On Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:04:28 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 2014-04-10 5:58 PM, wrote:
>> On Thursday, April 10, 2014 2:47:24 PM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>> I did the math.. I figured that at the time we were spending on the
>>> average about $25 on each present. That meant that I was spending $600
>>> total on Christmas and birthday presents for nieces and nephews. Our
>>> son got three presents the year I cut it off. Her four kids were
>>> getting a total of $200 in presents while they spent about $25 on our
>>> son. The gift exchange meant I was spending $5 on behalf on my son and
>>> she would be spending $20.... less than she would have been spending on
>>> one present. She was saving at least $100 on presents. Knock of the $20
>>> for the $5 gift exchange and he is ahead by $80.... but still whining
>>> about the unfairness.
>>>
>>>
>> Our family got so large we went to the 'drawing names' routine; adults only! Parents bought for their children. No trying to guess if you bought a gift one of the kids wanted or not.
>>
>
>
>These days we get together with my younger brother and his family for
>Christmas. It is usually the three of us, three of them, SiL's parents
>and this year their daughter's boyfriend. We upped it to $15 gift. It's
>the luck of the draw.

My family does the "Mad Santa" thing, where each person buys a gift
under $30, and we spend a couple of hours sorting out who gets what.

It's *way* more fun than just exchanging gifts, and the max budget
keeps everything under control. We've been doing it for years, and
it's something that I really look forward to at Christmas.

Explanation of Mad Santa is he

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-craziest...93.html?cat=74

Doris