Gift Exchange

[silkie70]

Hello!!!

We are going on our first Royal Caribbean cruise on the Freedom of the Seas for Spring Break. Our group has mentioned having a gift exchange. I was wondering if any of you experienced RCCL cruisers would be willing to share what you have given/received at a gift exchange so I can get some ideas? Also, if anyone has any pictures to share, it would be great!!!

Happy Cruising!!!:)

Ellen

[WannaBeCruising]

Hello!!!

We are going on our first Royal Caribbean cruise on the Freedom of the Seas for Spring Break. Our group has mentioned having a gift exchange. I was wondering if any of you experienced RCCL cruisers would be willing to share what you have given/received at a gift exchange so I can get some ideas? Also, if anyone has any pictures to share, it would be great!!!

Happy Cruising!!!:)

Ellen

 

Where you from? Our group decided to get gifts around $10 representing something from the state we are living in. Haven't gone on the cruise yet, so don't know what everyone thought of.

[cruisenfever]

Hello!!!

We are going on our first Royal Caribbean cruise on the Freedom of the Seas for Spring Break. Our group has mentioned having a gift exchange. I was wondering if any of you experienced RCCL cruisers would be willing to share what you have given/received at a gift exchange so I can get some ideas? Also, if anyone has any pictures to share, it would be great!!!

Happy Cruising!!!:)

Ellen

Hi Ellen, as Jan just said, the gift should be something that is unique to your city/state. Not knowing where you are from, I can't give you suggestions.

 

NJ is known for its Salt Water Taffy. Ohio is known for the Rock-N-Roll Hall of fame in Cleveland. People from Canada have brought small bottles of maple syrup.

 

It should be useful but fun........and not take up too much space in your luggage.

[cb at sea]

I've always had waaaaaay too much to do prior to a vacation to worry about finding a gift that's representative of anything! Plus..I have no extra space or weight to spare in my luggage!

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Calendars! Easy to pack and everyone can use one! ;)

 

***

[waterbugohio]

hi ellen, as jan just said, the gift should be something that is unique to your city/state. Not knowing where you are from, i can't give you suggestions.

 

Nj is known for its salt water taffy. Ohio is known for the rock-n-roll hall of fame in cleveland. or a ohio state buckeye necklace!! people from canada have brought small bottles of maple syrup.

 

It should be useful but fun........and not take up too much space in your luggage.

 

go bucks

[Watermanfunari]

Ellen, we have done plenty of gift exchanges.

 

But at first it was like some mentioned something from your home state, but I then changed that on other cruises to something cruise related and it worked out better and not a wait of money, the people really used the gifts, here are some examples of cruise related.

 

Sticky pad/pen (for leaving notes to spouse or cabin steward)

Highlighter pen

Travel coffee mug

Air Freshener (for those inside caibins)

Neck water safe (hang around your neck keeps valubles dry when swimming)

Waiste fanny pack

Hand sanitizer

Lanyard

Travel back pack

Luggage straps

 

Remember when flying, do not wrap the gift, use gift bags so it is easy and fast. Put your screen name and real names on gift so they know who gave it to them.

 

Hope this helps alittle

 

Sue

[silkie70]

Thanks everyone for the responses!!!

I am from Florida, not too far from the port, so we will be driving in.

I have a few things in mind, but I am enjoying reading the ideas and what others have given and received in the past.

 

Ellen

 

By the way....

I hear you on the air freshener...That is definately on my permanent cruise packing list. On our last cruise, our room was really musty!!! I thought of bringing one then and vowed never to travel without one again!!!

[Tucker in Texas]

Being as we are down next to NASA, I've always gotten something from the souvenir store. A calendar for the following year if it is a fall cruise is flat and packs well. Lately I have gone with commemorative coins. For my upcoming fall cruise I will get one for the last space shuttle launch which is suppose to go up the first of November. Since they don't cost $10, I've added a magnet which the person who got it put on his door and it was promptly stolen! I got him another one when I got home and mailed it to him. I've done visors, Christmas ornaments, hats, t-shirts among other things. Keep them gender neutral and easy to pack. I get a postcard and write our name on it in pencil so the card can be re-used if so desired to put in the bag.

