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Holiday secret Santa gift giving is easy for me. I go to Walmart, Marshalls, and Target.
At Walmart, I get the Limited Edition Holiday Scents air fresheners or candles and wrap them up in colored cellophane with pretty ribbon brought from Michael's for a dollar. That gift is $3.00 each.
From Marshall's, I get the big bar of French Milled soap in nice craft wrapping. I spend $4.00 for those wrapped in netting.
Target is the cheapest, $1.00 fashion gloves with $1.00 lip balm - $2 for a gift. I spend about $60 bucks on co-workers, distant family members, church members, and those last minute host gifts and I'm covered.
By holli from Detroit, MI
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I am looking for ideas to use at work when people sign up to be a secret Santa. I have seen poems with ideas for each day of the exchange.
BeccaL from Polk, Nebraska
At work we gave chocolate Santas, Christmas dish towels, Christmas ornaments, holiday cd's, homemade goodies, earrings, hot cocoa mix, and hard csndy.
I am wanting to get a large gift bag with 25 small gifts in each-one for each day of December. The envelope or small package will have the date on the outside of each so they know what day to open them.
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I am looking for ideas to use at work when people sign up to be a secret Santa. I have seen poems with ideas for each day of the exchange.
BeccaL from Polk, NE
I found this link that gives a poem for each sense so you can gift a gift of smell (candles), gift of taste (candy), gift of touch (I gave earrings), etc. Here is the link
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/christmas/msg1216492728700.html?5
It is in the center of the post. I also pasted it here in case you have problems.
A whiffin', sniffin' gift,
Especially for you.
It's from "Secret Santa"
Bet you can't guess who!
Winkin', blinkin, just don't nod.
This gift is for your eyes.
It's from Secret Santa too,
By now, that's no surprise.
Jingle, jangle, what do I hear?
It's not a reindeer sleigh--
It must be Secret Santa,
Hurrying on his way.
Yummy, yummy, tummy tingling.
A tasty, tempting treat.
Won't you be surprised
When we finally meet!
This final gift--for the sense of touch--
Might be a bit surprising.
I'm sure you know just who I am,
Without realizing.
~author unknown~
(11/22/2006)
Here are a few ideas used in the distant past:
By Christopher
One year I sent my recipient on a scavenger hunt each day to find her secret Santa gift. I made up each clue based on well known areas and left the gifts there. Also one year one of my colleagues made a picture of herself and cut it up like puzzle pieces. Each day she gave her person a small gift and one piece of the puzzle. By the end of the time she was able to find out who the person was based on the puzzle pieces. (12/10/2006)
By jb
Small bathroom luxuries work well, like a bath bomb or a nice smelling soap if you don't have much money. (11/06/2007)
To the poster who wanted to know what to call their basket for their neighbors, I've heard of this being called "you've been elfed". (11/19/2007)
By Erica
This website has something called The Grinch game which is like secret Santa.
http://www.goblinville.com/pages/xmas-grinched.htm
I have seen a variation in my neighborhood the past few years with a picture of Santa and it is called "You've been Kringled!" (11/22/2007)
By Lyndsay
Usually a trip to CVS or Walgreen's will do the trick. They have a lot of cute little candies and cheap Christmas stuff. Also a local dollar store will have random things that can be fun. Other things include candy, a Santa hat, or raw cookie dough. Those are all fun. Also you can go to AC Moore or a Michael's or whatever craft store is by you and get all kinds of things like, make your own deer antlers and crafty Christmas stuff. And if you want, they have paint shirts cheap, and you can write on them with fabric markers and give that to them. (12/10/2007)
By Elle
Last year we made snowman poop, marshmallows and sprinkles in a cute little bag. Google, snowman poop to find the poem that goes with it. You can also find the reindeer droppings and maxipad slippers. They were a blast and cheap! (12/11/2008)
By Desi
Last year I used a can opener that cuts below the rim, I opened it from the bottom and you can't tell is been open. I then put my gift inside and she had to use a can opener to get gift. I also gave her an empty box and put a note that said I got her the gift that she always she tells her husband she wants. Nothing. (12/12/2008)
By Sandy
Go to WalMart chocolates are a good one and any Christmas little do dad will work! (12/12/2008)
By unknown
For the people that needed clues for revealing themselves as the secret Santa: At the end, you can just take the last gift to the "victims" (as I like to call them) and present it to them and saying that you're their secret Santa, etc. That's how we do it. (12/20/2008)
I need help with my mom's secret Santa present. I have to make it, and spend at the most $10. Any ideas?
I have to get a Secret Santa gift for a girl at work for under $10. (Secret Santa) Here is my prob.: She is 33 years old and hates getting commercial gifts. People that know her suggested I make her something, she would much rather I give her something from the heart, than something I can buy in a store.