My Aunt is organising Christmas this year and is serious about this "stealing Santa" thing this year and has set the budget at $125 (Conveniently after Black Friday is over).
Anyone got any ideas for semi-universal gifts? The age range is anywhere from 15yrs to 75yrs. Of course, it doesn't have to be applicable to the whole age range, but applicable to a large enough age grouping that the "stealing" part is able to be fulfilled.
Hope this makes sense!
Also they said no gift cards.
Apple AirTag 4 Pack.
Don't know if this could be considered 'semi-universal' tho
$125 Budget
So this is what it is like to be rich
I'd never heard of stealing santa…
new Robin Hood movie
thanks to autocorrect one out of five children will get a visit from Satan this year
What about $125 cash in a massive box? Then they can choose what they want or steal the cash?
While it would be funny, I don't want to cop it for the cop-out gift. I'll assume no gift cards means no cash as well.
Fair point but how will they know it is you? Is not a secret?
True…
Make it 2500 5¢ coins for the most fun.
Box will come in at just over 7kg
We used to do this at our Christmas party with 40-50 people. Over the years, the older the people got the more shiiite the gifts became. Like a sombrero with 🥜's that had already been cracked and eaten.
"Stealing Santa" Gift Ideas - $125 Budget
I usually steal them from outside the Salvos store… Vinnies can be good too…
Thanks jv, always one for the wise.
Sounds like a great way to piss people off, especially over gifts up to $125. $10 trinkets, ok, but some people are going to be dirty about getting something they want and then losing it to someone who is just there to cause grief.
Reminds me of that episode where they played this on "Mr Inbetween" and I would expect this to be the most common outcome of games like this.
Yeah I'm not a fan, but I'm not organising Chrissy this year, so I don't make the rules.
We call this version dirty santa.
I’ve known it as naughty Santa
steeldive sd1970 - otherwise could go 2 x addiesdive submariners could be fun - and have some change left over
My in-laws have finally given up on White Elephant after a run of consistently underwhelming exchanges. I always played to win back my gift; to score something I actually wanted; and avoid receiving something awful; with the option of change-of-mind return/refund; or re-playing the same gift next year seeing as no one will remember from last Xmas.
the way we do it.. is a $20 per person … usually about 25-30 people.
and one person buys the gifts and wraps them, and that's is usually me. because i care about everyone having a good time.
i cater the gifts to the people that are playing,.. range in gifts to suit the more mature and some to suit the young, a couple of bogus prizes and usually 1 or 2 really good ones.
i then wrap them with all the same wrapping and some wrapped to add extra size and weight.
cant say that i have ever had a bad year…
one year, i even had the bogus prize being the best as whomever ended up with it at the end. got a $50 Cash
FYI "stealing Santa" worst name ever
This is the worst.
However - maybe a bluetooth speaker?
This is worse than not doing gifts.
If you are forced to participate, buy above your budget and watch everyone fight over your gift. When someone calls you out, say you found a good deal on Ozbargain and stuck to the budget.
That way, you leave with people knowing you gift the best gift and hopefully enough upset people to not do dirty Santa ever again.
Play the long game
I’m sure someone will buy a disappointing gift so you don’t have to worry about a second year
Good to see people are answering your question rather than telling you how stupid it is, how they think you are rich, their personal anecdote about how they liked/disliked this occurring…
Boring but food hampers/baskets are pretty universal. Make your own if you can be bothered (cheap basket from Ikea or Kmart)
Buy something you will be happy to get and then pick it when its your turn, and if someone else wants it more and takes it from you - well, thats a success as well (because you bought a gift that more than one person wanted). Even if its something that sounds boring, like merino wool socks
If people in your family travel, an assortment of travel accessories (compression packing cubes, universal plug chargers, cross body bag)
Talking of bags, backpacks or sling bags may be popular depending on the ages
Box of lego flowers/plants always goes down well
a framed photo of you. the frame is worth something
Lol to the framed photo!
Appreciate your advice, love the hamper idea.
Go to something like https://www.usefulgifts.org/ and buy vouchers - like a toilet for $70 and a goat for $50. That'll learn 'em!
We’ve played this over the years with a more modest budget. Successful gifts included alcohol, little gadgets that were new and popular (one year chromecasts, another the Google home audio, once iPod shuffle), a multi-tool, and some nice kitchen things.
One really in demand gift was a super soft cotton blanket/throw that everyone wanted one year.
My suggestion is to pick a gift you are sure at least a few people would really like.
Less successful were generic ‘gifts’ like a pack of things for Dad from BigW, or for a golf lover, or fragrance pack for Mum. You really felt stuck if you drew those as nobody wanted them.
Thankyou, this is really helpful! I like the throw idea.
$125 donation to The Human Fund.
Flavoured honey from a local market should be popular. Maybe some Manuka honey.
Gold class movie tickets surely don't count as gift cards.
iPhone
Lol for $125??
A super shitty totally not stolen iPhone.
Most wanted gift I saw was a quality outdoor chair
Maybe up the budget to include an esky or Yeti coolers
The beach chair is a great idea!
Other ones that are popular in my experience include:
Cookbooks (Donna Hay ones with some of her store goodies make a great hamper)
Fancy candles (such as glasshouse or the really exy ones at Mecca)
Good quality travel goods - rush faster have good ones, a cable storage bag is really handy
Georg Jensen do lovely Christmas ornaments
Homewares from Country Road
Good luck, can be very fraught!
Its called "White Elephant" https://www.whiteelephantrules.com/