Ideas for kids dirty santa party?

[torinsmom]

DS16 has a dirty santa exchange with his church youth group for kids grades 6-12. Does anyone have any ideas for interesting things kind would want? We are supposed to have a $10 limit.

Last year, we slit a Dr Pepper bottle and filled it will all kinds of candy, then taped the label on. Someone here suggested that and it was a big hit. It was wrapped and everyone thought it was just soda.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

What's a dirty Santa exchange? I've never heard of this.

 

[daydream32]

I think it is also called a white elephant gift exchange, Yankee Swap, or Parcel Pass.

wiki has a nice article on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange

 

[DrCavin]

I was on a different tangent until I read church group... Never heard of these either...

 

[marcyinPA]

My DS15 had his church youth leader party last night. I ran out to get him a gift because he just couldn't decide...so I bought a push pop, a pez dispenser, and a Spongebob Spin Brush and Toothpaste set. (Walmart)

Ok, now don't flame me for this, because it was a JOKE, and meant to be a JOKE, but he brought his gift wrapped in a cardboard Yeungling beer box. You, know, the case. I put a big ribbon on it. He carried it in on his shoulder, and honestly, it was the most stolen package there.

The teen who ended up with the box in the end was actually thrilled with the Spongebob toothbrush. It was sort of a funny, silly sort of thing that teenagers would like!

 

[lovesmurfs]

We've got a white elephant gift exchange at work tomorrow. I bought one of the screaming flying monkeys -- thought it would be fun.

One year, I want to box up all of the miscellaneous magic markers we have floating (like magic!) around the house, and include a coloring book. Helps me declutter!

For my office, lottery tickets and gift cards are the best draw.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I think it is also called a white elephant gift exchange, Yankee Swap, or Parcel Pass.

wiki has a nice article on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange

Okay, I've heard of white elephant gift exchanges. Never heard of dirty santa though. Good to know! Thanks.

 

[Deb in IA]

Interesting!

I've never heard of "dirty Santa" either.

Made me think of Billy Bob Thornton's "Bad Santa"!

 

[Liberty Belle]

DS was in a youth group a few years ago and they did this. He brought in some shooting gallery toy I'd bought on clearance and it was a big hit.

No pun intended.

Oh, and I'd never heard it called Dirty Santa before, either.

 

[daughtersrus]

My DH makes marshmallow guns out of PVC that we sell at craft shows. We've sold a lot this year to be used as gifts.

We've also given a few and they're always something that they kids fight over getting.

BTW~I've never heard of Dirty Santa either. My first thought was something from Victoria Secret until I read that it was at church.

 

[golfgal]

Nerf gun (they have a marshmallow shooter out now). Popular with all ages. Otherwise I would do a gift card to Subway or a local movie theater.

 

[LynnTH]

I was at Target yesteray and they have these yardstick length tubes of licorice, gumballs and taffy. They were $9.99. (They were in with the Christmas Candy and stuff). That would be fun to wrap and have everyone trying to guess what it is.

 

[torinsmom]

Thanks guys! You have given good ideas. I guess it is called Dirty Santa, because when someone takes your gift, they aren't playing by the rules.

Right now, I am leaning towards the marshmallow gun or a flying screaming monkey.

 

[golfgal]

I was at Target yesteray and they have these yardstick length tubes of licorice, gumballs and taffy. They were $9.99. (They were in with the Christmas Candy and stuff). That would be fun to wrap and have everyone trying to guess what it is.

I saw those too, I think Santa will bring some for our kids.

 

[scrapquitler]

I saw those too, I think Santa will bring some for our kids.

I saw them when I was there the other day and I so wanted to buy the one filled with gumballs (my DD got her braces off today and gum is no longer forbidden) but my son was with me, so I couldn't get it. I need to get back there ASAP to pick up a few of these for giftgs.

 

[laurie31]

We play Dirty Santa at DH's extended family Christmas, instead of everyone buying gifts. It's not a white elephant thing, though. We buy new things, and they are nice, BUT it's a $10 limit, and it's a challenge to find something nice that anyone from a 18 year old girl to a 71 year old man would like (children still get their own gifts- ony adults play the game).

Playing the game is more fun that the gifts themselves. You never know what will be the "hot" item that's stolen over and over. We don't have the "3 steals and it's out" rule. We think that's for sissies - lol. One year it was a flashlight! Another year it was one of those fleece blankets. (kids do love those - we have several, and yet they're always asking for another one when they see one with a cute pattern). Any of us could afford to buy a $10 whatever for ourselves, but it's so funny to see grown people fighting over that stuff. (fighting for fun, not for real - lol).

Ideas: a cute coffee mug filled with hot cocoa mix and a candy cane.

A DVD and a couple of bags of popcorn (DVDs of Christian movies are often under $10)

It's boring, but a $10 gift certificate to iTunes, WalMart, Starbuck's, etc.

 

[NewDCLGuy]

.....

 

[daughtersrus]

Right now, I am leaning towards the marshmallow gun or a flying screaming monkey.

If you get the marshmallow gun, may I suggest getting the kind that you blow into instead of pulling a trigger. We have sold at least 30 of them this year to people that said that they got the ones from the store with a trigger but they don't work. If you have a craft show going on near you, you should be able to find one pretty cheap. We sell ours for $5.00. The ones that we sell are made out of 1/2" PVC pipe. You can also shoot round cereal like Kix, Trix, Cocoa Puffs (not Cheerios), chenille pom pons, dog food, cat food...anything about the size of a mini marshmallow. The cereal and pet food is good for outside since it will dissolve or the birds will eat it.

 

[torinsmom]

If you get the marshmallow gun, may I suggest getting the kind that you blow into instead of pulling a trigger. We have sold at least 30 of them this year to people that said that they got the ones from the store with a trigger but they don't work. If you have a craft show going on near you, you should be able to find one pretty cheap. We sell ours for $5.00. The ones that we sell are made out of 1/2" PVC pipe. You can also shoot round cereal like Kix, Trix, Cocoa Puffs (not Cheerios), chenille pom pons, dog food, cat food...anything about the size of a mini marshmallow. The cereal and pet food is good for outside since it will dissolve or the birds will eat it.

I bought the ones that use PVC pipe. I actually found one on ebay that is a combo marshmallow and rubber band gun. I will add in marshmallows and rubber bands. Of course, I bought a flying monkey too, so I might include that as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140420400657&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

[ckmommy]

Make a duct Tape wallet--we are giving this as our white elephant gift tonight at my DH's company Christmas party. We also did a duct tape purse.

I think the web site was monkey see dot com.