 

I've received some really nice things and one not so nice thing--a nose hair clipper. An obvious re-gift. Once I got a rather heavy quart carton of sangria which would have been a problem except we were coming into Galveston and I live 20 minutes from the port so flying wasn't involved. I would have drunk it if I did have to fly home, though. Wonder how they got it by the scanner to bring on board.

 

Tucker in Texas

[silkie70]

A nose hair clipper?!?!?!?:eek::eek::eek:

 

Wow---I bet that's something that has never been duplicated!!! This is interesting...How about posting your favorite/oddest gift??? I bet there will be some funny answers!!! I can't imagine anything topping the nose hair clipper!!!

 

 

Ellen

[Tucker in Texas]

A nose hair clipper?!?!?!?:eek::eek::eek:

 

Wow---I bet that's something that has never been duplicated!!! This is interesting...How about posting your favorite/oddest gift??? I bet there will be some funny answers!!! I can't imagine anything topping the nose hair clipper!!!

 

 

Ellen

 

Ironically enough, husband uses it!

 

I have a friend that makes tote bags and embroiders them with the ship's name, date, and ports for her gift (lucky me, she makes one for me, too). She says then when the cruise is over, you can store your scrapbook in it. Not me, I use mine all the time for other things. I don't scrap book, I just slap pictures, ticket stubs, etc. in a photo album along with the daily newsletter. I can count on people coming up on the cruise and asking me where I got the tote bag and even had them offer to buy mine off of me.

 

Tucker in Texas

[didiaust]

We had one in 2008 on Rhapsody - had mostly people from Oz at the M&M but one couiple came from Tuxedo. Theme was home town.

 

I received a hand towel from Tuxedo and it has a little white bow tie on it. I use it in our caravan and think of Jerry & Dale each time I used it. My DH let me choose his gift and I chose a heavy gift so that the people flying wouldn’t get caught with excess. I was thrilled with the cherry jam and the liquor cherry jam from JD’s Jam Factory and the booklet on the area was a nice added bonus. Our gifts were Knights key rings (footie team), spectacle holder bands from our local yacht club and fakesunnies for the bands - I think Gucci and Oakley- I added the note that Bali is my second home hence the sunnies. One of the gifts I was impressed with was the Fishers Ghost and the newspaper about it. Frankie the asst CD said when Dale unwrapped it “Aw left over Halloween stuff” but I am sure that back in Tuxedo USA they will be the only one of there friends who have one and I am sure it will be a talking point for years . They will probably display him on Halloween and he will be a one of.

[Coralc]

I wouldn't like commemorative coins and I wouldn't have much for use for the little commemorative spoons we received either. I'm not sure what you do with those?

 

Towels are always handy. Our Walgreens sells state items, so we gave XL California Tshirts with all the state "stuff" (flower/bird/capital, etc) on them. They still showed Ronald Regan as governor, but they make good yard/sleep shirts. We also added tins of Ghiradelli chocolate. :)

[wrp96]

I've taken jams and jellies made in my home state.

 

Also shot glasses.

 

Magnets.

 

For a recent gift, I found a picture of a local landmark that was included in Gone With the Wind. It's a beautiful picture and for someone not from Arkansas at least Gone with the Wind is a landmark.

 

 

Whatever you do, nothing too heavy, or too expensive. Easily packed is best.

[Janet524]

Did a gift exchange on a TA a couple years ago. DH is a watercolor artist, so we brought one of his prints to give and we got a beautiful calendar of Australian nature scenes.

[mividajp]

We live in San Antonio, Tx so we usually do something from the Alamo.

 

Magnet

Glass/mug

Shot glass

Key Chain

Calendar

Pad

Pen

 

On one of our trips a man made pendants from rocks and shells he picked up at his local beach. They were very nice. He did a wonderful job with them!

