my kids want to exchange with I call the parents and let them know about the way we do it. It saves money and the kids are happy to exchange.

A few years back we started a new game instead of just buying everyone something, which got very exspensive with every one having kids, we just have everyone who wants to play (adults) bring one gift, with "guy", "girl" or "both" writen on it. We put all the presants in a pile and then make up numbers for everyone who brought a gift (1-?). number 1 starts, goes and grabs a gift and opens it, number 2 has the chance to steal that gift or go and choose a new one from the pile, we usually put a 3 time limit on the stealing, meaning that after the gift is stolen 3 times no one can steal it again. some people play it that they go around again (draw numbers again) after all the presants are opened that way its a little longer and funner. Its a really fun game (and can even be played with white elephant(reused) gifts). In our family we just have young kids so we still buy for them, but if they were older they could play a game among themselfs or be included, just put "child" on the presant.

HI K.,

Our family does stockings every year instead of presents. Everyone has their own stocking (including adults) and we just fill them up with low cost items of $1 or $2. It gives evryone something fun to do and laugh at the silly items that Santa brought. Hope that helps. Happy soon to be Holidays!

Different group items would be:

coffee mugs
socks
cookies
messager
a neutral one size fit s all robe
art
neutral winter hat and gloves
A neutral warm blanket

Its all cheesy, I know but hey its christmas.

GOOD LUCK!

Probably wouldn't work but just a suggestion - homemade gifts? We do a drawing too but no one jumped on board for that one - but you could try? Good luck!

I've always enjoyed White Elephant gift exchanges. They are good for laughs and aren't expensive as the gifts are usually something outrageous that you already have.

S.

for our extended family (22 cousins, ranging in ages from 1 to 15) we have stockings with the kids names on them and just buy small items for each childs stockings--boys small flashlights girls hair items etc.. kids really liked it and had alot of fun. Good luck

I don't know if this will help with this year but my husband's cousin (and now all of their significant others) do a white elephant exchange. Everyone buys a present, gender neutral, with a price limit. Don't put any names on them. Pile them all together in the middle, then everyone draws a number and they get to pick any present that they want from the pile. The twist is that you can pick a present from the pile or you can pick a present that was already opened. Most people put a limit on the amount of times one present can be picked (if everyone likes the same present then it is passed around the room over and over again) If an open present is picked then the person who had teh present gets to pick from
the pile again.
This can be great fun depending on the group. I know that you mentioned that the ages were 3-10 so this might not be something that you can do now but something that you/they can do in the future.

I'm sorry that I couldn't help for this year but good luck and have happy holidays.

B. G

First off - bless you on the '4 boys' part! What about giving homemade gifts? Even the 3 year old could partake with something fun & creative...

We do this thing we call Santa Bag...each family (or person?) gives a gift to everyone else that is $1-$5 limit. Gifts are wrapped amd names put on them. When you arrive, gifts go in the santa bag... santa and Ms. Claus then pass out in a crazy gift and paper flying everywhere, people going "cool" and "look at this mom" way...

Gifts have been match box cars (buy a multi-pack, split up and give individual cars); cookies, gift cards, barrettes/etc., make-up; homemade crafts; items from LTD Catalog... let your imagination go wild.

We include the adults because its so much fun!

i suggest orientaltrading.com great bulk ideas like drawstring bags for lil ones and the big one save a lot check them out i ordered from them for the family reunion spent 100.00 on bags toys pencils etc

Much like the White Elephant, we call it an ornament exchange. We set the price no more than $10 and have a few extra in case of extra guests. All ages can play, our grandson and great nieces/nephews play and have lots of fun,especially with the "stealing" part. Everyone loves new ornaments. Have fun!

I have been to several parties where they read THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS. Everytime you say the word "grinch" you pass to the left, and "who/whoville" pass to the right. Everyone brings a gift and starts with their own. By the time the story is done everyone should have something different. Its kind of fun. If you want to throw more chaos into the mix, once everyone is done, you can start with the "swap/steal" and a gift can be stolen 2x before it is done/frozen. But if lil kids are playing I would stick to the story game. have fun!!

What about a kid friendly white elephant, each kid picks a toy of their own (something they don't use anymore) they get to wrap it themselves (no matter how ugly)and then each kid plays the white elephant game (draw a number, one per kid) then the person who draws #1 picks a gift off the table (not their own) then #2 can take #1's gift or pick one off the table and so on till the gifts are gone - now #1 has the last pick they can pick anyones gift or keep what they have.
It is so much fun at least with adults
Or
You could have each child pick a toy that they don't use anymore bring it to the party - have all the kids wrap the toy in front of each other - put it in a box and take it to a family in need. It will teach the kids the gift of giving and then maybe the parents can get the kids a gift card for 10.00 to toys r us and then the kids can go and pick out a new toy after christmas - this will also teach them the value of a dollar and they gave to someone else in need.
Good luck I am with you on the gift giving, my daughter is the youngest in the group and she gets so much stuff it is crazy. This year we are picking out somethings and I am teaching her to give to someone in need.
good luck, I am excited to see the other ideas people come up with

We have also done the white elephant gift exchange. However the best tradition we started was having the kids give something to a charity or the needy. We have made "tie" flannel blankets, etc to give to a charity. This gets the kids involved and they realize part of Christmas is giving back.

WE do something called a Chinese gift exchange. Everyone pics a number and takes that gift. We go around in a circle (without opening the gift) and ask if anyone wants to trade before opening. Then.....we open all the presents. IT's pretty fun.

try the game "white elephant" everyone gets a # and the person with #1 goes first picks a gift and opens it, the second person goes and picks a gift and opens it and has the choice to keep it or trade with #1 gift. the third goes and picks and opens a gift and has a choice to keep it or trade with #1 or #2's gift and so on. the last person opens their gift and can trade with anyone. usually there is a 2 trade limit on gifts but if the kids are young it would be hard to keep tack. we usually do funny gifts and see how many times things get traded.