Secret Santa Holiday Soiree

Tis the season for merriment, excitement and a little mystery with family and friends. Staying connected can be easy, fun and affordable with a Secret Santa Party and Gift Exchange. One of the more popular Christmas games, Secret Santa (also known as Kris Kringle in some circles) is a fun and easy way for a group of friends, family members or co-workers to exchange gifts.

Game Play

The basic concept of the Secret Santa game is simple.

• All of the participants’ names are placed into a hat, box, etc. and mixed up.
• Each person then chooses one name from the box,
  but doesn't tell anyone which name was picked. He/she is now responsible for buying a gift for the person selected. When the Secret Santa wraps his/her gift, he/she should label it with the recipient's name but doesn't indicate whom the present is from. (Remember, most of the fun is in the secrecy.)
• All the gifts are then placed in a general area for opening at a designated time. When the gift-giving time arrives, each recipient finds his/her gift and must guess who their Secret Santa is. If they can't guess, their Secret Santa eventually confesses.
• Remember to set a few simple rules to keep it affordable and chic. First set the Gift Price Minimum and the Gift Price Maximum. (i.e. $20.00 - $40.00). This lets all gift exchange participants know how much they can spend on their gift recipients.
• Assign the game a theme (i.e. Musical, Gourmet Foods, Bar, Eco-Friendly, Fashion) to make it more interesting. Not only does it add a fun twist to the game, but it can also help out someone who has no idea what to buy for his or her chosen person.

Atmosphere

Holiday Cheer to Jingle All the Way

Ho Ho Ho and Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la! Create a festive room with groovy music, jingle bells, botanical tree trim kits, mistle toe and dazzling silver accents.

Candy cane candles, ginger bread houses and silver gift boxes add holiday cheer to even the plainest white plates and serving bowls. These items are also super party favors. One of my favorites continues to be the scrumptious chocolate filled christmas cookie cutters.

The room will come alive, shimmer and twinkle with color changing Icicle Party String Lights that will keep the party going for hours.

Ho Ho Ho Spice Tunes

1. Trans Siberian Orchestra
2. Jingle Bell Rock by Billy Idol
3. I Won't Be Home For Xmas by Blink 182
4. Christmas Tree by Faith & Harmony Choir of the Netherlands
5. Christmas With The Beach Boys

Reindeer Drinks

For all your holiday reindeer games, set your bar with Reindeer Martini Barware filled with these Red Nose drink recipes:

 

 

My Family Favorite Gift Exchange Ideas

For Her

Cherry Blossom Quote Necklace
For centuries, the delicate cherry blossom has been a symbol of female beauty and strength, making it an ideal adornment for this mother of pearl necklace. A trio of blooms has been hand carved on the front of this pendant; the back is engraved with the quote, "Hearts that love are always in bloom."

For Him

Metrosexual Stemless Wine Glasses
For $30 you can get that wine tasting metrosexual guy of yours a Sommeliers series wine glass created in 1973 by Claus Riedel.
Each glass is individually made with the upper parts blown into a mold and the stem and base handcrafted using methods developed at the time of Christ’s birth. For any red wine lover, this is a sure winner.

For Family

Personalized Gingerbread House
One of the best treats around the holidays is making your own gingerbread house. I never really acquired the skills (and patience) to detail an edible house, but I hear it’s fantastically fun and quite rewarding. The Williams-Sonoma Personalized Gingerbread House kit puts the other such kits to shame. The structure is constructed of a very yummy cookie dough that has been enhanced with molasses, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger & allspice. Woah, this baby has it all for under 50 dollars! But what makes this gingerbread house leave all the others in the holiday dust, is that you can personalize this one with your name or any other word up to eight letters, sorry to anyone with an exceptionally long name.

Sea Turtle Adoption Kit
With an annual donation of $25 ($35 outside the U.S.), or more, adopt a sea turtle! Members will receive a free one-year subscription to the Velador, CCC's award winning conservation newsletter, and a Sea Turtle Adoption Kit. I purchased this for my niece and nephews a few years ago and they just loved tracking their turtle while learning about nature and a healthy environment. Additional small plush sea turtles, patches and t-shirts add tender touch to respect nature, educate and embrace conservancy. You can even Name Your Own Turtle!

Share your Holiday and Party Ideas with us at Celebrations! We’d like to hear how you enjoy the holidays with your friends, family and neighbors. If you’re looking for inspiration, visit our Chanukah, Christmas and Holiday Party pages for festive food and seasonal décor ideas.

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