"Secret Santa"

We have done this for the last 3 years and I think it is great!! Added bonus is that I still have industrial quantities of wrapping paper "bought in" before the Secret Santa decision was taken. You can really put your mind to finding something special when it is just for one person, and the present giving gene is satisfied by what you give the little ones!

I think its a good idea - we always called the Bran Tub -sounds better than Secret Santa.

We did this at work when I was teaching. We had a drawn name and a set amount. Generally the presents were very thoughtful.

One year I got on of those squeezing stress balls!!! A bit miffed.

Never thought to do it at home. We only see close family.

We did it at work too. I think it works well with adults.

Adults in the family do this. It works well. Our only problem is that family complexity rarely has us in the same place on Christmas Day. It's usually a little while after but that doesn't matter, it's working for us all.

We do this for adults. Use a website that sends out emails and you can put a budget and post your wish list . Works really well. Makes Christmas shopping less stressful and you get one really nice present and not lots of Christmas tat.

Thanks to those who posted. I like the idea of the wish list ,as if it's to be one really good present it needs to be something the recipient will like . I really want to do it but there is one person in the family who disagrees , somImdoubtbitbwill happen this year.

We are doing it for the first time this year. My daughter found a web site that does the allocating and sends an email to you to tell you who you are buying for. You can programme it so that you don't get your own partner. Great idea except I have got my son in law who only ever wants white sport socks! Ha ha! Reduces stress, expense and enables us to focus more on the grandchildren.

What a lovely idea. I've never thought about doing it for family. There's only the four of us this year, but this goes in my virtual good ideas box.

We have done this for the past few years, it really works well and takes a lot of the stress out of Christmas . My 16 year old niece is being the option of "joining the adults" or having the usual array of small gifts from each of us ! We draw a name out of a hat at my mum's birthday tea on 6th Dec .

Interestingly we are trying this for adults this year. My brother and his family have done it for the past few years as they go abroad for Christmas and packing many presents in a suitcase wasn't an option. They find it works well.

Any idea which websiteRegalo

We are doing this for the first time this year as we are visiting DD in Australia, her in laws are joining us too, so DS has sorted us out using www.drawnames.co.uk/ Not for the children though!
I also do a version with a group of girlfriends that I meet up with in the run up to Christmas - you each have to buy a gift in a Charity Shop for £5, and wrap it anonymously, then we all dip in and take one, so you are not buying for a specific person, usually something amusing, its amazing what you can find for £5 and so the charity shops benefit, and if you don't like what you receive you can just pass it to another charity shop - double benefit! You may even get something you really like!

Great idea in a family of grownups - cuts down the work that lands principally on women's shoulders at christmastime and someone might get one thing they really like.
Agree yucky phrase though.
And as for grown ups who feel the need to do this in work - who needs it, really? Maybe prevents random and embarrassing gift giving between colleagues but hey, why not just have an office charitable cause and donate to that. God knows there are enough people who could do with the cash.

We've done this for the passed few years and it has been great! It means that no-one has to spend a fortune on gifts for adults so takes the stress out of Christmas for everyone and adds a bit of fun. It's a tradition now but the first year I just had to be assertive and take control, despite some dissent, as we had financial difficulties. Now everyone expects and appreciates it.

I like the bit about being assertive! I think I shall have to do the same.

I was given stress balls in the Secret Santa when I was teaching too! Lol I think they're still in a drawer somewhere - never remembered to use them then, and since I'm well retired haven't needed them since!

We do this - a sensible way of having fun without buying masses of presents- works well.

We've done it for a couple of years now and it's working well. The difficulty is that there's only ten of us adults involved as we cut out adult siblings (mutually!) several years ago having got fed up with the men simply shopping bottles of booze.

When I was little money tight and things were in short supply my DGF did a proper bran tub which everyone delved into. It resulted in much swopping and laughter as aunt received cigars and my big male cousin a doll etc.!

My daughter introduced us to Yakee Swap(google it) a couple of years ago when there were 6 adults. We each bought 2 presents for about £10. It got quite hilarious in the end with SiL and his uncle stealing forward and back a giant box of Jaffa cakes