Gift Exchange

[av8rmike]

For some reason, I got the bright idea that I should take part in the office gift exchange this year. (This is the first year I'd be taking part). Now I'm finding myself strapped for time and ideas. It's a "grab bag/Yankee Robber"-style exchange, not a Secret Santa, so I don't have to worry about buying for one particular person. Money limit is $15.

Popular items in past have included bottles of wine, a SkyScan atomic clock/thermometer, a Crock-Pot, a stained-glass business card holder with the company logo (obviously hand-made; it was one of the coolest things I'd seen exchanged), and even a C-list soft-core "adult-themed" DVD. It also seems to be the place for people to unload strange stuff: one guy got a set of four little different-colored bottles of something, but the labels were in German. The purchaser confessed they were bath oils he'd picked up in Germany. Then there's the office cheapskate, who every year just puts in $15 of MD Lottery tickets.

I don't even want to waste a poll. Anyone have any good suggestions?

Comments

[scout1222.livejournal.com]

Movie tickets, Blockbuster gift cards or restaurant gift certificates always seem to be the things that go over real well at the ones I've been in. Actually, even the lottery tickets seem to be pretty popular - even though most times you never win, it's still better than getting some wool socks or something really weird.

[bristlesage.livejournal.com]

My family is weird enough to like those 'gift sets' that you can pick up at Target or similar that include, say, two parfait glasses and spoons, with Oreo crumbles and chocolate syrup. Book store gift certs are very popular. And one year, a little Black and Decker electric screwdriver saw a lot of action.

I've never heard this sort of thing called a Yankee Robber before.

[postmoderngirl.livejournal.com]

$15 gift certificate to Best Buy would go over well, I bet.

[rtfirefly.livejournal.com]

Two suggestions:

The stationery department at Target has all sortsa novelty pens for about $8. Pens with little remote-controlled cars, pens with Etch-A-Sketches on them...just go look.

Get a coupla those (going over the limit by a buck or two), or get one of those, then go to Trader Joe's and buy some of their Christmas goodies. Can get a lot of goodies there for $7. Put the novelty pen of your choice in with the TJ's goodies, and you'll have something that'll be fought over.