 

As everyone else has posted the main thing is to make it small and very light weight. Try to think of the person having to take it back to England or Australia with them. Even something that weighs a pound or two can make a difference when having to check your luggage in at the airport.

[Philly Steve]

A variation of the Yankee Auction is also fun.

 

Guests pick gifts from the center of the room and other guests have the option of imposing a swap if they want the newly selected gift more than the one they selected. You must set a two or three swap limit on any gift or you will be there for a long time.

 

It's a fun activity, especially if your M&M is on a cloudy/rainy day. :)

[madmarti]

We did the gift exchange last year on the Legend for our Med. cruise. It was a lot of fun. Being from Long Island, I bought a book on our wine country, because most people don't know about how many vinyards we have here on Long Island. Also, being a New Yorker, something from the New York Yankees, of course!!!!! Do it. ;)

[debshomespun]

Being from NE Ohio, we get lots of snow. I make snowmen that I sell at local craft shows, and whenever we do a gift exchange at the M&M, I always take one. As far as I know, everyone has always loved them, since they are unique. I've gotten t-shirts, coffee mugs, small tote bags and stationary.

[drakes2]

We live in Southern Ontario, Canada close to Niagara Falls and brought a small bottle of Ice wine from one of the local wineries there. My DH is from Newfoundland in Eastern Canada and brought a baseball cap that has NFLD on it with the Newfoundland mascot on the side. A man received it and was thrilled as he collects baseball caps.

Being from NE Ohio, we get lots of snow. I make snowmen that I sell at local craft shows, and whenever we do a gift exchange at the M&M, I always take one. As far as I know, everyone has always loved them, since they are unique. I've gotten t-shirts, coffee mugs, small tote bags and stationary.

[pattpga]

Although DH and I have been on 13 cruises (all RCCL) this cruise in Jan. is the first one we have signed up for a M&M, and this is the first I've ever heard of a gift exchange. Please enlighten me on how it works and how to initiate one . Thanks

[mividajp]

It's really easy and very fun. You get a group of people together (usually your roll call group) and everyone brings one gift. It's usually pretty inexpensive. Ours have always been either $5 or $10.

 

Usually you bring something that represents your state, country, or home town.

 

You decide with your group where and when to meet. You put your gift in a bag or wrap it and put your on-line name and real name on it. Then you put it in a community pile. You get a number as you drop your gift off and when everyone gets there you start with #1.

 

That person grabs a random bag and voila! They have a souvenir from someplace interesting that they may or may not have ever been to before. It's a neat way to remember your cruise and some of the people you cruised with.

[Perfect Stranger]

Count me as another one who's way too busy to be purchasing gifts that might not be used anyway. In addition, I have enough clutter and don't want any more gifts.

[lady_cruiser]

In the past we have brought area cookbooks for our gifts. My sister lives in San Antonio so she brought a Mexican favorite cookbook and since I live in Cajun Country I brought the Talk About Good Cookbook. We seemed to get a good feedback on them.

[Tucker in Texas]

A variation of the Yankee Auction is also fun.

 

Guests pick gifts from the center of the room and other guests have the option of imposing a swap if they want the newly selected gift more than the one they selected. You must set a two or three swap limit on any gift or you will be there for a long time.

 

It's a fun activity, especially if your M&M is on a cloudy/rainy day. :)

 

We did that one time on an exchange (it was called a Chinese Auction). The person that organized it took #1. I happened to be the last number. So I take the last lone bag sitting there which turned out to be a very nice necklace/earring set. #1 person, said the rule is that #1 gets to make another pick, she grabbed it, gave me her bath salts, and announced the event over.

 

The good news is that a gentleman in the group was a singer and had bought one of his CD's with him. He gave it to me because he said "the person with the last number always gets screwed." I've really enjoyed the CD so it wasn't all that bad (lol).

 

Tucker in Texas