Family Gift Giving
Every year, my dad and his three brothers and their families get together for a holiday party. When the kids were all young, everyone got gifts for everyone. It was a big to-do and very fun. But as we've gotten older (I'm the oldest - my youngest cousin is...a junior in hs, I think?), it's developed into something else. First, it was every family buys a "family" gift. That didn't go over very well. So, we did this other thing where we all bought some sort of generic gift, that was supposed to be appropriate for anyone, and we played this swapping game. The game was fun - probably the most FUN we've had at a Murphy Christmas in years - but impractical. Chris ended up with a spa package and me with a grilling thing. My mom got the gift that I'd brought - if I was going to give her a movie package, I would've just given it directly TO her. So, that one went away. Last year, I suggested that we do a secret santa. Everyone is randomly assigned a person (one person orchestrating the whole thing) and you buy a gift for that one person. But somehow, that didn't turn out very well either.
So, now one of the uncles suggested that we eliminate the gift giving altogether this year. That would be kinda nice on my wallet, but that's really no fun. My dad suggested that each family gets another family, and then we make a charitable donation in that other family's name. Which I think would be okay, but my aunt (who really just rubs me the wrong way now that I'm old enough to realize that she looks down on everyone) totally poo pooed the idea. And the third idea that was proposed was to do a book exchange of some kind. I like this idea, but how the heck is that going to work? And it's supposed to be books that you've already read? Man, this is going to end up bad.
Anyone have any ideas for this family holiday gift exchange? I'm beginning to feel like my uncle's right...This is totally a pita.
Oh, and does anyone have any good book recommendations? I haven't read a lot in the last few years, so I don't have any really good ideas.
So, now one of the uncles suggested that we eliminate the gift giving altogether this year. That would be kinda nice on my wallet, but that's really no fun. My dad suggested that each family gets another family, and then we make a charitable donation in that other family's name. Which I think would be okay, but my aunt (who really just rubs me the wrong way now that I'm old enough to realize that she looks down on everyone) totally poo pooed the idea. And the third idea that was proposed was to do a book exchange of some kind. I like this idea, but how the heck is that going to work? And it's supposed to be books that you've already read? Man, this is going to end up bad.
Anyone have any ideas for this family holiday gift exchange? I'm beginning to feel like my uncle's right...This is totally a pita.
Oh, and does anyone have any good book recommendations? I haven't read a lot in the last few years, so I don't have any really good ideas.