Can you keep a secret?

Every year around this time, our family starts thinking about Christmas.  Once the kids realised how spectacular the holiday is, they like to enjoy it earlier each year.  Like the department stores that hang up their decorations early, we also get in the mood by discussing our family traditions and preparing for the holiday.

Our first tradition to tackle is the Secret Santa Gift List.  I am not sure how it started or exactly when, but the list of names is generated and tossed into a jar or hat and either we pass it around at the Thanksgiving table or the boys and I do the choosing at home and generate the list.

This year, we were not all together at Thanksgiving, so tonight the boys and will choose the names and make the list.  Our Secret Santa Gift Exchange is usually only between the cousins who love to shop for each other.  Here are some helpful tips to make the Secret Santa Gift Exchange run smoothly:

Set Rules Ahead of Time. Questions to ask when developing a Secret Santa are: "How much should I spend?"; "When is the present due?"; "How will I know what to get them?"; "How will I exchange gifts?" It is important for your rules to be clear in advance so that each member of the group follows them.

Agree on a Price Limit. This is one of the top reasons to do a Secret Santa: to save money on purchasing gifts. If you belong to a large family, gift buying may simply be out of control. In an office, this is a great way to celebrate the holidays without having coworkers spend hundreds of dollars on coworker gifts. An office Secret Santa gift is typically limited to ten to 30-dollars. Families will might want to use a similar range, but it depends upon the your budget. Find a price limit that allows people to get a nice, yet affordable gift for anyone.

Set a Date, Time and Place for Gift Exchange. The Secret Santa gift exchange can be fun. In our family, we exchange the gifts on Christmas Eve - but sometimes not everyone is at the gathering.  If you are in an office, serve refreshments and play music, where you can make this a potluck-type of event and everyone brings the gift and a dish to share. People should know when they will be exchanging gifts. If someone is unable to give a gift by the deadline, they should notify the organizer of the Secret Santa so other arrangements can be made.

Collect Gift Ideas. You can make shopping easier by getting some gift ideas from each person. The best way to do this is by using index cards. Have each person write their full name and three to five gift ideas that fall into the assigned price range. If children are included, parents can help them come up with gift ideas. This ensures that everyone will receive an enjoyable gift. This is especially helpful if you are in an office and you have to purchase a gift for someone you don't know very well.

Have Fun With the Secret. Part of the fun of Secret Santa is wondering who has you as a Secret Santa partner. You will only find out on the day you exchange gifts. Some that do a Secret Santa have a more extended gift-giving period where you give the person more gifts, like 12 small gifts for the 12 days of Christmas. Or maybe you do something nice as a surprise for them every week of December. You can set this up when you create your Secret Santa rules. Your group can decide how extensive and involved they want their Secret Santa to be.

Christmas is a wonderful season that brings everyone closer together. A Secret Santa is lots of fun because we are often surprised by other people's generosity and goodwill. These tips for starting a Secret Santa can help you start a tradition that everyone enjoys.  We have had such a great success with our gift exchanges in the past that we have one between the six of us this year and will certainly add to the excitement of the season.