Santas Secrets

Santas Secrets

Six Secret Santa Rules to Make This Year's Secret Santa the Best Ever

By Mitch Mueller
Make sure this year's Secret Santa gift exchange is the best ever by following four cardinal rules of gift exchanges.

Whether you call it Secret Santa, Kris Kringle, White Elephant or just plain old 'gift exchange,' there's no doubt that holiday season anonymous gift exchanges are a favorite holiday tradition. Why? Simply because they are a sure-fire way to spice up holiday parties and bring groups together around gift giving.

While known by the name Secret Santa in the U.S. and Great Britain, the ritual is also known under Kris Kindle and Kris Kringle in Australia and New Zealand. The phrase 'Secret Santa' can refer both to the game or to any of the people participating. White Elephant is a very popular variation on the game.

Whether for office or home, church or school, here are four cardinal rules to make sure this year's Secret Santa a happy boost to your group's holiday spirit:

Start early. Don't set up your Secret Santa group and game at the last minute. Give people time to find thoughtful gifts. The first week after Thanksgiving is a great time to set your group up - this is a time when thoughts are already turning to Christmas.

Get people excited! Announce the Secret Santa program with enthusiasm and salesmanship... remind people that the whole point is to get laughs when the gifts are opened.

Make participation optional. Especially in workplace settings, give folks a pep talk to sign up, but also give them the room to opt out. Not every one is comfortable with this holiday ritual.

Be clear on cash limits. The whole idea is to give gifts that spark fun, not that cost a lot. Dollar limits on gift giving are almost always a good idea - not only do they make sure everyone can afford their role as Secret Santa, but they help inspire creativity - usually, the lower the dollar amount, the higher the creativity index!

Ensure gifts are appropriate. Find a way to gently remind folks that all gifts must be appropriate to your group. A common faux pas at many office Christmas parties is the secret santa gift that's a sexy lingerie or sex item that causes embarrassment to the recipient. If necessary, have a 'referee' who knows the identity of every Secret Santa so there is accountability on this score.

Consider White Elephant. Stir up enthusiasm by changing the format a bit this year! White Elephant, also known as Thieving Secret Santa, in this variation the gifts brought should be suitable for anyone in the group, and they should be wrapped in a fashion to disguise what they might be. Gift giver identities should be anonymous as well. Players take turns choosing and opening a gift, or, instead of opening one, they can 'steal' a previously opened gift.


Start planning now and have a great Secret Santa this year!

Mitch Mueller recommends using [http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/wish_list/secret_santa/best_secret_santa.php]Secret Santa List, [http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/wish_list/christmas_wish_list.php]Christmas Wish List, and [http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/wish_list/white_elephant/best_white_elephant.php]White Elephant Gift Exchange

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Mueller http://EzineArticles.com/?Six-Secret-Santa-Rules-to-Make-This-Years-Secret-Santa-the-Best-Ever&id=804372

Prelit Christmas Trees

Prelit Christmas Trees

A Prelit Christmas Tree Can Save Your Sanity

By Philip McDonald
A prelit artificial Christmas tree can be the savior of your holiday season, with all you have to do at this festive time of year from attending office Christmas parties, buying the perfect Christmas gifts for each member of the family to planning your family christmas party, owning a prelit artificial Christmas tree can save you time and your sanity.

Of course, the greatest thing about getting an artificial Christmas tree is that you'll also save money. Not to mention an Artificial Christmas Tree is less likely to catch on fire. Unlike a fresh tree, an artificial Christmas tree is perfectly symmetrical, and this is an important point for some decorators. This is one more reason why the artificial Christmas tree is preferred. The best part of purchasing an artificial Christmas tree is that the height isn't guessed, it is dead on, is another reason why some people like the artificial Christmas tree. This artificial Christmas tree is advantageous as it makes transportation and replacement very easy.

The best time to order an artificial Christmas tree is about 6 weeks before the Christmas season actually begins. An artificial Christmas tree is not a fire hazard because they are usually made of fire retardant material. A prelit artificial Christmas tree is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to avoid a fight with an evergreen at any cost. The big fat round artificial Christmas tree is out and the slim artificial tree is in. And today's artificial Christmas tree is made to look just like a natural tree. One of the biggest pros to having an artificial Christmas tree is this convenience. An artificial Christmas tree is an investment that you'll want to protect so make sure that you pick a stand that can support it.

A prelit artificial Christmas tree is very convenient. A custom made artificial Christmas tree is a useful, beautiful gift for a senior citizen, a December wedding, birthday or wedding anniversary. Buying an artificial Christmas tree is similar to purchasing a real one. An artificial Christmas tree is a lifetime investment, rather than a one time cost that comes around every year. Choosing between a natural and an artificial Christmas tree is first and foremost a matter of personal taste, space and budget. An aluminum artificial Christmas tree is great if you're after a retro-look. One of the big disadvantages of having an artificial Christmas tree is that they don't have the Christmas Tree smell; however the advantages of the artificial Christmas tree can offset the lack of smell of the natural tree. One way to solve the lack of smell situation is to purchase pine air fresheners and strategically place them around the room in which you have your artificial Christmas tree.

Another advantage of your artificial prelit Christmas tree is storage, it can be protected in plastic storage boxes that stack atop one another in a corner of the basement. An artificial Christmas tree is cheaper and lasts longer. When buying your prelit artificial Christmas tree make sure it is certified fire resistant. Another case for the artificial Christmas tree is that you can buy a prelit artificial tree or even an artificial tree with fiber optic lighting. Whether or not to use an artificial Christmas tree can be a hotly debated topic in your household during the holidays.

To lengthen the life of the bulbs use extra household extension cords to plug in each separate section of your prelit artificial Christmas tree. This year, I am investing in a prelit artificial Christmas tree to save my sanity. Prelit Christmas trees are a great choice, especially when you're pushed for time during the busy holiday season. After struggling with wires and outlets for a couple of hours I decided that it was time for me to invest in a prelit artificial Christmas tree. Of course, when you do get a Prelit Artificial Christmas Tree, you should take a great bit of care in picking it. A prelit Christmas tree instantly brings festive cheer to your home. Unlike the natural Christmas tree, the prelit artificial Christmas tree doesn't require extra work once you have it put up.

The only question remaining now is, which artificial Christmas tree is right for you? Well only you can answer that, but keep the following in mind, your budget and the size of the space in which you are going to erect your artificial Christmas tree.

With artificial Christmas trees coming in so many sizes and lighting capabilities from fiber optic lit to traditional lit it should be easy for you to find one that fits your taste and expectations.

Philip McDonald maintains [http://christmas-alert.blogspot.com/]christmas-alert.blogspot.com This content is provided by Philip McDonald and may be use in its entirety without links removed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_McDonald http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Prelit-Christmas-Tree-Can-Save-Your-Sanity&id=357804